Do you read the web comic Tree Lobsters? It has lots of good skeptical and critical messages, and it’s pretty funny. This panel is from a particularly good one; click it to see the rest.
And who knew Jenny McCarthy had a chitinous exoskeleton?
BPA-Heart Disease Link Confirmed, But Levels in People Have Declined | 80beats
There’s a new addition to the parade of studies investigating potential health problems connected to the ubiquitous plastics ingredient bisphenol A (BPA). But while the new data backs up the connection between BPA and heart disease that appeared in previous studies, the nature of the link still isn’t conclusive, and other links are not clear.
The study in PLoS One analyzed data gathered between 2003 and 2006. The association with diabetes is a bit weaker [than shown in earlier studies], but the one with heart disease remains robust. In fact, the authors are able to show a linear relationship between BPA exposure and cardiovascular disease in both data sets [Ars Technica]. While the authors confirmed that BPA-heart disease link from their 2008 study, they said they still could not sufficiently tell correlation versus causation and called for more study.
They did find another interesting tidbit, though, this one being on the good side. BPA levels in the urine of test participants plunged by 28 percent from the 2003/04 period to the 2005/06 period. That’s odd because it predates the wave of public concern over BPA, though perhaps changed industry practices are responsible, study author David Melzer says. “BPA in baby’s bottles has been very controversial and we speculate that manufacturers may be switching to other plastics for use involving food and beverages” [Scientific American].
Related Content:
80beats: Study: The Chemical BPA, in High Doses, Causes Impotence
80beats: More Bad News on BPA: Linked to Heart Disease and Diabetes in Humans
80beats: BPA Won’t Leave Public-Health Conversation—or Your Body
80beats: Plastic Is More Biodegradable Than We Thought. (That’s Bad.)
80beats: FDA Declares Chemical in Baby Bottles Safe, But Doubts Remain
DISCOVER: The Dirty Truth About Plastic
Image: iStockphoto
Mystery Object is 2010 AL30
Click here to view the embedded video.
Yesterday, January 13, 2010 there was an object that made a rather close pass at the earth. There had been quite a bit of speculation as to what it really was, some thinking it was a piece of space junk, I even heard the rocket from ESA’s Venus Express. The object has an orbit extending roughly from the orbit of Venus to the orbit of Mars and crosses Earth’s orbit at a steep angle the idea of a rocket stage is not considered likely by folks at the JPL NEO program.
The object passed the Earth about a third of the distance of the moon – VERY CLOSE. The You Tube video at the top of the post was done by Patrick Wiggins, you can see the asteroid moving across the central portion of the video. Video link.
Turns out the object is believed to be an asteroid, sized about 30 by 50 feet and is now named 2010 AL30. The object passed very close and JPL points out there are about 2 million such objects and the likelihood of a pass within 1 lunar distance is about once per week. Still, the real exiting thing about this particular object is that it was spotted at all think about it – it’s teeny! Ok so the object was only spotted on Monday but still that’s pretty good for something this small. Add to that the fact that once it was announced and astronomers started looking for it, they were able to see and track it. I wanted to have a go at it, but alas the clouds wouldn’t relent.
Astronomers Ernesto Guido & Giovanni Sostero (Associazione Friulana Di Astronomia E Meteorologia), are some of the best photographers of comets and objects like this. They have more images at their site located at: http://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2010/01/neo-2010-al30-close-approach.html
Oh by the way, I’ve seen reports suggesting this object had something to do with the terrible earthquake tragedy unfolding down in Haiti. These people are crackpots and should be embarrassed from their own thoughtless stupidity. So there.
One other thing, remember the name of this asteroid because it will be back perhaps in riddle form. No Marian might not, but I might 
First Class of Suborbital Scientist-Astronauts Successfully Complete NASTAR Training Program
Washington, D.C. – Showcasing the growing interest in conducting research and education missions aboard commercial suborbital spacecraft, eleven researchers including members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group (SARG) successfully completed a training program yesterday at The National Aerospace Training and Research (NASTAR) Center in Pennsylvania.
The training included classroom instruction, altitude chamber training, multi-axis centrifuge training for launch and reentry accelerations, and several distraction factor exercises, simulating the conditions that scientist-astronauts will experience during future missions to 100 km altitude.
“For this diverse group of scientists to invest their own time and money for astronaut training is a true testament to the growing excitement behind the science potential of new commercial spacecraft,” said Dr. S. Alan Stern, chairman of SARG and a principal organizer of the scientist training program. “Interest was so high that we’ve already filled up a second class of a dozen scientists for spring 2010.”
“Just as important was the training success rate from this week,” added Stern. “Of the 11 scientists, a diverse group of men and women ranging from 26 to 52 years old, 100% of them passed the centrifuge training, and all but one passed the altitude chamber training. That’s not only impressive, but bodes well for regular researchers being able to accompany their laboratory equipment to space in the years to come.”
“We are constantly impressed with the enthusiasm of the scientific community for the potential of next-generation commercial reusable spacecraft, such as those being developed by Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR Aerospace,” added John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “We’ve had tremendous interest at recent science workshops we’ve conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the American Geophysical Union annual conference, and the Aerospace Medical Association annual conference, with over 150 scientists attending in total.”
Brienna Henwood, Business Development and Program Manager for Space and Research at The NASTAR Center, stated, “I am thrilled to add the Suborbital Scientist Course to our current offerings. The course is more than just physiology training, it provides an overview about suborbital research and is ideal for anyone interested in learning more about the growing opportunities that rest within the commercial spaceflight industry.”
Institutions sending researchers, students and graduate students to the inaugural program included Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boston University, the Denver Museum of Natural Sciences (DMNS), the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
Allegations Surface Regarding NASA Climate Data Manipulation
Judicial Watch Uncovers NASA Documents Related to Global Warming Controversy, Judicial Watch
"According to the NASA email, NASA's incorrect temperature readings resulted from a "flaw" in a computer program used to update annual temperature data. [James] Hansen, apparently frustrated by the attention paid to the NASA error, labeled McIntyre a "pest" and suggests those who disagree with his global warming theories "should be ready to crawl under a rock by now." Hansen also suggests that those calling attention to the climate data error did not have a "light on upstairs."
NASA Caught in Climate Data Manipulation; New Revelations Headlined on KUSI-TV Climate Special
"In a new report, computer expert E. Michael Smith and Certified Consulting Meteorologist Joseph D'Aleo discovered extensive manipulation of the temperature data by the U.S. Government's two primary climate centers: the National Climate Data Center (NCDC) in Ashville, North Carolina and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Columbia University in New York City. Smith and D'Aleo accuse these centers of manipulating temperature data to give the appearance of warmer temperatures than actually occurred by trimming the number and location of weather observation stations."
GAO on DOD and Commercial Space Acquisition
"While commercial and DOD space system missions, requirements, and technology development differ in key ways, the commercial sector has adopted practices that could be applied to DOD space system acquisitions to improve cost, schedule, and performance outcomes. For instance, commercial firms define their requirements before initiating development programs, which helps to close resource gaps prior to program start and limit requirements growth. They tie contractor award and incentive fees to acquisition outcomes. They follow evolutionary product development approaches that enable them to achieve gradual gains in capability in relatively short periods while limiting the extent of technology risk they take on in any one increment. The commercial approach, overall, emphasizes gaining critical knowledge before making long-term commitments."
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