Highlights from NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity):
In just a few days the San Francisco Bay Area will have a brand new symbol of engineering brilliance and it comes not a moment too soon. If you are like me, scenes from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake still seem fresh in the mind. Perhaps this is because my Dad was watching the world … Read more
Superstorm Sandy’s battering of the northeastern tri-state area was a sobering reminder of the realities of climate destabilization; the weather manifestations that occur when climate change has been underway. The Earth’s climatological balance is a precarious one and this years “Indian summer” in California is another prime example. Warm temperatures have persisted with continued warming … Read more
Your Smart Device is Making You Weird – A series where ScienceBlog.com blogger joebowman takes a look at new technologies and the ways they affect people and society. In a world where continually evolving technology is changing the way people interact with the digital and physical worlds, the first genuine hands-free technology may be just … Read more
The Wrathful Planet – In recent decades, a technique for natural gas exploration and extraction known as ‘fracking’ has emerged which has had a ‘game changing’ impact for energy producers worldwide. In existence since the 1940’s the current technique involves a modernized combination of several preexisting techniques: horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in combination with … Read more
Talk of climate change in the mainstream media is primarily limited to abstract discussions about carbon dioxide emissions, melting ice, and rising sea-levels. Further, media attention tends to focus only on the most visible effects of Global Warming. Climate models show us that along with the melting of glaciers, coastal communities will cease to exist … Read more
Your Smart Device is Making You Weird – A series where ScienceBlog.com blogger joebowman takes a look at new technologies and the ways they affect individuals and society. I was with a group of friends the other day and someone in the group was the proud bearer of a new mobile phone, an Android-powered device … Read more
Since the 1990’s over a third of all raised bees have disappeared in what scientists have dubbed, ‘Colony Collapse Disorder‘ or CCD. A mysterious condition where bee colonies are rapidly decimated by as yet unknown causative agents. Over the years theories have emerged blaming various culprits such as parasitic mites and the use of applied … Read more
I recently met up with a friend of mine who is a music teacher and as we chatted she began to tell me about one of her students. Unexpectedly, an amazing story unfolded about a young woman whose life was marred by tragedy. The student was a vibrant 19 year old who had a passion … Read more
Contact was briefly established last week with the wayward Phobos-Grunt probe, still hobbling through low Earth-orbit since failing to fire its thrusters to escape orbit and send it on its way to Mars on November 9th. Unfortunately, this setback is just the latest in a string of disasters in Earth’s decades old struggle for the … Read more
When we think of satellites in orbit, one conjures up images of lumbering behemoths careening through space with out stretched arms of solar panels. Since the last shuttle flew back to Earth and straight into a museum I’ve been interested in what kinds of projects are in utero for our friends over at NASA. My interest in … Read more
Patient satisfaction is essential to doctors in all settings and nowhere is this more important than in the general practitioner’s office. Satisfied patients typically have more trust for their doctors, follow medical instructions more readily, and return consistently for followups and other types of appointments. Dissatisfied patients can be difficult to manage at best and … Read more
Diabrotica virgifera virgifera or western corn rootworm is a serious threat to corn farming causing widespread destruction to the roots of plants from feeding larvae. Transgenic strains of corn were developed to leverage toxin producing genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) as an insecticide. Bt delta endotoxin has been in use since the 1960’s as a direct … Read more
When a technology becomes reliable to a certain level people tend to free themselves from thought and responsibility to varying degrees. Take for example the Global Position System (GPS), once an important tool limited to military applications, GPS is now standard and rightfully expected by consumers purchasing mobile devices, vehicles and more. Whether you are … Read more
joebowman.scienceblog.com – Mammillaria or the nipple cactus is one of the most popular of all cacti genera. Named for the characteristically pronounced tubercles, mammillaria as a genus are globose to barrel shaped either solitary or clustering and branching to trailing. Many species have latex sap and typically dense spination. Geographic distribution varies from the northern … Read more
Here we are with another installment of ‘Your Smart Device is Making you Weird’ where I bring you my observations on the subtle changes in people and society as a result of Convenience Technology: Tablets, Phones, and Pads. joebowman.scienceblog.com – If you want to know what the future holds for a given population you need … Read more
joebowman.scienceblog.com – Like clockwork, new devices and technology come along to enhance and enrich our lives. Smart phones and tablets are the laptops and PDA’s of our Age. Small, usually pocket sized gadgets are more powerful now than ever before. I was leaving a restaurant recently and I noticed a young family at a table … Read more
By Joe Bowman | joebowman.scienceblog.com In the dry and parched lands of the Americas the cactus in all it’s many forms thrive in the some of the most challenging environments. In ecosystems where even the slightest advantage can mean the difference between survival and extinction each adaptation brings new opportunities for gaining advantages. The most … Read more