Science Updates

[Black Orchid]

Seriously though, even the Fosters they sell in Australia is one of the worst lagers ever, right up their with Budweiser for pinging my gag reflex.

Australians don't drink it either. Not that I purport to be a beer connoisseur as I find all beer gag worthy.

[AiA in Atlanta]

Our Pale Blue Dot

[Super Nova]

Great image.

shows how insignificant we are in space and time.

[Super Nova]

First case of a man being aroused by flatulence. Site does allow be to cut any text in.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/scie ... lence.html

Maybe this is the Monk's problem.

[Super Nova]

Looks like Hubble is now superseded by even better telescope.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/spac ... tured.html

[Rorschach]

Loved the Telescope article (not the flatulence one)



http://www.gizmag.com/hsc-andromeda-galaxy-image/28549/



http://atc.mtk.nao.ac.jp/E/Projects/HSC/indexE_HSC.html

[Super Nova]

Cool links RS.

Amazing engineering in this telescope. We are clever animals.

[Rorschach]

Sun's magnetic field is about to flip: NASA
* by: STAFF WRITERS
* From: news.com.au
* August 07, 2013 8:34AM



THE sun's huge magnetic field is about to flip, according to NASA.

The magnetic field is so big it extends billions of kilometres past Pluto, and NASA says its change will have ripple effects across the entire solar system as it changes between the sun's north and south poles.

Stanford University solar physicist Phil Scherrer said that while earth orbited the sun, it dips in and out of what solar physicists call the "current sheet" - an electrical current jutting out from the sun's equator.

While the magnetic field is changing polarity, the current sheet becomes wavy, which stirs up stormy space weather.

"The sun's polar magnetic fields weaken, go to zero, and then emerge again with the opposite polarity," Professor Scherrer said.

"The sun's north pole has already changed sign, while the south pole is racing to catch up."

The phenomenon will mark the middle of Solar Cycle 24.

But don't worry, it happens about every 11 years, so it's not going to be the end of the earth.

###

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-t ... z2bFBcjg8a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Super Nova]

"The sun's north pole has already changed sign, while the south pole is racing to catch up."

It is amazing how the universe works and that linked events can never happen simultaneously. Everything takes time.

I didn't realise the 11 year cycle was related to polar reversals.

[Rorschach]

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/hyper ... ram-2013-7

The hyperloop: Faster than speed of sound
* by: Staff Writers
* From: news.com.au

CAPABLE of travelling faster than the speed of sound, the 'hyperloop' could soon become the 'fifth mode of transport' if the dreams of its billionaire creator come true.

Reaching speeds of more than 1102 kilometres per hour, and described as "a cross between a Concorde, a railgun, and an air-hockey table", the hyperloop could get you to your destination in half the time of the average plane.

That would mean a trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco, which are 552 kilometres apart, would be over in just half an hour.

That's the crux of what we know about the mysterious 'hyperloop' railway project so far, but that's about to change ...

Billionaire inventor Elon Musk is set to unveil the details behind his $6.5 billion concept within the next 24 hours, causing great suspense in the Twitterverse.

He posted this Tweet last month, promising all will be revealed by August 12:

Musk, the founder of SpaceX and co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors, gave few details about the concept at a conference last July, describing it as being unable to crash and immune to weather.

"We have planes, trains, automobiles and boats," he said. "What if there was a fifth mode?

"This system I have in mind, how would you like something that can never crash, is immune to weather, it goes three or four times faster than the bullet train ... it goes an average speed of twice what an aircraft would do.

"You would go from downtown LA to downtown San Francisco in under 30 minutes. It would cost you much less than an air ticket than any other mode of transport.

"I think we could actually make it self-powering if you put solar panels on it, you generate more power than you would consume in the system. There's a way to store the power so it would run 24/7 without using batteries. Yes, this is possible, absolutely."

He hasn't yet committed to actually "executing it" in the near future, telling a Tesla Motors investor call last week that he's too busy. But he did say he may step in if nothing happens within a few years.

Well, here's hoping it goes ahead!

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/the- ... z2bop1liVY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;