Now on ScienceBlogs: What if everyone jumped?
What We're Talking About Thursday, August 26, 2010
It's been a fun week for space news: Neptune has finally completed its first full orbit since being discovered in 1846 (well, sort of), the European Southern Observatory has returned some very interesting data about a solar system strikingly similar to our own orbiting a star 125 light years away, and NASA is crowdsourcing some ideas for space-themed music to play during the last two Shuttle missions. To bring things down to Earth a little, we have gravity. Specifically, a post from Ethan Siegel of Starts with a Bang! about gravity's speed, and one from Chad Orzel of Uncertain Principles on the difficulties inherent in measuring it. If general relativity isn't your cup of tea, you can swing over to Dot Physics and use slightly simpler math to solve a mystery regarding a "UFO" see in Google Maps. And if you'd like to head to space yourself one day, you might be interested in Greg Laden's post about a new private rocket test set to launch next week.
Starts with a Bang!August 25, 2010
"One of the most common questions I get asked is whether gravity is instantaneous, or whether there's a speed limit to how fast the force of gravity can travel. It's a good question! After all, we know how fast light travels, and if the Sun were to suddenly wink out of existence, we'd still receive light from it for just over 8 minutes after it disappeared! But what about gravity, and the Earth's orbit? Would the Earth simply fly off in a straight line, like a twirled poi ball the instant a string broke? "
Uncertain PrincipkesAugust 26, 2010
"There's a minor scandal in fundamental physics that doesn't get talked about much, and it has to do with the very first fundamental force discovered, gravity."
Dot PhysicsAugust 25, 2010
"I have no idea what this thing is, but it is clearly tall. How tall? Instead of searching online for info about this structure (that wouldn't be any fun), I figured I could do a quick analysis of the shadow."
Greg Laden's BlogAugust 25, 2010
"In which an actual living person, instead of just the ashes of TV actors, will be launched into space. Here's a picture of the rocket and its friend, the submarine:"
Plug Computer: a tiny networked system that draws 2 watts of power. Says Selva, "These devices enable a lot we can imagine. Even better, they enable a lot of things we can't imagine."
“Earl, previously known as tropical depression 07, is now Tropical Storm Earl, and is cranking up through this 'middle school' phase of the cyclone life cycle so quickly that by the time you read this Earl might be a hurricane. Or in his case, a himicane.”
For all the fellow fish-lovers out there, you must check out this article on a new exhibit of...
It was a refreshing change for us to put out an annual report on the theme of questions.
Suppose everyone in the world got together and jumped. Would the Earth move? Yes. Would it be noticeable? Time for a calculation.
Kepler has a new discovery, coming out in Science tomorrow. Press conference is currently underway....
There's a minor scandal in fundamental physics that doesn't get talked about much, and it has to do...
The Physical Science Channel RSS FeedI'll be reviewing Heidi Cullen's new book Weather of the Future shortly. She's already on the talk show...
Right, the previous thread has spilled off a discussion of Jastrow, Nierenberg and Seitz and their representation of...
The invaluable pseudonymous Tamino has a brilliant explanation of the causes of the "global cooling" trend in the...
The Environment Channel RSS Feed"You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember...
As in the example I just highlighted, we climate mitigation advocates are frequently attacked for alledgedly not wanting...
This one's pretty self-explanatory: Classes for the new academic year start a week from Monday.survey software You only...
The Education Channel RSS FeedAnother bogus story attacking the IPCC has been retracted. Certain British newspapers have conducted a war on the IPCC's credibility and ended up destroying their own.
Jim Emery's series is complete, and you should look through it. I find it interesting that he speaks...
Mehlman decided that political power and his own personal position was more important than preventing politically-motivated bigotry.
The Politics Channel RSS FeedI don't know if it's confirmation bias, faulty memory, or if my individual impression is correct, but it...
Having taken note of my little missive yesterday about New York Times health reporter Tara Parker-Pope and her...
P. Z. Myers had heart surgery yesterday, to implant a few stents. It was all very worrisome, but...
The Medicine & Health Channel RSS FeedA fascinating new paper just came out in Nature Communications and I intend to blog it in...
Here are my Research Blogging Editor's Selections for this week: Livia Blackburne asks what something called "visual noise...
Predator-prey interactions are often viewed as evolutionary arms races; while predators improve their hunting behaviors and their ability...
The Brain & Behavior Channel RSS FeedThere's a terrific new article in New Scientist about some of the ways scientists are working on turning...
The Dot Physics game inspired us to put up this photo from the Institute's new calendar,* which features...
Confessions of a Science Librarian
Here's a list of the reasonably active Science & Technology library blogs I know about. I've not included...
Altering how funders view a successful grant could help reduce the conflict between quick release and career goals.
Confessions of a Science Librarian
The latest issue of ISTL has just been released and, as usual, it's filled with very interesting-looking articles....
The Information Science Channel RSS FeedOn Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess
Our laboratory moved today, little darlings, and it was quite an endeavor. I smell horrible, I am covered...
On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess
I have decided that this weekend I am a new woman, little darlings. These last 8 months or...
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PZ Myers 08.26.2010
Orac 08.26.2010
Ed Brayton 08.26.2010
PZ Myers 08.24.2010
Ed Brayton 08.26.2010
ERV 08.24.2010
Class M 08.24.2010
Uncertain Principles 08.23.2010
The Pump Handle 08.23.2010
Starts with a Bang! 08.21.2010
Latest science stories | More at nytimes.com
Some engineers use cranes and steel to make their designs reality, but synthetic biologists engineer using tools on a different scale: DNA and the other molecular components of living cells. Synthetic biology uses cellular systems and structures to produce artificial models based on natural order. Read these posts from the ScienceBlogs archives for more:
Pharyngula May 30, 2007
The Loom January 31, 2008
Discovering Biology in a Digital World July 2, 2006
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