Arctic sea ice set to hit record low

post from Top stories on 24 August 2012 08:48:52 AM. © Top stories

Arctic sea ice looks set to hit a record low by the end of the month, according to satellite data.

Scientists at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center said data showed that the sea ice extent was tracking below the previous record low, set in 2007.

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Akin breakin science

post from Bad Astronomy on 24 August 2012 08:31:05 AM. © Bad Astronomy

[NOTE: This is not my first foray into political opinion on this blog, so I expect to get a lot of comments which could charitably be called angry. BEFORE YOU COMMENT, first, read the ample links I have included in this post. These are how I back up my[...]

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why were just not ready for a hivemind

post from weird thingsweird things | exploring science, technology, the strange and the unknown on 24 August 2012 07:19:40 AM. © weird thingsweird things | exploring science, technology, the strange and the unknown

Unlike most skeptical podcasts, Skeptically Speaking isn’t new to tech skepticism and I’m glad to say that I played my small part in that, doing a segment on Kurzweilian Singularitarianism, and participating in a two-part debate on transhumanism thanks to hostess Desiree Schell’s interest in all things high tech. Last week, the show returned to [...]

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DNA could have existed long before life itself

post from New Scientist - Environment on 24 August 2012 05:00:00 AM. © New Scientist - Environment

The idea that life began with RNA ? simpler than DNA ? looks less certain now that a DNA-like molecule has been made from basic compounds

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icle0Cmg215287950B50A0A0Edna0Ecould0Ehave0Eexisted0Elong0Ebefore0Elife0Eitself0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fenvironment/story01.htm

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The Science Behind Hummingbird Flight

post from Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog on 24 August 2012 04:16:22 AM. © Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog

Aerodynamics of the hovering hummingbird

Hummingbirds and insects have evolved for sustained hovering ?ight from vastly different ancestral directions, and their distinct phylogenies underlie the differences in their aerodynamic styles. In all other birds?and, presumably, hummingbird ancestors?the downstroke provides 100% of weight support during slow ?ight and hovering. Given that many birds possess the mass-speci?c power (using anaerobic metabolism) to hover for short periods, the selective pressure on hummingbird ancestors was probably for increased ef?ciency (resulting in stiff wings with greatly simpli?ed
kinematics), and an upstroke muscle (the supracoracoideus) that makes the recovery stroke rapid, while contributing enough to the hovering power requirements to allow the downstroke muscle (the pectoralis) to operate within its aerobic limits.

In other words, this pseudosymmetrical wingbeat cycle is good enough, and although hummingbirds do not exhibit the elegant aerodynamic symmetry of insects, natural selection rewards ?good enough? as richly as it does our aesthetic ideals

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Flex, Zap, Roll

post from HD - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on 24 August 2012 03:00:00 AM. © HD - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Curiosity performs a series of firsts this week -- flexing its arm, laser-zapping a rock and rolling on its wheels

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0120824-1280.m4v

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Sierra Nevada Supports Communications Experiment
on ISS

post from Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News on 24 August 2012 01:17:42 AM. © Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

Sparks NV (SPX) Aug 24, 2012
Over a month ago, Japan's HTV3 cargo carrier launched atop a Japanese H-II rocket delivering an innovative software-defined radio experiment to the International Space Station (ISS). This new ISS facility, known as the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed, utilizes Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems' developed antenna pointing system. Initial reports indicate the system

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Sarah Brightman In Talks Over Space Trip

post from Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News on 24 August 2012 01:17:42 AM. © Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) Aug 24, 2012
British singer Sarah Brightman is in talks with the space tourism firm Space Adventures to become the world's eighth space tourist, a senior Russian space official said on Wednesday. "I think that if we do come to a consensus, then theoretically it can happen," Alexei Krasnov, head of manned space missions at the Russian space agency Roscosmos, said. Krasnov could not give a timeframe or d

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Russia's ISS Crew Members Complete Spacewalk

post from Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News on 24 August 2012 01:17:42 AM. © Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) Aug 24, 2012
Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Yury Malenchenko completed a six-hour spacewalk having carried out all planned maintenance tasks on the International Space Station (ISS). It was the first spacewalk of the current ISS Expedition 32 and expedition's Commander Padalka and Flight Engineer Malenchenko completed it in six hours ahead of the scheduled almost 6.5 hours. The spacewalk

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NASA's Mars rover makes first test drive

post from Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News on 24 August 2012 01:17:42 AM. © Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

Los Angeles (AFP) Aug 22, 2012
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Wednesday made its first test drive, leaving wheel tracks near its landing spot - now dubbed "Bradbury Landing" in honor of late science fiction author Ray Bradbury. "Curiosity today had its first successful drive on Mars. We have a fully functioning mobility system on our rover," said Matt Haverly, the lead rover planner at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (J

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http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/NASAs_Mars_rover_makes_first_test_drive_999.html