Our Ever Changing World

Special Cloud Formation Moving South

2011-07-06T12:28:00.002-05:00

Interesting fact about noctilucent clouds (pictured below) making their way further south than ever in known history... check out the write-up below that appeared July 6, 2011 on SpaceWeather.com

ELECTRIC BLUE CLOUDS: When noctilucent clouds (NLCs) first appeared in the 19th century, they were a high-latitude phenomenon. You had to travel toward the poles to see their electric-blue glow. Not anymore. Just this past weekend, NLCs spilled over the Canadian border into the lower United States as far south as Denver, Colorado. Flying 33,000 feet over the Mile High City on July 2nd, Brian Whittaker snapped this picture from the window of a passenger jet:

Whittaker is a long time observer of NLCs from planes flying much further north. "I was amazed to see them at 39 degrees latitude over the USA," he says.

Another long time observer, University of Colorado atmospheric sciences professor Richard A. Keen was located just underneath the storm clouds in Whittaker's photo. "Rats!" says Keen. "I was watching for NLCs, but all I saw was rain."

During the peak of the display on July 1-2, NLCs were seen in Washington state, Oregon, Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado and Kansas. Keen notes that the sightings in Colorado (lat 39.8N) and Kansas (lat 38.9N) are among the most southerly sightings ever. "The lowest-latitude sighting I know of was by Craig Coutlee in Ignacio, Colorado on June 22, 1999, the same day as my sighting near Boulder," recalls Keen. "Craig was at 37.1N latitude, just north of New Mexico."

The latest outbreak continues a trend in recent years of NLCs spreading to ever-lower latitudes. Is this a sign of climate change? Some researchers think so. Sky watchers everywhere are encouraged to be alert for electric blue just after sunset or before sunrise; observing tips may be found in the 2011 NLC gallery.

Fukushima: It's much worse than you think - Features - Al Jazeera English

2011-06-18T12:25:00.000-05:00

Little by little we are learning that the nuclear disaster in Japan is far from over. Some officials are noting that as the situation progresses Fukushima will turn out to be far worse than that of Chernobyl.

Fukushima: It's much worse than you think - Features - Al Jazeera English

Fatal floods hit China forcing over 500,000 to flee

2011-06-18T12:20:00.000-05:00

First terrible drought, now floods... this will affect food prices around the world. China has already invested a great deal to secure crops around the globe. One such project is a huge dam on the Nile that will be used to irrigate land in Ethiopia for the purpose of growing produce for the ever growing Chinese population. China, like the rest of the globe has been hurt by the volatile weather patterns which seem to have become the norm rather than the exception.

BBC News - Fatal floods hit China forcing over 500,000 to flee

How’s the Weather on the Sun? - NYTimes.com

2011-06-18T11:42:00.000-05:00

The sun is not so predictable these days...

How’s the Weather on the Sun? - NYTimes.com

Incredible Winds Rob Star Nurseries

2011-05-14T19:07:00.000-05:00

Wire-Service Stories - SkyandTelescope.com

BBC News - UN votes to give European Union special rights

2011-05-03T20:57:00.000-05:00

The centralized government of the EU rather than the rotating Presidency will now speak at the UN representing all member states. This interesting change may lead to other 'unions' being recognized as well, such as the Arab and African leagues.

BBC News - UN votes to give European Union special rights

Saturn's Strange Magnetic Field: Electical link to Saturn's moon

2011-04-25T21:55:00.000-05:00

There is a visible link between Saturn and its moon Enceladus. Check out this article.

Wire-Service Stories - SkyandTelescope.com

Cosmic Blast of Energy Being Tracked by NASA

2011-04-25T21:46:00.000-05:00

New mysterious energy burst in our solar system.

Wire-Service Stories - SkyandTelescope.com

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in India Could Spread, Experts Say

2011-04-08T23:50:00.000-05:00

Going to India... don't drink the water! This is the second news piece about human waste getting into the water supply and infecting people. The first news piece was about herpes simplex surviving water treatment somewhere here in the states. Makes one wary of drinking from the faucet and more inclined to drink bottled water, that is until I read the label on my bottle and it noted it was from the Fort Worth Municipal water supply....

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in India Could Spread, Experts Say

The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can't Have - BusinessWeek

2011-04-08T23:40:00.001-05:00

We are 26th in the world when it comes to education and perhaps this is why in a time when gas prices are rising, Ford has a car that gets 65 mpg but cannot sell it in the US. Check out the article below:

The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can't Have - BusinessWeek

Mystery signal at Fermilab hints at 'technicolour' force - physics-math - 07 April 2011 - New Scientist

2011-04-08T23:15:00.001-05:00

Here is a better and more in-depth article regarding the probable find of a new "force" that will help explains how particles get their mass.
Mystery signal at Fermilab hints at 'technicolour' force - physics-math - 07 April 2011 - New Scientist

Electricity From a Vacuum: How to turn the vacuum into a superconductor - physics-math - 08 April 2011 - New Scientist

2011-04-08T23:00:00.001-05:00

Interestingly enough, I heard several people over a year ago speak of the viability of creating a self-sustaining source of electricity using a vacuum but they were severely ridiculed by 'men of science'. And then here is this article... still with naysayers as to being able to harness this "lightening in a bottle" but I would keep my ear out for future articles using this now proven technique. Oil companies will hate it and perhaps that is why we won't see it seriously pursued for several years.

This idea really is not new as Tesla worked on an electricity source that would not require fossil fuels. The thing is it would have meant essentially free electricity for everyone once they bought the device. Unfortunately his benefactor, J.P. Morgan, was not interested in something with low profit margins so he pulled his backing and went with Edison who was arguably not as bright nor noble. Today we are slaves to a finite energy source, whose use is not beneficial for our biosphere. Question is will we ever be willing to pursue something for the good of all if it does not make someone ridiculously wealthy?

How to turn the vacuum into a superconductor - physics-math - 08 April 2011 - New Scientist

Short Sharp Science: Black hole unleashes enduring cosmic blast

2011-04-08T22:14:00.001-05:00

A huge explosion 3.8 billion miles from earth and we are still capturing pictures a week later. This is another one of those events for which we can only come up with our best guess while we look on in awe.

Short Sharp Science: Black hole unleashes enduring cosmic blast

New Force In Nature?

2011-04-08T18:02:00.001-05:00

Check out this article from BBC News. Seems that while smashing atoms in the Tevatron Accelerator they may have not only found a new particle but the existence of this new particle would mean that there is a new "force" to add to the gravity, electromagnetism, weak and strong forces. The article noted:

"If proved, it will be a completely new, unanticipated particle; researchers say it cannot be the much sought-after Higgs boson.

It could also signal a new fundamental force of nature, and the most radical change in physics for decades."

BBC News - Tevatron accelerator yields hints of new particle

2011-04-08T17:52:00.000-05:00

For all those working to find a theory of everything there may be a new "force" to deal with:

BBC News - Tevatron accelerator yields hints of new particle

Starting over: Coining a new dollar - tech - 01 April 2011 - New Scientist

2011-04-01T19:56:00.002-05:00

Did you know we pay more for the raw materials that go into the penny and nickle than their market value? Read this article from New Scientist which notes that we would not only save tax dollars by doing away with small coins but by making the dollar bill into a coin. Interesting quick read and seems to be something Congress may consider in trying to cut costs.

Starting over: Coining a new dollar - tech - 01 April 2011 - New Scientist

New Reserve Currency: G20 considers wider role for China's yuan

2011-03-31T18:49:00.001-05:00

The SDR (see previous posts on SDR under 'Financial Stability') closer to becoming the reserve currency: Amidst worries of the US defaulting due to political wrangling, a stronger push for a new reserve currency grows. The SDR would allow a number of nations to participate and keep any one nation's economy from impacting it in a crisis, unlike it is now with the reserve currency being hinged on the US economy. One of the large participants to sway is China. In order for China to get closer to the goal of opening the door to being a part of a reserve currency, all they have to do is to give up sovereignty over their central banking system, the way so many other countries have done. The question is what will it take to entice China further into the world banking system? Some analysts say it will be years to get China into the SDR basket. China has stated that it intends to become 'the' reserve currency in ten years time. One wonders if the IMF can make their offer of the SDR basket sweet enough to bring China's banking system fully into the fold.

Excerpts from a BBC article which discusses the latest G20 meeting in China:

The G20 is to study whether to include the Chinese yuan within the basket of currencies that make up the IMF's Special Drawing Right. The Special Drawing Right, or SDR, is a quasi currency used within the IMF by its member countries.

Some economists believe the SDR could one day become a global reserve currency alongside the US dollar.

"Without rules and supervision, the world runs the risk of being condemned to increasingly serious and severe crises," said President Sarkozy.

"It is clear that we must evolve toward a more flexible exchange rate system that will allow us to withstand shocks," he added.

His comments were backed by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner who said he supported a change to SDR composition.

"Over time, we believe that currencies of large economies heavily used in international trade and financial transactions should become a part of the SDR basket," he said.

Currency control
However, Mr Geithner said that for this to happen, governments would have to loosen their control of currencies.
...

Read full article: BBC News - G20 considers wider role for China's yuan

The Syrian Time Bomb - By Patrick Seale | Foreign Policy

2011-03-31T16:11:00.001-05:00

This is an interesting article regarding all the facets of what unrest in Syria may mean to the United States:

The Syrian Time Bomb - By Patrick Seale | Foreign Policy

Seven New Laws of the G-20 Era - By Colin Bradford | Foreign Policy

2011-03-31T14:57:00.000-05:00

Here is an article outlining the Council on Foreign Relation's take on the usefulness of the G20:

Seven New Laws of the G-20 Era - By Colin Bradford | Foreign Policy

G-20 Criticism of Fed and Release of Fed Documents on Discount Window

2011-03-31T12:08:00.000-05:00

Interesting that the Fed releases documents it has been adamant about keeping private while the G20 (IMF) puts pressure to change the balances in currencies...essentially relegating the dollar to a lesser role as the world's reserve currency.

Here are excepts from an article which ran on the Bloomberg site:

A Chinese state economist called for an end to the dollar’s dominance in a paper posted on a website yesterday, blaming the U.S. for fueling inflation.

Officials including French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde will discuss topics including “shortcomings in the international monetary system” and dealing with volatile capital flows, according to the schedule for the conference in Nanjing, a city on the Yangtze River about 170 miles (270 kilometers) from Shanghai.

Tomorrow’s event also reflects the French leader’s desire to organize a new “Bretton Woods” during his presidency of the G-20 to address what he has called imbalances in the global monetary system. He first raised the possibility of such a meeting in August and pressed the Chinese to act as hosts.

Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, was the site of a 1944 meeting which led to the establishment of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

“I think in some sense maybe the axis of discussion for this G-20 is going to be helping the Chinese assume a bit more prominence at the global table,” said Cliff Tan, head of emerging-markets research at Societe Generale SA in Hong Kong.

--Michael Forsythe. With assistance from Rebecca Christie in Washington and James Hertling, Zheng Lifei and Rainer Buergin in Beijing. Editors: Paul Panckhurst, Nerys Avery.

Check out the full article:
G-20 Criticism of Fed Easing May Be Muted at Meeting in China - Businessweek

Catching a Ripple in Time and Space: JPL Mission to Detect Gravitational Waves

2011-03-26T23:23:00.000-05:00

JPL, in conjunction with the European Space Agency and NASA, is preparing a mission for 2020 named LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna). Its purpose is to try and detect a ripple in time/space (gravitational wave). Consider the possibilities if they succeed... it will be the first step to really understanding the mysteries of the gravitational force; a force which has perplexed physicists searching for a 'theory of everything' for over a century. Perhaps what they find will once and for all allow us to make sense of the how all of the currently known forces work together on both the macro and micro levels. And what if, just like electricity, we can harness the power of the ripple long before we understand exactly how and why it works.

This artist’s concept shows the proposed LISA mission, which would consist of three distinct spacecraft, each connected by laser beams. It would be the first space-based mission to attempt the detection of gravitational waves -- ripples in space-time that are emitted by exotic objects such as black holes. Image credit: ESA

The article notes that the mystery surrounding two pulsars first led us to indirectly observe what is believed to be gravitational waves.

"...1974, researchers discovered a pair of orbiting dead stars -- a type called pulsars -- that were spiraling closer and closer together due to an unexplainable loss of energy. That energy was later shown to be in the form of gravitational waves."

The article goes on to note that this mission if successful would give us a whole new way of looking at our universe:

"LISA is expected to not only "hear" the waves, but also learn more about their sources -- massive objects such as black holes and dead stars, which sing the waves like melodies out to the universe as the objects accelerate through space and time. The mission would be able to detect gravitational waves from massive objects in our Milky Way galaxy as well as distant galaxies, allowing scientists to tune into an entirely new language of our universe. "

Read the full article: Tuning an 'Ear' to the Music of Gravitational Waves - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Religion may become extinct in nine nations, study says

2011-03-22T10:23:00.001-05:00

Ever watch the show Numb3rs? It was intriguing to think that almost anything falls into a predictive equation. Well the following article from the BBC News Online covers a recent study that predicts the extinction of religion in nine countries...

BBC News - Religion may become extinct in nine nations, study says

Best-yet Universe Expansion Measurement: Universe Not Growing in a Void

2011-03-21T21:22:00.001-05:00

Theories and best guesses are all we can do to understand that which is too far away to really "know". For a while now cosmologists have been talking about the need to add variables they call dark energy and dark matter to their equations in order to make their calculations for why the universe is expanding work. But even expansion and the speed of it are guesses for you cannot calculate the distance of a star with out the brightness or the brightness without the distance; calculations from which you then determine a little thing called the red shift, ya da ya da... I say this not out of disrespect for the incredible minds that spend their hours thinking on these matters but rather because I am so in awe of how little we "really know" about what we see 'out there'. Even with the naked eye each evening, I am blessed to be able to be able to see around 3,000 'stars' on a moonless night and I wonder, the same questions humans have wondered for millennia. In those moments it is hard not to feel a kinship with every human who has, is, or will gaze upon the heavens with more questions than answers.

The only thing the following article can tell us for sure is that our best observations lead us to believe with some certainty that our universe does not exist in a void....
SkyandTelescope.com - News from Sky & Telescope - Best-yet Universe Expansion Measurement

Activity on the Sun: "Here Comes Trouble?"

2011-03-21T20:24:00.001-05:00

Spaceweather.com ran the following update today:

HERE COMES TROUBLE? A big sunspot is emerging over the sun's southeastern limb, and it is crackling with activity. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded a surge of extreme ultraviolet radiation from the sunspot's magnetic canopy on March 21st:

This appears to be the return of old sunspot 1165, last seen in early March when it formed on the sun's southwestern limb. Since then it has been transiting the far side of the sun, apparently growing in size and restlessness. The potential for trouble will become more clear in the hours ahead as the active region emerges in full. Stay tuned.

The Belgium SCIC (Link provided on left) also noted today:

PRESTO FROM SIDC - RWC BELGIUM Mon Mar 21 2011, 1255 UT

The proton flux is elevated, but not exceeding the threshold. This increase is probably linked with a back sided CME of Mar 21, 02:54UT. The Earth is magnetically connected with the source site behind the Sun. The Parker spiral (the Parker spiral is the shape of the suns magnetic field) has bended magnetic field lines that guide the electrically charged protons. The Earth is near such field lines along which these protons travel. This is a rare event.

IMF Survey: Global Monetary Reforms Needed to Tackle Imbalances

2011-03-21T20:10:00.000-05:00

For those still gainfully employed in the US, it may seem that things are stabilizing. For those still out of work, they may have a more realistic view of the "recovery" which really only means that traders are once again making money in the stock market, big business is pocketing revenue, and financial institutions having shed their losses to the US tax payer, are once again enjoying large profits from the "managing" of your money. However gas and food prices continue to rise making it harder and harder for the middle class. The middle class being the engine which produced years of economic prosperity is being chocked further and further and with the middle class goes the future of our country. Even those who understand all the intricacies of the global markets see that we have not fixed what brought us to the verge of collapse in 2008. The stimulus spending has not been invested in projects that will spur long term growth and according to a number of economists that stimulus is about to reach the end of its effectiveness.

The following article from the IMF discusses the need for reforming the global monetary system before the penalties of over spending catches up with the western world again. I have to wonder if the US has a double dip would this be a catalyst to speed up the removal of the dollar as the primary reserve currency undermining yet another pillar of our economy.

IMF Survey: Global Monetary Reforms Needed to Tackle Imbalances