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ISS

Submission + - NASA Offers Opportunities for Biological Research on ISS (nasa.gov)

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "NASA is inviting scientists from around the country to submit proposals for Biological research and experimentation to e performed aboard the International Space Station.

  The NASA Research Announcement (NRA), "Research Opportunities in Space Biology," opened Sept. 30.

From the Announcement: "This NRA challenges scientists to propose experiments that could provide answers to questions about how life adapts and responds to microgravity. Selected investigators will have the opportunity to take advantage of new cell, plant and animal research facilities being developed for the space station.""

Comment Power Requirements vs. Power Output (Score 1) 318

by S810 (#39441883) Attached to: Ask MIT Researchers About Fusion Power

This may be a stupid question, but...

The power that it takes to generate electricity from a nuclear plant, I assume, is fairly immense. Does the power that a nuclear plant generate put out more pwer than it takes to generate it? I know that, for the most part, it is steam pwer, right? The rods get hot and they boil water that, in turn, generates steam. some of these plants seem pretty massive and must take a lot of power to operate.

Thanks!

Submission + - Did Life on Earth Come From Mars? (discovery.com)

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "Was Mars a better breeding ground for life, early on, than Earth? 'Given the same raw materials, Mars would have been a better host for life to arise than Earth, which some scientists believe was too flooded for the chemistry of life to gain a toehold."

Biochemist Steven Benner from the Applied Molecular Evolution in Gainsville, Fla. said in an interview, ""On Mars, you can have all of the chemistry that we would have wanted to have without having to worry about Mars being a waterworld.""
The Military

Submission + - Robot Firefighter to Throw Extinguisher Grenades (discovery.com)

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "Discovery News is running this article about the US Navy developing a robot capable of "throwing extinguisher grenades."

From the article: "Fire has proven deadly for sailors throughout the centuries of naval warfare. The U.S. Navy wants to counter that ancient foe with a humanoid robot capable of throwing extinguisher grenades as it nimbly moves about the narrow passages and ladderways of modern warships.""
Science

Submission + - Scientists getting clearer picture of 'God particle' (cnn.com) 1

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "CNN is running this article about new insights into the God Particle, according to scientists this is the particle that gives all matter its mass.

From the article: "Scientists working on two independent experiments at the Tevatron accelerator in Batavia, Illinois, see patterns in data that might — just might — be indicative of signals from a Higgs boson. If so, that particle would have a mass between 115 to 135 GeV."

"But the results from U.S. collider experiments don't have enough statistical significance to call their data a discovery.""

Comment Re:Police of the World... (Score 1) 395

by S810 (#39268709) Attached to: US Asserts Super-Jurisdiction Over Dot-Com, Dot-Net, and Dot-Org Domains

I do agree with you, whatever someone does to your site, while not your fault (usually) is still considered a product of your site and therefore you or your company can be held liable.

The comment about the UN is a sound argument. Since our induction into the UN in October 1945 we have become the UN's World Police. While it is true that in some instances there are other peacekeeping efforts by other countries, it still stands that we, the US, because of our resources or whatever, are usually the ones who mobilize into action.

This can be seen as just another attempt by Big Brother to hold onto control of something they fear because it is mostly unregulated and open... For now.

Comment Police of the World... (Score 1) 395

by S810 (#39264921) Attached to: US Asserts Super-Jurisdiction Over Dot-Com, Dot-Net, and Dot-Org Domains

It seems that since we joined the UN, the United States has become the Police of the World; usually operating on behalf of UN voted actions. This seems to be just another arm of that thinking.

I am not either for or against this yet as I am still deciding while gathering more facts, but, it seems to me that if companies or individuals who want to operate a .com, ,net or .org domain that originated in the US should be liable for any actions that resulted from that domain...

Just a thought...
Android

Submission + - MIT, Google Release New Tools to Fix Android's Quality-Control Problem (wired.com)

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "From the article over at Wired Magazine : "Ask any techie about the differences between Android and iOS apps, and you’ll get the same answer: Apple’s apps are more plentiful, and just plain better designed.

And users have responded in kind, eating up iOS apps by the armload. Just this past weekend, Apple surpassed the 25 billion download mark in its App Store. And in terms of overall customer satisfaction, Apple’s apps edge out Android apps according to a recent UTest survey.

Google’s app platform clearly needs a helpful boost, and thanks to a series of new initiatives, the Android Market could see an uptick in both quantity and quality sooner than you think."
NASA

Submission + - Secret Military Mini-Shuttle Marks One Year in Orbit (discovery.com)

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "This from an article on Discovery News: "The military won't say what it has been doing with its experimental miniature space shuttle, but the pilotless spaceship, known as the X-37B, has been in orbit for a year now.

The 29-foot robotic spacecraft, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, was launched on March 5, 2011, on a follow-up flight to extend capabilities demonstrated by a sistership during a 244-day debut mission in 2010.

"We are very pleased with the results of ongoing X-37B experiments," Tom McIntyre, with the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office...""

Comment Re:Why... (Score 1) 58

by S810 (#39224471) Attached to: Oxygen Found Around Saturn's Moon Dione

According to the article: "This most recent discovery will no doubt give a boost to scientists lobbying for sending missions to the gas giant's satellites to search for alien life as, like the presence of liquid water, the presence oxygen could support microscopic lifeforms on other, more habitable moons."

Science is alway looking for way to expand our knowledge...
Science

Submission + - Oxygen found on Saturn's moon Dione (discovery.com)

Submitted by
S810
S810 writes: "In an article on Discovery News, oxygen was found by the Cassini Spacecraft on the third largest of Saturns Moons. This should open the door for more funding of research to Saturn's and Jupiters moons."

Comment Re:cricket (Score 1) 294

by S810 (#39141883) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Best Mobile Phone Solution With No Data Plan?

I had Cricket for years and they are in all 50 states now. I got the Sanyo Droid from them and only paid $50 per month but they have $25 / Month plans for standard phones with unlimited talk and text (including LD).

Since I moved to CA I switched to VZ and have a Droid X2 which I love, buying my wife the Razor MAXX tomorrow... WooHoo!

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