Sunday 31 March 2013

NEW RESULTS FROM PLANCK

The European Space Agency's Planck telescope has produced further important results, in addition to the new cosmic background radiation map published last week.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21940434

This new data is a mapping of the distribution of all matter in the universe.

It relates to the cosmic background radiation findings revealed last week by analysing tiny distortions in the early radiation caused as it passed matter on its journey here. Basically, it is an extension of the well-known gravitational lensing technique to cover the whole sky. The results are in agreement with those from the near universe using other techniques.

Only 15.5% of all matter in the universe is 'normal' atomic matter; the remaining 84.5% is the so-called 'dark matter'. In terms of the total matter / energy in the universe, 4.9% is 'normal' matter, 26.8% is dark matter, and 68.3% is dark energy.




Tuesday 26 March 2013

CAROLINE LUCAS on the PEOPLES' ASSEMBLY

http://youtu.be/rThobtEp6U0

Tuesday 12 March 2013

FURTHER EVIDENCE OF MARS WATER INDICATOR

The Mars Curiosity rover computer problem is gradually being sorted, as further results from rock drilling have revealed important new evidence about the nature of water that once existed in the Gale Crater area on the Martian surface.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21755976

Curiosity has drilled into a rock which has been shown to contain clay minerals - with evidence of sulphur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon. This indicates the rock studied was deposited in a fresh water environment. Previous studies showed an acidic water environment, which would be less likely to support micro-organisms. 

Tuesday 5 March 2013

MARS CURIOSITY ROVER HITS COMPUTER PROBLEM

Curiosity has been hit by a computer glitch just as it has begun analysing rock samples from the Martian surface. As a result, Curiosity is now working from a back-up computer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21654308

Nasa engineers are trying to sort the problem, which may have been caused by high-energy cosmic ray particles.
Meanwhile, Curiosity's scientific work has been put on hold.

Friday 1 March 2013

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION REPORT ON NEW FUKUSHIMA CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT

A new report from the WHO shows that people living near Fukushima have a small increased risk of developing cancer during their lifetime.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21614722

The biggest lifetime risks were seen in those exposed as infants.
For girls exposed to radiation from the accident as infants, the report found a 4% increase above expected lifetime risk for solid tumours, and 6% above for breast cancer. Boys exposed as infants have a 7% risk increase of leukaemia. The biggest risk was a 70 % lifetime increase of thyroid cancer for infant girls.

The report also found that a third of emergency workers working in the plant after the disaster are at an increased risk of cancer.

The WHO report emphasised that these risks were relative and remained small. They are small additional risks above existing low risks.

WHO's Dr Maria Neira said that the report underlined the need for long-term health monitoring of those who were at high risk, along with medical follow-up and support. 'This will remain an important element in the public health response to the disaster for decades' she said.