Star-birth Myth ‘Busted’
Aug 31, 2009 Space
Astronomers have debunked one of astronomy’s long held beliefs about how stars are formed, using a set of galaxies found with CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope. When a cloud of interstellar gas collapses to form stars, the stars range from massive to minute. Since the 1950s astronomers have thought that in a family of new-born stars the ratio…..
Can the Laws of Physics Extend Beyond Our Universe?
Aug 31, 2009 Space
Chris Knight, the finest fictional physicist of our time, once said “All science. No Philosophy. Wrong.” It’s true that an understanding of existence outside of equations is vital for scientists, both in terms of enjoying life and avoiding things like Agent Orange, but beware careless combination of the two.
Scientists design spacecraft to save Earth from asteroids
Aug 31, 2009 Space
A spacecraft capable of saving the world from a catastrophic asteroid collision has been designed. Heroic missions to stop life on Earth from being wiped out by an asteroid have become a favourite theme for Hollywood disaster films. The “gravity tractor” would be deployed when an orbiting rock is detected on a collision course with earth.
Radio Contact Lost With Chandrayaan-1
Aug 31, 2009 Space
India’s lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft lost contact with ISRO’s ground station early on August 29. “We are not able to establish contact with the spacecraft. We are not getting the data, we are not able to send commands,” an ISRO official told the Press Trust of India. “In simple terms, the spacecraft has become dumb. It can’t speak.”
Air Pollution in Road Tunnels 1,000 Times Stronger
Aug 31, 2009 Science
A toxic cocktail of ultrafine particles is lurking inside road tunnels in concentration levels so high they have the potential to harm drivers and passengers, a new study has found.
Scientists Identify The Stomach Cells That Regulate Appetite
Aug 31, 2009 Science
Researchers at Columbia and Rockefeller Universities have identified cells in the stomach that regulate the release of a hormone associated with appetite. The group is the first to show that these cells, which release a hormone called ghrelin, are controlled by a circadian clock that is set by mealtime patterns.
New solar-cell efficiency record set
Aug 31, 2009 Environment
Spectrolab announced that its newest triple-junction solar cells had achieved the world record in efficiency, converting 41.6 percent of specially concentrated sunlight into electricity. Those cells cost 40 cents per watt, if you happen to have the sunlight equivalent of 500 suns streaming down while enjoying a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.
Wind farms can appear sinister to the weatherman…
Aug 31, 2009 Environment
Wind farms have been blamed for disrupting the lives of birds, bats and, most recently, the land-bound sage grouse.Now the weatherman?The massive spinning blades affixed to towers 200 feet high can appear on Doppler radar like a violent storm or even a tornado.
Tree That Increases Crop Yields By 280%
Aug 31, 2009 Environment
In Malawi, maize yields were increased up to 280 percent in the zone under the tree canopy compared with the zone outside the tree canopy.