This week in science: expand your Kosmos ::posted Sat, 06 Sep 2014 13:00:03 +0000:: ift.tt/1rjBhkC rss@dailykos (DarkSyde) Sometimes the Cosmos almost seems alive ... Deniers are going to deny and haters will always hate. But in the real world, i.e., the natural one uninhibited by corporate profits or varying ideological mythologies, our planet as a whole is warming up. Which could produce a cooler North America, at least during winter: Normally, the polar vortex is confined to the Arctic, but at times it escapes and wanders south, bringing with it a bit of Arctic super chill. There are several reasons that can explain this phenomenon, and the new study suggests that ice-loss in the northern seas, which exposes more water, is one of them. When these areas are ice free, the open water releases heat into the atmosphere, building up to a such a point that it destabilizes the Arctic polar vortex, thereby weakening the jet stream and sending waves of cold air southward, the researchers explain. Nerds unite! We have a new Chief of Geek. Speaking of geeks and technology, this is hugely exciting and a tiny bit creepy: Humans just got a step closer to being able to think a message into someone elses brain on the other side of the world: in a first-of-its-kind study, an international team of researchers has successfully achieved brain-to-brain transmission of information between humans. Sometimes, when the obligatory depression associated with the dismal or retrograde pace of political progress weighs heavy, I wonder and fear: which party is most likely to effectively use the levers of government and the tools of science to save millions when dealing with an outbreak of a new, deadly disease, versus which party is best suited to ride a wave of anti-science sentiment, fundamentalism, and hysteria to power in the midst of such an epidemic? I hope we never have to find out: Several thousand health care workers are needed to help scale back the rapid transmission of Ebola, which has spread to a new country, Senegal, in recent days. A lack of health professionals caring for Ebola patients means families have to treat the sick at home, increasing their risk of becoming infected. [Forwarded by the MyLeftBlogosphere news engine. Link to original post below:]
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 11:29:43 +0000