After pondering the weighty question of the mass of the Milky Way galaxy, astronomers have come up with an answer: 42.
That is, our galaxy weighs three times 10 to the power of 42kg - a number written as 3 followed by 42 zeroes, which has echoes of author Douglas Adams's fictional answer to the question of life, the universe and everything in his series Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Science & Technology
A comet theory put forth by a group of 25 geo-scientists suggests that a massive comet exploded over Canada, possibly wiping out both beast and man around 12,900 years ago, and pushing the earth into another ice age.
University of South Carolina archaeologist Dr. Albert Goodyear said the theory may not be such "out-of-this-world" thinking based on his study of ancient stone-tool artifacts he and his team have excavated from the Topper dig site in Allendale, as well as ones found in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.
|
| ©USC |
| Site where most pre-Clovis work is being done. |
University of South Carolina archaeologist Dr. Albert Goodyear said the theory may not be such "out-of-this-world" thinking based on his study of ancient stone-tool artifacts he and his team have excavated from the Topper dig site in Allendale, as well as ones found in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.
WASHINGTON - Another stereotype - chatty gals and taciturn guys - bites the dust.
Turns out, when you actually count the words, there isn't much difference between the sexes when it comes to talking.
Turns out, when you actually count the words, there isn't much difference between the sexes when it comes to talking.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a software package for modelling asteroid impacts that enables them to assess the potential human and economic consequences across the globe.
The software, called NEOimpactor, has been specifically developed for measuring the impact of 'small' asteroids under one kilometre in diameter, and early results indicate that the ten countries most at risk are China, Indonesia, India, Japan, the United States, the Philippines, Italy, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Nigeria.
The software, called NEOimpactor, has been specifically developed for measuring the impact of 'small' asteroids under one kilometre in diameter, and early results indicate that the ten countries most at risk are China, Indonesia, India, Japan, the United States, the Philippines, Italy, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Nigeria.
Scientists and theologians from around the world are trying to solve the mystery of the incorruptible body of Hambo Lama Itigilov known as the "Buryat Nostradamus".
About 150 researchers and theologians from Europe, Mongolia and Russia are attending the first-ever international conference "Pandito Hambo Lama Itigilov" underway at the official residence of the Buddhist traditional church of Russia - the Ivolginsky Datsan -- near Ulan Ude.
Hambo Lama died in 1927 while meditating in lotus posture and praying for the repose of his soul. The body stayed in the ground for 75 years. In 2002, when the tomb was opened, Buddhist monks saw that the body of their teacher had not decayed.
About 150 researchers and theologians from Europe, Mongolia and Russia are attending the first-ever international conference "Pandito Hambo Lama Itigilov" underway at the official residence of the Buddhist traditional church of Russia - the Ivolginsky Datsan -- near Ulan Ude.
Hambo Lama died in 1927 while meditating in lotus posture and praying for the repose of his soul. The body stayed in the ground for 75 years. In 2002, when the tomb was opened, Buddhist monks saw that the body of their teacher had not decayed.
A commercial satellite image appears to have captured China's new nuclear ballistic missile submarine. The new class, known as the Jin-class or Type 094, is expected to replace the unsuccessful Xia-class (Type 092) of a single boat built in the early 1980s.
The new submarine was photographed by the commercial Quickbird satellite in late 2006 and the image is freely available on the Google Earth web site.
A Comparison of SSBN Dimensions
Two satellite images are now available (see figure below) that clearly show two missile submarines with different dimensions. One image from 2005 shows what is believed to be the Xia-class (Type 092) SSBN in drydock at the Jianggezhuang Submarine Base approximately 14 miles east of Qingdao. The submarine is approximately 390 feet (120 meters) long of which the missile compartment makes up roughly 80 feet (25 meters). Twelve missile launch tubes are clearly visible.
The new submarine was photographed by the commercial Quickbird satellite in late 2006 and the image is freely available on the Google Earth web site.
A Comparison of SSBN Dimensions
Two satellite images are now available (see figure below) that clearly show two missile submarines with different dimensions. One image from 2005 shows what is believed to be the Xia-class (Type 092) SSBN in drydock at the Jianggezhuang Submarine Base approximately 14 miles east of Qingdao. The submarine is approximately 390 feet (120 meters) long of which the missile compartment makes up roughly 80 feet (25 meters). Twelve missile launch tubes are clearly visible.
Some physicists gaze at the stars in the sky, but Victor Tsai of Harvard University and John Wettlaufer of Yale University in the US gaze at the stars on frozen lakes. Such star patterns often surround holes in ice, but the origin of their shape has always been a mystery. Now, by modelling their formation, the researchers have discovered that the shape is governed by the properties of the snow that covers the ice.
Wettlaufer was first inspired to investigate star patterns when he and his wife were looking out of an aeroplane window landing in Chicago and noticed a frozen lake peppered with the distinct shapes. "We were absolutely struck," he said. "My wife is from Sweden and she knew these as the harbingers of dangerous ice skating, but had never seen so many."
Wettlaufer was first inspired to investigate star patterns when he and his wife were looking out of an aeroplane window landing in Chicago and noticed a frozen lake peppered with the distinct shapes. "We were absolutely struck," he said. "My wife is from Sweden and she knew these as the harbingers of dangerous ice skating, but had never seen so many."
"Swarming" is often seen in the animal kingdom, for example when schools of fish rapidly change direction to evade a predator. Now physicists in India and the US have made collections of tiny copper rods swarm by vibrating them between two plates. The researchers claim that their experiment shows how simple small-scale interactions can give rise to large-scale changes in behaviour and could provide a better understanding of swarming in living organisms.
A swarm can be thought of as a system in which the density of particles fluctuates wildly from place to place. One such system is a school of fish, which exhibit density fluctuations as the fish rapidly change direction. Although physicists have tried to develop mathematical models of swarming, there are few simple experimental systems available for testing them.
Now, however, Vijay Narayan of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and colleagues have demonstrated swarming in a table-top experiment involving very simple inanimate objects - thousands of short copper rods less than a millimetre thick vibrated between two horizontal plates. The system is similar to a so-called "active nematic" liquid crystal - a fluid made up of long, symmetrical molecules.
A swarm can be thought of as a system in which the density of particles fluctuates wildly from place to place. One such system is a school of fish, which exhibit density fluctuations as the fish rapidly change direction. Although physicists have tried to develop mathematical models of swarming, there are few simple experimental systems available for testing them.
Now, however, Vijay Narayan of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and colleagues have demonstrated swarming in a table-top experiment involving very simple inanimate objects - thousands of short copper rods less than a millimetre thick vibrated between two horizontal plates. The system is similar to a so-called "active nematic" liquid crystal - a fluid made up of long, symmetrical molecules.
In space, a loo costs a lot.
NASA has agreed to pay $19 million (€13.93 million) for a Russian-built toilet system for the international space station. The figure may sound astronomical for a toilet in space, but NASA officials said it was cheaper than building their own.
"It's akin to building a municipal treatment center on Earth," NASA spokeswoman Lynnette Madison said Thursday, explaining the cost of the new toilet system.
Also, astronauts are familiar with how it works since it is similar to one already in use at the space station. The new system will be able to transfer urine to a device that can produce drinking water.
The new system is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. side of the space station in 2008. It will offer more privacy than the old toilet system, which will definitely be needed: The space station crew is expected to grow from three to six people by 2009.
NASA has agreed to pay $19 million (€13.93 million) for a Russian-built toilet system for the international space station. The figure may sound astronomical for a toilet in space, but NASA officials said it was cheaper than building their own.
"It's akin to building a municipal treatment center on Earth," NASA spokeswoman Lynnette Madison said Thursday, explaining the cost of the new toilet system.
Also, astronauts are familiar with how it works since it is similar to one already in use at the space station. The new system will be able to transfer urine to a device that can produce drinking water.
The new system is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. side of the space station in 2008. It will offer more privacy than the old toilet system, which will definitely be needed: The space station crew is expected to grow from three to six people by 2009.
Biologists at Washington State University say they have isolated a bacteria that may have contributed to the deaths of thousands of bighorn sheep in the West over the past five decades.
Comment: Note the very positive language used in the article - it is fairly authoritative in its presentation - "we have the answer". Yet at the same time it admits: So, that amounts to a very hazy perception of the what constitutes the significant majority of reality. Perhaps it is more healthly for science to make clear all assumptions that are in use, and to admit that really we know almost nothing about anything.