Category Archives: Science and Technology

A Beginner’s Guide to Looking at the Universe

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Marilyn W. Dim the lights, use a full screen and click on this link to see amazing pictures of the universe captured by the Webb telescope–challenging old views and providing new questions

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As you get your COVID vaccine, thank these two scientists

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Ed M. Yesterday, the 2023 Nobel Prize Winners for Physiology or Medicine went to Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó for their discoveries in the biotechnology behind our Covid-19 mRNA vaccines. Behind the amazing story of perseverance and collaborative … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Science and Technology | Comments Off

Octopuses used in research could receive same protections as monkeys

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mike C. A giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) is weighed and tagged by a biologist.Credit: Fred Bavendam/Minden Pictures/Alamy Cephalopods such as octopuses and squid could soon receive the same legal protection as mice and monkeys do when they … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Ethics, Science and Technology | Comments Off

Here’s Why AI May Be Extremely Dangerous—Whether It’s Conscious or Not

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Here’s Why AI May Be Extremely Dangerous—Whether It’s Conscious or Not By Tamlyn Hunt in the Scientific American (thanks to Ed M.) “The idea that this stuff could actually get smarter than people…. I thought it was way off…. Obviously, I no … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays, Law, Science and Technology | Comments Off

Converging atmospheric rivers (look north)

Posted on July 20, 2023 by William Calvin

Here we see the Puget Sound Convergence Zone, ordinarily found up north of the King County line. Moisture-laden westerly winds off the Pacific run into the Olympic Mountain range and split into a south-around branch (via southern Puget Sound) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, In the Neighborhood, Photography, Science and Technology | Tagged ITCZ | Comments Off

ChatGPT4 wrote this sonnet for me

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Ed note: Just for fun I asked the AI program to write a Shakespearean style sonnet about an iPhone. Here’s the result. Yikes! O iPhone, thou art a wondrous device, A marvel crafted with artistry rare, Thy sleek design doth … Continue reading →

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A Year of Cosmic Wonder With the James Webb Space Telescope

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Jim deMaine

A new image from the James Webb Space Telescope shows the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the closest star-forming region to Earth. By Katrina Miller in the NYT By now, perhaps, we should be getting used to unreal images of the cosmos made … Continue reading →

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EV batteries remain major challenge for insurers, Thatcham Research says

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Jim deMaine

By Nick Carey (thanks to Kate B.) An electric car is charged at a roadside EV charge point, London, October 19, 2021. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo LONDON, July 5 (Reuters) – A lack of data on electric vehicle (EV) batteries continues to … Continue reading →

Posted in Science and Technology, Transportation | Comments Off

Suddenly, It Looks Like We’re in a Golden Age for Medicine

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Jim deMaine

By David Wallace-Wells in the NYT Thanks to Ed M. Hype springs eternal in medicine, but lately the horizon of new possibility seems almost blindingly bright. “I’ve been running my research lab for almost 30 years,” says Jennifer Doudna, a biochemist … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Science and Technology | 1 Comment

Meditation and resilience – The Hidden Brain

Posted on June 16, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Hidden Brain Media is an independent production company that aims to help curious people understand the world, and themselves. Our host and Executive Editor Shankar Vedantam has been reporting on human behavior and social science research for more than 25 … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays, happiness, Health, Kindness, Media, Science and Technology, Spiritual | Comments Off

Did My 1967 Experiment Inspire China’s Spy Balloon?

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Jim deMaine

From the WSJ by Richard A. Muller

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Tech support available at the nearby Memory Hub

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Posted in In the Neighborhood, Science and Technology | Comments Off

When scientists tagged a curious seal, he led them to signs of a potential climate disaster

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Jim deMaine

from the Washington Post (thanks to Pam P.) This is a story about a curious seal, a wayward robot and a gigantic climate change disaster that may be waiting to happen. Scientists tagged a southern elephant seal on the island … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Nature, Science and Technology | Comments Off

Artificial Intelligence (AI) sites like ChatGPT raise many ethical issues

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mike C. Ed note: For your information and entertainment do a search for chatgpt and sign on. Then ask it to write essays for you. The results may astound you.

Posted in Education, literature, Science and Technology | Comments Off

JWST’s best images: spectacular stars and spiraling galaxies

Posted on December 5, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Click the following for: Nature’s pick of the sharpest science shots this month is dedicated to the James Webb Space Telescope, which began peering into the Universe earlier this year. Thanks to Mike C.

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Drop, Cover and Hold?

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Gordon G.

Posted in environment, Safety, Science and Technology | 1 Comment

France to require all large parking lots to be covered by solar panels

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. In France, solar just got a huge boost from new legislation approved through the Senate this week that will require all parking lots with spaces for at least 80 vehicles – both existing and new – to be … Continue reading →

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Hidden in the heavens

Posted on August 4, 2022 by William Calvin

The pictures from the new Webb satellite telescope show the heavens in the infrared wavelengths, something we cannot see from the ground.

Posted in Photography, Science and Technology | 1 Comment

Dubai builds world’s largest vertical farm

Posted on July 27, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. The city known for importing almost all of its produce will now grow 2 million pounds of leafy greens each year inside the world’s largest vertical farm. As the world begins to turn its back on … Continue reading →

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The Taskar Center for Accessible Technology

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks so Mary M. Please click here to go to their web site at the UW. It’s heart warming to see this level of interest in people with motility and speech limitations. Mission Statement The Taskar Center for Accessible Technology … Continue reading →

Posted in Dementia, Health, Science and Technology, Transportation | Comments Off

Different Masking Rules for retirement communities?

Posted on April 29, 2022 by William Calvin

It seems our age group was less vulnerable to the delta variant last summer but is 2x more vulnerable to winter’s omicron variant. Variants will keep coming, as long as so many people resist vaccination and keep socially mixing. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Science and Technology, Skyline Info | Tagged masks, pandemic, Skyline | 1 Comment

Who Gives A Crap toilet paper review: Our favorite recycled toilet paper (at CNN)

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. This article is a part of CNN Underscored’s Earth Week, a weeklong focus on our planet and ways to celebrate and preserve it. We’ll be featuring tips on how to live more sustainably, products to help you spend … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Education, environment, Science and Technology | 1 Comment