What is the minimum number of people you need in order to maintain (not necessarily to extend) our current level of technological civilization?
A puzzling question, though I think the estimate from the article is widely underestimated.
When presented with unwelcome scientific evidence, it seems, in a desperate bid to retain some consistency in their world view, people would rather conclude that science in general is broken.
That should be no surprise that people look for reinforcement of their previous beliefes. If science cannot provide such reinforcement, then the science must be wrong.
Their ambitious plan involves building a belt of solar cells around the Moon’s 6,800-mile (11,000-kilometer) equator, converting the electricity to powerful microwaves and lasers to be beamed at Earth, and finally converting the beams back to electricity at terrestrial power stations.
I wonder how they plan to deal with meteors when there's no atmosphere protection. Also, a friend of mine put it: “Make robots responsible for large lasers pointed at earth. Can't end well...”
The test will involve laser beams fired between the spacecraft. Scientists will then measure any changes in the distance between the cubes.
New joint project by NASA and ESA.
If you don't try to hold your breath, exposure to space for half a minute or so is unlikely to produce permanent injury.
One of the most essential pieces of information you'll ever need: how long a body can survive in space?
If gravity is an "entropic force," there is no longer a need for physicists to attempt to reconcile general relativity with quantum mechanics, or hunt for the hypothetical graviton (the particle posited to carry the gravitational force just as photons mediate the electromagnetic force), says Paul Frampton, at the University of Tokyo in Japan. Rather, all we need to explain the interactions of particles is the Standard Model of particle physics and entropy.
A new theory claiming that gravity is not one of the four fundamental forces.
We forget how difficult it is to meet, greet and deal with another human being. It’s hard on our brains and good for them.
An interview with the author of “The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain” on aging of the brain.
To “see” the proton, scientists need a different kind of probe. At Jefferson Lab, electrons are used instead of visible light. An electron is small enough to interact with the proton. A properly prepared electron can bounce off of the proton, knock it about or blow it apart.
Results of quark research by Jefferson Lab.
He suggests that aliens might simply raid Earth for its resources and then move on: “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach.
If you think about it, human optimism in search for alien species looks very naive.
Amazing, but still somehow creepy talk.
