 |
Monday, February 18, 2002 |
We are about to venture to Mars and several moons of Jupitor and may find microbial life. Is it safe to bring those microbes back to earth? Have we contaminated Mars with earth bacteria from previous missions? One of my former students works at the JPL and studies this. From his work it is clear that we have sent spores of Bacillus species on our spacecraft. What will happen (or may have already happened) when they get there? Maybe life on this planet started with a visit from some alien space craft.
12:44:31 PM 
|
|
Flying Visit. Grab your suitcase and prepare to board a spacecraft that will zoom past Earth at 21,000 kph, barely waiting for passengers to board. Destination: Mars. [Beyond 2000 - Daily Science News] Here is a great quote from the article.
"Some day, people will be going to Mars on a regular basis," Longuski says. "Most people are convinced that we are going to do this; the only question is when."
12:15:32 PM
|
|
Lab-built bladders on the way. A US surgeon tells BBC News that he is ready to perform the world's
first transplant of an artificially grown organ. [BBC News: sci/tech] Soon all organs of the body will be at least repairable by similar techniques. The hardest will be the brain.
12:09:25 PM
|
|
Fish 'massacre' in North Atlantic. Scientists say trawlers in the North Atlantic could soon be left
chasing jellyfish and even plankton if current over-fishing continues. [BBC News: sci/tech] We are overfishing the North Atlantic and will eliminate all table fish soon. If something is not done, we will lose these fish and all the jobs in the fishing industry.
12:06:28 PM
|
|
Major effort to crack flu. US scientists want to build a high-tech global laboratory to
investigate the influenza virus. [BBC News: sci/tech] A center to study flu would be a excellent idea. Few people now remember, but in 1918 there was a flu pandemic that killed 40 million people. Even the less deadly strains we have now kill 500,000 to one million people every year.
12:00:45 PM
|
|
Humans will 'sail to the stars'. Scientists present new ideas for the future exploration of planets
that circle far-away stars. [BBC News: sci/tech] Some are starting to think about space travel, but in today's terms. I think technology will likely make all these ideas pointless. We will find faster ways to travel, we always have.
11:56:30 AM
|
|
Scientists criticise research restrictions. Draft laws could give the UK Government the power to vet and veto
scientists' work. [BBC News: sci/tech] This bill if enacted would be a disaster for British science. I am sure any scientist that could would move to a different country. With salaries in England being so low, this would be yet another reason to leave.
11:50:16 AM
|
|
© Copyright 2002 Timothy Paustian.
|
|
|
