| News Capsules - January-February - Page 4 |
Antimatter Not Just
Sci-Fi Any More
In science fiction antimatter has
been used to power spaceships,
but in real life physicists have
struggled to create even fleeting
particles of antimatter. However, a
U. of California at Riverside
scientist recently joined two
positronium atoms (formed by the
union of an electron and its
antiparticle, the positron) into the
first antimolecule. A short-lived
molecule like that doesn’t have
any direct uses, but the technique
may bring us closer to creating a
powerful gamma-ray laser.—
Discover (December, 2007)
New Spaceport to be
Model for Environment
If all goes well, by 2009 tourists
who have $200,000 to spend can
orbit the Earth on a 2½ hour flight
aboard Virgin Galactic’s
SpaceshipTwo. And the project’s
spaceport, Spaceport America in
New Mexico, is expected to be a
model of efficiency and energy
savings. The teardrop-shaped
building will feature high-tech
ventilation systems, solar panels,
and massive windows, all deemed
“ecologically sound” for a
spaceport.—Discover (December,
2007)
Bacteria Genome
Invades Fruit Fly DNA
When scientists discovered that
the entire genome of a bacterial
parasite had lodged itself in the
DNA of a fruit fly species, they
wondered if humans could be
affected by bacteria in a similar
way. So far, the answer appears
to be negative. Scientists have
thoroughly checked the human
genome for bacterial genes
without finding any.—Discover
(December, 2007)
Sci-Fi Any More
In science fiction antimatter has
been used to power spaceships,
but in real life physicists have
struggled to create even fleeting
particles of antimatter. However, a
U. of California at Riverside
scientist recently joined two
positronium atoms (formed by the
union of an electron and its
antiparticle, the positron) into the
first antimolecule. A short-lived
molecule like that doesn’t have
any direct uses, but the technique
may bring us closer to creating a
powerful gamma-ray laser.—
Discover (December, 2007)
New Spaceport to be
Model for Environment
If all goes well, by 2009 tourists
who have $200,000 to spend can
orbit the Earth on a 2½ hour flight
aboard Virgin Galactic’s
SpaceshipTwo. And the project’s
spaceport, Spaceport America in
New Mexico, is expected to be a
model of efficiency and energy
savings. The teardrop-shaped
building will feature high-tech
ventilation systems, solar panels,
and massive windows, all deemed
“ecologically sound” for a
spaceport.—Discover (December,
2007)
Bacteria Genome
Invades Fruit Fly DNA
When scientists discovered that
the entire genome of a bacterial
parasite had lodged itself in the
DNA of a fruit fly species, they
wondered if humans could be
affected by bacteria in a similar
way. So far, the answer appears
to be negative. Scientists have
thoroughly checked the human
genome for bacterial genes
without finding any.—Discover
(December, 2007)
Musical Notes in
Da Vinci’s Masterpiece?
Are there musical notes encoded
in Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last
Supper”? An Italian musician and
computer technician claims to
have made this discovery, which
suggests Da Vinci left behind a
somber composition to
accompany the 15th-century wall
painting. “It sounds like a
soundtrack that emphasizes the
passion of Jesus,” Giovanni Maria
Pala said. Pala discovered the
music by drawing the five lines of
a musical staff across the painting
and noticing the loaves of bread
and Jesus’ hands could represent
musical notes. Pala eventually
realized the score had to be read
from right to left.—www.cnn.com
(11/9/07)
Oceans May Cool Earth
Some scientists and businessmen
think huge pumps could be used
in the ocean to mix the waters and
cool the planet. Large vertical
pipes could mix nutrient-rich
waters from hundreds of meters
down with the more barren waters
at the surface. This could help
algae on the surface consume
carbon dioxide, and when the
algae dies, the carbon would sink
into deep waters. The algae might
also make chemicals to help
clouds form and further cool the
planet.—www.nature.com
(9/26/07)
Da Vinci’s Masterpiece?
Are there musical notes encoded
in Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last
Supper”? An Italian musician and
computer technician claims to
have made this discovery, which
suggests Da Vinci left behind a
somber composition to
accompany the 15th-century wall
painting. “It sounds like a
soundtrack that emphasizes the
passion of Jesus,” Giovanni Maria
Pala said. Pala discovered the
music by drawing the five lines of
a musical staff across the painting
and noticing the loaves of bread
and Jesus’ hands could represent
musical notes. Pala eventually
realized the score had to be read
from right to left.—www.cnn.com
(11/9/07)
Oceans May Cool Earth
Some scientists and businessmen
think huge pumps could be used
in the ocean to mix the waters and
cool the planet. Large vertical
pipes could mix nutrient-rich
waters from hundreds of meters
down with the more barren waters
at the surface. This could help
algae on the surface consume
carbon dioxide, and when the
algae dies, the carbon would sink
into deep waters. The algae might
also make chemicals to help
clouds form and further cool the
planet.—www.nature.com
(9/26/07)
China Launches First
Lunar Orbiter
China has launched its first lunar
orbiter. The satellite, named
Chang’e 1, blasted off from the
Xichang Centre in China’s
Sichuan province, October 24,
and was expected to enter lunar
orbit in early November. China is
in an undeclared space race with
Asian rivals such as Japan and
India. In 2003 China became the
first Asian nation to use its own
rocket to put an astronaut in
space.—(10/24/07)
Japan Launches
A Lunar Orbiter
For the first time Japan has
placed a satellite in orbit around
the moon. The $279 million
Selenological and Engineering
Explorer is the largest lunar
mission since the U.S. Apollo
program. The mission involves
placing the main satellite in orbit
at an altitude of about 60 miles
and deploying two smaller
satellites in polar orbits.
Researchers hope the data will
help answer questions about the
moon’s “origin and evolution.”—
(Racine) Journal Times (10/5/07)
Evidence of Life
On Mars?
A German researcher has taken
another look at data obtained
from a Viking Mars landed in 1976
and claims to have discovered
evidence of possible life on the
planet. Joop Houtkooper says 0.1
percent of Martian soil could be of
biological origin. If confirmed, the
“weird life form” would be based
on hydrogen peroxide, which
would act as a natural anti-freeze
on the subfreezing Martian
surface.—news.yahoo.com
(7/23/07)
Lunar Orbiter
China has launched its first lunar
orbiter. The satellite, named
Chang’e 1, blasted off from the
Xichang Centre in China’s
Sichuan province, October 24,
and was expected to enter lunar
orbit in early November. China is
in an undeclared space race with
Asian rivals such as Japan and
India. In 2003 China became the
first Asian nation to use its own
rocket to put an astronaut in
space.—(10/24/07)
Japan Launches
A Lunar Orbiter
For the first time Japan has
placed a satellite in orbit around
the moon. The $279 million
Selenological and Engineering
Explorer is the largest lunar
mission since the U.S. Apollo
program. The mission involves
placing the main satellite in orbit
at an altitude of about 60 miles
and deploying two smaller
satellites in polar orbits.
Researchers hope the data will
help answer questions about the
moon’s “origin and evolution.”—
(Racine) Journal Times (10/5/07)
Evidence of Life
On Mars?
A German researcher has taken
another look at data obtained
from a Viking Mars landed in 1976
and claims to have discovered
evidence of possible life on the
planet. Joop Houtkooper says 0.1
percent of Martian soil could be of
biological origin. If confirmed, the
“weird life form” would be based
on hydrogen peroxide, which
would act as a natural anti-freeze
on the subfreezing Martian
surface.—news.yahoo.com
(7/23/07)
< Home > < Index > < Page 1 > < Page 2 > < Page 3 > < Page 4 > <Online Extra>
< Home > < Index > < Page 1 > < Page 2 > < Page 3 > < Page 4 > <Online Extra>