Space
Scientists, as per usual, are straining not to dramatically announce that something has happened.
Has there ever been life on Mars? Well, here’s an exciting finding. Maybe. Maybe not.
What’s on your mind?
A clumsy Austrian astronaut overnight fell 40km from a capsule attached to a helium balloon in the upper stratosphere and miraculously survived by landing in a small can of energy drink.
Forty-three year old Austrian Felix Baumgartner has set several precedents with his incredible survival feat, not the least of which being he is now the most interesting Felix since the popular but largely forgotten cartoon cat of the early-to-mid 20th century.
Incredibly, Baumgartner maintains that he actually meant to do the jump. By saying this, he has instantly become a pinup boy for a generation of people who believe that life is so dull, nothing is worth doing unless it nearly kills you.
Continue reading "Man plummets 40km into small can of energy drink" »
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Byron says:
On the money TheRealDave , One of the problems with manned space exploration is that the tin can that they`re flying in has no means of escape if things turn ugly and it doesn`t matter how well You plan , design ,engineer and train for something , sometimes “shit happens”… Read more »
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Sickemrex says:
+1.195 internets Eskimo. Read more »
It’s an awesome concept – a probe sent from Earth into the Milky Way with messages of peace for any alien life that may be encountered outside our solar system.
We sent them love songs and concertos and messages of peace as a demonstration of humanity. We sent them a demonstration of humanity at its highest – our moments of brilliance, of unity and of selflessness.
Last week, the Voyager celebrated its 35th anniversary of its launch to explore Saturn and Jupiter. Now, it is at the cusp of our solar system, on the brink of exiting the celestial realm that we are familiar with and launching into interstellar territory.
Continue reading "What message should we be sending to the aliens?" »
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AnthonyG says:
We are already sending them messages but they ignore them and keep geeting on leaky boats and come anyway Read more »
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Scotchfinger the Unfriendly Alien says:
Muslims give me wind, personally. But Throxas loves them with cinnamon. Read more »
The passing of the man who made that one giant leap for mankind, should give us all pause to consider exactly what that small step signified.
The lunar landing was met by a universal reaction of awe and celebration that was much bigger than the efforts of one nation or one man. It was a celebration of human achievement. Neil Armstrong’s famous quote clearly ascribed the success to “mankind”, as did the plaque left by the mission, which read: “We came in peace for all mankind”.
It was a fine hour for America, but an even greater moment for the world.
Continue reading "Who will make the next giant leap for mankind?" »
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Dan says:
“militant religionists” ...like nuns, priests and monks. How much of that $32 billion is school, hospital and nursing home related P? Read more »
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iansand says:
NASA is still giving a lot of funding to the private enterprise guys and none of them would be anywhere without R&D done by NASA. Read more »
A friend posted on Facebook today: “When I was a little girl I loved learning about space, solar systems, planets, walking on the moon. But when I grew up I learnt how much space exploration costs and how many people here are sick, hungry, abused. Now I see no justification for funding our curiosity until we improve life on earth”
Yesterday I spoke to another friend who was beside himself with excitement at this extraordinary pursuit of knowledge, and the incredibly feat that we – mere blips in the great expanse of the universe – have landed Curiosity on Mars.
There are the heartbreaking questions that come alongside the expansion of human understanding, that come with doing things that have never been done before just to see if we can… those heartbreaking questions include: Why is it more important to explore a dusty, red planet that has taken eight years and two and a half billion dollars to reach; than to feed the 25000 people who die every day from poverty.
Continue reading "It’s not unethical to spend billions on space exploration" »
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SAm says:
I was having this exact discussion with my wife last night. Whilst not saying we should ignore the hungry to focus on space, its just as essential as any other program, if not more so than most. Renegotiating military contracts ALONE (not simply a ‘reduction’) in the US would probably… Read more »
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Mark/Fox says:
Thats correct, and then there will be more in years to come. Instead of 5 million retirees, there will 20 million. Not a nice place to live at all! Read more »
“TOUCHDOWN CONFIRMED!”
Trust the Yanks to use a gridiron term to describe the landing of the one-tonne plutonium-powered rover, Curiosity, on Mars.
But it was somewhat appropriate considering the landing itself was something of a “Hail Mary pass” - a phrase that originated in American football, meaning a very long forward pass made with limited chances of success.
Continue reading "Bringing our Olympic expectations down to Earth" »
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Howard Wolowitz says:
At least I am not one lab accident away from being a supervillain Read more »
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year of the dragon says:
gobsmack says: 01:02pm | 07/08/12 “It takes a small mind to connect what I said with the scribblings of a mediocre “opinion writer” who will quickly fade into obscurity.” And it takes a tedious bore to not recognise a light-hearted joke. However I take it from that, that you agree… Read more »
Remember, when you’re feeling very small and insecure, how amazingly unlikely is your birth. And pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere up in space, ‘cause there’s bugger all down here on Earth.
Well, except for some astoundingly bright people who do things such as theorise about dark matter and the existence of the Higgs Boson field and who develop fascinating things like the Drake Equation.
One of those enormous and overactive brains belongs to British astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell – a tracker of quasars, and discoverer of pulsars.
Continue reading "WANTED: An intelligent life form to meet the aliens" »
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rolex Replica says:
I am continuously browsing online for ideas that can facilitate me. Thanks! Read more »
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PhilD says:
@M Hell is your choice, not mine. So unless you change, you will not see me at all. Read more »
Welcome to the third edition of Dr Tinman’s Ignorant Remedies for the Aching Soul.
I am Dr Tinman, life-doctor and former yoghurt manufacturer.
Today’s question comes from a person who is - from what I can deduce from the handwriting - either left-handed, right-handed or ambidextrous.
Continue reading "Dear Dr Tinman: Help! How do I avoid eyeball mice?" »
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John L says:
Yes, Event Horizon was a bit freaky, but Sam Neill’s character grew back new eyes, so that’s a bonus. They also might have been a different color, just in case you were bored with the old ones, I didn’t notice because I was hiding behind the couch. Also the movie… Read more »
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sunny says:
lily Well I hope he doesn’t start rumming up his Tang, get stinking cross eyed and mistake his outlet tank for his inlet tank. Read more »
A NASA astronaut probably won’t be the next person to take a small step for man on a planet or moon a giant leap away from Earth. The US space agency is a shadow of its former self, facing death of a thousand budget cuts. Its space shuttles are retired, their replacements canned.
It’s far more likely that the next footprint on the moon will be sponsored by a cashed-up entrepreneur. Think Richard Branson, the airline tycoon who founded Virgin Galactic. Or think American hotel chain billionaire Robert Bigelow, who wants to build a space station.
Or maybe think Gina Rinehart. Stuff NASA, we could have GINA: a Ginormous Investment in National Aerospace, sponsored by our very own chief mining magnate. Our richest person could put an Australian on the moon. Maybe even build an Australian colony. It would be revolutionary: for her, and for the country. And she could do it.
Continue reading "This woman could take us to infinity and beyond" »
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handbags says:
This is the proper blog for anyone who needs to seek out out about this topic. You understand so much its virtually exhausting to argue with you (not that I truly would want?aHa). You undoubtedly put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff,… Read more »
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Randal says:
Hear…Hear Comrade Tim and SD. Lets pay everyone the same, whether they are the boss or the hole digger, control the media to ensure it only reports what we want it to say, and off to the Gulag anyone who disagrees with us! Who cares if this type of government… Read more »
The God Particle is so 2011. This year’s sexy science story is a hole in time. Yes, it’s a sci-fi nerdtopia complete with the opportunity to use the compound adjective “space-time” in ordinary conversation.
According to science journal Nature, scientists have managed to create a ‘time cloak’. Using a time-lens that breaks light up they can make an event temporarily undetectable.
Sure, it’s only on the picosecond scale, but still: Phwoar!
Continue reading "If only you could bend space-time to hide your shame…" »
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Ben H says:
Got to love the Carl Sagan clip about interdimensional interaction. Perhaps that’s what ‘angels’, ‘demons’ and other apparitions are: fourth (or higher) dimensional versions of the apple. And I would suggest that the technology hoarded by elite circles is lightyears ahead of what is presented in this article. Perhaps they… Read more »
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stephen says:
Kebab ? Try this one. Lamb, tomato, onion, with tabouli and cheese - no lettuce - garlic sauce and chilli sauce, then put it in a hot press. Best ever. Read more »
Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it the coming carbon tax calamity? No! It’s Asteroid 2005 YU55!
The 400m-wide rock (please let us know if you need this translated to Olympic swimming pool or football field units of measurement) will whiz by Earth today at a whopping 19km a second, a mere 324,600 km away. That’s closer than the friggin’ moon!
But don’t head for your swine-flu-resistant bunker, we’re going to be fine. Reassuringly, NASA says we’re not going to get smashed to bits by asteroids for 100 years. That means your bunker’s probably a good real estate investment, keep stockpiling that Spam!
Continue reading "If you’re reading this, Earth has not yet been destroyed" »
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Eleanor says:
Amy - Like you, I also have a problem with people suffering. Especially because of the malice, greed, or general lack of sympathy by the rest of us. To my understanding, this strike wouldn’t wipe out all of humanity, but just enough for us to survive and re-evaluate what’s really… Read more »
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amy says:
@Ben I am an athiest….or a “whatever”-ist I was under the impression that mass genocide of the human race was a bit crazy..thatsall @leah I generally consider myself a pretty logical person..I just have a porblem with other people suffering..you know? Read more »
This is the end of an era. The final space shuttle launch takes place in less than a week, when Atlantis roars from the pad at Cape Canaveral, and I for one will watch this final flight with mixed emotions.
After more than 30 years and 135 missions, NASA is under presidential direction to retire the remaining shuttle fleet due to high operational costs and to free up revenue for other projects. Private enterprise will have to continue the dream past the space station’s orbit and focus on getting astronauts to asteroids and the outer planets in the coming decades.
Has the shuttle program been a success? Was it worth the fiscal cost and the loss of 14 lives in two separate accidents? History will be the judge, I guess, but it’s sad for this 60-something space nut to look back at the space program and think that since 1972, no human being has been any further than 600 kilometres from planet Earth.
Continue reading "Planet earth is blue and the space shuttle is through" »
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Cynical_Me says:
Anyone notice that the Mars Capule for the manned mission to mars is just the same as the the lunar one but black? Whats with that? Did they dust off the old module and install Windows 7 on it? Read more »
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Willy says:
You know what is much sadder? Critics of George Bush and anything American from a country that pollutes the globe at a far greater level than the US, yet contributes so little. The world constantly looks towards the US for aid after natural disasters and protection from enemies, only to… Read more »
Thursday December 9, 2010, was an interesting day for news in the world. It was the first time in human history a private company launched and returned a capsule from orbit, possibly opening transport possibilities to the International Space Station.
The interesting thing about this is the remarkable lack of fanfare surrounding anything to do with humanity’s exploits in space these days.
When you consider that 40 years ago the world stood united by the feat of landing a person on the moon, it’s quite remarkable that now, when people are in space are doing life threatening work on a space station people really don’t care.
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Chris L says:
Tim, those scriptures are the basis of that particular religion. If christianity is now unrecognisable from that book from which it is based what is its point and purpose? Don’t get me wrong, I’m very pleased that the vast majority of religious people are wise enough to ignore the urging… Read more »
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Chris L says:
Gonzo, a ninety-nine point nine percent chance of failure still leaves a point one percent chance of success. Even though the odds of life were probably vastly more miniscule than point one the number of star systems in our galaxy virtually guarantees it will happen, and more than once. Read more »
Australia could lose its bid to host the World Cup of science, accused of being “cheap” and “arrogant”.
Although it’s slipped under the radar, Australia is one of two countries short-listed as sites for the world’s biggest radio telescope.
The Square Kilometre Array is one of the “most important international scientific projects of the 21st century”, according to Brian Boyle, the SKA director at the CSIRO.
Continue reading "Throwing away the chance to be the centre of the universe" »
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NievesLoraine29 says:
Every one knows that our life is expensive, but people need money for different issues and not every man earns enough money. Therefore to receive some personal loans or just bank loan should be a proper way out. Read more »
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aimee w says:
Thing is (I’m South African, but living in New Zealand now), the political instability in Sub-Saharan Africa puts their chances of winning the bid at a substantial disadvantage. And there are also other issues, such as the looting of equipment for sale/other uses. Not that I don’t think Australia/NZ should… Read more »
The FIFA World Cup bid announcement won’t be the only huge story tonight. In America, at 4am eastern Australian time, NASA appears certain to announce it has found signs of life on a moon of Saturn.
No doubt it’ll just be boring microbes or, you know, some kind of shapeless Lara Bingle monster. But hey, life’s life. Well done, NASA. Thank you in advance, as they never, ever say in the classics.
Only one question now remains. Is there any evidence of life in NASA itself? Let’s examine the evidence…
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No more please says:
@nosthow - I certainly am not, I am just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of the uninspired Read more »
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The Badger says:
Nicole If you think that was nasty, you should see the ones that don’t make it through the internet filter. . Read more »
It’s Tuesday at The Punch.
American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon today in 1969. Space junkies can launch their own interactive moon landing mission here.
Got something else on your mind? Share it here.
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I recently learned a few things about the desert. You think you know about its vastness, but it is another thing to actually see it. When the sun goes down it’s bloody cold. And on a cloudless night the sky is simply breathtaking.
Last month I had the privilege of witnessing the re-entry of the Hayabusa spacecraft into the Earth’s atmosphere. Standing on the side of the Stuart Highway about 170 km north of Woomera, I was with a couple of dozen others – government representatives, media and hard-core stargazers – who had made the pilgrimage to witness the finish of the longest return space journey ever.
At precisely 11.23 pm a star appeared, grew brighter, developed a trail and then spectacularly exploded across the sky, lighting up the ground around us. Reminiscent of the final moments in Return of the Jedi, it is a scene I will never forget.
Continue reading "Why a vote for Labor is a vote for science" »
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Pete says:
I take issue with the comment: “By contrast, the Liberal-National Coalition has never had a real interest in science and technology” Follow this link to see the total Commonwealth Government funding to the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC). http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/file/grants/dataset/research_funding_facts_book.pdf Between 2000-01 and 06-07, total research expenditure increased from… Read more »
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Sirro says:
Gee thanks Richard for a great contribution over the past three years. Im so glad you and Mark Arbib, Chris Bowen, Penny Wong, Peter Garrett and all those other valuable members of Labor’s front bench actually turned up for work. You’ve just made sooooooo much difference to the lives of… Read more »
Just beyond the south western extremities of urban Canberra is the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex at Tidbinbilla. Surrounded by hills – part of the scientific attraction of the relatively radio quiet site –is the most startling technology tucked away in a typical rural Australian setting. Kangaroos, sheep and cattle share the land with high powered radio telescopes and gum trees.
As you approach Tidbinbilla and the giant dishes first appear around a corner the contrast of modern technology upon a backdrop of countryside provides a moment that takes your breath away.
On 26 February this year Australia celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its relationship with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA. Back on 26 February 1960 Prime Minister Menzies and US Ambassador Sebald signed the Agreement Between the Government of Australia and the Government of the USA relating to Space Vehicle Tracking and Communications.
Continue reading "Our link to the far reaches of human achievement" »
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Dave Sag says:
Um, thanks Eric. I have no idea how you could ever have come to that sort of conclusion about me. Even my Punch Profile ( http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/dave-sag/ ) doesn’t give that impression. Read more »
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Hay, NSW townie says:
If Australia re-populated its existing rural towns, where people easily walk to work, rather than building expensive roads into outer suburban deep space, we could possibly fund an Australian space program, powered by Riverina Solar produced Ethanol. Read more »
Are we alone? Does it matter?
I’ve long come to terms with the idea that there is probably no God, but I’m optimistic there’s something else out there. It’s SETI’s 50th anniversary this year – that’s the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
SETI is both a concept – the search – and an institute dedicated to finding the answer. There is plenty of funding, links with NASA, serious science. It employs 150 professionals. There’s even an Australian SETI centre.
Continue reading "There’s probably no God, but we are not alone" »
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bookmarking service says:
UnL27D Major thanks for the blog article.Thanks Again. Fantastic. Read more »
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Stone age liberal says:
So Jeff, I assume from you Jesus comment you mean a Christian/Catholic based Bible as opposed to the Koran, or book of Mormon. What about all the other “words of god” out there. Aaargh a comsumers market, I am spoilt for choice… what do I decide, they all tell me… Read more »
It’s Tuesday @ The Punch
Today in 1961 Soviet astronaut Major Yuri Alexeyevich Gagarin became the first man in space.
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stephen says:
Love the technical things. Love the ipod, the mobile, laptops, things that keep my food cool (and warm), and i admire the science of Space and Technology. I know i/we use these things all the time, but they’re only objects. Things, artifacts. They are external to us, things thought up… Read more »
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Mr Pastry says:
@Stephen - in your bitterness towards people that use their minds in complex ways beyond that of a TV personality and politician, you confuse academics (and you may have a point there) with Scientists Engineers and Technicians. Most of these work commercially and are responsible for the incredible, inventive, complex… Read more »
It’s Thursday @ The Punch
Today in 1986 the US spacecraft ‘Challenger’ explodes and killing the seven astronauts onboard.
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A Dose of Reality says:
The amount of advertising dollars moving between media and RE agents in enormous. Deals abound and kickback are plenty (and the sucker selling the house pays for it all!). If the REI doesn’t like something it has more than enough fiscal pull for the story/comments to be also pulled! Read more »
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Shane From Melbourne says:
Neil Barofsky is a gun. Australia should poach him. Geithner is toast. Obama is looking to be a one term president. Many Congressional incumbents should start clearing their desks, the mood of the american public is positively feral, especially after domestic spending freeze, but the military budget being spared. And… Read more »
It’s Christmas eve @ The Punch
Today in 1968 the Apollo 8 became the first manned spaceship to orbit the moon.
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Andy says:
I thought we did put the libs in it and now they are back, all burnt out, hot headed and fried up! Merry Christmas and a happy new ETS. Read more »
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stephen says:
Should’ha’ put the Libs in it, and slung it off to the far side of the Sun. Read more »
Photography in space had a slow start. The first American to orbit the earth was John Glenn, the addition of a 35mm camera to his equipment on board Friendship 7 in February 1962 was according to NASA’s official history website “an afterthought”
“An Ansco Autoset 35mm Minolta was bought at a drugstore and hastily modified so the astronaut could use it more easily in a pressure suit.” The website goes on to tell us.
Little it seems was expected of these early attempts at photographs in space.
Continue reading "Getting the light right with space photography" »
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Morrie says:
Shoot, who would have tohhgut that it was that easy? Read more »
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teexunuse says:
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@Drag0nista Can't see it bring re l 'ship Cos lots of Ruddites don't back gay marriage (Joel, Bowen) and lot of Gillardians do.
KRudd gives marriage equality folk hope, but odds still against it passing on June 6. http://t.co/QmQffMkSvH
ACL says gay marriage would lead to gay sex (how to do it) being taught in schools. You really haver to credit them with vivid imagination.
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