new scientific discoveries

[Gromnir]

I love maths. It's beautiful, easy, and useful.

 

High as a giant gorilla atop the Empire State.

 

It's just something that has always interested me. A lot of people dislike it because they don't understand it, but then I notice they either had horrible maths teachers or never bothered to even try at it.

 

But hey, what do I know, I only tutored kids in it for 2 years and study it as my second science major.

 

None of which disproves my 'high as an exploded suicide bomber' theory. You have obviously just been high quite a long time.

 

I am confused. I think once people start describing maths majors as permanently high, the word starts to lose its negative connotations. Which is fine by me. Rock on, I'm high!

 

a math major cannot be permanently high? our time in berkeley would suggest otherwise. actually, Gromnir's 3rd year roommate, a math major, were preternaturally and perpetually high. our roomie were from the netherlands, and we were actual kinda envious that a guy who spent 90% of his waking hours fried could maintain his gpa. *chuckle* we were the first guy to tell him that he should use deodorant as he had a noticeable funk. we thought he were gonna be angry when we informed him o' his bo problem, but he thanked us. he were mortified that he had been stinky for two years without anybody informing him that his presence were noisome. in any event, nothing 'bout being a math major precludes being wasted outta your gourd. am suspecting that fully 1/4 o' the math majors at ucb were high more often than our roomie.

 

oh, and ain't krez a former math major? am recalling that you were gonna drop-out. belated congrats if you has returned to your studies. am always surprised and relieved when an ex-student returns to finish off his/her studies, since it happens so rare.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps the guy we roomed with kicked our arse in chess 'bout 90% o' the time we played.... and he were high 'bout 50% o' the times we played. *grumble*

[Humodour]

Thanks! Yep, back at uni. Half-way between a Distinction and a High Distinction average, aiming for straight HD average next sem. I'm playing it by ear at the moment, but my arts major is definitely Spanish whilst my science major is leaning heavily towards materials science or chemistry. I am going to do everything I can to actually get a major in mathematics recorded on my transcript as well, but at the end of the day I may be one or two maths subjects short for that as I don't want to sacrifice subjects in mat sci. Still, I should be able to cram in a huge amount of differential equations and linear algebra.

 

Amusingly, my main motivation to return to university early was due to a psychedelic trip.

[Raithe]

Just to slip it in here..

 

The final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis today.. the last mission.

 

And part of Obama's statement regarding it..

Today?s launch may mark the final flight of the Space Shuttle, but it propels us into the next era of our never-ending adventure to push the very frontiers of exploration and discovery in space. We?ll drive new advances in science and technology. We?ll enhance knowledge, education, innovation, and economic growth. And I have tasked the men and women of NASA with an ambitious new mission: to break new boundaries in space exploration, ultimately sending Americans to Mars. I know they are up to the challenge ? and I plan to be around to see it.

 

I'd feel rather better about it if he hadn't been cutting their budget over the last year or so..

[Gfted1]

Not to mention it leaves us totally incapable of returning to space on our own (and with no replacement program in sight) and entirely dependant on the Russians. How stupid.

[Zoraptor]

The Russians are pretty much dependant on US and other international funding so it's at least reciprocal dependancy. Soyuz is also cheap, reliable and safe which can't really be said for the shuttles.

 

Strategically there's very little need for the ability to get humans into space, only satellites where there are multiple alternatives to the russians.

[Humodour]

Google has invested over $700 million into renewable energy this year:

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/14/...799646120110614

[Gorth]

Scientists sequence potato genome

 

Was Dan Quayle a visionary? Will scientists be able to genetically engineer a Potatoe variant from the common Potato? Will mutant Potatos threaten humanity?

 

On a more serious note, I realise the potential of "designer" vegetables giving maximum crop yields, optimal resistance to pests of various sorts etc., yet can't stop worrying that by oversimplifying the evolutionary process and do the natural selection part on behalf of the Potato, we create greater benefits that comes with greater risks.

[Humodour]

can't stop worrying that by oversimplifying the evolutionary process and do the natural selection part on behalf of the Potato, we create greater benefits that comes with greater risks.

 

What risks?

[Gorth]

can't stop worrying that by oversimplifying the evolutionary process and do the natural selection part on behalf of the Potato, we create greater benefits that comes with greater risks.

 

What risks?

I think we are putting all our eggs in one basket by creating a uniform potato master race at the expense of genetic variety. With specialisation comes not only performance but vulnerability.

[Humodour]

can't stop worrying that by oversimplifying the evolutionary process and do the natural selection part on behalf of the Potato, we create greater benefits that comes with greater risks.

 

What risks?

I think we are putting all our eggs in one basket by creating a uniform potato master race at the expense of genetic variety. With specialisation comes not only performance but vulnerability.

 

I agree, but that is a problem that has nothing to do with genetic modification as it is a result of thousands of years of inbreeding. C.f. the banana.

 

If anything, genetic modification should allow us an avenue to overcome this problem.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Krezack

[Gorth]

I agree, but that is a problem that has nothing to do with genetic modification as it is a result of thousands of years of inbreeding. C.f. the banana.

 

If anything, genetic modification should allow us an avenue to overcome this problem.

Save our bananas!

 

I seem to remember the EU doing something similar, trying to standardise the cucumber into long straight vegetables for easier packaging and transportation.

 

I'm not sure how you see a difference between too selective breeding of the doomed banana with skipping the selection process entirely for "designer" potatos? The end result is the same, a uniform gene pool which it only takes one mutated fungus to make a mess of

[Gfted1]

MIT demos flexible solar panels printed on paper.

 

MIT researchers have shown how solar panels can be printed on paper and other cheap materials, opening a range of possibilities including homes with solar-panel window shades or wallpaper.

 

Last year, CNET's Martin LaMonica reported on how MIT had developed the world's first solar panel printed on paper. A recent MIT study in the journal Advanced Materials by Karen Gleason and colleagues details the innovation.

 

The paper photovoltaic arrays are created through an oxidative chemical vapor deposition process at temperatures less than 120 degrees Celsius.

 

Ordinary uncoated paper, cloth, or plastic can be used. The researchers printed solar cells on a layer of PET plastic, folded it 1,000 times, and found it would still work.

 

Multiple layers and a paper mask are used to print the cells in a vacuum chamber. MIT says the procedure is nearly as cheap and easy as inkjet printing.

 

When paper is printed with cells, it can produce less than 50 V, enough to power small devices in ambient indoor lighting. The solar panel still works even if text is printed upon it, as seen in this demo.

 

In the video below, the voltage on a meter changes as the solar-panel paper is repeatedly folded. The paper could be used indoors or, if laminated against the elements, outdoors.

 

"We have demonstrated quite thoroughly the robustness of this technology," MIT quoted engineering professor Vladimir Bulovic as saying. "We think we can fabricate scalable solar cells that can reach record-high watts-per-kilogram performance. For solar cells with such properties, a number of technological applications open up."

 

The technology is years away from commercialization and efficiency is only about 1 percent. But the researchers hope to increase that dramatically by experimenting with different materials.

 

The team has demonstrated the printing technique with regular printer paper, tissue, tracing paper, and even newsprint that had already been printed.

 

I doubt newspapers will still be around by the time this technology becomes common, but if they are you might just be able to recycle yesterday's news into a source of renewable energy.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Space-time invisibility cloak: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/07/18/...sibility-cloak/

[Gorth]

Space-time invisibility cloak: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/07/18/...sibility-cloak/

I expect the commercial version of this apparatus to be used to cheat outrageously at sports events. Watch the super goal keeper that never misses a save!

[Humodour]

MIT demos flexible solar panels printed on paper.

 

MIT researchers have shown how solar panels can be printed on paper and other cheap materials, opening a range of possibilities including homes with solar-panel window shades or wallpaper.

 

Last year, CNET's Martin LaMonica reported on how MIT had developed the world's first solar panel printed on paper. A recent MIT study in the journal Advanced Materials by Karen Gleason and colleagues details the innovation.

 

The paper photovoltaic arrays are created through an oxidative chemical vapor deposition process at temperatures less than 120 degrees Celsius.

 

Ordinary uncoated paper, cloth, or plastic can be used. The researchers printed solar cells on a layer of PET plastic, folded it 1,000 times, and found it would still work.

 

Multiple layers and a paper mask are used to print the cells in a vacuum chamber. MIT says the procedure is nearly as cheap and easy as inkjet printing.

 

When paper is printed with cells, it can produce less than 50 V, enough to power small devices in ambient indoor lighting. The solar panel still works even if text is printed upon it, as seen in this demo.

 

In the video below, the voltage on a meter changes as the solar-panel paper is repeatedly folded. The paper could be used indoors or, if laminated against the elements, outdoors.

 

"We have demonstrated quite thoroughly the robustness of this technology," MIT quoted engineering professor Vladimir Bulovic as saying. "We think we can fabricate scalable solar cells that can reach record-high watts-per-kilogram performance. For solar cells with such properties, a number of technological applications open up."

 

The technology is years away from commercialization and efficiency is only about 1 percent. But the researchers hope to increase that dramatically by experimenting with different materials.

 

The team has demonstrated the printing technique with regular printer paper, tissue, tracing paper, and even newsprint that had already been printed.

 

I doubt newspapers will still be around by the time this technology becomes common, but if they are you might just be able to recycle yesterday's news into a source of renewable energy.

 

I really enjoyed this because it's a breathe of fresh air to read about. So many people are caught up in large-scale electricity generation like massive PV arrays, or better yet, solar thermal towers, and rightly so, but sometimes it's nice to hear about how we can improve basic consumer products or do things we take for granted in entirely new ways. I'm a bit fuzzy on the exact purpose of this technology but I have a few ideas and it is nonetheless ground-breaking.

[Tale]

Via Slashdot:

Neanderthal Genes Found In All Non-African Populations

 

So, apparently Sapiens and Neanderthalensis did some cross-breeding. But it's interesting to me that neanderthals were close enough to us for breeding and production of viable offspring. Apparently it had been known that they bred (this is from 09), but it wasn't clear how widespread it was.

[Humodour]

Via Slashdot:

Neanderthal Genes Found In All Non-African Populations

 

So, apparently Sapiens and Neanderthalensis did some cross-breeding. But it's interesting to me that neanderthals were close enough to us for breeding and production of viable offspring. Apparently it had been known that they bred (this is from 09), but it wasn't clear how widespread it was.

 

Yes, it's fascinating. Melanesian people are different again - having interbred bred with Denisovians (a cousin to both Neanderthals and humans). So Melanesians have both Denisovian and Neanderthal DNA while Africans have neither and Europeans have just Neanderthal DNA.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisova_homi...h_modern_humans

[Gfted1]

Physicists Confirm Existence of New Particle.

 

Physicists working at Fermilab?s particle accelerator have confirmed the observation of an entirely new particle ? the the Xi-sub-b baryon.

 

Baryons are particles formed of three quarks, in different configurations. The proton is a baryon that consists of two up and one down quark, and the neutron is two down and one up. The Xi-sub-b has an up quark, a strange quark (yes, that?s its real name) and a heavy bottom quark (again, real name), meaning that it weighs around six times as much as a proton or neutron.

 

Its existence has been predicted for some time, but hadn?t previously been observed. It doesn?t stick around long, though ? traveling a fraction of a millimeter before decaying into lighter particles.

 

Happily, Fermilab has smashed together almost 500 trillion sets of particles, so researchers were able to verify the particle?s existence multiple times over. The Xi-sub-b has been spotted 25 times.

 

Fermilab?s Tevatron, where the Xi-sub-b was discovered, is based in Illinois in the United States, and was the highest-energy particle accelerator in the world until the Large Hadron Collider opened below Geneva.

[Humodour]

I dunno if that counts as a 'new particle'. It's just a particle scientists predicted they could build artificially in an atom smasher. And then they did. A nice feat of human engineering, though.

 

But probably more akin to building the element ununoctium in a lab - OK, we've proven humans can build synthetic atoms, and now synthetic sub-atomic particles, but what're we gonna do with it? It requires such an huge energy input to maintain artificial particles in nature. Still funky and interesting.

[Humodour]

Did you hear about them building positronium and anti-hydrogen, too? They both act a bit like hydrogen since they're both combinations of a single positive and and a single negative sub-atomic particle just like hydrogen. Positronium is an electron (negative) plus an anti-electron (positive) and anti-hydrogen is an anti-electron (positive) and an anti-proton (negative). Anti-hydrogen has the same mass as hydrogen while positronium would I imagine be about 1/1800th the weight due to not having any protons.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positronium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antihydrogen

[Raithe]

It's amusing science..

 

Swede arrested for attempting to build a nuclear reactor in his kitchen

[Gorth]

It's amusing science..

 

Swede arrested for attempting to build a nuclear reactor in his kitchen

Sweden... everything has to be regulated through systembolaget

 

Speaking of amusing science, Lego is sending three volunteer "astronauts" (Legonauts?) on the Juno mission (Lego in space)

[Gfted1]

NASA: DNA Found on Meteorites Indicates Life May Have Originated in Space

 

August 9, 2011 12:51 PM EDT

 

NASA researchers have found the building blocks for life on earth in meteorites, indicating that the components for life on Earth may have originated in outer space.

 

According to the findings from a group of NASA-funded researchers, the scientists found that ready-made DNA parts could have crashed to earth's surface on objects like meteorites, and then assembled under earth's early conditions to create the first DNA.

 

The researchers, from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, made their discovery using samples from 12 carbon-rich meteorites, nine of which came from Antarctica. Then, the team extracted small fragments of the meteorite and ran them through a process to determine their structure. What they found, was adenine and guanine. These are two of the nucleobases needed to make DNA that form the rungs of the ladder (in addition to thymine and cytosine, which were not present in the sample).

 

The team also found hypoxathine and xanthine, which are not part of DNA but are used in various biological processes.

 

"People have been discovering components of DNA in meteorites since the 1960′s, but researchers were unsure whether they were really created in space or if instead they came from contamination by terrestrial life," said Dr. Michael Callahan, lead researcher of the discovery. "For the first time, we have three lines of evidence that together give us confidence these DNA building blocks actually were created in space."

 

The team all but ruled out the possibility that the compounds were contaminated on earth because the nucleobases they found do not naturally occur on this planet. Furthermore, the samples, predominately found in Antarctic ice, did not have the chemical makeup to support terrestrial contamination.

 

They studied both terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples to make the comparisons. Opponents of the idea that DNA particles came from space typically point to contamination of samples as a reason why the theory is not viable.

 

What is particularly significant about the new research is that the scientists were able to effectively prove there was no contamination and that the biological parts were created in space and carried to earth.

 

The research has even greater implications than first meets the eye.

 

If the ingredients for life were brought here from some external source, there's always the possibility that the same thing has happened elsewhere in the universe--possibly many times over. This would give credence to the theory that life exists on other planets.

 

Though the findings are likely to undergo a lot more scientific scrutiny, if meteorites are truly bringing in the ingredients for life, it could forever change our picture of life in the universe.

 

The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[Humodour]

Speaking of nucleobases, some dudes recently made E. coli use an artificial nucleobase instead of a natural one (via a process called forced evolution).

 

Considering there are only 4 nucleobases used in DNA and RNA, and the difference between RNA and DNA (among other things) is just one nucleobase, that's a pretty ****ing amazing feat. The kind of feat nature has only accomplished once before.

 

If there are any creationists left on this board, feel free to start acknowledging evolution is correct, or leave.

[Walsingham]

Via Slashdot:

Neanderthal Genes Found In All Non-African Populations

 

So, apparently Sapiens and Neanderthalensis did some cross-breeding. But it's interesting to me that neanderthals were close enough to us for breeding and production of viable offspring. Apparently it had been known that they bred (this is from 09), but it wasn't clear how widespread it was.

 

Obviously you don't know many of the chaps I work with.