Next Mars Rover Named "Curiosity"

Source - NASA Science News for October 30, 2009

NASA's next Mars rover, a super-capable robot named "Curiosity," will push Mars exploration to a new level.

FULL STORY at:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/30oct_curiosity.htm?list894285

Asteroid Explodes Over Indonesia

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 28, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

INDONESIAN ASTEROID: Earlier this month, with no warning, a ~10-meter wide asteroid hit Earth's atmosphere above Indonesia and exploded. The break-up was so powerful, it triggered nuclear test ban sensors thousands of kilometers away. A just-released analysis of infrasound data shows that the asteroid detonated with an energy equivalent of about 50 kton of TNT, similar to a small atomic bomb. This significant impact has received relatively little attention in Western press. Details are available today on http://spaceweather.com.

SUNSPOT UPDATE: Since it emerged last weekend, new-cycle sunspot 1029 has become the biggest and most active sunspot of 2009. It is crackling with B- and C-class solar flares and putting on a good show for amateur astronomers. This one sunspot does not put an end to solar minimum, but it is a remarkable break from the calm. Check htttp://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

CONNECT YOUR PHONE TO THE SKY: Would you like a call when Earth-orbiting satellites detect strong solar flares and solar wind gusts? Sign up for Spaceweather PHONE to turn your telephone into a bona fide solar activity alert system: http://spaceweatherphone.com

The Sun's Sneaky Variability

Source - NASA Science News for October 27, 2009

It might not be obvious to the naked eye, but the sun is a variable star. A sensor slated for launch onboard NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory will probe the sun's "sneaky variability" with better time and spectral resolution than ever before.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/27oct_eve.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

A Big Sunspot Emerges

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 25, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

BIG SUNSPOT: The sun is showing signs of life. Sunspot 1029 emerged over the weekend, and it is crackling with B- and C-class solar flares. The active region's magnetic polarity identifies it as a member of new Solar Cycle 24. If its growth continues apace, sunspot 1029 could soon become the biggest sunspot of 2009. Check http://spaceweather.com for animations and updates.

MONDAY NIGHT SKY SHOW: When the sun sets on Monday, Oct. 26th, go outside and look south. Jupiter and the Moon are converging for a beautiful conjunction. The bright pair can been seen even through thinly-clouded skies and city lights. Don't miss it!

CONNECT YOUR PHONE TO THE SKY: Would you like a call when Earth-orbiting satellites detect strong solar flares and solar wind gusts? Sign up for Spaceweather PHONE to turn your telephone into a bona fide solar activity alert system: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Are We Alone for 10/26/09 - Skeptic Check: Mind Your Body

Are We Alone - Skeptic Check: Mind Your Body

Popping a pill may help when you’re sick… but maybe not for the reasons you think. Sugar pills – placebos – cure illness better than prescription pills in as many as half of all cases in clinical trials … and the placebo effect is getting stronger.

Plus, the safety – or otherwise – of electromagnetic waves, and the “electro-sensitive” refugees who have built a camp to protect themselves from waves they say are causing pain. Is it all in their minds?

And, New York Times reporter Dennis Overbye joins Phil Plait on the latest lapse in critically-thinking brains – a wild idea that may not be so loony: namely, could a cosmic censor from the future be thwarting efforts to find the Higgs boson?

It’s Skeptic Check … but don’t take our word for it!

• Dennis Overbye – Cosmic Affairs Correspondent, New York Times
• Phil Plait – Keeper of the skeptical website badastronomy.com and author of Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End . . .
• Steve Silberman – Contributing editor, Wired Magazine, author of “The Placebo Problem” in the September 2009 issue
• Leeka Kheifets – Epidemiologist, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

NASA App now Available from App Store

NASA posted a media advisory today about the release of NASA App for the iPhone and iPod touch is available free of charge at the App Store from Apple.

The full media advisory can be found here:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/oct/HQ_09-248_NASA_App.html


For more information about NASA's iPhone application, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/iphone

NASA Mission to Study the Moon's Fragile Atmosphere

Source NASA Science News for October 23, 2009

NASA is planning a mission to study the Moon's fragile atmosphere--before it's too late.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/23oct_ladee.htm?list894285

Meteors from Halley's Comet

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 20, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

METEORS FROM HALLEY'S COMET: Earth is entering a stream of dusty debris from Halley's Comet, and this is causing the annual Orionid meteor shower. If forecasters are correct, the shower will peak on Wednesday morning, Oct. 21st, with dozens of meteors per hour. The best time to look is during the dark hours before local dawn.

For the past three years, Orionid rates have been unusually high, with reports of 60 or more meteors per hour. Researchers believe this is a result of some very old and rich debris from Comet Halley drifting across Earth's orbit. Computer models of the debris suggest that it is still in the neighborhood, so the trend of "good Orionids" could continue in 2009. Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos and updates.

Are We Alone for 10/19/09 - Seth's Storage Locker

Are We Alone - Seth's Storage Locker

It’s always an adventure to go digging in Seth’s storage locker – who knows what we’ll find …

In this imposing pile of paraphernalia, tucked between boxes of socket wrenches and old 45s, we stumble upon the hunt for extrasolar planets, the evidence for water on moons of the solar system, theories of language, a controversial hypothesis for the peopling of the Americas, and a new dinosaur fossil.

Guests:

• Steve Brusatte – Vertebrate paleontologist from the American Museum of Natural History in New York
• Steven Pinker – Psychologist, Harvard University
• Geoff Marcy – Astronomer, University of California, Berkeley
• Adam Showman – Planetary scientist at the University of Arizona
• Mike Collins – Associate Director, Texas Archeological Research Laboratory

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

The 2009 Orionid Meteor Shower

Source - NASA Science News for October 19, 2009

Caused by debris from Halley's Comet, the 2009 Orionid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday, Oct. 21st, and forecasters say it could be an unusually good show.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/19oct_orionids.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

LCROSS Debris Plume Photographed

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 17, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

LUNAR IMPACT PLUME: NASA has just released pictures of infrared flashes and a visible plume of debris produced by a Centaur booster rocket hitting the Moon on Oct. 9th. The images confirm that the LCROSS experiment was a success despite the fact that the impacts were visually unimpressive from Earth.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for images of the plume and commentary from mission scientists.

Giant Ribbon Discovered at the Edge of the Solar System

Source - NASA Science News for October 15, 2009

NASA's IBEX spacecraft has discovered a vast, glowing ribbon at the edge of the solar system. One mission scientist calls the discovery "shocking" and says theorists are "working like crazy" to explain the finding.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/15oct_ibex.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

Lunar Lander Floats on Electric-blue Jets

Source - NASA Science News for October 15, 2009

How do you fly on a world with no atmosphere? Wings won't work and neither do propellers. The space agency is perfecting the art of "airless flying" using a prototype lunar lander at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

FULL STORY at: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/15oct_lunarlander.htm?list894285

Are We Alone for 10/13/09 - Extreme Geology

Are We Alone - Extreme Geology

We think of major geologic events as taking place a long time ago – but the Earth is just as active as it ever was. We’re a planet in motion. Discover why earthquakes might be increasing worldwide… descend into daring cave exploration… and take a trip to Hawaii where new volcanoes are gurgling up right now.

Plus – the supervolcano under Yellowstone Park… when might it erupt again?

Guests:

• Robert Nadeau – Geologist, University of California, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
• Joel Achenbach – Reporter, author of “When Yellowstone Explodes”, August 2009 National Geographic cover story
• Jim Kauahikaua – Geologist, United States Geologic Survey Hawaii Volcano Observatory
• Pat Kambesis – Geologist, Assistant Director of the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute at Western Kentucky University

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

NASAtelevision: LCROSS Lunar Impact

Here is some great video from the LCROSS Spacecraft just just before impacting on the Lunar surface courtesy of NASAtelevision:

Lunar Impact Update

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 8, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

LUNAR IMPACT UPDATE: NASA's LCROSS spacecraft and its Centaur booster rocket are on course for a Friday morning impact in crater Cabeus near the Moon's south pole. The Centaur will strike first on Oct. 9th at 11:31:19 UT (7:31:19 EDT, 4:31:19 PDT), followed by the LCROSS mothership at 11:35:45 UTC (7:35:45 EDT, 4:35:45). The spectacular double-impact, designed to excavate water frozen in the crater's shadowy depths, will be broadcast live on NASA TV. Amateur astronomers with 10-inch class backyard telescopes may be able to see debris billowing over the crater's rim. This is a big event! Visit http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and full coverage.

Microwaving Water from Moondust

Source - NASA Science News for October 7, 2009

NASA scientists have figured out how to extract water from lunar soil. Their approach is as easy as using a microwave oven.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/07oct_microwave.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

Giant Ring Discovered Around Saturn

Source - NASA Science News for October 7, 2009

Just when you thought every big thing in the Solar System had already been discovered, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found an extraordinary new "supersized" ring around Saturn.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/07oct_giantring.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

The Fall of the Maya--New Clues Revealed

Source - NASA Science News for October 6, 2009

Archeologists are using NASA satellites and supercomputers to crack the mystery of the ancient Maya. New findings suggest the Maya may have played a key role in their own downfall.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/06oct_maya.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

Lunar Impact This Friday

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 6, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

LUNAR IMPACT: This Friday morning, Oct 9th, at approximately 4:30 am PDT, NASA's LCROSS spacecraft and its Centaur booster rocket will plunge one after another into a shadowed crater near the Moon's south pole. The spectacular double-impact will be shown live on NASA TV from the point of view of the LCROSS spacecraft. Meanwhile, impact debris plumes emerging from the crater may be visible through backyard telescopes. North American sky watchers west of the Mississippi river are favored with darkness and good views of the Moon at the time of impact.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and full coverage.

Lunar Impact Viewer's Guide

Source - NASA Science News for October 5, 2009

On Friday morning, Oct. 9th, you can watch a pair of spacecraft crash into the Moon with your own eyes. The purposeful impacts are the climax of NASA's LCROSS mission to unearth signs of water in lunar soil. Today's story tells how and where to look.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/05oct_lcrossvg.htm?list894285

Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

Are We Alone for 10/05/09 - Say What?

Are We Alone - Say What?

There’s no escape from the chattering classes – they talk, squawk, squeal and sing all around us. Every animal communicates in some form – it’s essential for survival. They’ve evolved to understand each other … but do we understand them?

Find out what’s coded in humpback whale song and whether human-cetacean dialogue is possible… how information theory reveals communication patterns within the animal kingdom… how plants call out to animals to protect them… and why only humans evolved language.

Guests:

• Douglas Carlton Abrams – Author of Eye of the Whale: A Novel
• Laurance Doyle – Scientist at the SETI Institute
• Douglas Vakoch – Director of Interstellar Message Composition at the SETI Institute
• David DeGusta – Anthropologist at Stanford University

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

See the Harvest Moon this Weekend

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 2, 2009: http://spaceweather.com

HARVEST MOON: This weekend's full Moon has a special name--the Harvest Moon. It's the full moon closest to the northern autumnal equinox (Sept. 22). In years past, farmers depended on the light of the Harvest Moon to gather ripening crops late into the night. Now we appreciate it mainly for its beauty. Go outside this weekend and enjoy the moonlight.

SOLAR MINIMUM RETURNS: Two sunspots, which appeared on the autumnal equinox to break several months of extreme solar quiet, have faded away, leaving the sun blank once again. The deepest solar minimum in nearly a hundred years appears poised to continue. NASA spacecraft are now reporting a surge in cosmic rays around Earth caused, somewhat ironically, by this low solar activity. The full story may be found at http://spaceweather.com.

UW Astrobiology Public Lectures Autumn 2009

The UW Astrobiology Program is presenting a series of free public lectures celebrating Galileo and Darwin and their ideas.

The series begins October 6, and examines how these monumental ideas have led to the emerging interdisciplinary science of astrobiology.

The lectures are free but require a reservation.

Go to this URL for more information: http://depts.washington.edu/astrobio/PubLec_tickets.html