Mallica Vajrathon » Science

Universe Image

mallica — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:50:02 +0000

We live in an amazing time!
To be able to see images of the Universe right in front of our eyes from a computer screen is a delightful surprise and a rich experience. I am awestruck by just looking at the map of the Universe of Europe’s Planck Telescope sent out last week for the World to see. The Planck view of the sky is different from those we saw at other wave lengths. The Planck telescope gives us an opportunity to see a much wider and longer span of the universe combining the spread of the milky ways, fluffy gas and dust in constant motion and the shining lights of billions of stars. Also a stunning image is the microwave view of the sky with the combination of gamma ray, x-ray, visible hydrogen, far-ir, microwave and radio. I want to thank the European Space Agency for sharing with the world and with me the new knowledge of the universe which we all are part of.

Large Hadron Collider Experiment

mallica — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:02:42 +0000

Congratulations to all the scientists, physicists and engineers at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) for their success in LHC, the protons smashing experiment. On 30 March 2010, scientists sent at highest speed and energies, protons to collide with one another inside two inter-connected rings laid out in long tunnel under the ground of two European countries. They expect from this collision to find sub-atomic particles and dark energy which they believe to drive the expansion of the Universe. For many years, other research laboratories have focused on colliding beams of electrons, but CERN works instead on protons, forcing their collision in order to investigate matter and the fundamental forces at high energies. “Matter” is the substance of material which all things are made of including humans. It is made of small particles. The most common of matter is atom. Particles and antiparticles are always created together. We owe our existence to a very small asymmetry between matter and antimatter. That is why scientists are doing experiments to find out more about antimatter. The theory was that the cosmic background radiation is the left over from the matter-antimatter annihilations, and we are made from the left over matter. I learn about antimatter from an award winning website Live from CERN. I want to recommend to anyone interested in matter and antimatter to browse through this excellent website which will give you information that anyone needs to know on the history of the idea about the existence of antimatter, and the questions and answers section from CERN’s physicists. I am waiting to hear the results of this recent CERN’s experiment, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

New Sun Probe

mallica — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:41:07 +0000

We will know more about the behavior of the Sun when scientists, with the help of the US space agency, NASA, launched a new mission to study the Sun. From this mission, the Solar Dynamic Observatory will have new image of the Sun which can tell us how the Sun will affect the future earth’s environment, especially the weather, and also how the activity of the Sun disrupt satellite communication. This is an important step and significant progress in the field of the solar physics. I am hopeful for the success of this mission in probing further the inner workings of the activity of the Sun which will increase our knowledge of the solar flare and its explosive magnetic fields because the survival of all life on this Planet Earth depends on the Sun and its activity.

The “C” rated Accord

mallica — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:05:56 +0000

“We have a deal in Copenhagen,” UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon said, referring to the Copenhagen Accord. I rated the “deal” as a “C” Accord. But many world leaders had exaggerated the importance of the Climate Deal. They came up with a new deal at the end of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (Dec-7-18) and called it an “unprecedented breakthrough” or “a major step forward.” The fact is, this “deal” was whipped up by only five countries, Brazil, China, India, United States and South Africa for fearing that there would not be any agreed outcome from the Copenhagen Conference. Leaders of other countries (outside of those fives) were divided on how to end the Conference without an agreed negotiated text. They wanted a legally binding treaty to replace the soon-to-be-expired “Kyoto Treaty” which 187 delegations voted for in Kyoto, Japan in 1997. Reluctantly, those leaders decided to “take note” of the “Copenhagen Accord”instead of formally approving it. The text of the agreement includes a method for verifying each nations reduction of green-house gases, an emergency aid to poor developing countries and a reduction of carbon emission to keep the increase in average global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius. The accord failed on a binding deal to reduce green-house gases and on a concrete plan to protect the tropical forests. Most of the Conference’s participants were disappointed that they did not have legally binding treaty. After two years of negotiations, in several UN meetings venues in Indonesia, Thailand and Germany, I am also disappointed that in the end of the negotiation process, we did not have a new treaty on Climate Change. From reading the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) on “Climate Change 2007”, we know that in the absence of mitigation policies, there is a possibility of disappearance of sea ice by the end of the 21st century. That there will be increase in frequency of hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation, and in tropical cyclone intensity. Scientists have predicted the decrease in water resources due to climate change in the Mediterranean Basin, western United States, southern Africa and north-eastern Brazil. There is also a possibility of Greenland ice sheet disappearance resulting in the rise of sea-level of about 7 meters. While 20-30 percent of species assessed so far will be at risk of extinction if increases in global average warming exceed 1.5 to 2.5 degree Celsius. Climate change is expected to exacerbate current stress on water resources from population growth and economic land-use change. And there will be a significant future increase in heavy rainfall, resulting in flooding of many regions of the world. Climate change increases atmospheric carbon dioxide that will make the oceans become acidic. The consequences of which could be serious for all forms of marine organisms and other forms of life. I agree whole heartedly with Tara Buakamsri, a campaign manager of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, that the World must take decisive action on climate change. I don’t think we should allow world leaders to continue wasting of time making ineffective deals after deals based on their narrow local political and economic interests, thus compromising the safety of us and future generations.

Climate Information Available To All

mallica — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:22:02 +0000

More than 2000 scientists, experts, politicians, United Nations officials and non-governmental organizations attended the Geneva Conference on Global Framework on Climate Services, just ended last week. They came together to make sure that everyone of us has access to the climate prediction and information so that we can cope with the predictable and unpredictable problems of climate change. The key component of the services is the improving of national and regional observation and research to make weather prediction and forecast accurate to save life. People need to know about evacuation plans and potential disaster information on time — an effective warning system, when cyclone, typhoon, floods, heat waves, drought or sand storm are going to hit us. Some of the warning services are available now, but they are not formalized. Experts have warned us that because of global warming, climate-related disasters will occur more frequently and more intense, no matter where we live. The newly set-up Global Climate Services will equip government and community leaders with required tools such as digital/electronic warning system, hazard maps, health and food security alerts. Most important, Dr. Gro Harlem-Brundtland, Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, said that we can not only rely on individual projects or individual agencies to undertake this task. The international community needs to unite to make science-based information on climate available to all. To be prepared at individual level in saving our life and protecting our properties, we should be active in getting accurate information, which are available through the media such as internet, or by contact the communications and public affairs officers of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

X-ray Images of Our Universe

mallica — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:48:35 +0000

I want to share with you the Paul Kerley’s slideshow of some of the most colorful X-ray images captured by the Chandra Observatory, which orbits the Earth once every 64 hours. It is wonderful for me to see those images it has produced during the last ten years from when the it was first deployed on 23 July 1999 to 23 July 2009. The narration of the slideshow was done by Daren Baskill, an X-ray astronomer at the University of Sussex. One of the most beautiful image is the cat’s eye nebula, with its blue, purple and orange color-mixture. The Chandra Telescope is Nasa’s flagship mission to continue exploring the realms of X-ray astronomy in our Universe.

Sustainable Public Transportation

mallica — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:19:54 +0000

To improve our environment, more and more people are using bicycle as a mean of transportation to and from home and work place. For those riders, I want to suggest that you have a look at Chiyu Chen’s designed “Hybrid2”. Chen is a student in Portland, Oregon who has invented a “Hybrake” system to allow rider to generate and store energy from braking and normal biking in an ultra-capacitor. Any rider can use the system to rent a bicycle capable of generating and storing energy to power the city hybrid electric buses. It is such an easy system that anyone can make use of just by charging the bicycle up with kinetic energy from pedal power, and then return it to a kiosk in a parking station, which then feeds energy into the city’s smart grid. The bicyclist then receive a monetary credit towards the next bus pass. The more energy you generate, the more credit you get. I think this is a good way for us to get an exercise, safe the environment by using alternative energy and reduce the amount of toxic fume on the street, at the same time, help easing the traffic jam in town and city roads. Mayor of every town and city should consider building this kind of system for its population.

The Beauty Of Saturn

mallica — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:01:43 +0000

I am glad that we live in a time that I can follow international scientists in the explorations of the Universe by just sitting in front of my computer. The images sent to us from various space missions are spectacular – beautiful beyond description! The most recent images from the Cassini-Huygens, a joint mission of the European Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency and NASA, are those of Saturn, the second largest planet in our Solar System. We can see the planet itself composed of layers of icy rings surrounded by more than 60 moons. Each of the close-up pictures shows us more than its beauty, but all the detailed elements of which Saturn are made. After five years of explorations, scientists have produced us visual evidence that Saturn rings are made of trillions of moving icy particles and that one of Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, has liquid water beneath its surface. When there is an ocean underneath of Saturn moon, scientists says, there is a possibility that life exists there. To celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, the Saturn Exhibit is opened free to the public on 22 June at the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. It will continue until the end of August. I am thankful to Kathryn Westcott and Phil Coomes who produced an audio-slideshow: Splendour of Saturn for me to see those Saturn fantastic images without having to travel to England. A virtual exhibit can also be seen in the comfort of our own home. But for those who live in North America, the Saturn exhibit is on now at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C.

Survival of Sea-Life Depends On Ocean’s Health

mallica — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:01:58 +0000

The interconnection between clean water in the ocean and the vibrancy of sea-living creatures can be seen in the eight-parts PBS television series, The Shape of Life, produced by Sea Studios Foundation for National Geographic Television and Film. The production team, headed by Mark Shelly, used macro and underwater filming equipment and high definition imaging to tell the story of the great diversity of animal life in the ocean. Scientists and film makers brought to world’s attention the life of small size animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, jelly fish and showed their struggle for survival under water. They cannot stay alive if the water of the oceans is polluted. Earlier this month, on 8 June when celebrated the World Ocean Day, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned us of the terrible toll human activity exacted on the world’s oceans and seas. Human beings are destroying the vulnerable marine ecosystem by throwing garbage and toxic chemicals into the rivers and the seas, damaging ocean’s health. Under the leadership of UNEP, governments and non-governmental organizations around the world worked together to clean-up their beaches, and got rid of marine litters to maintain the cleanliness of the oceans. Worthy of mentioning here is the action of twenty-one countries around the Mediterranean, and the European Union that approved a new law last year to prohibit the dumping of garbage from ships into the sea. Countries in the Caribbean also tried to reduce municipal pollution by improving the waste water management, and eliminated persistent organic pollutants. Northwest Pacific countries took action on biodiversity conservation to protect, manage and develop marine and coastal environment. They organized a series of seminar and workshop to raise public awareness to reduce marine litter. The Kenya’s project, “A Wetland-lagoon System for Wastewater Management” helped to keep the ocean clean. Since the Oceans covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. I think that it is our responsibility to take action and keep it healthy and clean. Survival of all lives on earth depends on it. One action any one can take is to support and join the Annual International Coastal Cleanup campaigns that are being organized by more and more countries around the world.

Alien Life on Earth

mallica — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:06:14 +0000

Although unable to prove it, I have been suspecting that there must be beings or other forms of life that come from other stars and planets living among us. I never think that I am dwelling into the realm of science fiction. Pieces of comets and stars often fall off the sky and had been seen by people in all parts of the world. Outer space rocks could be good vehicles for strange forms of life to hitch a ride over to our Planet Earth. It is good to know that I am not alone in this kind of suspicion. Paul Davis, science professor from Arizona State University, has also been wondering that there might be an alien “weird” forms of life hiding on earth in toxic arsenic lakes or in boiling deep sea hydrothermal vents. He had called on scientists to launch a “mission to Earth” to look for signs of biological activity. If it exists, he said, this “shadow life” could be based on DNA or RNA with a small difference on genetic code or amino acids, or that we could find creatures which have more drastic differences. He recommend that we should start to look for them in the world’s most inhospitable environments such as salt lakes, deserts, deep ocean vents, and in other areas of high pressure, temperature or UV radiation. I am sure that there are many people who await to hear of the results of such a mission in search for variety forms of life that could live among us here on earth, and that could travel between planets around the Universe.