Month: October 2010

Body Worlds jewelry

German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, creator of the Body World exhibition of plastinated corpses, has launched a “merch” line. You can now buy an entire plastinated body for €70k, a torso for €56k and a loose head for €22k

allegedly only for “research”. i’d like to research how this looks on my desk.

Geomagnetic Galactic Record

During the solar journey through galactic space, variations in the physical properties of the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM) modify the heliosphere and modulate the flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) at the surface of the Earth, with consequences for the terrestrial record of cosmogenic radionuclides. 1 phenomenon that needs studying is the effect on cosmogenic isotope production of changing anomalous cosmic ray fluxes at Earth due to variable interstellar ionizations. The possible range of interstellar ram pressures and ionization levels in the low density solar environment generate dramatically different possible heliosphere configurations, with a wide range of particle fluxes of interstellar neutrals, their secondary products, and GCRs arriving at Earth. Simple models of the distribution and densities of ISM in the downwind direction give cloud transition timescales that can be directly compared with cosmogenic radionuclide geologic records. Both the interstellar data and cosmogenic radionuclide data are consistent with cloud transitions during the Holocene, with large and assumption-dependent uncertainties. The geomagnetic timeline derived from cosmic ray fluxes at Earth may require adjustment to account for the disappearance of anomalous cosmic rays when the Sun is immersed in ionized gas.

the magnetization of ancient rocks can be used to calculate the 3d shape of galactic dust clouds.

Peak Data Approaches?

Without radical innovation in our physical network infrastructure—that is, improvements in the key physical properties of transmission fibers and the optical amplifiers that we rely on to transmit data over long distances—we face what has been widely referred to as a “capacity crunch” that could severely constrain future Internet growth, as well as having social and political ramifications.

1-Way Mars Mission

A human mission to Mars is feasible, but hugely expensive. A 1-way human mission to Mars would cut the costs several fold but ensure at the same time a continuous commitment to the exploration of Mars in particular and space in general. It would require not only major international cooperation, but a return to the exploration spirit and risk-taking ethos of the great period of Earth exploration, from Columbus to Amundsen, but which has nowadays being replaced with a culture of safety and political correctness.