BLOGS

Heat trap The proposed nanoparticle warming method. (Courtesy: Aaron M. Geller, Northwestern Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics)

Topics: Aerogels, Exoplanets, Mars, Materials Science, Nanomaterials, NASA, Planetary Science. Thermodynamics

Suffice it to say, Mr. Musk's nuking the Martian planet idea is impractical, and a nonstarter, but to show that he's mature about it, he has T-shirts, because that always makes bad ideas palatable, like a spoon [full] of sugar to help bitter medicine go down (Mary Poppins thought so). The "real-life Tony Stark" he's not.

If humans released enough engineered nanoparticles into the atmosphere of Mars, the planet could become more than 30 K warmer – enough to support some forms of microbial life. This finding is based on theoretical calculations by researchers in the US, and it suggests that “terraforming” Mars to support temperatures that allow for liquid water may not be as difficult as previously thought.

“Our finding represents a significant leap forward in our ability to modify the Martian environment,” says team member Edwin Kite, a planetary scientist at the University of Chicago.

Today, Mars is far too cold for life as we know it to thrive there. But it may not have always been this way. Indeed, streams may have flowed on the red planet as recently as 600,000 years ago. The idea of returning Mars to this former, warmer state – terraforming – has long kindled imagination, and scientists have proposed several ways of doing it.

One possibility would be to increase the levels of artificial greenhouse gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons, in Mars’ currently thin atmosphere. However, this would require volatilizing roughly 100,000 megatons of fluorine, an element that is scarce on the red planet’s surface. This means that essentially all the fluorine required would need to be transported to Mars from somewhere else – something that is not really feasible.

An alternative would be to use materials already present on Mars’ surface, such as those in aerosolized dust. Natural Martian dust is mainly made of iron-rich minerals distributed in particles roughly 1.5 microns in radius, which are easily lofted to altitudes of 60 km and more. In its current form, this dust actually lowers daytime surface temperatures by attenuating infrared solar radiation. A modified form of dust might, however, experience different interactions. Could this modified dust make the planet warmer?

Nanoparticles designed to trap escaping heat and scatter sunlight

In a proof-of-concept study, Kite and colleagues at the University of Chicago, the University of Central Florida, and Northwestern University analyzed the atmospheric effects of nanoparticles shaped like short rods about nine microns long, which is about the same size as commercially available glitter. These particles have an aspect ratio of around 60:1, and Kite says they could be made from readily available Martian materials such as iron or aluminum.

To make Mars warmer, just add nanorods, Isabelle Dumé, Physics World

Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Statue, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Civilization, Democracy, Democratic Republic, Existentialism

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I join my colleague Mr. Rangel in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry. Mr. Chairman, you are a strong man, and it has not been easy but we have tried as best we can to give you as much assistance as possible.

Earlier today, we heard the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States: "We, the people." It's a very eloquent beginning. But when that document was completed on the seventeenth of September in 1787, I was not included in that "We, the people." I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in "We, the people."

Today I am an inquisitor. A hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemnness that I feel right now. My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution.

"Who can so properly be the inquisitors for the nation as the representatives of the nation themselves?" "The subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men." And that's what we're talking about. In other words, [the jurisdiction comes] from the abuse or violation of some public trust.

My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total, Barbara Jordan remarks on impeachment during Watergate, Miller Center, University of Virginia

If you fly into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, as I often do, you will first be greeted by the artwork of Brian Joseph, a friend who on the off-sale of a portrait in his City of Austin Office, he started a new career as an internationally known commercial artist of characters he calls "BYDEE" bringing you delightful and entertaining experiences.

Walking from your gate to baggage claim, as you exit the escalator, you cannot miss the towering statue of the eloquent congresswoman who said that her "faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total." The words were the opening salvo of holding the powerful accountable, of being a nation of "laws and not of men" that James Madison envisioned. It held the misconduct of public men to account and reaffirmed that we do not have a king, and the president is accountable to the people s/he serves.

Absolute immunity reestablishes absolute monarchy. it makes us a nation of one man, and not of laws, therefore, we are subject to the whims and delusions of such a man not as citizens, but as serfs. Reestablishing a "mad King George" monarchy has hindered our progress: the Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and LGBT Rights eras' continued advances are in jeopardy. It hurtles all not originally included in "We The People" back into involuntary servitude, docile kowtowing, and invisibility. Such a bizarre Camelot can only be maintained by systematic, pathological violence.

The misconduct of men is driven by weakness. Nixon ordered the break-in to the DNC Headquarters, Watergate Building because he colluded with the Vietnam government to extend the war, hurting his then-Democratic opponent, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and in doing so, violated the Logan Act.

The former president had good cause to prevaricate. Nixon’s actions to sabotage the peace talks were, “highly inappropriate, if true” as Kissinger later put it, and in seeming violation of the law that prohibits private citizens from trying to “defeat the measures of the United States” or otherwise meddle in its diplomacy. As the U.S. code reads:

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

Though rarely employed over the years, the Logan Act was enacted by the founders to address just such a situation. It is named for George Logan, who conducted private negotiations with the French government during the administration of President John Adams. Logan, a member of the political opposition, used their notoriety to win election to the U.S. Senate.

By the time Election Day had come and gone, far too many interests were aware of Chennault’s actions—the White House, the FBI, the South Vietnamese, the Nixon and Humphrey campaigns—to keep a lid on the scandal.

When a Candidate Conspired With a Foreign Power to Win An Election, John A. Farrell, August 6, 2017, Politico

A citizen conducting private negotiations with a foreign power is a violation of the Logan Act. You or I could go to jail for several years trying to negotiate anything without being connected to a government agency tasked with such powers, e.g., the Secretary of State.

Unless an activist Supreme Court reaches beyond the Magna Carte, and anoints a king.

Willie Hobbs Moore (left) with her daughter, Dorian, in the 1980s. (Courtesy of the Ronald E. Mickens Collection on African-American Physicists, AIP Niels Bohr Library and Archives.)

Topics: African Americans, Civil Rights, Diversity in Science, Education, History, Theoretical Physics, Women in Science

The first African American woman to earn a PhD in physics remains little known. But her legacy is enormous.

There was a time when I believed that Shirley Ann Jackson, who received her PhD in physics from MIT in 1973, was the first African American woman to attain that degree. I realized that view was incorrect around 1984 when I learned that Willie Hobbs Moore (1934–94) finished her PhD in physics at the University of Michigan in 1972. At that time, for more than a decade I had been collecting data on African Americans with advanced degrees in physics—and had even published a list of Black physicists. Needless to say, learning about Moore came as a welcome surprise for me.

The fact that Moore received her degree from Michigan was of additional interest to me because of the long-standing connection between its physics department and that of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. While I was at Fisk, first as an undergraduate student in 1960–64 and later as a professor, the physics department had several faculty members who obtained their doctorates from Michigan, including Nelson Fuson in 1938, James Lawson in 1939, and Herbert Jones in 1959. Moreover, Elmer Imes, who received his BA and MA from Fisk in 1903 and 1915, respectively, became the second African American to earn his PhD in physics, from Michigan in 1918 (see my article in Physics Today, October 2018, page 28).

For some unexplained reason, Moore and I never ended up at a conference or workshop together. We never met! By the time I gained a better understanding of who she was, her research, her career in industrial research and management, her role as a mentor, and her community involvement, she had died of cancer. One of my greatest personal and professional regrets is that I didn’t have the opportunity to meet her in person. I am certain that the two of us would have had much to discuss.

The trailblazing career of Willie Hobbs Moore, Ronald E. Mickens, Physics Today

Portrait of Edward Bouchet and lithograph of early Yale College campus. Courtesy of Yale University. Via uniquecoloring.com

Topics: African Americans, Civil Rights, Diversity in Science, History, Physics

Authors: Bryan A. Wilson, Ph.D., M.B.A & Sierra A. Nance, B.S. (PhD Candidate - Univ. Michigan)

Abstract
Edward Alexander Bouchet was born in New Haven, Connecticut, USA in 1852 during a period of racial segregation and injustice. He overcame tremendous odds and obtained a quality education at Hopkins Grammar School, preparing him for Yale College. In 1876, Edward Bouchet became the first person of color to obtain a Ph.D. in any field, not only from Yale but in the United States. However, due to the disenfranchisement and discrimination against African Americans, Bouchet’s career advancement in Physics was stifled. Despite these challenges, Bouchet became a dedicated educator and advocate for the education of colored youth, until his death in 1918.
Keywords: Edward Alexander Bouchet; physics; history; black history; education; science, reconstruction era; graduate school

Meet America's First Black Ph.D. Scientist Who Turned Opportunity Into Academic Success - Edward Bouchet, Bryan A. Wilson, Ph.D., M.B.A, LinkedIn

Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Civilization, Climate Change, Democracy, Existentialism

I read the poem "Seeds" at my wife's family reunion. For African Americans, reunions are a chance to connect with family members without associating it with a casket. Black life in general has always been dangerous and treacherous since 1619. Ripped from the African continent, the survivors of cargo vessels like "The Good Ship Jesus" lost their culture, languages, indigenous religious practices. As a culture, we had to reestablish this through being thrown together from different tribes with different customs, infusing what we found with distant memories reconstructed into the language of our oppressors, the religions that gaslit us into an Anglo "Imago Dei" to ensure that the enslaved "obeyed their [white] masters." Mother Dear and Paw-Paw were the culmination of this remarkable adjustment, despite a psychopathological caste system that would rather ban books than learn from its history. The secret weapon of all people in oppressive systems is joy.

The history of this reunion started with a story,

Repeated with many African American families,

The patriarch almost lost his life for the audacity of voting.

Assaulted by Klansmen,

Three years before the lynching of Emmitt Till in Mississippi.

The inspiration for the March on Washington, eight years later.

The cowardly Klansmen’s ancestors dressed in sheets,

Pretending to be malevolent spirits,

Attempting to frighten newly freed citizens from voting,

Helped by Poll Taxes, Constitutional Quizzes, and guessing the number of soap bubbles.

(They now use repealing parts of the Voting Rights Act, gerrymandering, voter suppression, and voter purging.)

Paw-Paw was assaulted,

Eleven years before the assassination of a fellow Traveling Man, Medgar Evers.

Excerpted from "Seeds."

To survive, people of color had to find joy. Many times it was and is through what outsiders, particularly the dominant culture, think of as primitive, unsophisticated religious rituals. These rituals are our therapy before the invention of what we now know as psychology, our tribal gathering, our ministers the tribal leaders. Many gotten drunk on their power have abused the relationship with vulnerable congregants, but on the positive tip, they can provide centers for meetings that galvanize actions the Civil Rights movement, which in itself is a response to reparations given to former plantation oligarchs, and the formerly enslaved and their descendants never seeing "forty acres and a mule."

Can "Joy and Hope," the slogan of the Harris-Walz campaign, help Democrats to win the 2024 election? Patrick Healy, deputy opinion editor of the New York Times, is doubtful. "I cringed a little in the convention hall Tuesday night when Bill Clinton said Kamala Harris would be the 'president of joy'," Healy wrote in a recent op-ed, comparing the Democratic focus on joy to Donald Trump's embrace of his anointment as a divinity by his most fervent followers. "Joy is not a political strategy. And God is not a political strategy."  

I disagree. As I have written in Strongmen, positive emotions such as love, solidarity, and yes, joy, have been part of successful anti-authoritarian political strategies. Positive emotions motivate people to engage in politics when they might have grown apathetic or cynical about the possibility of change.

Why Joy is an Effective Anti-Authoritarian Strategy. Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Lucid Substack

 Dear Mr. Healy: "Hope and change" wasn't a strategy either, but it worked.

‘A lot has changed in the past three hundred years,’ the ship’s captain Jean-Luc Picard tells him. ‘People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of things. We’ve eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions. We’ve grown out of our infancy.’

Instead of working just to live, humans are free to spend their time exploring the cosmos, or inventing, or making art—and sometimes doing all three. This optimistic view of human nature is in stark contrast to films such as Pixar’s Wall-E, which follows the right-wing line of thinking that achieving a post-scarcity society (what Keynes calls the ‘economic problem') would lead to sloth and hedonism, and ultimately the demise of humanity.

The Radical Politics of Star Trek, Simon Tyrie

lthough it is Lucas’s much maligned 1999 prequel, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which is usually thought of as the series’ most politics-heavy entry, I think there is something of value in looking at each film and trying to decode the way in which it reflects the world from which it emerged.  As much credit, and criticism, as George Lucas and his collaborators deserve, they were all products of a changing geo-political environment which helped to shape them even as they were creating and shaping these films.  George Lucas may have directed Star Wars, but it was real life that directed George Lucas.  Just as surely as the collapsing skyscrapers seen in the likes of The Avengers, Man of Steel, Transformers 4, and Star Trek into Darkness reflect the realities of our post-9/11 world, so too did the real world seep into Lucas’s magnum opus.

The Politics of Star Wars: Race and Resistance in American Popular Culture and Cinema, Dr. Darren Reid

September 10, 2001, in the world that existed before the Tuesday that changed the planet, you could walk your loved ones up to the door of an airplane to say goodbye. Your body wasn't imaged by a scanner, and your shoes and laptop did not go onto a conveyor belt for x-ray analysis. There had been a terror attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, and the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. We were not a "nonviolent" world, but we were less apocalyptic and "prepping for doomsday." September 11, 2001 brought with it depression, hopelessness, a dark existentialism that we (in my opinion), became addicted to and victim of its PTSD. Covid, the deaths of one million American citizens, isolation, social media and "Zoom fatigue" exacerbated it, and birth QAnon.

Kiefer Sutherland became the larger-than-life antihero of "24," and Hollywood dramatized torture before Abu Ghraib. Star Trek: The Original Series, saw a world that had somehow eliminated its attachment to racial hierarchies and "the affirmative action of generational wealth," and Luke Skywalker was introduced in Star Wars as a "New Hope."

An Army friend (I'm an Air Force vet) called me on November 5, 2008, and asked:

“Reg, did you ever think that we would live to see this?”

Of course not. As black men, we lived in the tyranny of low expectations. We were the textbook cases for which "Mis-Education of the Negro" was written by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The United States managed to have 43 white males as the chief executive from George Washington to George W. Bush. Other democratic nations like Denmark, England, Finland, India, Israel have managed to have women as chief executives, and a diversity of cultures at the helm of state power. We also tend to be the only democratic government with an "electoral college," that sounds academic until you realize it gives undue power to southern states that held human beings enslaved, and wrote laws to continue the "peculiar institution" of the antebellum South in perpetuity. The former enslaver's descendants would like some of those laws to make a comeback.

"Hope and change" and "joy" are not strategies, but it does give us something to live for.

“Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.”  Dr. Emmett Brown, "Back to the Future, Part III."

Medical applications Laboratory tests showed how the 3D printed material molds and sticks to organs such as this porcine heart. (Courtesy: Casey Cass/CU Boulder)

Topics: 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, Hydrogels, Polymer Science

A new method for 3D printing, described in Science, makes inroads into hydrogel-based adhesives for use in medicine.

3D printers, which deposit individual layers of a variety of materials, enable researchers to create complex shapes and structures. Medical applications often require strong and stretchable biomaterials that also stick to moving tissues, such as the beating human heart or tough cartilage covering the surfaces of bones at a joint.

Many researchers are pursuing 3D-printed tissues, organs and implants created using biomaterials called hydrogels, which are made from networks of crosslinked polymer chains. While significant progress has been made in the field of fabricated hydrogels, traditional 3D printed hydrogels may break when stretched or crack under pressure. Others are too stiff to sculpt around deformable tissues.

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), realized that they could incorporate intertwined chains of molecules to make 3D printed hydrogels stronger and more elastic – and possibly even allow them to stick to wet tissue. The method, known as CLEAR, sets an object’s shape using spatial light illumination (photopolymerization) while a complementary redox reaction (dark polymerization) gradually yields a high concentration of entangled polymer chains.

3D printing creates strong, stretchy hydrogels that stick to tissue, Catherine Steffel, Physics World

Amanda Montañez; Source: “Slaveholder Ancestry and Current Net Worth of Members of the United States Congress,” by Neil K. R. Sehgal and Ashwini R. Sehgal, in PLOS ONE. Published online August 21, 2024

Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Civilization, Democracy, Education, History

U.S. Senators and Representatives whose family had a history of enslaving others have greater present-day wealth.

Members of the U.S. congress whose ancestors enslaved people have had a higher median net worth than those whose ancestors did not, according to a new analysis published on Wednesday in PLOS ONE.

The analysis used genealogical data published last year by an investigative team at Reuters, which found that in 2021, at least 100 members of Congress were descended from enslavers. This included 8 percent of Democrats and 28 percent of Republicans.

This reporting caught the eye of Neil K. R. Sehgal, a Ph.D. student and computational social science researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. He wondered what this unique genealogical data might reveal when combined with other publicly available information about members of Congress—particularly their financial disclosure forms.

“Just the fact that this was available—this detailed genealogical data and these financial disclosures for members of Congress—allowed us to explore this link,” Sehgal says.

The racial wealth gap in the U.S. is staggering. More than one in five white households have a net worth of more than $1 million, whereas more than one in five Black households have zero or negative net worth. This extreme imbalance began with slavery and has been perpetuated by racist policies and practices in housing, education, hiring, voting, and more that prevent many Black Americans from attaining and passing on generational wealth.

Wealthier Members of Congress Have Family Links to Slavery, Allison Parshall, Scientific American

Hello every one if you look at the cover design coursty of David Yurkovich this is the cover design for my upcoming collection of short stories horror if you will in the sub-genre of occult detective featuring my characters Madison Cavendish & Sue Sunmountain private investigators of the stange and mudane. Both biracial ,Madison just happens to be a living vampire and Sue lycan, they grapple with the underworld of New York City starting in 1914 and through the decades, from nameless cosmic horrors to ghost trains to literary killer robots to Aztec devil dog strippers ther're on the case. With the help of a zombie detective, a Harlem alchemist and a vampire cow girl from Nebraska the private eye business is not boring for the duo. Publishing TBA this Fall by Current Words Press, stay tuned. 

EVIL STREAMING SERIES REVIEW

By Jarvis Sheffield

Evil is an outstanding series that masterfully blends supernatural elements with psychological drama, creating a viewing experience that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. The show stands out for its originality in both storytelling and character development, making it a refreshing addition to the genre. The narrative is artfully crafted, weaving together complex themes of faith, science, and the unknown, which keeps viewers hooked from the very first episode.

One of the most compelling aspects of Evil is the stellar performances by the cast, with Mike Colter leading the way as David Acosta. Colter's portrayal is nothing short of exceptional. He brings a deep sense of gravitas to the role, balancing strength and vulnerability in a way that makes his character incredibly relatable and engaging. His performance adds a layer of depth to the series that elevates it beyond typical supernatural dramas.

The supporting cast also delivers remarkable performances, each adding their unique touch to the show. Together, they create a dynamic ensemble that enhances the overall impact of the series. The chemistry among the actors is palpable, making their interactions feel genuine and compelling. 

The show’s ability to explore dark and complex themes while maintaining a sense of mystery and intrigue is what makes Evil truly special. It challenges viewers to think deeply while still delivering plenty of suspense and entertainment. If you are looking for a series that is both intellectually stimulating and genuinely entertaining, Evil is a must-watch.

Topics: Astrobiology, Biology, Instrumentation, James Web Space Telescope, Research, SETI

"The Secret Life of the Universe" by Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, the SETI Institute's chief scientist and Director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, is coming out this week, both in the US (August 13, 2024) and in the UK (August 15, 2024). Scriber/Simon & Schuster publishes both editions. Cabrol articulates an overview of where we stand today in our search for life in the universe, what's coming, and how looking out for life beyond Earth teaches us about our place on our planet.

Here is an excerpt to inspire you:

On July 11, 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) returned its first images, penetrating the wall of time to show us the universe just a few hundred million years after its formation. In a marvelous cosmic irony, this immersion into the depths of our origins propels us into the future, where a revolution looms large in astronomy, in cosmology, and in astrobiology—the search for life in the universe. JWST comes after a few decades of space and planetary exploration during which we have discovered countless habitable environments in our solar system—for (simple) life as we know it, but also thousands of exoplanets in our galaxy, some of them located in the habitable zone of their parent stars.

We are living in a golden age in astrobiology, the beginning of a fantastic odyssey in which much remains to be written, but where our first steps bring the promise of prodigious discoveries. And these first steps have already transformed our species in one generation in a way that we cannot foresee just yet.

Copernicus taught us long ago that the Earth was neither at the center of the universe nor the center of the solar system, for that matter. We also learned from the work of Harlow Shapley and Henrietta Swan Leavitt that the solar system does not even occupy any particularly prominent place in our galaxy. It is simply tucked away at the inner edge of Orion’s spur in the Milky Way, 27,000 light-years from its center, in a galactic suburb of sorts. Our sun is an average-sized star located in a galaxy propelled at 2.1 million kilometers per hour in a visible universe that counts maybe 125 billion such cosmic islands, give or take a few billion. In this immensity, the Kepler mission taught us that planetary systems are the rule, not the exception.

This is how, in a mere quarter of a century, we found ourselves exploring a universe populated by as many planets as stars. Yet, looking up and far into what seems to be an infinite ocean of possibilities, the only echoes we have received so far from our explorations have been barren planetary landscapes and thundering silence. Could it be that we are the only guests at the universal table? Maybe. As a scientist, I cannot wholly discount this hypothesis, but it seems very unlikely and “an awful waste of space,” and for more than one reason.

The Secret Life of the Universe, ?ETI Institute

Check Out AMG®'s AI Assisted Animation.
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 Video Source: Quanta Magazine

Topics: Astrophysics, High Energy Physics, Particle Physics

Each week, Quanta Magazine explains one of the most important ideas driving modern research. This week, physics staff writer Charlie Wood explains why many researchers are looking to outer space for signs of “new physics.”

Fundamental physics has a problem. Some researchers say the field faces a “nightmare scenario.” Some say it’s “in crisis.” To others, it’s merely “stuck.” Whatever word they use, most particle physicists acknowledge that progress has slowed. After a rip-roaring 20th century that saw the discovery of general relativity, quantum theory, and a dozen or so fundamental particles, the first quarter of the 21st century has mainly brought further confirmation of those theories.

Physicists know their hard-won understanding of nature’s laws is incomplete. They don’t know why certain particles have mass, what sort of invisible stuff seems to be holding galaxies together, or what sort of energy is driving the universe’s expansion. But their biggest blind spot is one of scale. Physicists have equations that predict how molecules zig and zag, how atoms split, and how the heart of the atom holds together. They can continue zooming into the sub-sub-subatomic world for quite a while, but eventually — for any event playing out on a stage roughly 10⁻³⁵ meters across — they run out of equations. The universe seems to have rules that tell it what to do in those situations (it follows them during black hole formation, for instance), but physicists are ignorant of these instructions.

Particle physicists have pushed their frontier of ignorance back to this minuscule realm by repeatedly crashing particles closer and closer together, watching what happens, and developing the mathematics to capture the strange and surprising behaviors they witness. This strategy has culminated in Europe’s Large Hadron Collider, a 27-kilometer ring that can summon the energies needed to collide protons and study nature at 10⁻¹⁹ meters. The international physics community aims to build a next-generation collider — perhaps with a 100-kilometer circumference — this century. But the money, time and technology required to go much further boggles the mind. Numerous clever non-collider experiments are searching for subtle deviations from predictions and could lead to a major discovery any day, but researchers are ultimately facing similar problems as their experiments grow more and more intricate. Particle physicists are approaching a technological and financial wall as they attempt to probe ever deeper layers of reality.

One of the most promising avenues for new discoveries is the detection of ripples in space-time known as gravitational waves. Researchers have now racked up dozens of chirps originating from cataclysmic crashes between black holes, and they are rapidly developing ways of picking up cosmic clangs indicative of even more dramatic events. Particle physicists are anxiously awaiting the 2030s, when they hope to see a trio of satellites known as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) go into operation. If it flies, LISA will be capable of picking up gravitational waves generated during the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang, an intense era in cosmic history at the frontier of the known laws of physics. In those early moments, some physicists expect, the universe existed in multiple phases at once — like a pot of boiling water. If so, the bubbling would have set off space-time ripples that LISA will be listening for.

Why the Next Physics Revolution Might Come From Above, Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine

Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Civilization, Climate Change, Economics, Environment, Existentialism, Fascism

Tech bros (n): someone, usually a man, who works in the digital technology industry, especially in the United States, and is sometimes thought to not have good social skills and to be too confident about their own ability. Source: Cambridge Dictionary

“The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity,” Carlo M. Cipollo, UC Berkley, Economist, Historian

5 basic laws:

1. Always and inevitably, everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation. (E.g., Nazi Germany)
2. The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristics of that person. (E.g., economics, education level, skillset)
3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses. (E.g., authoritarian governments who destroy their countries, financial meltdowns, etc.)
4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular, non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places and under any circumstances, to deal with and (or) to associate with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake. (E.g., downplaying their impact, giving them the benefit of the doubt)
5. A stupid person is more dangerous than a pillager. (E.g., Bandits act typically in self-interest. Stupid people don’t consider collateral damage, even to themselves.)

Call it "Dunning-Kruger" on steroids. The lead description on Amazon is ominous:

An economist explains five laws that confirm our worst fears: stupid people can and do rule the world

Throughout history, a powerful force has hindered the growth of human welfare and happiness. It is more powerful than the Mafia or the military. It has global catastrophic effects and can be found anywhere from the world's most powerful boardrooms to your local bar.

It is human stupidity.

I apply stupidity not to intelligence but to behavior that, once achieving arguable success in an area of life, empowers said person to feel they have a right, and in their mind, a duty, to pontificate on other areas of life that they have no experience in, or clue.

 In 1862, a famous Irish physicist and mathematician, Lord Kelvin, estimated that Earth was between 20-million and 400-million years old. While that is an enormous span of time, even an age of 400 million years would make the planet quite young in relation to the rest of the universe. Lord Kelvin based his conclusion on a calculation of how long it would have taken Earth to cool if it had begun as a molten mass. While his estimate was wrong by a significant margin, his technique of drawing conclusions based on observations and calculations was an accurate scientific method. How Did Scientists Calculate the Age of Earth? NatGeo Education

Suffice it to say, Lord Kelvin, for whom the Kelvin scale in Thermodynamics is named for reflecting a "complete absence of thermal energy," was WAY out over his skis!

Lord Kelvin, God bless him, exhibited the logical fallacy called "appeal to authority." He appealed to the fact that he was a superstar in thermodynamics (KNIGHTED, for crying out loud), so he had to be right! The geologists, ahem, the people who study the structure and composition of the Earth, in his mindIn his mind, the geologists, ahem, the people who study the structure and composition of the Earth, were wrong.

So, the "bros" (and most of them are male), have the unfortunate habit of assuming after they conquered the hill in Silicon Valley and became "new money" millionaires and billionaires, they have a right and an obligation to pontificate on matters in society they have no experience in, or clue. The bros might spread misinformation online on a platform they bought that arguably fails to attract other customers and might sue those who have left. They might use their leverage to turn over precedents in our nation's highest court. They are Einstein in their areas of expertise, but Fredo in all others. They are over their skis. They read the Cliff Notes to Atlas Shrugged, and forgot that Ayn Rand ended up on the collectivist scheme she railed against in her latter years: Social Security. For the bros, the government is daddy bailing them out of a jam of their creation usually, and everyone else isn't "special" or daddy's favorite: they are. And they want what they want, damn the economy, the environment, and the planet—he who dies last with the gold wins.

The "bros" should study earnestly the real and fictional outcomes of Boesky and Gekko.

Power with a twist: Twisted ropes made from single-walled carbon nanotubes could store enough energy to power sensors within the human body while avoiding the chemical hazards associated with batteries. (Courtesy: Shigenori UTSUMI)

Topics: Applied Physics, Battery, Carbon Nanotubes, Chemistry, Materials Science, Nanoengineering

Mechanical watches and clockwork toys might seem like relics of a bygone age, but scientists in the US and Japan are bringing this old-fashioned form of energy storage into the modern era. By making single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) into ropes and twisting them like the string on an overworked yo-yo, Katsumi Kaneko, Sanjeev Kumar Ujjain , and colleagues showed that they can store twice as much energy per unit mass as the best commercial lithium-ion batteries. The nanotube ropes are also stable at a wide range of temperatures, and the team says they could be safer than batteries for powering devices such as medical sensors.

SWCNTs are made from sheets of pure carbon just one atom thick that have been rolled into a straw-like tube. They are impressively tough – five times stiffer and 100 times stronger than steel – and earlier theoretical studies by team member David Tománek and others suggested that twisting them could be a viable means of storing large amounts of energy in a compact, lightweight system.

Twisted carbon nanotubes store more energy than lithium-ion batteries, Margaret Harris, Physics World.

Antiferromagnetically ordered particles are represented by red and blue spheres in this artist’s impression. The particles are in an array of optical traps. Credit: Chen Lei

Topics: Applied Physics, Computer Science, Quantum Computer, Quantum Mechanics

Experiments on the Fermi–Hubbard model can now be made much larger, more uniform, and more quantitative.

A universal quantum computer—capable of crunching the numbers of any complex problem posed to it—is still a work in progress. But for specific problems in quantum physics, there’s a more direct approach to quantum simulation: Design a system that captures the physics you want to study, and then watch what it does. One of the systems most widely studied that way is the Fermi–Hubbard model (FHM), in which spin-up and spin-down fermions can hop among discrete sites in a lattice. Originally conceived as a stripped-down description of electrons in a solid, the FHM has attracted attention for its possible connection to the mysterious physics of high-temperature superconductivity.

Stripped down, though it may be, the FHM defies solution, either analytical or numerical, except in the simplest cases, so researchers have taken to studying it experimentally. In 2017, Harvard University’s Markus Greiner and colleagues made a splash when they observed antiferromagnetic order—a checkerboard pattern of up and down spins—in their FHM experiment consisting of fermionic atoms in a 2D lattice of 80 optical traps. (See Physics Today, August 2017, page 17.) The high-temperature-superconductor phase diagram has an antiferromagnetic phase near the superconducting one, so the achievement promised more exciting results to come. But the small size of the experiment limited the observations the researchers could make.

A 10 000-fold leap for a quintessential quantum simulator, Johanna L. Miller, Physics Today.

I'm no longer a student at Full Sail University. It was not what I was expecting. I was not prepared to be treated the way I was. My recruiter did not tell me anything about having to speak in front of people. I ended up withdrawing from the school. I felt defeated and angry because I should have been told that I was expected to speak in front of people and that the entertainment industry was very different from novel writing and since I wanted to do that then maybe this was not the school for me. 

it was painful to hear that from a TA. I made the right decision but was more angry that the recruiter was not honest with me about what was expected of me. I am not a strong speaker and I would have ended up flunking out of the school. I would have save time and money by not attending the school. 
 
after many twists and turns, I am now paying for Straford career institute's course on creative writing. My student loans were forgiven, so I have decided no more schools that do not have what I need. I'm working with the elderly now and I still write . I am trying to be more consistent with my writing and building my skills has been a struggle but I refuse to quit.

 "Gray Matter" (2023) HBOMAX MOVIE

"Gray Matter" is a captivating sci-fi thriller that deserves a spot on any Afrofuturism playlist. Directed by first-time filmmaker Meko Winbush, the film presents a refreshing take on the superhuman genre, exploring themes of power, family, and morality through a uniquely Black lens.

The story follows Aurora, a young woman with extraordinary psionic abilities, as she navigates the complex relationship with her mother, Ayla, and uncovers the truth about their seemingly dangerous gifts. Mia Isaac and Jessica Frances Dukes deliver standout performances, imbuing their characters with depth and nuance.

What sets "Gray Matter" apart is its thoughtful exploration of the ethical implications of wielding extraordinary power. The film delves into philosophical questions about the nature of right and wrong, challenging the audience to consider the responsibility that comes with such abilities. This thematic depth, coupled with the film's stylish visual flourishes and tense narrative, make it a must-see addition to any Afrofuturism collection.

Winbush's assured directorial debut showcases her talent for crafting compelling characters and crafting a world that is both grounded and fantastical. "Gray Matter" is a thought-provoking and entertaining addition to the Afrofuturism genre, cementing its place as a standout entry in the ever-expanding canon of Black speculative fiction.

Figure 1. The Vadret da Tschierva glacier in 1935 (top) and in 2022 (bottom).Photos courtesy of swisstopo, L. Hösli, G. Carcanade, M. Huss, VAW-ETHZ.

Topics: Civilization, Climate Change, Fluid Mechanics, Global Warming, Meteorology, Research

Glaciers—dynamic masses of ice descending from the mountain tops—have always been fascinating to humankind. They intrinsically belong to the high-alpine environment. Countless photographs immortalize their bright white beauty and the power they radiate. Glaciers have been depicted on oil and parchment for centuries, as if trying to capture their transience. They are constantly moving; under the influence of gravity, the ice generated at high elevation flows downwards and shapes tremendous glacier tongues that are speckled with deep fissures known as crevasses. Sometimes, the openings to these crevasses are hidden by a light dusting of snow; subsequently, mountaineers need a lot of experience to accurately judge their exposure to the ice.

Even though glaciers are not living things, they are not lifeless. For many mountain regions worldwide, glaciers function similarly to lungs: They absorb snow in wintertime and “breathe” out water during hot summer days. This glacier water is urgently needed, especially in dry periods.

Glaciers consequently have a relevance that goes far beyond the mountain peaks where they reside. A reduction in meltwater from glaciers would be painful for nature and the global economy: irrigation of fields would be restricted, the temperature and mineralization of rivers would change, and during periods of drought, serious bottlenecks could come into existence for the drinking water supply and for shipping on rivers. In addition, melting glacial ice contributes to sea-level rise and therefore directly or indirectly affects billions of people living near the coast.

Despite, or perhaps because of, their majestic appearance, glaciers can also pose an immediate threat. Glaciers can produce floods and ice avalanches that endanger villages in the valleys. Together with permafrost, glaciers also stabilize mountain flanks and therefore reduce the potential for rock falls and landslides—a role that is becoming increasingly lost.

The so-called “eternal” ice of glaciers tells a long and dynamic story. During the Ice Age, ice sheets covered a large part of the North American continent, as well as Europe. The last time this happened was around 20,000 years ago—a blink of the eye from a geological perspective. Since then, the climate has changed, due both to natural factors and to anthropogenic influences—human-caused factors—which have massively accelerated over the past 100 years (Marzeion et al., 2014). As a result, the glaciers are still present, but they are getting smaller every year.

The Alps’ iconic glaciers are melting, but there’s still time to save (most of) the biggest, Matthias Huss, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

The completed VIPER rover awaits one of two fates: be sent to the Moon by an organization other than NASA or be cannibalized for its parts and instruments. Credit: NASA

Topics: Astrobiology, Astronautics, Astrophysics, Chemistry, COVID-19, NASA, Space Exploration, Spectrographic Analysis

"Boldly going" has budget constraints, but all is not lost. "Plan B" is at the link below.

The VIPER rover was meant to be a key scouting mission ahead of NASA’s Artemis program, collecting crucial information about water-ice reserves at the lunar south pole.

To the shock of the lunar science community, on July 17, NASA cancelled the much-anticipated Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission, which was expected to prospect for water ice on the Moon — a critical resource for future explorers.

VIPER was one of the highest profile missions in NASA’s ongoing Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which that is sending robotic missions to the Moon in support of future Artemis crews. Artemis targets landing near the lunar south pole, where the shallow angle of the Sun means many craters lie in permanent shadow. Scientists know that these craters contain water ice, which could be used as drinking water for astronauts and as a resource for rocket fuel and energy production. But we don’t know how much ice is there, nor how easy it will be to extract. VIPER’s mission was to answer those questions — and its cancellation deprives the Artemis program of critical data.

Equally shocking to the science community is that $450 million has already been spent designing and building VIPER and its suite of instruments. The completed VIPER only needed to pass its environmental tests to ensure it could survive in the Moon’s incredibly harsh, perpetually shadowed polar regions. The rover and the Astrobiotics Griffin lunar lander that was to deposit VIPER near the south pole were scheduled to launch in September 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

NASA has said it is open to handing VIPER over to another organization to fly it to the Moon — if it comes at no additional cost to NASA. If no takers emerge, current plans call for the dismantling of VIPER and cannibalizing its instruments for possible use in future missions.

NASA’s explanation for VIPER’s cancellation is that COVID-induced supply chain issues with both the rover and its Griffin lander escalated mission costs and have delayed its anticipated launch by two years. By cancelling the project, after already spending nearly half a billion dollars, NASA says it will save $84 million. At the same time, NASA will pay Astrobiotics $323 million to complete the Griffin lander and fly it to the Moon without VIPER. At this time, plans call for landing a “mass simulator,” or a dead weight, that will return no science data about the Moon.

NASA cancels fully built Moon rover, stunning scientists, Robert Reeves, Astronomy.com.

Review of Netflix's "SupaCell"

**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐**

"SupaCell" is a standout series on Netflix, starring a primarily Black cast and delivering a refreshing take on the superhero genre. In a television landscape that often lacks diverse representation, "SupaCell" not only fills this gap but does so with excellence and innovation. The series sets itself apart by offering a fresh perspective on superhero narratives, focusing on the unique experiences and challenges faced by its characters while maintaining universal themes of heroism, resilience, and community. Here are some of the reasons why this show deserves a spot on your must-watch list:

**1. Great Acting**
The cast of "SupaCell" delivers powerful performances that draw you into the story from the very first episode. Each actor brings depth and authenticity to their characters, making the series a gripping watch.

**2. Strong Characters**
The characters in "SupaCell" are well-developed and compelling. They are not just heroes with powers but individuals with rich backstories and relatable motivations. Their journeys are as emotionally engaging as they are action-packed.

**3. Virtually Stereotype-Free**
One of the most commendable aspects of "SupaCell" is its commitment to portraying characters in a positive and realistic light, free from common stereotypes. This adds a layer of authenticity and respect to the series, making it stand out in today's media landscape.

**4. Believable Science in the Fiction**
The science behind the superpowers in "SupaCell" is presented in a believable and intriguing manner. The show strikes a perfect balance between fiction and plausible scientific concepts, enhancing the overall storytelling.

**5. Great Special Effects**
The special effects in "SupaCell" are top-notch, bringing the characters' extraordinary abilities to life in a visually stunning way. The action scenes are exciting and well-choreographed, making for an immersive viewing experience.

**6. Good Music**
The soundtrack of "SupaCell" is carefully curated to complement the tone of the series. It enhances the emotional impact of scenes and adds to the overall enjoyment of the show.

**7. Not Full of Vulgarity**
"SupaCell" manages to tell a compelling and mature story without relying on excessive vulgarity. This makes it a show that can be appreciated by a wider audience, including younger viewers.

In summary, "SupaCell" is a must-watch series that excels in acting, character development, and special effects, all while breaking stereotypes and presenting a believable and engaging story. It's a fresh and exciting addition to the superhero genre, and its positive portrayal of a primarily Black cast is both inspiring and necessary. Highly recommended!