Submission + - Nanosatellite Launcher Challenge Seminar (blogspot.com)
codejoy writes: Team Phoenicia and TechShop, are going to host a Nanosatellite Launcher Challenge Seminar on November 6th, 2010 at TechShop, Menlo Park at 1 PM. Organizations that will be presenting include NASA Centennial Challenge Program, FAA, New Mexico Spaceport Authority, Team Phoenicia, Friends of Amateur Rocketry, and some of the SF Bay Area teams. The draft rules for the Challenge are planned to be presented and feedback is expected. The scope of this seminar is to promote the challenge in the the SF Bay Area, explore how the different organizations, including Team Phoenicia, can help teams, and will be a working session.
Submission + - First Potentially Habitable Exoplanet Discovered (gizmag.com)
Zothecula writes: If you’re looking to get away from it all then Gliese 581g might just fit the bill. But be prepared to pack enough for the trip that, even on a rocket traveling 30,000 km per second (18,640 miles per second), would take 200 years. Gliese 581g is the first exoplanet discovered that sits in an area where water could exist on the planet’s surface. If confirmed, this would make it the most Earth-like exoplanet yet discovered and the first strong case for a “potentially habitable” one.
Submission + - Nanosatellite Launcher Challenge Seminar
anzha writes: Team Phoenicia and Techshop are cosponsoring a seminar on NASA's Nanosatellite Launcher Challenge on November 6th, 2010 at 1 PM. The Nanosat Launcher Challenge is a competition to redo Sputnik with a single kilogram payload by private entities within the US. Presenting at the seminar will be NASA and its allied organization, FAA, California Space Authority, Spaceport America, Friends of Amateur Rocketry, Vog Rockets, and Team Phoenicia. The seminar is meant to be a combination of challenge promotion, networking, scoping the difficulty and requirements, and options for help for those teams. The draft rules will be presented for feedback at the seminar by the allied organization. The seminar is open to the public.
Submission + - Dinosaur Feather Color Discovered (scienceblogs.com) 1
anzha writes: Do you remember being a kid and told we'd never know what colors the dinosaurs were? For at least some, that's no longer true. Scientists working in the UK and China have closely examined the fossils of multiple theropods and actually found the colors and patterns that were present in the fossilized proto-feathers. So far, the answer is orange, black and white in banded and other patterns. The work also thoroughly thrashes the idea that fossils might not be feathers, but collagen fibers instead. If this holds up, Birds Are Dinosaurs. Period. And colorful!
Comment Re:Older fathers have more autistic children (Score 1) 1056
There was a book a few years ago about this subject for women...it didn't sell well. 35 is really the magic number. Down Syndrome potential ratchets up massively after that, frex.
Men are not immune from it either. schizophrenia and other issues seem to correlate to older paternal age too.
The effects of older parents having kids are something that almost everyone wants to avoid talking about. Postponing having kids until after you are 30 has dangers and as more and more of us do it...
Submission + - Sun and Microsoft sign strategic announcement (sun.com)
kildurin writes: Sun and Microsoft are announcing a mutual agreement to allow Sun to OEM Windows on its servers. The odd thing to me is this:
"Solaris and Windows Virtualization — Sun and Microsoft will work together to ensure that Solaris runs well as a guest on Microsoft virtualization technologies and that Windows Server runs well as a guest on Sun's virtualization technologies."
So Sun is running Windows in virtual and Microsoft will run Solaris in virtual.
Its also interesting to note that Sun is being deployed by AT&T to run Windows for IPTV.
Submission + - Sun Acquires CFS
anzha writes: "Sun Microsystems announced today that they are acquiring Cluster File Systems Inc. CFS owns the intellectual property related to and develops the open source file system known as Lustre. The question now is whether or not Sun will keep Lustre an open source file system or not. Will they also be able to grow it successfully to take on their chief rival's product in the cluster file system arena? Or will it languish?"
Space Station Leak Found, Fixed 225
Rommel writes "NewScientist.com is reporting that the cause of the leak in the International Space Station has been found and fixed. The leak was found in a hose in the Destiny lab module. The hose was used to equalize pressure and eliminate fog between two panes of a window. While the leak was so slow it was unlikely to pose a direct threat to the crew for months to come, some equipment on the ISS is only certified to operate above a certain air pressure. The leak was originally mentioned on Slashdot a few days back."
