The space shuttle Atlantis has made a perfect launch on it’s service mission to install more power capacity on the International Space Station. Good work!
Tag: Science
Strange Creatures from the Deep
Who needs science fiction aliens when we have them right here. I mean, most of these critters look to have been drawn up by the best special effects designers in Hollywood.
On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.
[via science redigg]
The Deep
Pick it up on Amazon.com – The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
STEREO Grabs First 3-D Images of the Sun
Break out the 3D glasses because the big brains at NASA have done it again!
NASA’s Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) satellites have provided the first three-dimensional images of the sun. For the first time, scientists will be able to see structures in the sun’s atmosphere in three dimensions. The new view will greatly aid scientists’ ability to understand solar physics and there by improve space weather forecasting.
These are some of the best 3D astro images I have ever seen. For an even bigger treat download some of the videos. Seeing the mass ejections and sunspots with real depth is astounding.
Supercool Water
This is an excellent example of super cooled liquids. If pure water is not disturbed and is truly pure, it can be chilled well beyond its normal freezing point (0 degrees C). If there is nothing for the water to crystallize around all is fine, it stays a liquid. The water can stay liquid down to -42 C, past that the water will crystallize on it’s own. If something is introduced like a mote of dust or tiny bubbles caused by moving the water, a chain reaction occurs and the body of water freezes.
More super cooling examples are here:
Supercooling Experiment 1
Supercooling Experiment 2
Supercooling Experiment 3
BTW, the guys on Digg are saying that it’s a hoax. I doubt it, I’ve had this happen to be before. Its happen with bottles of water or water in an ice tray in the freezer, and even a can of Coke. The Coke froze into a can of slush as soon as it was opened, I think the vending machine was set a little too cold that day. Conditions need to be just right for this to happen in your home freezer. The circulating fan will more than likely cause your supercooling experiments to fail. If you unplug the refrigerator just remember to plug it back in. Looks like fun, I have some water in the freezer in hopes I too can make instant ice.
[inspired by digg]
Wikipedia entry on supercooling
New Breed of Stereoscopic Video Camera
This is a lovely video clip demonstrating the latest and greatest in 3D video technology from the mind of James Cameron. The system uses two high def cameras and a nice little parallax adjustment to create two images that are fused in the user’s head via polarizing glasses.
This should make this a wonderful camera if it ever become a standard production camera. The mass adoption of LCD screens in the home may make this rather tricky however. It’s common to use an alternating left right frame display coupled with LCD shutter glasses worn by the viewer. This is fine with old CRT tube TVs and monitors because of the way the images are ‘painted’ on the screen but it won’t work on LCD displays. I have no idea if it would work on a plasma or a DLP screen. Anyone know the answer to this?
I look forward to seeing the movie when it comes out, in an IMAX theater near you I should think. One extra note, it’s nice to see that I was on the right track with my own 3D video camera. I would ‘toe in’ the cameras when the subject would get near to mimic the way the human eyes deals with moving targets. Nice to see I’m on the right track.
[via uberreview]
Scientists Spark Super Nova On Cue
Ever want to see exactly how a white dwarf star goes nova? Well now you can, or at least you can see a simulation of what it would be like. I doubt you would want to be next to one if it did go nova. Sunburn would be the least of your worries.