This is unashamedly a book about science. It is not a catalogue of dry facts about how the world works; rather, like science itself, it is full of quirks, experiments, oddities, speculations, hypotheses and predictions. Science is often presented as ‘the facts’, frequently in short sound-bites. The scientific method is described as a methodical unravelling of ‘the truth’, which, if this were true, would bore most people, including most scientists, to tears. The impression that science gives access to an objective reality (as opposed to the subjective world of ethics) sets it up in opposition to religion as an ethical system and gives scientists an air of preaching. In fact, science gives vivid insights into the workings of nature, but falls short of objective reality. Too often, scientific ‘facts’ turn out to be wrong or misleading - we are told that there is ‘no risk’ of a Frankensteinian disaster, only to see it come true before our eyes. At other times, scientists squabble about the meaning of obscure research findings, discrediting their colleagues in public. It is hardly surprising that the general public views of science and scientists with growing skepticism. Apart from the unfortunate schism this opens up in society, it means that fewer young people dream of becoming scientists. This is a tragedy. I wonder if the tragedy might be averted to some extent if people had a better idea of the workings of science - of the fun, creativity and adventure.

The real interest of science lies in the unknown, the excitement of charting new terrain. Poking around in the unknown rarely generates a perfect picture of the world - we are more likely to construct a kind of medieval map, a distorted but recognizable picture of reality. Scientists try to link together the contours of a story through experiments that fill in a detail here or there. Much of the joy of science lies in devising and interpreting experiments that test these hypothetical landscapes. I have therefore been careful to explain the experiments and observations that underpin the story of this book. I have tried to show how it is that science can be interpreted in different ways, and I have presented the evidence itself, along with its flaws, so that you may judge for yourself whether my own interpretation is convincing. I hope this approach will help you to share the spirit of adventure along the border of the known and the unknown.

Science, then, generates hypotheses based on evidence that is specific but limited in scope - islands of knowledge in a sea of unknowing. Very often, individual results only make sense when seen in the context of a bigger picture. All scientific papers have a discussion section, whose purpose it is to place the new results in perspective. But science is nowadays highly specialized. It is rare for a medical researcher to refer to the studies of geologists and paleontologists in the discussion, or for a chemist to be much concerned with evolutionary theory. For most of the time this matters little, but in the case of oxygen, perspective is obliterated by too confined a view. In this case, geology and chemistry have a great deal to say on evolutionary theory, and paleontology and animal behavior have much to contribute to medical science. All these fields offer insight into our own lives and deaths.

Nick Lane, Oxygen: The Molecule that made the World, Chapter 3: Silence of the Aeons|Thee Billion Years of Microbial Evolution; sagansense - current reading.

via starseedthoughts

(via cuntwarrior)

Planetary Resources, a startup asteroid mining company, took to Kickstarter to raise $1 million in the hopes of bringing your dreams to life. With their funds, Planetary Resources will build the ARKYD telescope: a space telescope accessible to the public.

The company, founded by Eric Anderson and Peter Diamandis, aims to establish a new paradigm that brings the solar system within humanity’s economic sphere of influence. Planetary Resources is also backed by high profile individuals Eric Schmidt and James Cameron.

Aside from putting the power of space exploration into the hands of students, teachers, researchers, and citizen scientists, the ARKYD telescope is the first in a line of low cost missions to identify the most mineral-rich asteroids near Earth.

“All mining operations that begin on Earth start with prospecting and exploration,” says Chris Lewicki, president and chief engineer. “Our telescopes will be that probe into space.”

Water, nickel, cobalt, and platinum can all be found within asteroids and would provide humanity with access to resources waning on Earth.

Since Planetary Resources can build their spacecraft at relatively low costs, crowdfunding seemed like a fantastic route to get the money they needed. Their campaign on Kickstarter saw 80 percent of their initial $1 million met after only two days.

The funding frenzy actually led Planetary Resources to add a stretch goal of $2 million. If they can hit their stretch, the ARKYD would be outfitted with instruments for extrasolar planet discovery.

And individuals who donate to the campaign are not going to be left in the dust. On the contrary, Planetary Resources is offering donors a chance at involvement from taking a space self-shot to dictating the controls for the ARKYD, depending on how much money they give.

If this concept sounds foreign to you, I would urge you to strip away the element of outer space for a moment. Public organizations, like National Geographic, have been going on member-funded expeditions for years. The only difference with Planetary Resources is that they will not be going to South America or Africa; they will be traveling a road paved by NASA.

“Technology has gotten to the point where we can privately explore space,” says Lewicki.

Although, to be clear, the controls for the ARKYD are not going to be passed around to the public with a note taped to the joystick saying, “We want it back with no scratches.”

Lewicki likens the functionality to that of planetarium software. Donors can send data, like certain sectors of the sky they want to look at, and Planetary Resources will take care of the hard stuff.

“I had the pleasure of meeting with Laura Danly, an astronomer,” says Lewicki. “And she was saying that if everybody in the world could look through the eye of a telescope, the world would change.”

The ARKYD offers the world that telescope to look through: change will follow closely behind.

Current Progress:

(Source: tech.co)

Neil deGrasse Tyson: [American Government] Stopped Dreaming

(Source: youtu.be)

July 16, 1969, three brave men set out to make history. Instead of following the beaten path, they choose go where no one had gone before and pave a path of their own. In full knowledge of the risk and in spite of all the naysayers, they aspired to greatness.

In the words of Theodore Roosevelt:

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

Honor the courage and the ambition of the crew of Apollo 11 and tell Congress to Dare Mighty Things once again.

via pennyfournasa

Stay Curious.

NASA | Dare Mighty Things

NASA | Risk Is Our Business

NASA | Audacious Visions

NASA | We Stopped Dreaming

NASA | We Stopped Dreaming: A New Perspective

NASA | Neil deGrasse Tyson Testifies Before Senate Science Committee, March 7, 2012

Enthalpy: Crash Course Chemistry #18

Energy is like the bestest best friend ever and yet, most of the time we take it for granted. Hank feels bad for our friend and wants us to learn more about it so that we can understand what it’s trying to tell us - like that any bond between two atoms contains energy. How much energy? That’s not the simplest question to answer, but today Hank will answer it (kinda), by teaching us about a nifty little thing called enthalpy.

If you are paying attention to this episode you’ll learn what the state function is, and how it varies from a path-dependent function; why enthalpy change is different from heat; that bonds are energy and to form and break them they release and absorb heat to and from their environment. You’ll get the quickest introduction to calorimetry ever (more on that in upcoming episodes) and learn the power of Hess’s Law and how to use Germain Hess’s concept of the standard enthalpy of formation to calculate exactly how much heat is produced by any chemical reaction.

via crashcourse

In theoretical physics, the fourth dimension is referred to “spacetime”—the fabric of space with the arrow of time incorporated into the geometry of the universe. I don’t think in this case it’s something that can be physically visualized.

I did a little digging though and found that in mathematics, the fourth dimension refers to an additional vector in coordinate geometry (Euclidean space). Humans are slightly capable of “observing” the fourth dimension, but it’s very ephemeral, and it’s entirely dependent on the length of objects, angle between and line segment. Here’s a paper on the spatial intuition in virtual reality.

I’m not sure about Euclidean principles, but in particle physics, the 5th dimension refers to the unification of gravity and electromagnetism. As to whether it not it allows us to “see through” things,  I really highly doubt it. Here’s stuff on higher dimensions.

Cheers!

via heythereuniverse

Stay Curious! Carl Sagan | 4th Dimension, Euclidean Principles

Is ‘global warming’ the right term to use?

Why some think global warming is in need of rebranding.

via mothernaturenetwork

“Evolution is wonderful” by Brian Switek.

via KTS

(via knowledgethroughscience)

Participate in a daylong exploration of human nature in the light of cutting edge science, philosophy, and evolution.

The experience of being human can be exciting or stressful, fun or depressing, but most often it’s simply confusing. How can we make sense of our world with all its pain and suffering, its delights and disappointments? For most of human history we’ve been trying to understand our lives based on metaphysical, religious, and supernatural concepts.

Then the Age of Enlightenment ushered in science and Darwin’s remarkable theory of evolution—a powerful new way to look at ourselves and the world. Now disciplines such as cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, genetics, anthropology, and philosophy are delivering fascinating new findings which have the potential to radically remake the way we see ourselves. Based on these scientific insights, a more comprehensive view of human nature is now emerging. (via Being Human 2013 | Being Human)

via wildcat2030

Bringing Space to the Masses: Q&A with Planetary Resources’ Chris Lewicki

Chris Lewicki is the President and Chief Engineer for one of the most pioneering and audacious companies in the world today. Planetary Resources was founded in 2008 by two leading space advocates, Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X-Prize Foundation and Eric Anderson, a forerunner in the field of space tourism. In from the earliest days of the company, in turning to Lewicki, Anderson and Diamandis have gained scientific and management expertise which reaches far beyond low Earth orbit.

Chris is a recipient of two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals and has an asteroid name in his honour, 13609 Lewicki. Chris holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Arizona.

In this exclusive interview with Nick Howes, Lewicki gives us a feel for what lies behind Planetary Resources most compelling step yet in their quest to bring space to the masses.

Nick Howes - So Chris, what first inspired you to get in to astronomy and space science?

Chris Lewicki – So, I guess it wasn’t a person as most would say, but a mission that got me started on this road. Even before college, and you have to remember I grew up in dairy country in Northern Wisconsin, where we didn’t really have much in the way of space. I wanted to do something interesting, and found I was good at math. When I saw the Voyager 2 spacecraft flyby of Neptune and Triton, I thought “wow this is it,” and wanted to work at JPL pretty much from that moment onwards. Thinking that this was a “really special place.”

NH – At college were you determined to work for someone like NASA, and was your time at Blastoff a good stepping stone in to this?

CL – I think it really did start even before college, like I said, from the Voyager 2 encounter and all the subsequent missions which JPL were involved in this was kind of the goal. Ahead of JPL though, was my first encounter with Peter (Diamandis) and Eric (Anderson) when we worked on starport.com where I was a web developer. Prior to that I’d had a spell at the Goddard Space Flight Centre, but with Eric and Peter, we really did form a bond. Starport didn’t last too long though, as it was at the time of the dotcom boom and bubble, but it taught me some valuable lessons in those months.

Then I took up a position at JPL, but as you probably know, not everything they do is mission design and planning, and while it is an amazing place, I wanted to get my hands on some real mission stuff, so moved on after just under a year.

Then came Blastoff which kind of set a lot of the wheels in motion for ideas relating to the Google Lunar X-Prize. We had a lot of fun there designing rovers and exploratory missions to the Moon, lots of great people with great ideas.

I was then at a small satellites conference in Utah, when a representative of JPL came up to me after my talk, gave me his business card and effectively said I should come and do an interview for them. Peter and Eric didn’t really want me to go, but I told them “I really have to go off and learn how to build rockets.” Thus really started the real journey working with NASA on some of the most exciting missions in recent history.

NH – How thrilling was it being the flight director for two of the most successful missions in NASA’s history?

CL – Thrilling really doesn’t come close to covering it. There I was, 29 years old, thinking “should I really be doing this?” but then, realising “yes, I can do this” sitting in the flight directors desk for two of NASA’s most audacious missions, being Spirit and Opportunity. It was my role to get them safely down on the surface, and boy did we test those missions.

The simulators were so realistic; we’d be running so many different scenarios for years prior to the actual EDL phase, now known as the “7 minutes of terror”. It really doesn’t feel quite real though when it’s actually happening, you just know it is because the room is full of TV cameras, and you have that extra notion in the back of your mind saying it’s not a sim this time. The telemetry though in the simulations was so close to the real data, just a few variations, it kind of showed how much testing and planning went in to those missions, and how it all paid off.

NH – With Phoenix you’d obviously experienced the sadness of the loss of Polar Lander before hand; did that teach you any valuable lessons which you have now carried forward to your role at Planetary Resources?

CL – Phoenix started with a failure review, but that’s what I think is so important about engineering and indeed life in general. You have to fail to understand how to make things better. During that design review we figured out a dozen more reasons for things that could have gone wrong with Mars Polar Lander, and implemented the changes for Phoenix. You have to plan for failure so much with missions of this type, and it’s quite an exhilarating but in some ways stressful ride, and one that after Phoenix I felt like I needed to pass the mantle on to for Curiosity.

NH – On the topic of Planetary Resources, when did you start to think about being part of a company of this magnitude?

CL – Well working with Peter and Eric again was mooted as long ago as 2008, the company ideas being formulated then when it was called Arkyd Astronautics, a name which stuck with us until 2012. Eric and Peter approached me about possibly coming back. As I said, I’d pretty much resigned myself to not working on Curiosity, and having to put myself through all of the phases associated with that landing, and there’s a quote which many people believe comes from Mark Twain, but is really from Jackson Brown, that basically says

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover” I decided to throw off the bowlines and set sail with Planetary Resources.

NH – How do you see your relationship with a company like Planetary Resources with the major space agencies? Do you see yourselves as complimenting them or competing?

CL – Complimenting totally. NASA has over 50 years of incredible exploration, missions, research, development and insight, and a great future ahead of them too. With NASA recently transferring some of their low Earth orbit operations in to the commercial sector, we feel that this is really a great time to be in this industry, with our goals for being at the forefront of the types of science and commercial operations that the business sector can excel in, leaving NASA to focus on the amazing deep space missions, like landing on Europa or going back to Titan, missions like that, which only the large government agencies can really pull off at this time.

NH – The Arkyd has to be one of the most staggering Kickstarter success stories ever, raising aaround $800,000 in a week…did you imagine that the reaction to putting a space telescope available for all in to orbit would garner so much enthusiasm?

CL – Staggering again doesn’t really do it enough justice. This is the biggest space based Kickstarter in their history, as it’s also in the photography category; it’s the biggest photographic Kickstarter ever too. We have many more surprises planned which I can’t go in to now, but in setting the $1 million minimum bar to “test the water” with public interest in a space telescope, we’ve not really exceeded expectations, but absolutely reached what we felt was possible. From talking to people ahead of the launch, and just seeing their reaction (note from author, I was one of those people, and my reaction was jaw dropping) we knew we had something really special. The idea of the space selfie we felt was part of the cornerstone of what we wanted to achieve, opening up space to everyone, not just the real die hard space enthusiasts.

NH – With the huge initial success of the Arkyd project, do you see any scope for a flotilla of space telescopes for the public, much like say the LCOGT or iTelescope networks are on Earth?

CL – Possibly in the future. You yourself know with your work with the Las Cumbres and Faulkes network and iTelescope networks that having a suite of telescopes around the planet has huge benefits when it comes to observations and science. At present we have the plan for one telescope for public use as you know.

The Arkyd 100, which will be utilising our Arkyd technologies, which we’ll be using to examine near Earth asteroids. If you think, that in the last 100 years, the Hale’s, Lowell’s etc of this world were all private individuals sponsoring and building amazing instruments for space exploration, it’s really just a natural progression on from this. We’re partnering closely with the Planetary Society on this, as they have common goals and interests to us, and also with National Geographic. We feel this really does open up space to a whole new group of people, and it’s apparent from the phenomenal interest we’ve had from Kickstarter, and the thousands of people who’ve pledged their support, that this vision was right.

NH – Planetary Resources has some huge goals in terms of asteroids in future, but you seem to have a very balanced and phased scientific plan to study and then proceed to the larger scale operations. Does this come from your science background?

CL – As I said, I grew up in dairy country in Wisconsin, where I had to really make my own opportunities be a part of this industry, there was no space there. On saying that, I have been an advocate of space pretty much all my life, and yes, I guess my scientific background, and experience with working at JPL has come to bear in Planetary Resources. We have a solid plan in terms of risk management with our “swarm” mentality, of sending up lots of spacecraft, and even if one or more fails, we’ll still be able to get valuable science data. I see it really in that lots of people have big ideas, and set up companies with them, but then after initial investment dries up, the ideas may still be big and there, but there is no way to pursue them.

We’ve all come from companies which have seen this kind of mindset in the past, and now, whilst we love employing students and college graduates who have big ideas, who take chances, we have a plan, a long term, and sustainable plan, and yes, we’re taking a steady approach to this, so that we can guarantee that our investors get a return on what they have supported.

NH – Can you give us a timeline for what Planetary Resources aim to achieve?

CL – Our first test launch will be as early as 2014, and then in 2015 we’ll start with the space telescopes using the Arkyd technology. By 2017 we hope to be identifying and on our way to classification of potentially interesting NEO targets for future mining. By the early 2020’s the aim is to be doing extraction from asteroids, and starting sample return missions.

NH – You were and still it seems from all I have read, remain passionate about student involvement, with SEDS etc, what could you say to younger people inspired by what you’re doing to encourage them to get in to the space industry?

CL – Tough one, but I’d say that looking at the people you admire, always remember that they are not superhuman, they are like you and me, but to have goals, take chances and be determined is a great way to look forward. The SEDS movement played a big part in my early life, and I would encourage any student to get involved in that for sure.

NH – In conclusion, what would be your ultimate goal as a pioneer of the new frontier in space exploration?

CL – Our ultimate goal is to be the developer of the economic engine that makes space exploration commercially viable. Once we have established that, we can then look at more detailed exploration of space, with tourism, scientific missions, and extending our reach out even further. I’ve already been a part of placing three missions on the surface of Mars, so nothing really is beyond our reach.

NH (closing comments):

I first met Chris at the Spacefest V conference in Tucson, where he gave me a preview of the Arkyd space telescope. There is no doubt in my mind that after meeting him, that he and the team at Planetary Resources will succeed in their mission. A quite brilliant individual, but humble with it, someone who you can spend hours talking to and come away feeling truly inspired. This interview we talked for what seemed like hours, and Chris said I could have written a book with the answers he gave, I hope this article gives you some taste however of the person behind the missions which, at the new frontier of exploration, much like the prospectors in the Gold Rush, are charting new and unknown, yet hugely exiting territories. As the old saying goes…and possibly more aptly then ever… watch this space.

Stay Curious! Planetary ReSOURCES:

+ Planetary Resources | Company Profile, Mission Statement, Directive

+ The Team Video | Introducing the Planetary Resources Employees

+ ARKYD: A Space Telescope For Everyone | Kickstarter

+ Jason Silva | Planetary Resources Kickstarter

+ Planetary Resources’ Community Event with Star Trek’s “Data”

+ Rod Roddenberry | Planetary Resources Kickstarter for ARKYD

+ Robert Picardo | Planetary Resources Kickstarter for ARKYD

+ Re-igniting and Inspiring STEM Fields for ARKYD | Chris Lewicki Google+ Hangout

+ Kevin Lee: ARKYD for Xinhui, China | Planetary Resources Kickstarter

+ RPG Legend, Fringe Division Agent, Teacher of the Year, and The Future Generation | Planetary Resources Kickstarter

+ Asteroids and You! | Planetary Resources Kickstarter for ARKYD

+ Chris Lewicki Introduces Peter Marquez | Planetary Resources

ARKYD Space Telescope | Kickstarter Funding Status (June 17):

THE PLANETARY RESOURCES KICKSTARTER PAGE FOR ARKYD

Our World in Space | Robert McCall
Foreword (below), by Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr.:

Traditionally, man is impatient of the immediate future. He tends to want, to hope, above all, to imagine, mor ethan is humanly or technologically possible in his flicker of time. But the events of the past decade have confirmed the soundness of that yearning instinct. They have lifted the hearts of the dreamers, and of all but the most Earth-bound pessimists.

Musing over the well-founded prognostications in the remarkable paintings and text of this volume, I found myself considering - as I have so often in the past four years - the meaning of the unique events I took part in and my own role in them. I was asked to participate in this publication, I supposed, because I was the winner of an extraordinary lottery: I was selected to take part in the first Moon landing, an experience that became symbolic for all Earth men.

The spectacular voyage of Apollo 11 meant the conquering of a new frontier. Two men, carrying with them the collective dreams of mankind throughout the ages, set foot on the Moon. It was a triumph of imagination and of collective technology. In a troubled, disheartened time, the voyage was a glorious witness to man’s ability to create, to realize his dreams.

Twelve men have now walked on the Moon. The twelve of us have, I think, at least one common viewpoint: We share a special concept of the Earth as a planet. We have looked on it from the surface of the Moon and seen it whole in space - a beautiful, bright, not very large…and somehow vulnerable. To me, it seemed a great place to come from, and an even greater place to return to. Millions now have had a reflection of this view of Earth through the dramatic photographs take in space; I think they too begin to share this sense of planet Earth as a place to cherish, and even are beginning to act upon it.

The collective technology behind the triumph of Apollo 11 can be translated in terms of the absorption of the skills of thousands of highly trained and talented people over a period of ten years, and the expenditure of some twenty-four billion dollars. All this, to achieve a dream. The space program has long had its critics, and since 1969 (perhaps, ironically, because of the apparently routine success of its missions) it has lost some of its hold on the public imagination. The verification of man’s inventiveness demonstrated in the first Skylab mission and the economy-oriented evolution of the space shuttle may convince some critics of NASA and the space industry, but others are still unsatisfied. Even as we casually or unknowingly profit from some of the fringe benefits already accrued from the program - such as extreme electronic miniaturization, satellite communications, new surgical techniques, improved weather forecasting - there are those who consider the entire program a wasteful, even useless, expenditure of talent and money. I can never agree. The voyage to the Moon will have been useless only if we do not use the experience. And I believe we have already begun to do so both in technical and in spiritual terms.

If you think of the evolution of the space program, you may be as startled as I occasionally am by the rush of technology and history. After Yuri Gagarin’s one-orbit flight outside the Earth’s atmosphere in 1961, the space program grew by such quantum leaps that the mind blurs: the first American program, Mercury, quickly evolved into Gemini, twelve flights in preparation for an eventual lunar landing. Then came Apollo, and on July 20, 1969, only eight ears after the first manned space flight, men walked on the Moon. Our training and knowledge were so extensive that there were virtually no unknowns or unanticipated events during the entire voyage of Apollo 11. We went all the way from the Earth to the Moon and back to Earth within half a second of the time allotted by our flight plan. Even the Moon was as we expected to find it.

Man has increased his knowledge of the unknown so rapidly and effectively in recent years that he can now envision realistically what it is like where he has yet to go. The images in this volume are not fanciful dreams, but have a basis in reality; they are expressions of some of the imaginative strivings toward the future. The ingenuity and imagination of the individual - or collective - mind of man is virtually limitless. Yet in long-range terms the technological resources available to him may make it possible to achieve, even surpass, his wildest flights of fancy. And as man develops the tools and capabilities to extend his reach farther and farther, there is no doubt he will feel compelled to go as far as he is capable of going.

(Source: astrodidact)

What if you had 15 minutes’ notice to leave your home, and you didn’t know when you’d be coming back — or what shape your home would be when you did?

Could you find your key documents, medications, ID, devices, cables? Sturdy shoes, suitable clothing, stuff to comfort your kids and control your pets? Mementos, valuables, things you couldn’t live without? While trying to stay calm, keep your family calm, and figure out what’s going on?

I ponder this, sometimes, as an academic exercise: when I’m watching horrific tornado footage, or wondering how far inland a tropical storm is going to come. I’ve lived on a hurricane coast (Texas) and in a tornado alley (Minnesota), and I thought regularly about preparedness while I lived there. But now I live mostly in Atlanta, and sometimes in inland Maine, and my rare thoughts about preparedness extend mostly to keeping documents in a fireproof safe and making sure the flashlights scattered around the house have good batteries.

Last night I learned how shortsighted that was. TL;DR: All’s well, my house didn’t burn down, and I got a useful reminder about how you can be taken by surprise. (Full article: The Risks You Don’t Think of: A Plea to Pack a ‘Go Bag’ | Wired Science | Wired.com)

via wildcat2030

I contemplate this sporadically and fortunately I have several friendships with people who maintain sustainable communities or maintain a renewable living with more than sufficient acres of land if I absolutely need to flee in the event of a drastic situation as this. I find I’m concerned more with a nationally critical solar storm, tornado, flood, meteor(ite), asteroid, or comet aftershock. But that’s because I live in 2013 and I understand how fragile our species is, how vulnerable we and our physical structures are, our dependency on electricity and ultimately, how helpless we are, even amongst our employed sophisticated technology.