9 Overlooked Technologies That Could Transform The World What I've noticed is that most people don't really pay attention to "science" news, unless it's something that they can see immediately. I think this is at least partially because of the amount of news that comes out daily - whatever we may think about the quality of news, there is just a flood of it, which makes picking out "interesting" items difficult. When I talk about (just for example) the idea of gene therapy, most people think that it is still complete science fiction, as opposed to a very near-term product that will be available. Of course, CSP has been around for years, so it isn't really "new" to the average person. What they don't realize is the way that efficiencies have improved... And electronic currency is still in the "only oddballs use it" phase - people are aware of it, but mostly because of the issues bitcoin has had in the recent past. Finally, of course, for a majority of people, the only science fiction they think of it Star Wars/Trek, or (advanced!)
Énorme nuage de débris après l’explosion d’une fusée dans l’espace - Sciences et Un énorme nuage de débris spatiaux qui s’est formé après l’explosion mi-octobre du bloc d’accélération d’une fusée Proton-M pourrait menacer la Station spatiale internationale (ISS), a indiqué jeudi une source dans le secteur spatial. 500 débris « On suit actuellement environ 500 débris formés après la destruction du bloc d’accélération Briz-M », a précisé cette source, ajoutant que la quantité de débris pouvait encore augmenter. « Dans la liste des objets potentiellement dangereux [pour l’ISS] sont apparus de nouveaux éléments », selon la même source. Il s’agit de l’un des plus gros nuages de débris formés ces dernières années, s’ajoutant à la myriade d’autres débris déjà dans l’orbite de la Terre, un phénomène qui constitue une menace potentielle pour les satellites et la Station spatiale internationale. Vitesse orbitale très élevée L’explosion de ce bloc s’est produite le 16 octobre, selon Interfax. Des millions dans l’espace
These mirrors will allow us to observe the birth of the Universe. Yes, really. For it to work as a telescope it would require a housing with a collector (secondary mirror). Otherwise you have orbit's largest mirror, not a telescope. It seems though, the housing in this case is 4 open sides held by poles. I worked on JWST for three years as a Systems Engineer at Northrop Grumman (the prime contractor for the Observatory). Interesting stuff. Sure, they'll be able to upgrade the sensors and software and whatnot, but it's hard to imagine a way to service the mirrors via spacewalk (though it is amusing to picture an astronaut out there with a squeegee and bucket). The Hubble has been the gift that keeps on giving, and really NASA has a reputation going of its projects far outlasting their planned usefulness, whether they by satellites or rovers. Thanks for answering my question. Barring massive, rapid advances in human spaceflight, nobody will be upgrading the sensors on JWST.
More women harness power of fantasy Different forms of sexual fantasy may have a real impact on arousal and desire, particularly for women, a new study shows. Women tend to fantasize about being the object of desire while in bed"Fifty Shades of Grey" may have helped women discover the power of fantasyFantasizing can spur both sexual desire and arousal, research showsSharing fantasies with your partner means you feel confident in your relationship Editor's note: Ian Kerner, a sexuality counselor and New York Times best-selling author, writes about sex for CNN Health. Read more from him on his website, GoodInBed. (CNN) -- With the book "Fifty Shades of Grey" still flying off the shelves, women are discovering the power of sexual fantasy, some for the first time. According to neuroscientists Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam, authors of "A Billion Wicked Thoughts," while men tend to have visually driven fantasies, women prefer to fantasize about what a man might do to them. Erotica is wonderful, but you don't need a book to feel sexy.
Future - Science & Environment - Global resources stock check If we fail to correct current consumption trends, then when will our most valuable natural resources run out? As the world’s population soars, so does its consumption, and as a result we are stretching many of our natural resources to their limits. Of course, the assumption is that human ingenuity and market forces will prevent supplies from running out: we could create better or cheaper extraction methods, recycle materials, find alternatives to non-renewable sources, or reduce consumption. The hope is that talks at the Rio+20 Earth summit will help to steer the world economy on a more sustainable path. If you want to see the data we used to construct this infographic, you can find it here [PDF].
L'ESA veut remédier au problème des débris qui peuplent l'espace Depuis deux jours se tient la 6ème conférence des débris de l'espace de l'Agence spatiale européenne (ESA). Toutes les avancées de la recherche et les solutions techniques disponibles pour prévenir les risques grandissants liés aux débris spatiaux y sont actuellement évoqués. Ce n'est plus un secret aujourd'hui : des millions de débris peuplent l’espace. Avez-vous déjà partagé cet article? Partager sur Facebook Partager sur Twitter Toutefois, leur nombre grandissant est sujet de nombreuses préoccupations. Depuis plusieurs années, il est ainsi fréquent que la Station spatiale internationale (ISS) relève son orbite pour échapper à un objet susceptible de la frôler voire de la percuter. Des régions orbitales devenues inutilisables Objectif : évoquer ensemble les solutions techniques disponibles et les dernières avancées de la recherche afin de réduire les risques liés à ces débris spatiaux qui grandissent au fur et à mesure que le nombre de vols spatiaux s'intensifie.
Future - Science & Environment - Drake equation: How many alien civilizations exist? Are we alone? It is a question that has occupied mankind for centuries. Today, we live in an age of exploration, where robots on Mars and planet-hunting telescopes are beginning to allow us to edge closer to an answer. While we wait to establish contact, one technique we can use back on Earth is an equation that American astronomer Frank Drake formulated in the 1960s to calculate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations may exist in the Milky Way galaxy. It is not a rigorous equation, offering a wide range of possible answers. Until ground-based observations, space telescopes and planet-roving robots uncover any tell-tale signs of life, what better way to speculate on how many intelligent alien civilizations may exist than to explore the universe with our interactive version of the equation.
How the brain controls our habits: Neuroscientists identify a brain region that can switch between new and old habits Habits are behaviors wired so deeply in our brains that we perform them automatically. This allows you to follow the same route to work every day without thinking about it, liberating your brain to ponder other things, such as what to make for dinner. However, the brain's executive command center does not completely relinquish control of habitual behavior. "We've always thought -- and I still do -- that the value of a habit is you don't have to think about it. The new study offers hope for those trying to kick bad habits, says Graybiel, senior author of the new study, which appears this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Lead author of the paper is Kyle Smith, a McGovern Institute research scientist. Old habits die hard Habits often become so ingrained that we keep doing them even though we're no longer benefiting from them. Almost instantly, the rats dropped the habit of running to the left (the side with the now-distasteful reward). Online control
Planetary Alchemy by Alan Smale Let’s fix Mars. Of course, the Red Planet is spectacular just as it is. Images from forty years of Mars missions have revealed its stark beauty and rose-tinted rocky grandeur. In its southern hemisphere Mars has ancient cratered highlands similar to the Moon’s, while much of the north consists of plains lower in altitude and geologically much younger. Other canyons, networks of river valleys, stream beds, gullies, channels, layered deposits, deltas and alluvial fans provide strong evidence for flowing water, crater lakes and salty seas in a much warmer and wetter period of Mars’s history. There’s a lot to like about Mars. Some time in the future we might decide we need that dusty red real estate. Such a stunning transformation may be easier than you imagine. Keeping Pressurized and Keeping Warm Down to basics. First, the air pressure. Next: Temperature. Finally, the atmospheric composition. So, what would it take to free all this water and CO2? Even more dramatic methods are possible.
Une sonde russe devrait plonger vers la Terre dimanche La sonde russe Phobos-Grunt, qui devait gagner Mars mais est restée en orbite autour de la Terre après son lancement raté le 8 novembre, devrait plonger vers la Terre dimanche, mais les scientifiques déclaraient vendredi ignorer où, et à quelle heure, elle va tomber. La sonde était censée initialement gagner la banlieue de la planète rouge et prélever des échantillons de roche à la surface de Phobos, l'une des deux lunes de Mars. Depuis l'échec de son lancement, l'engin perd lentement de l'altitude, en raison de l'attraction terrestre. Cette sonde de 14 tonnes, dont 11 tonnes de carburant particulièrement toxique, doit pénétrer dans l'atmosphère dimanche ou lundi, a fait savoir dans un communiqué l'agence spatiale russe Roscosmos. En raison des constantes fluctuations de la haute atmosphère, fortement influencée par l'activité solaire, le moment exact du retour de la sonde, et le lieu vers lequel elle plongera demeurent inconnus.