5) The Exploratorium in California has announced that they are working with Buddhist monks on exploring science in a hands-on and interactive way. A new “science for monks” program was established with the Dalai Lama’s own interest in science and engineering in mind. Scientists from the Exploratorium will be visiting Sarnath (in India) to share materials and lessons with the monks and nuns and to explore how science and faith are complementary, and often similar. What a wonderful representation of how the two disciplines need not be mutually exclusive.
4) OK, my fellow Shuttle-philes….Space Shuttle Discovery made it’s painfully slow trip out to the launch pad this week, getting ready for a planned February 12th trip to the International Space Station. (For some reason I think it’s funny that even though I’m a pretty slow runner, the Shuttle still takes about 12 times longer than me to do a 5K. Take that, Robert Cheruiyot! I’m faster than the Space Shuttle!)
Space Shuttle Discovery makes its way to the launch pad. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.
3.5) On another related note, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin is leaving office, effective Tuesday. It’s been known for some time that this was coming, as this is a presidential-appointed position and a new administration is just 4 days away. It’s not yet clear who President-elect Obama will name to the position, but this will be an incredibly important appointment, given the major upcoming events at NASA – retiring of the Space Shuttles, Mars missions and expansion of the International Space Station.
3) Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have developed tiny instruments (smaller than a grain of sand), that can be used to grasp tiny particles. The metal tool can be directed to a target with magnets and then triggered to use its tiny claws upon adding a chemical. People are already excited at the possiblity of using this in the human body – for example, swallowing a pill containing these microscopic hands that can remove a toxin from an organ, or remove a tissue sample for biopsy. These options are far, far away from being developed, but it’s another great example of how science on very small scales can have huge implications.
2) OK, so I have never gotten a flu shot, even though my asthma and close interactions with kids are good reasons to get one. But this week brought some disheartening news: a major strain of the influenza virus that causes this nasty flu season has become resistant to the medicine Tamiflu. This isn’t unexpected or uncommon; the genomes of viruses and bacteria can become mutated in ways that make antivirals and antibiotics less effective. People like me who don’t get vaccinated may be adding to the problem, as the flu virus has more chances to mutate every time it infects someone. So preventing yourself from getting sick can help the drugs work for people who do get the flu….point taken.
1) Perhaps the biggest news story in America this week was yesterday’s crash of a US Airways plane into New York’s Hudson River. By all accounts, the incredible fact that all 155 people on board escaped alive and in generally good condition is due to the outstanding navigation of the pilot, Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III. But how crazy that the double engine failure was caused by bird strikes, which apparently are the most common cause of plane incidents (who knew?). The avaiation and and environmental communities have long been working on this problem; I didn’t even realize that many airports (including here in Chicago) have full-time wildlife staff working to protect birds and other animals from air traffic, as well as to make air travel safer for crew and passengers. Good stuff.
These lists seem to get out kind of late in the day, don’t they? I tend to work late but I do realize some folks like to get their reads in before sundown 
I’ll start getting these posts up earlier on Fridays…
Have a great holiday/inauguration weekend!
