A New Exit to Space Readies for Business

Barry, Dan. “A New Exit to Space Readies for Business.” New York Times 20 March 2010. 21 February 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/us/22land.html

The article “A New Exit to Space Readies for Business” by Dan Barry describes a new space port being built. In Upham, New Mexico in a small town in the middle of the desert there is Spaceport America. Spaceport America is a $198 million project by the State of New Mexico to create commercial flights to space. Spaceport America is mainly meant for tourism but could be used for other things. People would be able to go 80 miles up and view the earth from space. There is five minutes of weightlessness guaranteed on the flight. The cost of one round trip is $200,000. Virgin Galactic is the commercial space travel business that is located at Spaceport America. Virgin Galactic is owned by the British billionaire, Richard Branson and 326 people have already placed reservations for their trips to space. Virgin Galactic has received $44 million in deposits so far. This could all happen by 2011 but is highly unlikely because Virgin Galactic is mainly concerned about getting licensing and being safe rather than having it ready quickly.

This article affects people a lot. Once this spaceport is open for business, normal people will be able to take a trip to space, not just astronauts. This would change people’s views of outer space and the earth because they would see it in a totally different perspective. Once these space tours are available to the common people this may spur people to create new technology. This article also gives people an idea of what is going on in our country. The spaceport will be the first of its kind and probably many more will be built. This article shows how much more accessible technology is becoming.

This article, by Dan Barry was very well written. Right in the beginning the author grabbed your attention by setting the location. This article was very cleverly written because it included all of the details but kept it in a simple and readable way. I think the article went on a little too much because it included a lot of information that was unnecessary. Also, details of the physical appearance of the space crafts and the space station were left out so it made it hard to visualize what the spaceport may look like. Overall this article was well written and kept the reader’s attention.

In Brookhaven Collider, Scientists Briefly Break a Law of Nature.

Overbye, Dennis. In Brookhaven Collider, Scientists Briefly Break a Law of Nature. New York Times, 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2010.

This article tells us how scientists broke a law of nature. They

did this by speeding up gold nuclei to 99.995% of the speed of light. They did

this to see if colliding nuclei can be broken down to quarks and gluons which

is a very high temperature plasma. Quark-gluon plasma is what existed

when the world was only a microsecond old. After doing this they found

that the freed quarks could tell left from right which breaks a law of nature.

This law is known as parity, the idea that laws are the same if switched from

left to right, negative to positive. The temperature of the quark=gluon

plasma was 4 trillion degrees Celsius and 250,000 times hotter than the

center of the sun.

I found this article very interesting, before reading this article

I didn’t know that nuclei could be broken down any further than it already

was.Also that we could get something to 99.995% of the speed of light and

something could be made the same heat as the sun no less 250,000 times

hotter than the sun, which to me is astounding.

Although this article was very well done it was very hard to understand

and to fully understand you would have to have had with scientific literature,

even though I think I understood it very well.

Zachary Mattes 3/18/10
Chem. Current Even

New Planet Found; May Be Cosmic Rosetta Stone

Than, Ker. "New Planet Found; May Be Cosmic Rosetta Stone." National Geographic. N.p., 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. .

The article “New Planet Found; May Be Cosmic Rosetta Stone” is about the discovery of a new exoplanet (a planet outside of our solar system). The planet is called Corot-9b and is located in the constellation Serpens. Corot-9b is a gas-giant, like Jupiter or Saturn, and is in a circular orbit around its star. The planet passes in front of its star as seen from Earth during its orbit, allowing scientists to study the planet’s atmosphere and size. The size of the planet can be found by seeing the amount of light from the star that is completely blocked out by the planet and the components of the atmosphere can be found by studying the light that passed through the atmosphere and was not completely blocked out. Scientists think that most exoplanets in the galaxy will resemble Corot-9b – temperate gas giants with circular orbits. Because not many exoplanets orbit in front of their star, which makes it impossible to study them, Corot-9b allows scientists to research exoplanets in greater detail.

Finding Corot-9b will allow planets outside of our solar system to be further researched. This could lead to advances in many fields in astronomy, and help humanity to explore and inhabit the galaxy. With more knowledge on exoplanets, humanity could eventually find a habitable earth-like planet in our galaxy, and if worse comes to worst, people could find refuge on another planet.

I liked this article very much, especially the way it was written. The author explained how the planets were studied and what scientists did with the information. I also liked the simplicity of the article.

ABE, Pioneering Robotic Undersea Explorer, Is Dead at 16 By Henry Fountain

“ABE, Pioneering Robotic Undersea Explorer, Is Dead at 16.” Henry Fountain. The New York Times. 15 March 2010. 17 March 2010.

“ABE, Pioneering Robotic Undersea Explorer, Is Dead at 16” is a great article that discusses the undersea robot’s career and death. ABE, short for Autonomous Benthic Explorer, was an undersea robot created in 1994. It was one of the earliest autonomous underwater vehicles designed for civilian use. Before ABE under water expeditions were done with small crowded submarines or unnamed research vehicles, tethered to ships. It’s technology was unlike anything the world had ever seen before. It was the first underwater vehicle to map a mid-ocean ridge and find hydrothermal vents, undergoing hundreds of successful expeditions underwater. Sadly, on March fifth it was lost at sea in southern Italy. Scientists suspect that it was most likely destroyed by the implosion of a pressure housing under enormous water pressure at a depth of about 10,000 feet.

The findings done by ABE currently have a great impact on the world today. In any scientific exploration new findings lead to miraculous and great new technology. ABE himself, was this new technology like this at one point. I am interested in seeing what new technology will come out to replace ABE.

I really enjoyed reading this article. It was well written and interesting. I think technology as advanced as ABE shows just how great advancements have come these days. It is cool and interesting to go from a submarine which could only go a certain level to an automatic robot that could reach depths up to 10,00 feet. I am extremely stunned and impressed with the technological advancements of today

Small Molecules Found to Protect Cells in Multiple Models of Parkinson's Disease

As this article explains, there are some very small molecules that have been found to protect cells from alpha-synuclein toxicity. This has been known as a strong sign of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that causes tremors and slowed movement. It can develop to the point of impaired speech and no movement. Parkinson’s does not have a cure. Julie Su, the co-author of the paper explains, “ In this research, we used yeast as a Parkinson’s disease system to identify the compounds that really work in two higher order model systems of Parkinson’s.” It has been found that four molecules prevented the development of certain traits that are thought to lead to Parkinson’s, including the build up of alpha-synuclein. The research was done on yeast that produced this alpha-synuclein in cells. These cells began to show the effects the same as those in Parkinson’s patients. The scientists then screened numerous small compounds to see if they would stop the traits in the yeast. The four compounds found, did help decrease the symptoms in the cells. They were then tested on worms and rats and found to be successful as well. This research is a potential break through for Parkinson’s disease. I took an interest in this because of a family background with the disease. I enjoyed reading about how these four compounds could potentially slow down or end the progression of Parkinson’s disease. The article was well written and explained in detail the advances being made.

Infection Defense May Spur Alzheimer’s

In the article “Infection Defense May Spur Alzheimer’s” explained the possibilities of a natural protein, beta amyloid or A-beta, causing Alzheimer by overproducing. This causes plaque on the brain that destroys signals between the nerves in the body with the brain. The hypothesis for this was started by Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi, a researcher at Harvard Medical School. He states that the innate immune system, a set of proteins that protect the brain since blood cannot got through to the brain, so antibodies cannot reach the brain in case of an infection, are overproduced are cause it to stick on the brain and destroys signals from the brain. Scientists first saw A-beta after comparing it to LL-37, a protein that is part of the innate immune system. Both proteins can destroy the same bacteria types and microbes. What Dr. Tanzi believes is causing the overproduction of A-beta is that the brain is overreacting to the infection on brain and is producing too much of the protein, which later turns into small, clumpy molds on the brain. With this new evidence, Dr. Tanzi is looking for evidence on how to cure Alzheimer’s if A-beta is truly the protein causing it. One idea was to remove the plaque from the brain, but the next step is to fix the nerves that were broken, but with this new data many other scientists can now go on to try to find a cure for Alzheimer’s.
This article is important because it shows that sometimes the diseases, like Alzheimer’s, is cause not by foreign invaders or viruses, but by proteins that our body creates to protect the brain from infections. This is important because Alzheimer’s is a very serious disease in which people start to forget everything from their lives, and makes them have a harder life since they do not remember important information. A cure to Alzheimer’s can save many lives and help the elderly by allowing them to remember information that they need in their lives. The discovery of A-beta and how it is part of the innate immune system tells scientists what to take as the next step, which is to control the brain on the production of this protein. Many people can be saved from getting Alzheimer’s and can lead normal lives when they are elderly.
The article states well on why A-beta and other proteins in the brain are important to figuring out why Alzheimer’s is caused in the brain. Also, the article explains well on how A-beta is very similar to other proteins and how it might cause Alzheimer’s. The article could have expanded more on how the nerves were broken after the plaque builds up on it, and also explain on why only removing the plaque will not cure the disease. This article is very important by trying to piece together the mystery on why Alzheimer’s is cause and how it should be treated. Hopefully in the near future more data is being discovered and Alzheimer’s will be completely cured.
Kolata, Gina. “Infection Defense May Spur Alzheimer’s.” New York Times 8 Mar. 2010: n. pag. Web. 8 Mar. 2010. .

A Little Black Box to Jog Failing Memory

Bhattacharjee, Yudhijt. "A Little Black Box to Jog Failing Memory." The New York Times 9 Mar. 2010: D6. Print.

The Senescam is a revolutionary idea in the advances of medicine in problems relating to memory.  The Microsoft research lab in Cambridge, England developed a small black box known as the Senescam.  It contains a digital camera and an accelerometer which measures neck movement.  The camera takes hundreds of pictures in a short time, and is both beneficial to older people with memory issues, and younger people who wish to log their lives.  Researchers think that this new technology will be good for the older generations that need help as well as their supporting families, because conversations will not have to repeated multiple times before they stick.  Instead of just taking tons of pictures and placing them next to each other, the Senescam focuses in on the more important images that might be key to unlocking memories.  This is still being adapted and modified, but the people who have helped test it say that it has great results, and a good future ahead of it.

            The Senescam will be very useful to people of all ages.  Some people might want to make a log of their lives, so they can just wear the Senescam around their neck.  Older people with memory problems can use this as a tool to awaken and strengthen the memory of certain events.  The people surrounding them can also use this to save time and not repeat the same conversation multiple times.

            This was a good article and it was very well written.  It both explained how the Senescam works, and the benefits of it.  It was well written and informative, and I really liked it.

Bacterial Product Isolated in Soil from Easter Island Rescues Learning, Memory in Alzheimer’s mouse model

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. "Bacterial Product Isolated in Soil from Easter Island Rescues Learning, Memory in Alzheimer's Mouse Model." ScienceDaily. 8 March 2010. 8 March 2010

The article, “Bacterial Product Isolated in Soil from Easter Island Rescues Learning, Memory in Alzheimer’s mouse model,” discussed a new use found for a drug found in the soil of Easter Island. This drug, Rapamycin, has previously been used for many other medical purposes, but in the latest test, it was proven to rescue learning and memory loss in a mouse with the likes of Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists were able to observe these results by feeding Rapamycin to mice with a disease like Alzheimer’s for 10 weeks. The scientists used the Morris water maze to test the mice’s memory and their learning. At the end of the test, Scientists learned that the drug had in fact treated the mice’s equivalent of Alzheimer’s. Through brain scans, scientists also learned that the Rapamycin also reduced brain lesions, or damage, with likeness to those lesions found in the brains of humans who have died from Alzheimer’s. While scientists are still unsure whether this new test will successfully help patients fight Alzheimer’s, they are hopeful, and want to move forward with new tests quickly.

This test could very well have a huge impact on our lives. Alzheimer’s is a very tragic, heartbreaking disease that many people today suffer from severely. Test such as this one are important, because finding a cure to diseases such as Alzheimer’s can save thousands of lives. This newfound use of Rapamycin has the potential to help the medical world and people suffering from Alzheimer’s significantly.

I really enjoyed reading this article, because I think that people should be educated about medical breakthroughs such as this one. Finding a cure to Alzheimer’s would be a huge achievement, and as I already stated it would greatly help many people. Other than just being about an important topic, I thought that the article was well written. It was easy enough to understand, and thoroughly explained the depth and the importance of this new discovery.

Are Pesticides from Plants Dangerous to Humans?

The article "Are Pesticides from Plants Dangerous to Humans?" discusses the potential dangers of pyrethroids, synthetic versions of pesticides naturally occurring in plants such as the chrysanthemum flower that have been chemically altered to make them more stable in sunlight and to increase their toxicity. It is estimated that over 70% of Americans have come into contact with pyrethroids, which, while less dangerous than organophosphate, which consumers have widely abandoned due to the dangers they pose to humans and wildlife, have been linked in studies with animals to damage to the thyroid, liver, and nervous system, and also to changes in the immune system and the disruption of reproductive hormones. These pesticides are also toxic to small marine animals eaten by fish, insects, and possibly other animals, appearing in toxic concentrations in rivers in Texas and California which were tested. This year, pyrethroids are being reevaluated by the EPA as part of its 2010 pesticide review (it reevaluates all pesticides every 15 years). Alternatives to pyrethroids include the chrysanthemum flower itself, whose natural pesticides do not persist in the enviornment which pyrethroids do, or boric acid. Experts agree, however, that the best thing for consumers to do is to try to minimize the use of any pesticides at all.

Pyrethroids, which have been shown to be present in the environment areas throughout the US, if harmful to humans would pose a major health risk. For that reason it is important for the EPA and private scientists to continue to investigate the safety of these pesticides. This also shows how altering chemicals such as pyrethroids can change them in ways we cannot fully anticipate, as the natural pesticides of chrysanthemum flowers are much less dangerous. Chemistry is a major industry in the US, but can sometimes produce unsafe products. Perhaps a more thorough review process of chemicals by the EPA to be used in the future, regardless of what they conclude about the dangers of pyrethroids to humans this year. In the 21st century, chemicals are becoming more and more unpredictable, and thus must be regulated very carefully.

I enjoyed reading Mr. Jabr's article, which highlights how further testing of chemicals such as pyrethroids which have already pervaded US society are needed. Unlike many of the reviews I see on this blog, Mr. Jabr's article was very detailed, and left me with no further questions about the topic other than what the EPA concludes in the future. I recommend sciam.com to my fellow classmates, as its articles seem to be much more thorough than those from other sources, such as the New York Times. However, it seems to me like Mr. Jabr may have exaggerated the facts in this article, as he himself says on the second page of the article that little scientific data exists to support or rebuke his assertion that pyrethroids are likely very dangerous to humans and should be avoided whenever possible. This is one of the flaws of modern media - that scientists have the ability to present their theories to the media without enough data to validate their claims. While this article may be valid, other articles make even more exaggerated claims, frightening consumers needlessly. Like Mr. Jabr says, more data on this subject is needed, which the EPA should provide by the end of the year.

Jabr, Farris. "Are Pesticides from Plants Dangerous to Humans?" Scientific American Online 26 Feb. 2010.

Move Your Body, Power Your Cellphone

Everybody always worries about their cellphone "dying" on them when there is no charger to be found, but now there is no need to anymore. In the article Henry Fountain describes a new invention, a chip that takes the energy from a person's body movement and converts it to energy that you could charge a cellphone with.They plan on first putting the chip into shoes and hope to one day be able to implant into peoples' chests.

This affects our lives because it would make charging our portable devices much easier and less time consuming because you would not have to wait for your phone to charge you could just take it with you where ever you go. It would also eventually make people somewhat like cyborgs.

I enjoyed the article. It was very factual and got right down to the point. It also gave interesting facts i.e. "The act of breathing — of moving the ribs to draw air into the lungs and expel it — can generate about a watt of power."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/science/02obribbon.html?ref=science