This could be a useful breakthough in terms of a cheaper protein source. Via Natural News, who is naturally whining about it.
[Update a few minutes later]
This seems sort of related: Red meat makes you happier. The science is settled!
Category Archives: Science And Society
Is Climatology Pseudoscience?
Some thoughts from Judith Curry (and indirectly, Gary Taubes).
I think that it’s become pretty clear that regardless of the status of climatology per se, many of its leading practitioners, or at least, most-public proponents, have shown themselves to be pseudoscientists. And specifically, I mean Michael Mann, Phil Jones, and James Hansen among others (not to mention the disgraceful and disgraced Peter Gleick).
Bernard Beard
Some of you may recall numerous comments on statistics and physics here by commenter “bbbeard.” Sadly, I just received notification that he died over the weekend:
Where: Memphis Botanical Gardens (in the Japanese Garden)
750 Cherry RoadMemphis, TN 38117
Phone: 901.636.4106Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Time: Gathering at 10:00am with Service to begin at 10:30am. Lunch to follow, ending at 1:30pm
Donations can be made to either of the following:
Keystone School
119 E. Craig Place
San Antonio, TX 78212
Phone: 210.735.4022Donations Link: https://websvr.keystoneschool.org/cc/misc_fund.asp
Or
MIT Department of Physics
77 Massachusetts Ave., Bldg. 4-309
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Phone: 617.452.2807
Donations Link: https://giving.mit.edu/givenow/browse-designations.dyn?categoryId=DP,DPPH
He was a former colleague of mine at the ARES Corporation (though I never worked with him). The comments section here (as well, of course, as his friends and family) will miss him.
The Recruiting Of Viruses
Faster, please.
Tree-Ring Data Bias
Another reason trees make lousy thermometers.
Reinventing The Busemann Biplane
Here we go again. Folks at MIT are proposing a low-drag low-boom supersonic aircraft, but this is a head scratcher to me:
Through calculations, Busemann found that a biplane design could essentially do away with shock waves. Each wing of the design, when seen from the side, is shaped like a flattened triangle, with the top and bottom wings pointing toward each other. The configuration, according to his calculations, cancels out shock waves produced by each wing alone.
However, the design lacks lift: The two wings create a very narrow channel through which only a limited amount of air can flow. When transitioning to supersonic speeds, the channel, Wang says, could essentially “choke,” creating incredible drag. While the design could work beautifully at supersonic speeds, it can’t overcome the drag to reach those speeds.
If the design “lacks lift” (which it does — that’s the problem with a Busemann biplane) how does it “work beautifully at supersonic speeds”? What holds the airplane up?
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
The Eco-Fascists
From The “Like A Fish Needs A Bicycle” Department
Women can org@sm from exercise. The yoga thing doesn’t surprise me at all. It never happens to me. But then, I never exercise.
Derbyshire Update
Apparently, for those concerned, the prognosis is good.
Endangering The Gorillas?
It is not obvious to me that exploring and producing oil in Virunga National Park will have an adverse affect on the wildlife. If the government is responsible, the tax revenues could help pay for increased protection and security.