Monthly Archives: September 2021

Innovative High Performance Sensors for Navigation and Precision Positioning – AZoSensors

Posted: September 27, 2021 at 6:08 pm

A progressive UK-based start-up, Zero Point Motion, is currently developing innovative high-performance sensors for navigation and precise positioning applications. Founded by Dr. Ying Lia Li in 2020, the early-stage start-up has set out to develop cost-effective chip-scale optical sensors that can be mass-produced.

Utilizing a combination of MEMS and PIC technology, Zero Point Motions optical sensors can generate a photonic readout of motion, which offers several unique advantages.

These include harnessing the quantum properties of light to create hardware solutions and devices that sense motion with 10,000 times greater precision than in todays consumer MEMS devices, such as smartphones.1

Furthermore, with Lis extensive research background and industry experience, the early-stage start-up is well-equipped to overcome the challenges faced in the high-profile sensor industry.

Li completed a PhD in experimental quantum physics at University College London, as well as winning two prestigious merit-based scholarships.

The first was awarded to Li by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in 2017, enabling her to investigate sensor applications utilizing whispering gallery mode resonances. The other was awarded to Li by the Royal Academy of Engineering Intelligence Community in 2019, allowing her to initiate the prototyping of optomechanical sensors.2

Throughout her career and research, Li has produced pioneering work, including the invention of a type of chip-assisted plastic optical fiber printing method (patents granted in US & UK), as well as for her well-established innovation in optomechanics.

This kind of experience is what led to Li setting up the Zero Point Motion start-up in the hope of commercializing optomechanics, in particular the fabrication of sensors for applications, including positioning and navigation, as well as structural and health monitoring.

However, Li knew that constantly depending on research grants and funding for projects can be a precarious situation. Thus, to upscale production and produce significant volumes of optical sensors, careful management of the supply chain is vital.

Therefore, Lia recruited the help of two experts in the development of wireless chip technologies and low power ASICs, Pascal Herczog and Gordon Aspin, who are now Vice President and Executive Chairman of operations, respectively.

Both Aspin and Herczog have a wide array of experience and knowledge in technologies focused on targeted markets including automotive and smartphone industries as well as an understanding of how to manage and overcome the potential difficulties when transferring designs between foundries of different sizes.

This means that the start-up is strategically well-positioned to continually develop and shake up the market for high performance sensors for navigation and precision positioning.

Now, the primary objective for the start-up is to get its products to market as soon as possible and to start generating revenue. However, the company does not want to over-customize its products and instead intends to focus on establishing a standard line of sensors.

The challenge then becomes producing a standard line of sensors and devices that can be co-designed by simply introducing firmware updates or modifying algorithms in line with a given application.

Over the course of the next few years, the Zero Point Motion plans to open its own laboratory and offices and expand the current workforce to that of around twenty individuals. Additionally, the company has its sights set on producing two different variations of sensors with varying performance levels.

One line of sensor would focus on controlled movement seen in applications such as structural monitoring, image stabilization and industrial drones. The other line would concentrate its design on high-precision tracking over prolonged periods of time without GPS enabling enhanced positioning and timing, regardless of connectivity.

Li has no doubt that the performance advantages of the start-ups current MEMS, PIC and ASIC supply chain will meet these challenges and facilitate the future expansion and fulfill the demand of todays market.

With the quantum industry already embracing Zero Point Motions devices, there is plenty of opportunity for Zero Point Motions high performance sensors to support innovation in the engineering and navigation industries.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

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Niskayuna man believes he solved mystery of the universe – The Daily Gazette

Posted: at 6:08 pm

Sitting in the top-floor study of his childhood Niskayuna home, Paul LaViolette puzzles over the deepest questions of the universe.

Massive bound volumes of his doctoral thesis in general systems theory, old science journals and a series of volumes of his self-published book line shelves in the house designed by famous GE architect Victor Civkin.

Working through dense calculations and decoding pictures of faraway stars and galaxies, LaViolette has spent decades refining his own theories about the universe. He doesnt work with massive telescopes or particle accelerators, tools used by enormous teams of scientists across the planet to refine their theories about how the universe originated and how it operates. But he asks the same questions. Where did the universe come from and how did it start? How is matter created? Why does it appear the universe is expanding so quickly?

LaViolette, though, has come up with very different answers to those questions than the mainstream scientists who populate university faculties, government agencies and research laboratories.

I disproved the Big Bang theory, LaViolette said in a phone call last month, adding that he recently published a pair of papers this summer in the International Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics, a peer-reviewed journal, outlining his definitive takedown of what has been considered the definitive scientific model of the origin of the universe.

The first articles title, Expanding or Static Universe: Emergence of a New Paradigm, understates what LaViolette is proposing: scrap the dominant theory of the history of the universe taught in nearly every grade in nearly every school in the country.

The Big Bang theory basically holds that the history of our universe traces back to a single point of energy that exploded into existence and over a long period of time expanded into the universe we know today.

But LaViolette thinks most scientists are looking at the data from the wrong perspective, misunderstanding shifts on the light spectrum as they observe faraway galaxies as evidence of an expanding universe. Rather, he thinks the so-called redshift most scientists point to as evidence of an expanding universe is just a sign of the loss of energy that photons from distant galaxies have as they travel through space. That theory of the redshift, known as the tired light theory, has been around for decades. But LaViolette has repurposed it to demonstrate that a static universe, one that is not expanding as is commonly understood, makes a simpler explanation of numerous astronomical phenomena. His paper presents a series of cosmology tests, used to test different theories of the universe against various data sets, and argues that a static model of the universe bests an expanding model of the universe on all of the tests he presents unless various assumptions are added into the models about anything from the angles of galaxies to factors about their distance. Even then, LaViolette argues, assumptions made to improve the performance of a traditional expanding-universe model on one test worsen the theorys performance on other tests.

In overview, it is concluded that a static universe cosmology must be sought to explain the origin of the universe, he declared in the papers abstract.

His theory

LaViolette, now in his 70s, grew up in Niskayuna, where his parents worked in the areas scientific research industry, including at Knolls labs. After two years of high school in Niskayuna, his family moved to Greece. He studied at Johns Hopkins and University of Chicago, and worked at the Harvard School of Public Health. During the Vietnam era, he conducted research into ventilation systems used on masks. He earned a patent on new mask technology in 1973, but said he was unable to gain traction as he spent a few years trying to sell his idea he couldnt induce the wide-scale adoption he had hoped for.

Because they used to make [masks] a certain way, they didnt want to change, he said.

He eventually moved to Portland, Oregon, to study at the countrys only doctoral program in general systems theory at the time. As he worked on his tome of a dissertation, LaViolette started to think of the universe in terms of an open system, one where matter could effectively generate out of itself, especially in the most volatile parts of the universe.

It was the longest Ph.D. in the history of the program, and it still is, he said of his dissertation. They bring it out to intimidate people.

Since then he has continued to develop and fine-tune his arguments against an expanding-universe model, hoping his ideas would gain traction.

In an article titled Is the Universe Really Expanding? published in 1985, LaViolette relies on a smaller set of cosmology tests and data than his most recent papers to build a case that a static-universe model can offer a better explanation than the Big Bang.

I thought that one had disproved Big Bang, he said of the earlier paper.

The theory, though, has proved stubbornly resistant to its demise. As scientists collect more and more data about the universe, they have fine-tuned their own models, theories and equations but major holes and uncertainty still persist (no model has yet tied together large-scale and subatomic theories of physics, for example).

If mainstream science ever does adopt LaViolettes theory of the universe, it will spell doom for many fundamental tenets of physics and astronomy. No black holes, he said. No quantum mechanics (which helps explain physics at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles). No Einsteins theory of general relativity (which helps explain gravitational physics at a large scale).

You have to throw it out, he said. Even the ages of stars change.

He has also inched toward his own novel cosmology a broad theory of the origin of the universe developed over decades called subquantum kinetics. He has written numerous editions of a book on the topic. The model, which replaces the void left by the destruction wrought by disproving the Big Bang theory, predicts that a cosmic ether at the subatomic level is capable of producing energy fluctuations that in some scenarios can nucleate a subatomic particle. He calls it a continuous-creation theory, where matter is constantly being created within a static universe.

Matter produces more matter its like biological reproduction in a way, he said.

LaViolette argues that most scientists stubbornly adhere to the law of energy conservation that the total amount of energy in a system remains constant and should instead accept a model where new energy can emerge.

They [mainstream scientists] believe in taking the first law of thermodynamics and applying it down to the minutest detail, he said. The whole thing is based on faith that energy is conserved so rigorously.

He said mainstream scientists are often clouded by their beliefs in their own models and create theoretical assumptions that ensure those models work. Using an unflattering analogy to tree monkeys, he explained that scientists will hold fast to the Big Bang theory until an alternative gains broader acceptance fearing the metaphorical limb.

Theyve already assumed their model is correct. They dont want to admit another way of looking at things, he said. Physicists, they are like monkeys clinging to a tree. Unless they see another tree to jump to, they wont.

Huge Unknowns

Heidi Jo Newberg, an astrophysicist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute known for her work understanding the structure of the Milky Way galaxy, earths home galaxy, said the broader field often hears from out-of-the-box thinkers with a hodgepodge of their own theories. She said the ideas fall on a wide spectrum of seriousness and rigor.

I regularly get books and manuscripts from people all of the time, and they range from people who are just crazy, have crazy, crazy things, to people who are very knowledgeable and have a really good sense of science and terminology and the fields they are in, she said in an interview.

While Newberg had not studied LaViolettes recent papers and did not offer direct support or rebuttal of his theory, she noted that it was published in a refereed journal and appeared to be scientifically rigorous.

It looks to me like this is on the more knowledgeable side of it, she said.

Newberg explained that the scientific fields dominant understanding of the origin of the universe is both highly detailed and supported by vast data, while also containing huge holes filled by yet-to-be-proven explanations.

There are a lot of things we think we do know and some of them are really amazing, but there is a huge amount, almost an embarrassing amount, we dont understand about our standard model, she said.

The standard model the framework broadly accepted by scientists and taught at different academic levels holds that our universe expanded out of an infinitely dense source point, Newberg said, expanding at fluctuating rates over vast amounts of time as gravitational forces pulled together galaxies and ever-bigger astronomical structures.

Scientists have accumulated enormous quantities of data on the size and scale of different formations in the universe. The intergalactic distances light must travel to be observed by satellites and telescopes offers a glimpse of stars as they existed billions of years ago.

We have a kind of working understanding of the history of the universe that explains everything that we see, she said. In the last few decades, we have been in a really, really strong period for constraining the universe and how its evolved.

While much of the data lends further support to the standard model and further refines scientific understanding of different dimensions of that model, the explanations underpinning the standard model rely on some theoretical patches to cover enormous gaps of knowledge.

For the standard model to work, for instance, scientists posit the existence of so-called dark matter, which accounts for the majority of the matter in the universe and helps explain various observations and patterns in astronomy.

But one big problem remains for dark matter theorists: After decades of theorizing and building highly tuned detectors aimed at identifying an actual dark matter particle, scientists have still come up short in doing so.

People have been looking for 30 years. We think eventually someone will find this, Newberg said, noting that the theoretical presence of dark matter helps tie together numerous theories around how things work on a large scale.

There are very big pieces that are notional, she said of the dominant cosmological model. Dark matter is notional, but when you put it in everything works.

For LaViolette, the holes in the standard model bolster his theory that it doesnt actually hold together without the ad-hoc assumptions he said scientists plug into their equations to make their theories work. He argues that scientists at mainstream institutions are too wedded to their theories to accept an alternative model or allow consideration of paradigm-shifting ideas.

Newberg countered that scientists broadly are independently minded fact-finders who regularly contest one anothers theories, ideas, data and approaches, forcing further refinement and defense of their ideas on a regular basis. I think the science establishment isnt so monolithic as people think, she said. We are all individuals and we argue all the time. In my work, Im constantly challenged by people who have all the data that is available and make sure what I do is consistent with what we know.

Newberg said it is possible that cosmology may be more susceptible to a dramatic paradigm shift because of the large unknowns and vast space and time at play. The mystique and allure of questions about the universe and its history serve as a further accelerant that draws contrarian thinkers to propose ideas and theories that counter the dominant model. She said she is working with an artist-inventor who proposed to her an alternative idea for a space telescope.

Where you have a big problem that is very exciting and interesting, and has such huge unknowns, thats going to be a big draw for people that are really interestingand in some ways, there is an opportunity for someone to come with an idea from outside the field that changes everything, she said.

She noted that over the years various scientists have proffered alternative theories to different components of the standard model, but that they dont hold up against a deluge of observational data the same way theories attached to the standard expanding-universe model do. An alternative theory might explain one phenomenon but not another. Among most scientists, though, there is no leading competitor to the Big Bang theory, she said.

I think there is an opportunity to come up with other versions of cosmology, but its challenging to fit all of the data, she said. Its easy to come up with something that is consistent with some things but not everything.

For his part, LaViolette isnt waiting for the rest of science to catch up, working on a new edition to his book, Subquantum Kinetics: A Systems Approach to Physics and Cosmology, and taking comfort in his confidence that science will eventually follow the path he has tried to lay out. Whether or not hes around to see the day that happens is another question.

I totally believe this is the way physics will go in the future, he said.

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We need concrete protections from artificial intelligence threatening human rights Stuff – Stuff Magazines

Posted: at 6:07 pm

Events over the past few years have revealed severalhuman rights violationsassociated with increasingadvances in artificial intelligence (AI).

Algorithms created to regulate speech onlinehave censored speechranging from religious content tosexual diversity. AI systems created to monitor illegal activities have been used totrack and target human rights defenders. And algorithms have discriminated against Black people when they have been used todetect cancersorassess the flight risk of people accused of crimes. The list goes on.

As researchers studying the intersection between AI and social justice, weve been examining solutions developed to tackle AIs inequities. Our conclusion is that they leave much to be desired.

Some companies voluntarily adoptethical frameworksthat are difficult to implement and have little concrete effect. The reason is twofold. First, ethics are founded on values, not rights, and ethical values tend todiffer across the spectrum. Second, these frameworks cannot be enforced, making it difficult for people to hold corporations accountable for any violations.

Even frameworks that are mandatory like CanadasAlgorithmic Impact Assessment Tool act merely as guidelines supporting best practices. Ultimately, self-regulatory approaches do little more thandelay the development and implementation of laws to regulate AIs uses.

And as illustrated with the European Unions recently proposedAI regulation, even attempts towards developing such laws have drawbacks. This bill assesses the scope of risk associated with various uses of AI and then subjects these technologies to obligations proportional to their proposed threats.

As non-profit digital rights organization Access Now has pointed out, however,this approach doesnt go far enough in protecting human rights. It permits companies to adopt AI technologies so long as their operational risks are low.

Just because operational risks are minimal doesnt mean that human rights risks are non-existent. At its core, this approach is anchored in inequality. It stems from an attitude that conceives of fundamental freedoms as negotiable.

So the question remains: why is it that such human rights violations are permitted by law? Although many countries possess charters that protect citizens individual liberties,those rights are protected against governmental intrusions alone. Companies developing AI systems arent obliged to respect our fundamental freedoms. This fact remains despite technologys growing presence in ways that have fundamentally changed the nature and quality of our rights.

Our current reality deprives us from exercising our agency to vindicate the rights infringed through our use of AI systems. As such, the access to justice dimension that human rights law serves becomes neutralised: A violation doesnt necessarily lead to reparations for the victims nor an assurance against future violations, unless mandated by law.

But even laws that are anchored in human rights often lead to similar results. Consider theEuropean Unions General Data Protection Regulation, which allows users to control their personal data and obliges companies to respect those rights. Although an important step towards more acute data protection in cyberspace, this law hasnt had its desired effect. The reason is twofold.

First,the solutions favoureddont always permit users to concretely mobilize their human rights. Second, they dont empower users withan understanding of the value of safeguarding their personal information.Privacy rights are about much more than just having something to hide.

These approaches all attempt to mediate between both the subjective interests of citizens and those of industry. They try to protect human rights while ensuring that the laws adopted dont impede technological progress. But this balancing act often results in merely illusory protection, without offering concrete safeguards to citizens fundamental freedoms.

To achieve this, the solutions adopted must be adapted to the needs and interests of individuals, rather than assumptions of what those parameters might be. Any solution must also includecitizen participation.

Legislative approaches seek only to regulate technologys negative side effects rather than address their ideological and societal biases. But addressing human rights violations triggered by technology after the fact isnt enough. Technological solutions must primarily be based on principles ofsocial justice and human dignity rather than technological risks. They must be developed with an eye to human rights in order to ensure adequate protection.

One approach gaining traction is known as Human Rights By Design. Here, companies do not permit abuse or exploitation as part of their business model. Rather, they commit to designing tools, technologies, and services to respect human rights by default.

This approach aims to encourage AI developers to categorically consider human rights at every stage of development. It ensures that algorithms deployed in society will remedy rather than exacerbate societal inequalities. It takes the steps necessary to allow us to shape AI, and not the other way around.

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Novel Insights on COVID-19 Vaccines and Virus Evolution, Artificial Intelligence in the Clinic, Miniaturization of Diagnostic Platforms, and Much More…

Posted: at 6:07 pm

ATLANTA, Sept. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --At the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, laboratory medicine experts will present the cutting-edge research and technology that is revolutionizing clinical testing and patient care. From September 26-30 in Atlanta, Georgia, the meeting's 200-plus sessions will deliver insights on a broad range of timely healthcare topics. Highlights of these include discussions exploring COVID-19 vaccines and virus evolution, research lessons learned from the pandemic, artificial intelligence in the clinic, clinical translation of engineered microsystems, and improvements to treatments for cystic fibrosis.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Virus Evolution.SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that easily mutates, and mutants that are not suppressed by the immune responses generated from prior infection or vaccination can then become dominant strains. In this plenary session, Dr. Margaret Liu, CEO of PAX Therapeutics and Chairman of the Board of the International Society for Vaccines, will shed light on whether the vaccines to fight this virus need to be able to neutralize newly arising strains, or if SARS-CoV-2 vaccines need to be remade annually like the flu vaccine to try to correspond to the current clinical circulating strains.

COVID-19 Research: Lessons Learned.The COVID-19 pandemic led to enormous scientific progress in a short time, and the development of the vaccines and the understanding of the virus happened at unprecedented rates and with great success. However, the effects of the pandemic have been dramatic on the scientific workforce, on the speed with which publishing has occurred, and on the ability to build public trust in science. In this plenary session, Holden Thorp, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Science Family of Journals, will address the need for the scientific community to come together to face the enormous challenges posed by the need for greater trust in science in the public in the U.S. and beyond.

Artificial Intelligence in the Clinic. In the meeting's opening keynote, Dr. Regina Barzilay, School of Engineering Distinguished Professor for AI and Health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will explore the fact that, by nature, many traditional clinical tasks such as risk assessment, prediction of treatment efficacy, and forecasting patient trajectory can be thought of as prediction problems. Given sufficient amounts of patient data with outcomes, a machine learning model can make predictions which often exceed human experts in accuracy. However, to make these tools more applicable in the clinical setting, there is a need to augment artificial intelligence models with the ability to explain their decisions to humans, and assess their uncertainty.

Changing Lives of Patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Over the past 30 years, there has been a remarkable expansion in understanding of the genetic basis, molecular biology, and pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis resulting from loss of cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein function. The most extraordinary accomplishment has been the international effort of patients, families, clinicians, scientists, and non-profit foundations to translate this scientific knowledge into approved therapies, known as CFTR modulators, that are transforming the lives of individuals with cystic fibrosis. This plenary session will include two perspectives: that of Bonnie Ramsey, MD, Endowed Chair in Cystic Fibrosis Research at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who participated in the clinical development of this class of drugs, and that of Caley Mauch, a person living with cystic fibrosis, who will describe the impact of this therapy on daily life.

Miniaturization of Diagnostic Platforms.In this, the meeting's closing keynote, Dr. Wilbur A. Lam, W. Paul Bowers Research Chair and Chief Innovation Officer, Pediatric Technology Center at Emory University/Georgia Institute of Technology, will discuss microsystems-based COVID-19 diagnostics and his own lab's recent advances in miniaturization of diagnostic platforms, with a focus on hematology and hemostasis/thrombosis.

Additionally, at the Clinical Lab Expo, more than 400 exhibitors will display innovative technologies that are just coming to market in every clinical lab discipline.

"If the pandemic has shown us anything, it is laboratory medicine's capacity to adapt to changing healthcare circumstances and use the field's scientific insights to improve quality of life. This capacity is constantly growing, with cutting-edge diagnostic technologies emerging every day in areas as diverse as SARS-CoV-2, artificial intelligence, cystic fibrosis, and miniaturization," said AACC CEO Mark J. Golden. "The 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting will spotlight the trailblazers in laboratory medicine who are mobilizing these innovations to enhance patient care."

Session Information

AACC Annual Scientific Meeting registration is free for members of the media. Reporters can register online here: https://www.xpressreg.net/register/aacc0921/media/landing.asp

COVID-19 Vaccines and Virus Evolution

Session 12001 COVID-19: Vaccines and the Tango of Viral Evolution and Host Immune Responses

Monday, September 27

8:45 10:15 a.m.

Georgia Ballroom

COVID-19 Research: Lessons Learned

Session 14001 Curating and Documenting Research During Chaos: Lessons from COVID-19 and Beyond

Wednesday, September 29

8:45 10:15 a.m.

Georgia Ballroom

Artificial Intelligence in the Clinic

Session 11001 Artificial Intelligence in the Clinic: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities

Sunday, September 26

5 6:30 p.m.

Georgia Ballroom

Changing Lives of Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Session 13001 The Remarkable Journey from Bench to Bedside: Changing Lives of Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis

Tuesday, September 28

8:45 10:15 a.m.

Georgia Ballroom

Miniaturization of Diagnostic Platforms

Session 15001 Clinical Translation of Engineered Microsystems: From COVID-19 to Hematology and Hemostasis

Thursday, September 30

8:45 10:15 a.m.

Georgia Ballroom

About the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo

The AACC Annual Scientific Meeting offers 5 days packed with opportunities to learn about exciting science from September 26-30. Plenary sessions explore COVID-19 vaccines and virus evolution, research lessons learned from the pandemic, artificial intelligence in the clinic, miniaturization of diagnostic platforms, and improvements to treatments for cystic fibrosis.

At the AACC Clinical Lab Expo, more than 400 exhibitors will fill the show floor of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta with displays of the latest diagnostic technology, including but not limited to COVID-19 testing, artificial intelligence, mobile health, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, point-of-care, and automation.

About AACC

Dedicated to achieving better health through laboratory medicine, AACC brings together more than 50,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from around the world focused on clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of progressing laboratory science. Since 1948, AACC has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing programs that advance scientific collaboration, knowledge, expertise, and innovation. For more information, visit http://www.aacc.org.

Christine DeLong

AACC

Senior Manager, Communications & PR

(p) 202.835.8722

[emailprotected]

Molly Polen

AACC

Senior Director, Communications & PR

(p) 202.420.7612

(c) 703.598.0472

[emailprotected]

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The U.S. Air and Space Forces Are Ready to "Fully" Weaponize Space – The National Interest

Posted: at 6:06 pm

The U.S. Air Force and emergingSpace Force are venturing into previously uncharted territory. The two branches areexploring the conceptual and technological parameters of more fully weaponizing space with offensive attack technologies.

Space travel has of course long been crucial to Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) flight and Missile Defense efforts to track and destroy incoming ICBMs in the mid-course phase of flight.Now,the prospect of sending new technologies into space to operate offensively as attack weapons is now very much under exploration by the Pentagon.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall confirmed that the possibilities were indeed being explored as what he referred to as global strikes from space. Kendall did not go into much detail,whichis not surprising given the obvious security sensitivities surrounding the issues.Buthe did articulate a few significant parameters regarding how space weapons might operate in the future.

There is potential to put weapons in space and potential for a weapon to be launched into space as a system that goes into orbit, then de-orbits to hit a target, Kendall said.

This latter possibility, Kendall further explained, might prove to be a more survivablemethod of attackas newly engineered space-traveling weapons might be able to operate with an ability to adjust trajectory to avoid a more traditional ICBM flight path. This could enable an offensive weapon to potentially avoid missile warning systems and function with a greater likelihood of traveling through to hit a target.

While Kendall himself did not elaborate much beyond those few remarks, the possibility of further weaponizing space certainly inspires the imagination in several key respects. Technologies such as Ground-Based Interceptors, ground-launched anti-satellite weapons, kill vehicles for missile defense, decoys and countermeasures, and of course, ICBMs have been well known as space weapons systems for many years. What could be new? Couldarmed dronestravel beyond the earths atmosphere to track and destroy enemy ICBMs, hypersonic missiles, or even spacecraft and satellites? What about laser weapons, as they are widely known to be well suited for space operations given that beam attenuation is much less of a factor beyond the earths atmosphere? What about arming satellites themselves with interceptors able to launch from space? Orperhaps integratinglong-range missiles and launch systems into satellites to destroy enemy satellites, spacecraft or even ground-based targets should the range and precision accuracy be sufficient. This kind of possibility seems entirely realistic given how close existing space-based sensors can zoom in on the earths surface. The Missile Defense Agency, for example, is already working on power scaling to assess the feasibility of using space or even surface-ship-fired lasers for ICBM defense and attack operations beyond the earths atmosphere.

Interestingly, one of Kendalls most significant and telling remarks was that he said when it comes to possibilities for space weapons, there is no question about the technical feasibility.

Kendalls remarks on space war were closely mirrored by U.S. Space Force Commander Gen. John Raymond, who made it clear that space is a warzone.

If you look at what China is doing and what Russia is doing. They will not take us on in the air, because they know we will kick their butt, so the only way they think they can challenge us is to take out our space assets. They are developing capabilities to rival us in space, Raymond said at the Air Force Associationsymposium.

Kris Osborn is the defense editor for theNational Interest. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the ArmyAcquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Master's Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

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This International Space Station VR experience lets you explore the ISS and its as amazing as it sounds – Space.com

Posted: at 6:06 pm

Think about what VR actually is. In the literal sense VR, of course, stands for virtual reality. Lets examine that phrase for a moment, shall we? Without getting too philosophical, we can all agree on what reality is. But, its worth remembering that virtual has a double meaning. While it means existing digitally, not physically, it also means almost. Nearly. Very close. We promise this is going somewhere, and youve actually landed on Space.com and not Dictionary.com.

The idea of doing in an alternate almost reality what you cannot in the real world is very appealing. Thats why people seek out VR headsets like the PlayStation VR or Oculus Quest 2. Were not talking about things like soaring through the sky as a bird or going on an adventure on an alien planet with futuristic weapons (although VR does allow you to do these things). Rather, were thinking about things that you theoretically could do in the real world, but for various reasons may never get the chance to. Mountain climbing, visiting a rainforest, racing at extreme speeds, going into space things like that.

Virtual reality presents an opportunity to experience a wide range of otherwise unobtainable experiences quickly, easily, safely, and often for free. Its not the real thing, of course, but its much closer than you could otherwise get.

One thing that the vast majority of people will never get the chance to do, but that a significant percentage of those same people would love to do, is become an astronaut and visit space. Without the years of mental and physical training necessary (or just being a billionaire), the next best thing we have is virtual reality. For example, Mission: ISS offers a tantalizing taste of astronaut life, and its free. You can get it from the Oculus store for the Oculus Quest 2 system.

Made with help from NASA, Mission: ISS gives you a little corner of the International Space Station to explore. Youre able to navigate tight spaces in zero gravity, look outside to see the Earth hanging below, and gently bat floating items out of your way the full astronaut experience!

Theres an educational component to the experience, most explicitly in terms of the optional pop-ups to be found. If something is highlighted in yellow when you point at it a spacesuit, say, or a control console you can hold the trigger to reveal text and a photo or sometimes a video. Here, a NASA astronaut will talk briefly about their experiences. Its not all dry technical stuff, either. Have you ever wondered how an astronaut washes their hair in zero gravity? Well, if you havent before, you certainly are now. Thats one mystery that Mission: ISS can clear up for you.

Nonetheless, youre free to completely ignore these if you wish, and concentrate on playing astronaut yourself. As we mentioned, this is a zero-gravity experience. You can use the left stick to push yourself forwards and backwards to make things a little easier, but you can (and will) also need to grab onto handholds to push and pull yourself along in every direction. It can take a little while to master moving around in this way. But then, of course it can, this isnt something most people are accustomed to.

You can even go on a simulated spacewalk. Typing this, we can still remember gingerly using our propulsion unit in conjunction with the hand-led navigation wed practiced using while inside. With the Earth looming large below us, we carefully made our way to the area we were asked to check and back, noticing a release of tension once wed reached the airlock. Its alarmingly easy to drift off course or to go too far, and the tether attached to an astronauts spacesuit isnt indestructible

Theres another, safer, but equally tricky mission. From the safety of the inside of the ISS, youll be able to operate the Canadarm 2 which is a giant robotic arm. Its not nearly as simple as you might expect. Operating the arm involves using two sticks while observing it on two separate monitors. Its slow, demanding, and really makes you feel like youre doing proper astronaut work.

Simulating some of the work done on the ISS is very cool, but theres a simple joy to be had just making your way around. The interior is packed full of detail. While its a shame that you cant open up the labeled boxes of astronaut food, youll love taking in the fine detail added to screens, and rewarding yourself with a tricky zero-g journey through the entirety of the available area.

There are plenty of other apps and games that emulate space travel or take place in space (like these best PSVR space games), as well as a huge variety of other bucket list experiences. Many cost money, albeit not that much. However, if youre on a tight budget now that youve got your VR headset, another option is VR video. Again, some of these need to be paid for, but there are a huge number of free ones on YouTube (such as this spacewalk, this skydive experience, or the David Blaine balloon stunt) and within certain apps and VR storefronts.

When it comes to 360 degree VR videos, downloading is always the best option, as streaming them tends to provide a fairly low resolution. Thanks to free streaming VR videos we have (virtually) skydived, ridden a motorbike at terrifying speed, accompanied a solo explorer to the South Pole, flown above world-famous cities, traveled deep below the surface of the ocean, and much more all this without ever having to leave your house (well, once youve learnt how to set up your room for VR). While VR videos arent strictly speaking interactive, they do allow you to look all around you while enjoying the extra immersion that VR offers by default.

VR cant give you the money, knowledge, physique, or equipment that you may be missing for your dream experience. However, it can instantly bypass all those requirements to bring you very, very close. Why wouldnt you take advantage of that? Things will, after all, be virtually the same.

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This International Space Station VR experience lets you explore the ISS and its as amazing as it sounds - Space.com

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Solar flares & more- an introduction to space weather – WCBD News 2

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Very few things in life are as predictable as sunsets. No matter what the day brings- you can always count on it to end. Likewise, you can always count on the sun to be there in our sky.

To us its bright, never changing. But 93 million miles away, its actually so much more dynamic. Its seething, says Alex Young, Dr. Alex Young, the Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division atNASAsGoddard Space Flight Center.

Its constantly changing, theres huge amounts of energy moving out, creating these huge blasts of energy called solar flares. And it can also burp these huge blobs of billions of tons of solar material and magnetic fields. We call these coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

Heliophysists, or sun scientists, like Young monitor these solar flares and coronal mass ejections through the eyes of numerous spacecraft, watching in various filters which paint the sun in a myriad of colors- searching for any significant expulsions of electromagnetic radiation that could cause trouble here on Earth.

These solar storms have caused widespread power outages, communication blackouts, and in the worst cases we can even lose a satellite. And its happened in a few extreme cases

The good news is that were protected here on Earth, the atmosphere is very thick, says Young. So a lot of the things like x rays and gamma rays, the things that would be really bad for us, dont make it through the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, thats not the case everywhere.

Astronauts heading to the moon, mars, and beyond travel dont have this protection we have on the Earths surface and could be hit with a lethal dose of radiation traveling at the speed of light. Thankfully for future space travel, and our current technologically connected world, scientists with the Space Weather Prediction Center continuously watch for solar storm activity, just like how their counterparts within NOAA watch tropical storms!

Im just scratching the surface of this incredibly complicated but fascinating branch of science that often results in more questions than you started off with, but thats really the exciting part of science in general. Its not just answering questions, its getting new questions which takes us another step forward.

Storm Team 2 Meteorologist David Dickson

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How neutron star collisions flooded Earth with gold and other precious metals – Space.com

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Paul M. Sutteris an astrophysicist at SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute, host of "Ask a Spaceman" and "Space Radio," and author of "How to Die in Space."

The universe is pretty good at smashing things together. All kinds of stuff collides stars, black holes and ultradense objects called neutron stars.

And when neutron stars do it, the collisions release a flood of elements necessary for life.

Let's explore how astronomers used subtle ripples in the fabric of space-time to confirm that colliding neutron stars make life as we know it possible.

Related: When neutron stars collide: Scientists spot kilonova explosion from epic 2016 crash

Just about everything has collided at one point or another in the history of the universe, so astronomers had long figured that neutron stars superdense objects born in the explosive deaths of large stars smashed together, too. But starting about a decade ago, astronomers realized that the collision of neutron stars would be particularly interesting.

For one, a neutron star collision would go out with a flash. It wouldn't be as bright as a typical supernova, which happens when large stars explode. But astronomers predicted that an explosion generated from a neutron star collision would be roughly a thousand times brighter than a typical nova, so they dubbed it a kilonova and the name stuck.

As the name suggests, neutron stars are made of a lot of neutrons. And when you put a bunch of neutrons in a high-energy environment, they start to combine, transform, splinter off and do all sorts of other wild nuclear reaction things.

With all the neutrons flying around and combining with each other, and all the energy needed to power the nuclear reactions, kilonovas are responsible for producing enormous amounts of heavy elements, including gold, silver and xenon. Together with their cousins, supernovas, kilonovas fill out the periodic table and generate all the elements necessary to make rocky planets ready to host living organisms.

In 2017, astronomers witnessed their first kilonova. The event occurred about 140 million light-years from Earth and was first heralded by the appearance of a certain pattern of gravitational waves, or ripples in space-time, washing over Earth.

These gravitational waves were detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo observatory, which immediately notified the astronomical community that they had seen the distinct ripple in space-time that could only mean that two neutron stars had collided. Less than 2 seconds later, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected a gamma-ray burst a brief, bright flash of gamma-rays.

A flurry of scientific interest followed, as astronomers around the world trained their telescopes, antennas and orbiting observatories at the kilonova event, scanning it in every wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. All told, about one-third of the entire astronomical community around the globe participated in the effort. It was perhaps the most widely described astronomical event in human history, with over 100 papers on the subject appearing within the first two months.

Kilonovas had long been predicted, but with an occurrence rate of 1 every 100,000 years per galaxy, astronomers weren't really expecting to see one so soon. (In comparison, supernovas occur once every few decades in each galaxy.)

And the addition of gravitational wave signals provided an unprecedented glimpse inside the event itself. Between gravitational waves and traditional electromagnetic observations, astronomers got a complete picture from the moment the merger began.

That kilonova alone produced more than 100 Earths' worth of pure, solid precious metals, confirming that these explosions are fantastic at creating heavy elements.

In short, the gold in your jewelry was forged from two neutron stars that collided long before the birth of the solar system.

But that wasn't the only reason the kilonova observations were so fascinating. Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity predicted that gravitational waves travel at the speed of light. But astronomers have long been trying to develop extensions and modifications to general relativity, and the vast majority of those extensions and modifications predicted different speeds for gravitational waves.

With that single kilonova event, the universe gave us the perfect place to test this. The gravitational wave signal and the gamma-ray burst signal from the kilonova arrived within 1.7 seconds of each other. But that was after traveling over 140 million miles (225 million kilometers). To arrive at Earth that close to each other over such a long journey, the gravitational waves and electromagnetic waves would have had to travel at the same speed to one part in a million billion.

That single measurement was a billion times more precise than any previous observation, and thus wiped out the vast majority of modified theories of gravity.

No wonder a third of astronomers worldwide found it interesting.

Learn more by listening to the episode "What's so groovy about gravitational waves? (Part 2)" on the "Ask A Spaceman" podcast, available oniTunesand askaspaceman.com. Ask your own question on Twitter using #AskASpaceman or by following Paul @PaulMattSutter and facebook.com/PaulMattSutter. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Over 150 participants from Romania enter the NASA Space Apps Challenge competition, the largest space and science hackathon in the world – Business…

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Over 150 participants from Romania have registered for NASA Space Apps Challenge, the largest space and science hackathon in the world, which will take place on October 2-3., online. The grand award of the global competition is the chance to participate in the launch of a space shuttle in 2022.

Those who want to register can complete the application available on the pages dedicated to the virtual event organized in Romania in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timioara and Iai.

The teams will have to solve one of the 28 proposed challenges in areas such as Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning, Apps, Data Organization, Game, Hardware, Knowledge, Lunar Surface Operations, Risk, Science Applications, Space Travel.

Participants can create their own challenge, but it will not enter the final jury.

The two winning teams from each city will qualify for the global stage and enter the competition for the grand award: the chance to witness a space shuttle launch in 2022. In addition, NASA offers ten other awards. The winning teams will upload their solutions on Sunday, October 3, to the global platform for the next stage.

During the hackathon in Romania, the competitors will receive help and advice from dedicated mentorsand a team of experts from Romania will judge the projects. The teams will be assisted during the 48 hours of competition by representatives of Vodafone Romania, Bosch, Google, Thales, Profi, Endava, Tradesilvania and Cloud Software Development.

NASA Awards for the winners

The winning teams from Romania will be evaluated together with the other winning projects globally by the experts of the space agency.

The ten global awards are: Best Use of Science, Best Use of Data, Best Use of Technology, Galactic Impact, Best Mission Concept, Most Inspirational, Best Storytelling Award (new), Global Connection Award (new), Art & Technology Award (new), Local Impact Award (new).

In 2020, Space Apps enjoyed internationally approximately 26,000 participants who created 2,303 projects. The full list of 2020 hackathon finalists can be accessed here. Last year, four teams from Romania qualified for the international judging stage of the competition.

The NASA Space Apps Challenge International Hackathon is an innovative NASA incubation program organized annually. The program gathers thousands of people worldwide who work with NASAs open data in a 48-hour sprint. Since its launch in 2012, NASA Space Apps Challenge has engaged over 150,000 people from over 150 countries and territories.

The Space Apps concept relies on collaboration, creativity and critical thinking, stimulates interest in science and space and Earth exploration, and encourages growth and diversity among the next generation of scientists, technologists, designers and engineers. Space Apps is managed by the Division of Earth Sciences, Science Mission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC.

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Immersion tank study will explore the impact of space travel on the female body | Space – BollyInside

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There is almost no knowledge about the physiological and psychological effects on women in this research area, said Angelique Van Ombergen, the Esa scientist leading the experiment at the Medes space clinic in Toulouse. We really hope that this study could help address some of the knowledge gaps of how people react to this extreme environment. The weightlessness experienced by astronauts can have striking effects on the body in a short space of time. Without gravity to load the spine, water and other molecules are able to move into the discs between vertebrae, meaning that astronauts tend to become taller in space but also weaker as supporting muscles and ligaments are doing less work.

The absence of gravity also leads to fluids shifting towards the head, which has been linked to hearing and vision problems. Previous studies have found the immune system can go quiet in the sterile environment of a spaceship, which can lead to a reactivation of old viruses. Many of these effects are likely to vary significantly between men and women. Based on previous dry immersion experiments a Russian cohort spent 21 days in a similar setup Van Ombergen said the experience was likely to be quite challenging for the volunteers, rather than relaxing. It requires dedication from the volunteers to stick to it, she said.

In the latest study, the volunteers will first be swathed in a cotton sheet and then a waterproof tarp, before being suspended in an immersion tank with only their arms and head left outside. The volunteers will remain in their tank for five days in a monotonous environment, only coming out for brief hygiene breaks to shower and go to the toilet, while remaining in a horizontal position to minimise fluid shifts in the body. The scientists will collect blood and urine samples, while making continuous measurements to see how the body is adapting. The proportion of female astronauts has slowly increased over the past decade, with the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Nasa having announced its goal to put the first woman on the moon and China expected to include a female astronaut on next months mission to its new Tiangong space station.

Until now, though, there has been a dearth of data making it difficult to tailor exercise programmes during missions and rehabilitation on return to Earth for female astronauts. Women seem less susceptible to vision impairment than men, related to headward fluid shifts, but women are more susceptible to fainting when they come back to Earth, said Prof Alan Hargens, who researches the impact of microgravity on the human body at Surgery University of California San Diego.

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Immersion tank study will explore the impact of space travel on the female body | Space - BollyInside

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