After 16 years of preparation, NASA is ready to launch the 8 ton bundle of electronics which make up their Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. There are high hopes that this device will be able to gain valuable information on the origin of our universe. The $1.5 billion project has been the center of attention for many scientists as they prepare it for a February launch.
There have been mixed opinions from the very beginning of this project. Some believe it is a catastrophic waste of money while others see it as a key to the future. The proof will be seen in the pudding, luckily for us only a few months away. The primary objective of building this Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer is to detect dark matter which is believed to exist through out space. If the device dose its job correctly, we will prove the existence of dark matter in some sort of measurable form. Others hope that it will turn up something entirely new. In the words o Samuel Chao Chung Ting, "Real discovery is outside the ring o existing knowledge."
The laws of physics stipulate that following the Big Bang, an equal amount of dark matter and common matter were released. Further more, these two types of matter, on contact will explode releasing a tremendous amount of energy. This is one of science's great mysteries
"The discovery of a single atomic nucleus heavier than anti-helium could mean there was an anti-star or maybe a whole anti-galaxy somewhere."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/science/space/17dark.html?_r=1&ref=science
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJN2X3NrQAE
Showing posts with label David Gormley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Gormley. Show all posts
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Rocky Road to Come
Never before in the history of humanity have things been so fast paced. A package can be shipped almost anywhere in the world in under 48 hours, we can communicate face to face with someone in China, the world population is increasing at an unprecedented rate, and climate change is out of control. Yet in the height of our civilizations glory and sophistication, we are still inefficient. We still fight wars, people are still starving, and will continue to do so. Never before have we held the answers to so many questions, never before have we had the cure for so many diseases, despite all of this, people are dieing from avoidable causes. Malaria and diarrhea are some of the developing worlds biggest killers, there is treatment for these, yet somehow they don't reach the approximately 7 million people who die from these diseases each year.
We live in an age of complacency, I believe this is caused by the relative comfortably many people in the US and developed world feel in their daily lives. It is hard to become riled up and angry at the government or act out against some global issue, when you are surrounded by things which make you happy and comfortable. Many of the issues which plague the world dont strike close enough to home for people to react.
It is my hope that the global brain will continue to grow and strengthen, and the access to information spreads to the people who could benefit most from it, people who have grown up and lived with nothing people who have the drive to change the world around them.
Like it or not, we are on the edge of something unprecedented in the history of the world. We may be on the edge of some higher development of man kind, or we may be on the brink of collapse.
http://www.alertnet.org/topkillerdiseases.htm
We live in an age of complacency, I believe this is caused by the relative comfortably many people in the US and developed world feel in their daily lives. It is hard to become riled up and angry at the government or act out against some global issue, when you are surrounded by things which make you happy and comfortable. Many of the issues which plague the world dont strike close enough to home for people to react.
It is my hope that the global brain will continue to grow and strengthen, and the access to information spreads to the people who could benefit most from it, people who have grown up and lived with nothing people who have the drive to change the world around them.
Like it or not, we are on the edge of something unprecedented in the history of the world. We may be on the edge of some higher development of man kind, or we may be on the brink of collapse.
http://www.alertnet.org/topkillerdiseases.htm
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Science
The future of mankind is depends on further scientific breakthroughs. There are problems our civilization faces which can be solved or aided by science alone.
Currently we face a shortage of water, which will become more and more noticeable in years to come. In the 20th century the worlds population tripled putting an unprecedented amount of pressure on the potable water supply around the world. Crops are suffering as more water is used to feed a growing human population. Though this is a problem now, the next 50 years are expected to show a further population growth of 40 to 50%. 1.1 billion people do not have access to potable water, and twice as many lack adequate sanitation, in fact over 3900 children die a year due to water born illness.
Water which is necessary for life is becoming more and more scarce as our population reaches an unparalleled size. Without the help of science, there will be a humanitarian and environmental disaster in the not too distant future.
Attached is a video which further explains the situation.
http://vimeo.com/8624630
I used information from the following website.
www.worldwatercouncil.org
Currently we face a shortage of water, which will become more and more noticeable in years to come. In the 20th century the worlds population tripled putting an unprecedented amount of pressure on the potable water supply around the world. Crops are suffering as more water is used to feed a growing human population. Though this is a problem now, the next 50 years are expected to show a further population growth of 40 to 50%. 1.1 billion people do not have access to potable water, and twice as many lack adequate sanitation, in fact over 3900 children die a year due to water born illness.
Water which is necessary for life is becoming more and more scarce as our population reaches an unparalleled size. Without the help of science, there will be a humanitarian and environmental disaster in the not too distant future.
Attached is a video which further explains the situation.
http://vimeo.com/8624630
I used information from the following website.
www.worldwatercouncil.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)