Friday, March 1, 2013

End Of The World In 2036?


Asteroid Apocalypse -- Michio Kaku, The Daily Beast/Newsweek

The recent crash-down in Russia was a fleabite. The one in 2036 could destroy entire nations...

It was an amazing spectacle, a rapid succession of giant asteroids blazing across the sky. First, on February 15, Russia was hit with the biggest asteroid in 100 years. Barely a few hours later, an even bigger one made the closest approach to Earth ever recorded for an asteroid of its size. Then the residents of San Francisco, Cuba, and south Florida looked up and saw meteors streak across the sky, rattling their nerves.

It was a historic display of nature’s cosmic firepower, something I never expected to see in my lifetime. Mother Nature was showing Hollywood who’s boss.

The city of Chelyabinsk in Russia bore the brunt of the celestial fireworks. A piece of rock, about 50 feet across and weighing more than 7,000 tons, came crashing to Earth. Traveling at a blinding speed of over 40,000 miles per hour, it created a sonic boom and shock wave that shattered windows across the city: 1,200 people were injured, mainly by the flying pieces of glass, and 52 were hospitalized, 2 of them in serious condition. Chelyabinsk, once known as one of the most polluted places in the world due to its storage of nuclear waste, will now be known as “meteor city.”  

Read more ....

My Comment: We have been bombarded by these meteorite strikes in the past .... and I suspect that we will in the future. I only hope that in the future we have the capability to prevent such catastrophes from hitting us.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

What A Nuclear Accident May Cost


Major Nuclear Accident Would Cost France $580 Billion: Study -- Reuters

(Reuters) - A nuclear accident similar to the one at Japan's Fukushima reactor would cost France about 430 billion euros ($580 billion), or 20 percent of its economic output, French nuclear safety institute IRSN said in a study on the possible financial impact of a nuclear crisis.

A major disaster damaging one of France's 58 nuclear reactors and contaminating the environment with radioactive material would displace an estimated 100,000 people, destroy crops and create massive power outages, the study said.

 "A major accident would have terrible consequences, but we would have to deal with them because the country wouldn't be annihilated, so we have to talk about it, however difficult it is," Jacques Repussard, the head of the public-funded IRSN, said on Wednesday at a presentation at the Cadarache nuclear research centre in southeastern France.

 Read more ....  

My Comment: The Chernobyl disaster left a legacy that will be present in that part of the Ukraine for centuries .... and the cost is unimaginable. If such a disaster should strike France .... ditto there. Now just imagine what a nuclear war would cost.

Monday, February 4, 2013

The Top 50 Things People Want To Do Before They Die

Dreams: Swimming with dolphins is 19th on the list, but sadly most of us will only fulfill five of our ambitions 

See The Seven Wonders Of The World, Go On Safari And Swim With Dolphins: The Top 50 Things People Want To Do Before They Die -- Daily Mail 

* Researchers complied checklist of lifelong ambitions of the average adult
* But sadly they found most people will only ever fulfill five of their dreams
* The study revealed that 12 per cent of people have no ambitions at all
* Becoming a millionaire and travelling the world are the top two goals

Seeing the seven wonders of the world, going on safari in Africa and swimming with dolphins are among the list of 50 things the average person wants to do before they die.

But sadly researchers have found that most adults will only ever fulfill five of their lifelong ambitions.

Many feel they do not have enough time to tick off the experiences, while others admit to not being fit or adventurous enough or being too afraid of getting hurt.

Read more ....  

CSN Editor: #7 is on the top of my list.

Richard III Remains Are Confirmed



It IS Richard III: Scientists Reveal DNA Results Confirm 15th Century King's Body Has Been Found Under A Car Park In Leicester -- Daily Mail 

* University of Leicester academics unveil their findings at press conference 
* DNA sample matches that of a descendant of the king's maternal line 
 * Skeleton's spinal curvature also matched accounts of the humpback king 
 * Remains were uncovered by archaeologists at former church in Leicester 
* Historical records say he was taken to the city after he was killed in 1485 

Human remains found buried beneath a social services car park in Leicester are those of Richard III who was killed in battle in 1485, archaeologists confirmed today. 

In an extraordinary discovery which rewrites the history books, the skeleton of the last of the Plantagenet kings was identified by DNA analysis after researchers traced his living descendants. 

Investigators from the University of Leicester today revealed that the remains bore the marks of ten injuries inflicted shortly before his death. 

More gruesome, however, was evidence of ‘humiliation’ injuries, including several head wounds - part of the skull was sliced away - a cut to the ribcage and a pelvic wound likely caused by an upward thrust of a weapon, through the buttock.  

Read more ....  

My Comment: This closes the chapter on one fascinating archaeological hunt.

The Rise Of The Robots



Obama Must Face The Rise Of The Robots -- Edward Luce, Financial Times 

Technology will leave a large chunk of the US labour force in the lurch. Early in his first term Barack Obama joked that he would “keep an eye on the robots in case they try anything”. He should have known resistance is futile. During Mr Obama’s presidency, IBM’s Watson has proved computers can outfox the most agile minds, drones have become America’s weapon of choice, the driverless car is now a reality and the word “app” has been detached from its origin. No longer the realm of science fiction, the rise of robots now poses the central economic dilemma of the Obama era.

Read more ....  

My Comment: The genie is out of the bottle .... I doubt that it can be plugged back in.

Friday, February 1, 2013

A Second Oval Office For The President?


2nd Oval Office Readied In White House Rehab Project -- Real Clear Politics

This summer there will be two Oval Offices in the White House complex, and it won’t be a case of double vision. In preparation for a major, two-year renovation of the West Wing, the government is undertaking extensive work to complete a new executive office for President Obama at the south end of the adjacent Eisenhower Executive Office Building, RCP has learned.

The president’s facsimile Oval Office, created as a nearly identical replica of the most famous ovoid room in the world, is slated to be ready for occupancy by August if Obama is ready to move and if design challenges are resolved. The build-out of the new “West Wing quarters” inside the Eisenhower building has begun, but unforeseen construction hurdles may alter plans for the eventual placement of the new office inside the EEOB, according to several knowledgeable sources.

 Read more ....  

My Comment: There can only be one Oval Office .... the other office may look like it .... but it does not have it's history .... it is just a replica.

Remembering Colombia


"It Broke Up! The Shuttle Broke Up!": Remembering Columbia -- CBS News

As some might reckon it, the beginning of the end for NASA's space shuttle program came 10 years ago Friday, at 8:48:39 a.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003. That's when strain gauge V12G9921A, a sensor in the shuttle Columbia's left wing, began registering a small but unusual increase in stress as the spaceplane descended from orbit to close out its 28th mission.

Twenty seconds later, a temperature sensor followed suit. Over the next few minutes, a shuttle data recorder captured a cascade of alarming sensor readings and failures on the left side of the spacecraft that clearly indicated a rapidly unfolding catastrophe.  

Read more ....  

My Comment: Wow .... it's already been 10 years.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A New Test For Pancreatic Cancer?



Did This 15-Year-Old Just Change The Course Of Medicine? Schoolboy Invents Early Test For Pancreatic Cancer That Killed Steve Jobs -- Daily Mail 

* Jack Andraka's new test detects pancreatic cancer earlier than any other
* Deadly disease currently kills 19 out of 20 within five years
* He claims his invention could raise survival rates to 'close to 100 per cent'

A 15-year-old schoolboy could save millions of lives after he invented a new, low-cost test that can detect the early stages of a deadly form of cancer.

Jack Andraka from Crownsville, Maryland, developed a simple dip-stick test for levels of mesothelin, a biomarker for early stage pancreatic cancer found in blood and urine.

It promises to revolutionise treatment of the disease, which currently kills 19 out of 20 sufferers after five years - largely because its so difficult to detect until its final stages.

Read more ....  

My Comment: I am sure that before being available to the public that more testing will need to be done. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this is a breakthrough..

Darpa Wants To Put Lasers On Fighter Jets


DARPA Putting Laser Turrets On Fighter Jets Next Year -- DVice

Our first foray into laser-equipped combat aircraft was the Airborne Laser Testbed, a Boeing 747 with a gigantic chemically-pumped megawatt laser turret in its nose. It was pretty awesome from a conceptual standpoint, but it didn't work very well, and was scrapped last year.

This doesn't mean that the idea of high-powered lasers on aircraft doesn't make a lot of sense, and DARPA is still for ways to make it work. It's working on two at the moment: the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS), and Aero-Adaptive/Aero-Optic Beam Control (ABC).  

Read more ....

More News On DARPA Wanting To Put Laser Weapons On Fighter Jets

US Military Will Install Laser Turrets on Bombers and Fighter Jets -- Gizmodo
U.S. fighter jets to use Star Wars-style onboard laser weapons by 2014 -- Science Recorder
DARPA plans to put laser turrets on fighter jets in 2014 -- Slash Gear
Pentagon wants laser weapons on fighter jets -- TG Daily
The Pentagon Plans To Test More Airborne Laser Weapons As Soon As Next Year -- Popular Science Lasers on planes to be tested by US military -- Global Post

California Has A New Earthquake Alert System

The California area's probability of suffering an earthquake 

New $80million Earthquake Alert System Will Give Californians 60 Seconds To 'Duck And Cover' Before Worst Shock-Waves Hit -- Daily Mail 

* System will use 2,000 sensors already in place to look for 'p-waves', precursors to earthquakes
* Will provide 60 second warning, giving residents 'critical seconds' to prepare
* U.S. Geological Survey predicts a 99 percent chance of a magnitude-6.7 earthquake or larger in the next 30 years in California Plans for an £50 million ($80m)

Earthquake early warning system for California have been unveiled.

The ShakeAlert system, which has taken ten years to develop, would give a minute's warning of a major quake.

Experts say this would give residents critical time for residents to 'duck and cover' and for utilities to power down.

Read more ....

My Comment: The above image is one of the best maps on the area's probability of suffering an earthquake that I seen in a long time. 

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Is Earth’s Global Warming Less Severe Than Feared?

Norway Data Shows Earth’s Global Warming Less Severe Than Feared -- Bloomberg 

New estimates from a Norwegian research project show meeting targets for minimizing global warming may be more achievable than previously thought.

After the planet’s average surface temperature rose through the 1990s, the increase has almost leveled off at the level of 2000, while ocean water temperature has also stabilized, the Research Council of Norway said in a statement on its website.

After applying data from the past decade, the results showed temperatures may rise 1.9 degrees Celsius if Co2 levels double by 2050, below the 3 degrees predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “The Earth’s mean temperature rose sharply during the 1990s,” said Terje Berntsen, a professor at the University of Oslo who worked on the study. “This may have caused us to overestimate climate sensitivity.”

Read more ....

My Comment: Ooopppsss ....

US Soldier Who Lost All Limbs Undergoes Successful Double-Arm Transplant


Iraq Vet Undergoes Successful Double-Arm Transplant -- CNN

(CNN) -- A U.S. Army infantryman who lost all four limbs in a 2009 roadside explosion in Iraq has undergone radical transplant surgery that may help him regain use of his arms. Last month, the 26-year-old infantryman had successful surgery -- a rare double arm transplant -- at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

"It feels amazing," Marrocco told reporters Wednesday. "It is something that I was waiting for for a long time, and now that it happened, I don't know what to say, because it is such a big thing for my life." The last thing Marrocco remembers before being hit by an explosion in 2009 was that he was driving an armored vehicle.  

Read more ....

More News On An Iraq Vet undergoing A Successful Double-Arm Transplant

Johns Hopkins Hospital performs double arm transplant on Army soldier -- Washington Post
Soldier who lost 4 limbs has double-arm transplant -- AP
US soldier who lost all limbs gets new arms -- BBC
Quadruple amputee vet says new arms feel "amazing" -- CBS
Double-arm transplant soldier 'getting a second chance' -- NBC
Soldier with new arms determined to be independent -- Wall Street Journal
Transplant patient says new arms feel like his own -- Washington Post
Former US soldier Brendan Marrocco gets double arm transplant -- The Australian  

My Comment: It is amazing on what science is capable of doing right now.

Making Drones To Follow You Around All Day

The tiny little MeCam. Photo: Always Innovating 

Tiny Robot Helicopter Will Follow You Around, Filming Everything You Do -- Smithsonian 

Do you want to obsessively share every detail of your life with everyone you know? Maybe you spend so much time playing video games that you would really just feel more comfortable having a third-person perspective on your own life?

Maybe, you’re really short and just want to know what’s going on around you. Whatever the case may be, advances in technology have now brought our society to the point where you will soon be able to buy a tiny little camera-equipped robot helicopter that will automatically follow you around and film every single thing you do.

Read more ....  

My Comment: This technology is getting smaller and smaller with each passing day.

New Google Maps On North Korea Show Monuments, Nuclear Complex, Gulags

Map of Camp 22 shows previously unidentified structures -- such as guards compounds or the office of director.

North Korea On Google Maps: Monuments,Nnuclear Complex, Gulags -- CNN

(CNN) -- Ever wondered how to drive from the center of Pyongyang, the showcase capital of North Korea, to Yongbyon, the location of the secretive regime's main nuclear complex? Well, a recent update to Google Maps has the answer for you.

It has filled in the big, largely blank space that previously lay north of the well-mapped South Korea with streets, towns and landmarks. Users curious to virtually explore one of the world's most reclusive states can zoom into the heart of Pyongyang and pull up photographs of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, which houses the bodies of the revered former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.  

Read more ....

More News On Google Maps Providing More Details On North Korea
North Korea Streets and Gulags: Google Maps Reclusive Nation -- ABC
Google Maps North Korea -- Wall Street Journal
Google Maps’ New Target: Secretive North Korea -- New York Times
Google unveils its new maps of North Korea -- L.A. Times
Google adds detail to North Korea map -- The Guardian
Google Unveils Detailed North Korea Map -- Voice of America
Locate the Gulags: Google unveils more detailed North Korea maps -- RT
Google Maps Extends Coverage Through North Korea, Includes Gulags -- Red Orbit
Google Maps presents North Korea through a new lens -- Christian Science Monitor
Google Fills In Some Blanks on Its North Korea Map -- Austin Ramzy, Time Google Maps North Korea With Crowd-Sourced Data -- PCMag
Beyond the Google Map of North Korea -- Evan Osnos, The New Yorker

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Predicting Future Wars And Conflicts

Hoss Cartwright Heralds New Era In Warfare: 'No Longer Do We Troll For Trouble; We Predict It' -- Aol Defense

WASHINGTON: A combat patrol is four soldiers walking, under orders to look for trouble and react to it. For most of modern history, infantry squads have been the military's principal sensors, forcing an enemy to respond, allowing American forces to judge the situation and respond.

But that is an always risky, often bloody way to generate intelligence. "Essentially, you are asking them to troll for trouble," the retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Hoss Cartwright, told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies today.  

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My Comment: When you read stories like this one .... that is when you know that a fundamental shift is now occurring within the military on how to fight future wars effectively and efficiently.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Irish Wind Turbines To Power UK Homes


Ireland To Build 'Giant' Wind Turbines To Power UK Homes -- BBC 

UK and Irish ministers will today sign an agreement that could see some of the world's largest wind turbines built across the Irish midlands. Stretching more than 600 feet (180 metres) in the air, the towers are set to generate energy for millions of UK homes from 2017.

The companies involved say the Irish power is a cheaper form of renewable than UK offshore wind. But environmentalists have described the scheme as "crazy". They say it risks damaging Ireland's landscape.

Read more ....  

My Comment: There goes the landscape.

Governments Want Access To Google's User Data

Data of government requests of Google data on the company's users. (Image: Screengrab/Google)

US Government Leads Global Increase In Requests For Google User Data -- Wired

According to data released by Google, it is receiving by far the most requests for users' personal data from the US government, but global demand is steadily rising each year. The search engine published the figures 23 January as part of its efforts for total transparency.

The report reveals that the US leads the trend, with 8,438 requests for information about 14,791 users in the second half of 2012 -- India is a distant second, with 2,431 requests for information, followed by France, Germany, the UK and Brazil.  

Read more ....

More News On Government's Wanting Access To Google's User Data

Google Complies With Government Requests for User Data 88% of the Time -- Weekly Standard Google report shows governments trying to extract more info about users of company’s services -- Washington Post
Google report reveals continued rise in US government requests for data -- The Guardian
Google Says Requests for User Data Rose in Second Half of 2012 -- Bloomberg Businessweek Google Tells Cops to Get Warrants for User E-Mail, Cloud Data -- Threat Level
Google report reveals two-thirds of police requests for data lacked warrant -- The Hill
Government data requests to Google continue to rise -- Computer World
Google breaks down how governments access users’ data -- SFGate
Google Sees Growing Government Demand For User Data -- Information week
U.S. leads the world in requests for users' Google data -- CNet
Google: Feds Requesting More User Data, Mostly Via Subpoenas -- PCMag Google Reveals How U.S. Government Obtains User Information -- TPM

Massive Melting Of Andes Glaciers

The tropical glaciers are melting at their fastest rate in 300 years 

Massive Melting Of Andes Glacier -- BBC 

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have shrunk by 30-50% since the 1970s, according to a study. The glaciers, which provide fresh water for tens of millions in South America, are retreating at their fastest rate in the past 300 years.

The study included data on about half of all Andean glaciers and blamed the melting on an average temperature rise of 0.7C from 1950-1994. Details appear in the academic journal Cryosphere.

Read more ....  

My Comment: In my travels through the Andes in the 1990s I was appalled to see the level of deforestation that was occurring .... I suspect that this has increased over the years, and is contributing to the disappearance of the glaciers.

Antibiotic-Resistant Diseases Pose 'Apocalyptic' Threat

Hospital superbugs such as MRSA are some of the best know antibiotic-resistant diseases, but MPs were warned about infections such as gonorrhea and TB that affect the general population. Photograph: Getty Images 

Antibiotic-Resistant Diseases Pose 'Apocalyptic' Threat, Top Expert Says -- The Guardian 

Chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies tells MPs issue should be added to national risk register of civil emergencies. Britain's most senior medical adviser has warned MPs that the rise in drug-resistant diseases could trigger a national emergency comparable to a catastrophic terrorist attack, pandemic flu or major coastal flooding.

 Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, said the threat from infections that are resistant to frontline antibiotics was so serious that the issue should be added to the government's national risk register of civil emergencies.

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My Comment: Apocalyptic is underestimating the impact that such a development can become.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Asteroid Mining

Image: Advocates hope asteroid mining could turn into a trillion-dollar business; others are sceptical 

New Venture 'To Mine Asteroids' -- BBC 

A new venture is joining the effort to extract mineral resources on asteroids. The announcement of plans by Deep Space Industries to exploit the rare metals present in the space rocks turns asteroid mining into a two-horse race.

The other venture, Planetary Resources, went public with its proposals last year. Advocates of asteroid mining hope it could turn into a trillion-dollar business, but some scientists are highly skeptical of the idea.

Read more ....  

My Comment: This is not going to happen .... it is still cheaper to mine on earth.