Science

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  • detritus0

    Oh, I thought I'd already posted this somewhere?

    This is REALLY weird - observable, measurable - much 'odder' to me than Dark Matter or Energy, which as far as I'm concerned could be simply down to local measurement or perceptual flaws or limitations...

    http://www.astronomy.com/news/20…

    "all disk galaxies rotate about once every billion years, no matter their size or mass"

    • I still believe (yes, believe) that very empty space (ie the hinterland between galaxies and filaments) has some sort of force of its own.detritus
    • ..if so, it would have a bearing on the interpretation of both DE and DM. Course, I know jackshit, so am just anal-spouting, as very often.detritus
    • DE and DM?uan
    • aaa dark energy, dark matteruan
    • me too detritusmonospaced
    • agree, just because it seems empty between atoms, doesn't mean it's is. Perhaps we just can't see/measure what's there with our primitive science.shapesalad
    • yupmonospaced
  • detritus0

    We need a space thread. Or perhaps this should go in News of the Day. Anyway.

    The following png file (which may not load-in here) auto updates every few minutes (you'll need to hit manually F5 though), showing the latest tracking data on the Chinese space station that's due to make landfall in about 4½ hours.

    As well as how quickly it's going, it's interesting seeing how much the altitude changes every 10 minutes or so - I'm not really sure how, but it somehow went up a few km earlier. Not sure if incorrect data or somehow bouncing off atmosphere (4km seems like a heck of a bounce, mind..)

    • Ah, I figured it wouldn't embed.
      Link again, just in case:
      http://www.aerospace…
      detritus
    • I love the radar bubble view, bottom middle - points out (obviously!) how little coveragre there apparently is across swathes of ocean. Cameron was right... .detritus
    • ..er.. James Cameron, and Abyss.

      Not David Cameron, and Brexit.
      detritus
    • http://www.aerospace…
      need to access aerospace.org before being allowed to see img
      uan
    • 138km high and descending 2.8h to reentryuan
    • the altitude plot top right shows the jumps...has probably a wiggle(23,42) in the codeuan
    • it's in the upper layers of the Thermosphere...jumps maybe caused by the heat radiation up there?https://i.imgu...uan
    • https://i.imgur.com/…uan
    • great convoutopian
  • Morning_star-2

    Science: who would have believed in such madness.

    "While dark matter has yet to be directly observed by scientists, it is generally considered a vital ingredient in the birth of galaxies.

    Now it seems that at least some galaxies exist with lots of stars and gas and hardly any dark matter. It is pretty bizarre."

    https://www.independent.co.uk/ne…

    • madness? please ...monospaced
    • it's not a belief system ... if they discover their "belief" is not accurate, it's up for revision, which is the case in this situation I suppose :)monospaced
  • utopian2

    Black Hole Belches Bright Radio Flashes as It Devours Nearby Star

    http://www.newsweek.com/black-ho…

    Is not a belief system

  • plash0

    There are some extremely exciting medical breakthroughs in cancer research coming our way. Potential cures for cancer-- and I mean "all" cancer, not just "some" cancer or "a type of cancer" but cancer itself. And I don't mean "potential" as in "pie-in-the-sky we'd-love-to-cure-cancer-someday... potential, or "it works in theory" potential, but I mean, it's actually being done.

    CRISPR is already being used to eliminate cancer all across the body using genetically-modified T-cell infusions that hunt down and kill cancerous cells with great success in China, and the USA is about to begin its own human trials.

    Potentially even cooler, there is a pair of injections that cause the body to cure itself of cancer using its own T-cells, with no need of genetic engineering, no risk of rejection, and a 100% success rate in mouse trials. Soon, if all goes well, it will move on to human trials.

    https://med.stanford.edu/news/al…

  • sofas0

    Some people can control the texture of their skin

    "The voluntary control of piloerection"

    piloerection = goosebumps

    https://peerj.com/preprints/2659…

    • i can't control when i get piloerection. i can barely conceal it.sarahfailin
  • sarahfailin2

  • utopian5

    Neutron star that defies all the rules discovered

    https://cosmosmagazine.com/space…

    • Redefines and refines rules. Science bitches! Never fails. :)monospaced
  • sofas-1

    http://www.newsweek.com/head-tra…

    looking forward to December to see if they perform a head transplant

  • Morning_star2

    The 240 yr old Voynich Manuscript may have been translated.

    Learnt about this book as a kid and it's always held a fascination as to what information it could contain. Well, it seems we may know soon.

    https://www.ualberta.ca/science/…

    • oooh interesting.fadein11
    • It's an odd one. Very unique language and documents all kinds of plant life that has never been seen on earthset
  • utopian0

    • "look how fast this is"

      *plays in slow motion*
      set
    • i didn't know that crabs sound like glass when they breakGnash
    • i had one of these in a tank, they’ll break your fuckin tankGuyFawkes
    • i’m assuming this is a mantis shrimp, i didn’t play the vid.GuyFawkes
  • detritus2

    Can we ..er.. keep this thread to none bullshit science, please?

    • Exactly. It’s not a belief system.monospaced
    • isset
    • notmonospaced
    • Science said the earth was the centre of the universe at one point. Do you think all science of today is 100% correct? Of course it's a belief system...set
    • You believe scientists without doing the research or studies yourself. That's a belief...set
    • Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt, but to say Science is not a belief system is incorrect.set
    • Or not. Not sure I totally believe anything I say though. Maybeset
  • detritus2

    Fuck me, I had no idea...

    Apparently this is what Venus actually looks like — the photos you're probably accustomed to all include UV so as to highjlight the upper cloud layers.

    There's some interesting tidbits on here from 'planetarycolin', if you're into this sort of thing...

    https://www.reddit.com/r/space/c…

  • detritus2

    Worried about the global collapse of bee populations?

    Here's an interesting take, from the horse's mouth so to speak..

    http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.ht…

    (skip to 'Why this beekeeping web site?')

    • 200,000 honey bees killed in Prunedale
      http://www.ksbw.com/…
      utopian
    • Aw Jeez, that's so sad. WTH's wrong with people?detritus
    • Sad, very sad, that we are collectively destroying the place that we call home.utopian
    • Three men were in the pub discussing their bee's. First one says in his west country accent 'I've got 10,000 bees and 4 hives'. Second one says 'I've got 25,000set
    • bees and 8 hives'. The third one says 'I've got over one million bees and one hive'. 'A miliion bees and ONE HIVE!!!!???' is the response...set
    • 'Yea.... fuck em'.'set
    • Only the best joke ever told. Though loses something in text note form admittedly.set
  • pablo280

    Researchers Develop Novel Method to Repair Teeth using Alzheimer’s Drug Tideglusib http://www.sci-news.com/medicine…

  • sofas-3

    This thread is a pro-science circle jerk.

    I wish science would be bashed like religion is in its parallel thread, because I think the differences aren't that big, both-
    1) Institutionally (see copyrighted articles, fake results, tenure, publish or perish, student slavery, power hierarchy, industry ties, how knowledge revolutions were treated etc.) and
    2) Fundamentally (see induction / deduction etc.).

    Of course like a religion and a faith, the institution and fundamentals are intertwined.

    Atheism and science have great PR, look at the world becoming secular. Schools teach different religions and heritages highlighting the fact that it's about faith and belief (and often making kids hate them because many learn to hate what they were coerced to learn in school), but philosophy of science? Nah, just trust the priest in the white coat, dumbing down the scriptures so you can feel involved and safe.

    • the intiial reasoning for this thread has long-since departed. It's now literally just a thread where people post 'sciencey' things.detritus
    • Besides, we have other scientists to bash each New Science critically — I'm not sure how well-placed many of us are here to do that in any worthwhile sense.detritus
    • What do you suggest schools do - give valuable time up to unfoundable fantasies about Atlantis or færies?detritus
    • I mean I too post cool sciency things and enjoy everyone else's posts, just saying it would be refreshing to see critical things too :)sofas
    • This is what I dislike most about religionists - their simplistic unquestioning view that science isn't internally critical. That's the whole point of science.detritus
    • Religion tends towards black and white, whereas science (when done propa) is a myriad of shades of grey, and that encourages more questioning..detritus
    • it's not science you have a problem but the way in which it's (ab)used. as det says, it's not an absolute but is often referenced as such in order to deceiveFax_Benson
    • but there's definitely a kind blind faith tech worship that isn't remotely healthy.Fax_Benson
    • @detritus I agree. In an absolute sense I say don't coerce education, in a relative sense I say teach being critical of science's fundamentals and institutionssofas
    • @Fax to a degree I agree with you, but empiricism should be criticised as wellsofas
    • I think there is a general confusion between the criticism of the Scientific Method and criticism of Scientism (the blind belief in the infalability...Morning_star
    • ...of Science). FYI this thread was created because of my assertion in the Religion thread that Scientism has all the negative characteristics found in...Morning_star
    • ...Religions. IMorning_star
    • @Morning totally. Checked out the first post on this thread "Is not a belief system."
      :)
      sofas
    • considering the definition of science is to constantly question and revise, I'd say the differences are so vast, that there's no fair comparisonmonospaced
    • common misconception is that science is some kind of book of rules, but it's just a process of figuring things out, it's a way of processing realitymonospaced
    • Morning_star clarifies it well with his Scientific Method vs. Scientism comparison.monospaced
    • You really should start an anti-science thread where you can bash on it. Should go over really well :)monospaced
    • true @mono, the comparison to religion was a bit of a provocation, but there are similaritiessofas
    • Just scrolled through the first couple pages of this thread, the beginning of it was more open endedsofas
    • I'll consider it mono! :)sofas
    • the comparison to religion is hilariously ironic, when religious people are using similarity to religion as an insult to sciencemonospaced
    • ^nice guys defusing my anger by agreeing with me, wtf :)sofas
    • yea mono, don't think I ever encountered that, I think it's more like they say "things aren't as straightforward" like "god put fossils here to test our faith"sofas
    • specific to that example, it really is scary the excuses they'll offer to discredit any affront to their faith in creationism, putting word's in god's mouth!monospaced
    • rest assured sofas, there are in fact hordes of new scientists that dedicate their lives to questioning and/or improving upon the fundamentalsmonospaced
    • and they will continue to do so, forever (hopefully)monospaced
    • think of it like this ... IF there's ever going to be a breakthrough in human knowledge, it's most likely coming from the sciences, not a religionmonospaced
    • mono I think you're right, you might back that up by saying "look how easily and quickly the quantum theory was adopted compared to the Copernican revolution"..sofas
    • ..but there is still room for so much more, I think the power structures are constricting in a similar way to the times of the Copernican revolutionsofas
    • Quantum theory was easily and quickly adopted? Einstein might disagree with you there..detritus
    • @detritus i'm no historian, but compared to the Copernican revolution or other major shifts I think it went quite easysofas
    • https://www.reddit.c…sofas
    • lol, what's the danger in testing a theory and coming up with conclusions based on those tests?monospaced
    • scientific progress is happening whether people choose to believe it or not, "thank god."monospaced
    • (not to derail, but copernicus was a pussy)Gnash
    • That'd be to do with the pace of change afforded by modern science and society though, rather than any kind of unblinking acceptance of theory.detritus
    • And quantum theory had to be accepted in some form when practical facets of its effect were used to deploy transistors then wifi, etc. in the real world.detritus
    • Perhaps the nuances or even indeed fundamental conceit of quantum theory is flawed, or entirely wrong, but the reality is that on some level - it works.detritus
    • There is science. Someone/team trying to prove something.
      Then there is cooperate science - someone being paid to prove what is wanted to be heard.
      mugwart
    • The way uni's are structured is more limited then the churches and encourages 'same' thought, IMHOmugwart
    • you question - your ridiculed - your unemployed.
      That isn't science.
      mugwart
    • Take climate, take evolution, shit medicine is the worst. Take health/dietitiansmugwart
    • I hear all the time I dont believe in religion - I believe in SCIENCE.mugwart
    • what does that even mean! Apart from your belief system operates exactly the same way as an otherdox religioniousmugwart
    • science doesn't operate like a religion at all ... it writes new books constantly, not reference 1. people believe in the process, OBVIOUSLY!monospaced
    • science isn't a belief system, so as hard as people try to cram it into that category, they will always fail, because it doesn't require belief beyond evidencemonospaced
    • it actually thrives on disbelief, which drives scientists to seek the answers, propose theories, etc ... and evolution is 100% true, it's not a belief systemmonospaced
    • if you add disbelief to religion, you get ridicule, you get banished, or you're forced to beg forgiveness, or forced to believe you've done wrongmonospaced
    • science only asks that if you disbelieve, you propose why and then present evidence based on scientific experiments, all in hopes of refinementmonospaced
    • Mono, you're right in principle but the reality is entirely different. Organisations that 'do' science are often less open minded and clogged with ...Morning_star
    • ...dogma and generational misconceptions. The political hierarchy is full of people more worried about their career than perpetuating good science...Morning_star
    • ..., much like religions.Morning_star
    • yeah, but that's a narrow view ... because there are ALWAYS scientists that are making real progress, and the scientific method can't be changedmonospaced
    • focusing on the minuscule minority that is fulfilling an agenda is not big picture, and even they aren't dogmatic about anything that I've ever heard ofmonospaced
    • and even THEN it's NOTHING like religion, as religion references only one book, makes NO progress, doesn't WANT to make progress, and is 100% misconceptionmonospaced
    • For a self confessed atheist Mono, your understanding of the variety and scope of different religions is severely limited. Know your enemy.Morning_star
    • My understanding is fine, and I apologize for focusing on the religions that use "the book" as those are the ones that are closest to my realm of life.monospaced
    • OF COURSE there are other religions that aren't as dogmatic like the western ones, and that aren't as orthodox as the orthodox ones, but that's missing my pointmonospaced
    • It's a given, in this thread specifically, that the comparison to a "belief system" is specifically the belief system of a western monotheism one.monospaced
    • Of which comparing to science is absolute rubbish, since science is not a belief system, but instead a process of figuring things out.monospaced
    • It's not a given. At all. If it makes you feel better to limit the universe for your Atheism because your argument is limited, that's up to you. However, ...Morning_star
    • i'm going to post some links to some discussions regarding science and religion which should show that your insistance that belief is absent from science...Morning_star
    • ...wrong.Morning_star
    • I think the whole recent reproducibility crisis in science is evidence enough that belief often runs a little too strongly.detritus
    • It’s fair to say religion is a non-progressive movement. Science is purely based on progress. The only thing holding us back is modern neoliberalismIanbolton
    • There is no pro science or anti science. There is just scientific and nonscientific. Science does not care that you don't participatecannonball1978
    • Damnit Morningstar, I was here when this thread started. It was about a comparison to Christianity as a belief system. A spin-off from another thread.monospaced
  • yuekit1

    Collective Intelligence Will End Identity-based Politics

    http://nautil.us/blog/collective…

    • I've been saying this for years. I think we'll piggy back on technology to eventually form a collective mind. I don't think we'll have a choice...set
    • Privacy will be invaded on any and all levels, eventually, due to technology, so we'll have to accept no secrets from eachother..set
    • When that happens, everything changes.set
    • perfect for sharing pron linksmicrokorg
  • sofas1

    "2011 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: The Theory of Everything"

    "So you're steeped in abject ingnorance, that's what you're telling me." / Neil deGrasse Tyson
    "Nature doesn't care what I believe" / Dr. Janna Levin

    Unfortunately these debates are unlisted on YouTube and they don't have their own playlist on the "American Museum of Natural History" channel. It would also be nice if they would step up their production (audio, visual, presentation etc.), but it's still really good.
    If you'r looking for more go to-
    https://www.amnh.org/explore/amn…

  • sarahfailin1

    • I'm a human being and still dont understand what it meansIanbolton
    • I think aliens will be surprised that we do in fact have pubic hairbezoar
    • They should also be surprised that we're not all caucasianbigbaby53
  • utopian0

    Asgardia, the world's first 'space nation', takes flight

    The world's first "space nation" has taken flight.
    On November 12, Asgardia cemented its presence in outer space by launching the Asgardia-1 satellite.

    The "nanosat" -- it is roughly the size of a loaf of bread -- undertook a two-day journey from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, the United States, to the International Space Station (ISS).

    It contains 0.5 TB of data belonging to 18,000 of Asgardia's citizens, such as family photographs, as well as digital representations of the space nation's flag, coat of arms and constitution.

    http://www.cnn.com/style/article…

    • Picture: Holy shit a massively cool space station!
      Reality: A satellite the size of a loaf of bread.

      Clearly a space station for ants.
      kona
    • ^ lolGuyFawkes
    • why the f are they using a stencil font for a CNN article headlinescarabin_net
    • 'style'.detritus