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Mar 29, 2020

Spread of COVID-19 begins to show pattern of 4–8 week eruption cycle

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Analyzing the specific data of each country separately suggests that there is a light at the end of the tunnel – and that the tunnel is not that long.

Mar 29, 2020

How satellite mega-constellations will change the way we use space

Posted by in category: space

And wherever humans go, they’ll be taking satellite constellations with them to moon and Mars.

Mar 29, 2020

Study uses AI to estimate unexploded bombs from Vietnam War

Posted by in categories: military, robotics/AI

Researchers have used artificial intelligence to detect Vietnam War-era bomb craters in Cambodia from satellite images—with the hope that it can help find unexploded bombs.

The new method increased true bomb crater detection by more than 160 percent over standard methods.

The model, combined with declassified U.S. military records, suggests that 44 to 50 percent of the bombs in the area studied may remain unexploded.

Mar 29, 2020

Meet 2020’s Real Life Cyborgs

Posted by in categories: cyborgs, transhumanism

Over the last five years, London-based photographer David Vintiner and art director Gemma Fletcher have been documenting the subculture of transhumanists across Europe, Russia and the United States. Their photobook I Want To Believe, due out this spring, explores these enthusiasts’ achievements and motivations.


Dispatches from the transhumanist movement.

Mar 28, 2020

SpaceX going to the Moon with NASA

Posted by in categories: astronomy, complex systems, disruptive technology, Elon Musk, satellites, space, space travel
Orion and Dragon XL near the Lunar Gateway Credit: NASA

By Bill D’Zio, Originally posted on www.westeastspace.com March 28, 2020

NASA may have sidelined the Lunar Gateway for a return mission to the Moon, but it is not stopping the momentum. NASA has awarded several contracts for the Lunar Gateway including the most recent one to SpaceX. This demonstrates the growing capabilities of New Space companies to capture contracts and complete missions.

This contract award is another critical piece of our plan to return to the Moon sustainably. The Gateway is the cornerstone of the long-term Artemis architecture and this deep space commercial cargo capability integrates yet another American industry partner into our plans for human exploration at the Moon in preparation for a future mission to Mars.NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a press release statement about the award to SpaceX.

NASA Awarded SpaceX the first Artemis Gateway Logistics Services (GLS) contract. The award for resupply services to the Gateway will require delivery of goods to a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). Not sure what a NRHO orbit is? A NRHO is a highly elliptical orbit that takes about 7 days for each orbit. Want some more details, just click here: Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO). There are a few options for NRHO orbits, but NASA is leaning towards the L2 9:2 lunar synodic resonant southerly Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) which would be the likely location of the lunar Gateway. A simplification of the orbit is shown below.

Continue reading “SpaceX going to the Moon with NASA” »

Mar 28, 2020

Norad intercepts Russian aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone

Posted by in category: transportation

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (KFVS) — The North American Aerospace Defense Command F-22s, supported by KC-135 Stratotankers and E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, intercepted four Russian Tu-142s entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Saturday, March 14.

Mar 28, 2020

More US Military Power Needed in Antarctic to Deter Malign Activity, General Says

Posted by in categories: climatology, military

If the U.S. is going to do more work in cold weather climates to deter malign activity from Russia and China, one Air Force general says it will need more equipment to operate full-time in the South Pole.

Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Charles Q. Brown said Tuesday he’d like to see a boost in “some of the capability we have, but don’t have a lot of.”

“Icebreakers, for example. LC-130s? There’s not a lot of those,” Brown said during a speech at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in Arlington, Virginia.

Mar 28, 2020

Ancient viruses buried in our DNA may reawaken and cause illness

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Stress or infection may prompt viruses hidden in our genome to stagger back to life, contributing to some cases of multiple sclerosis, diabetes and schizophrenia.

Mar 28, 2020

US Space Force launches first national security mission

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, security, space

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The launch was delayed by an hour due to a ground hydraulics issue.

The public viewing area was closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mar 28, 2020

The Earth as a Superorganism — Further Thoughts

Posted by in category: biological

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This article follows on from several others on this theme that I wrote some time ago, for details of which see footnote.

The idea of the earth as a superorganism re-emerged in modern times with the work of the independent scientist James Lovelock and his Gaia hypothesis. This was developed further by the spiritually oriented writer Peter Russell in The Awakening Earth.

Continue reading “The Earth as a Superorganism — Further Thoughts” »