Category: Science

An experimental data recorder aboard the space shuttle Columbia continued to record potentially vital information until moments before the shuttle disintegrated during re-entry, investigators say.

During duplication of the magnetic tape from the recorder, investigators saw that it continued to store data up to 14 seconds after the final telemetry was broadcast from the shuttle to ground control. NASA believes the main body of the shuttle began breaking apart just three seconds later at 1400 GMT on 1 February.

Breaking news from various sources:

The flight data recorder of the lost US shuttle Columbia, has been found.

A Cuban DC-3, apparently hijacked, has been forced to land in Key West, Florida.

New Scientist is reporting that the bug spreading throughout the world is, as yet, unknown to science. Scientists have been frantically trying to find out what the bug is, but all tests so far have shown that the bug is new.

China’s plans for manned space exploration are not covered much in the Western press, but Joseph Kahn of the New York Times makes up for much of it with this article.

Not only is China planning on sending humans into space, but it will send up to three taikonauts on their first attempt at manned spaceflight. To top that they are planning to have humans on the Moon by 2010, in a search for Helium-3, something that may be important for future fusion reactors. And they want to go to Mars too.

Why can’t we get this kind of ambition from the European Space Agency? Oh yeah – money.

I seen this story over on Slashdot, it is a good read with some details on future shuttle programs. Worth a look.

New Scientist is reporting that scientists have found that electricity is produced when aluminium bullets are fired into a block of ice. This raises the chances of finding life on Europa, s eletrical shocks of this kind could cause complex molecules to form. An electrifying discovery? :p

George Monbiot again, on Saturday’s historic protests. He writes another well crafted piece about the reasons for Bush’s war. Brilliant reading.

New Scientist is reporting that using a technique called quantitive genetics, researchers have found that due to the effects of global warming female squirrels now give birth on average 18 days earlier in the year than their great-great-grandmothers. Is global warming affecting human evolution?

Charles Levendosky writes an eloquent article on the size of our universe and the human complusion to explore. It is a nice piece of writing, puts is in our place!