I’m leaving on a business trip to Dubai on Saturday, which will be my first real adventure outside of the United States (except for the 51st state, aka Canada)*.  I hope to have some cool pictures and stories to share from the UAE next week, so stay tuned.

* Just kidding, ay? I love you, Canucks.

“Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close.”
                                            -President Barack Obama

The address was also masterful political theater, clearly crafted to assert the President’s authority before the assembled chambers of Congress on the issue which may define his presidency.  Even reform opponents played their part in the spectacle: at a moment in his speech when Obama clearly asserted that his health care proposals would explicitly exclude coverage for undocumented immigrants, the traditionally quiet decorum of the event was punctuated by South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson, who loudly shouted “You lie!” at the president. President Obama could not have illustrated the vapid thoughtlessness of health care reform’s enemies any better than that.

Now, while I certainly found much to commend in the president’s speech, it wasn’t all rainbows and whiskey.  As a progressive who favors a single-payer health care system, I can’t say that I agree with all of President Obama’s proposals.  In particular, I feel that private, for-profit health insurance companies represent a fundamental conflict of interest between investors’ expectation of profit and patients’ need for medical care.  Obama is pushing for new laws that will limit insurance companies’ strategies to maximize their profit, which appears to be a nuanced, measured compromise — but in practice, it will be the federal government that bears the burden of enforcing these laws, and that means it will take time for insurance companies to comply with the new laws. We can nearly rest assured that their compliance will be grudging and constantly in search of loopholes. Put simply, the new laws Obama proposed would not fully resolve that fundamental conflict of interest.  I realize that Obama’s proposals are a political and practical solution rather than an ideal one, and I encourage everyone to support any legislation that accomplishes the goals he set.  My criticism is only meant to serve as a reminder that the fight for equity, fairness, compassion, and justice in the U.S. health system will not end with the passage of health care reform. I think that Bad Astronomer Phil Plait expressed a similar point regarding Obama’s education speech on Tuesday very well, and with all due tribute, I will repost the image here that he used to do so:

On another note, I just dropped almost $300 at the Towson University bookstore today – for just two classes.  Sigh.  School starts Monday, and I’ll be officially back on the academic bandwagon.  Here’s to progress!

I, for one, am overwhelmed with humility by the science that Galileo’s telescope revolutionized.  It has brought us the likes of Carl Sagan, Maria Mitchell, Giovanni Cassini, and Stephen Hawking.  It brought us NASA and the space program, which will launch the space shuttle Discovery (STS-128) tomorrow at 1:10 AM EDT on a mission to the International Space Station.  There are no words that can, for the casual observer, capture the immensity of the expanding universe that telescopes have uncovered.  There is, at least, an image that comes close.  I am referring to the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, which is a composite image of a tiny region of space in the constellation Fornax, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope between 2003-2004.  It looks back over approximately 13 billion years, showing in just a tiny speck of sky that appears dark to the human eye the multitude of galaxies that existed only 400-800 million years after the Big Bang.  Every spot, blur, smudge, and speck on the image is an entire galaxy containing millions or billions of stars.  I will say no more about it, for if you’ve never seen it, this image deserves quiet reflection.  You can click on this small image to view the entire high-resolution version (18.1 MB).  In honor of Galileo, and without further blabbering from this blogger:

Hubble Ultra Deep Field

So – who wants to join me to see the best meteor shower of the year – the Perseids?!  It was too cloudy tonight to see very much, and even when some clear spots in the sky opened up, our very brightly lit urban environment overpowered all but the brightest stars.  I’m taking C in my car, so I’ll have room for up to three others.  I’ll drive some place dark, outside the city (suggestions welcome), and lay back to watch the show for at least 1 or 2 hours.  Bringing a folding cot, sleeping bag, hammock, or blanket is recommended for prolonged viewing comfort.  Binoculars, cameras, tripods, and telescopes are also great ideas if you have any of these available to you.  Food and drink never hurt anyone, either (hah)!  I will cancel this mini-trip if the weather doesn’t co-operate…  as it turns out, unfortunately, I can’t see the sky with my naked eyes through total cloud cover.

Hooray for death from the skies!

On another note, C and I just returned from our vacation to Niagra Falls and Toronto, Ontario.  The falls were even more amazing than I remembered from a short visit around age 8.  And what a great city Toronto is!  It’s too bad I got a nasty virus (influenza or something similar) and spent much of the time suffering through fever, aches, congestion, cough, and fatigue – but we still managed to ascend the CN Tower, ride Segways, and catch a Blue Jays game among other things.  I’d certainly go back there again when I have more time and better health.  I’ll conclude this post with a few pictures from our Canadian excursion.

Niagra Falls, viewed from the American side

Niagra Falls, American Falls, illuminated at night

Toronto city center at night

Celeste & I rode Segways through Toronto's Distillery District

The CN Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in North or South America, illuminated at night.

View of Toronto from Skypod, perched 447 meters up on the CN Tower.

Here’s one of Tesla’s patent drawings:

Alternating Motor patent diagram by Nikola Tesla

Verily, I beseech ye to establish a Nobel Prize for Magnificence, and award the first one to Steve Eves.

Humbly,
simian

Seriously, wow.

Swine flu: Having very recently mutated to allow human/human transmission, it has already spread around the globe, leading to fears of a global pandemic.  To be fair, I think the mainstream news media have been doing more to fan the flames of fear (while sanctimoniously denying any intent to do so) than the flu itself.  As of this evening early Tuesday morning, only 40 50 cases had been reported inside the United States, and not a single fatality. CDC laboratory tests thus far indicates that the infection responds well to antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), which are being stockpiled in a number of states.  Maryland has already opened a swine flu command center right in my home city of Baltimore, in anticipation of likely infections occurring in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.  CDC lab tests have also indicated that the other two FDA-approved antiviral drugs for flu, amantadine (Symmetrel) and rimantadine (Flumadine), are ineffective against the swine flu.  Both oseltamivir and zanamivir are neuraminidase inhibitors, which work by blocking the action of the viral neuraminidase protein.  This is the protein on the surface of influenza viruses that allows it to be released from the host cell in the process known as “budding.”  Amantadine and rimantadine are both M2 protein inhibitors, drugs whose mechanism of action involves blocking the ion channel that removes a virion’s coating and releases its genetic content into the cytoplasm of the host cell.  It is worth noting that poultry farmers in China used amantadine to guard againt the H5N1 avian flu in chickens, an ill-advised practice (H. sapiens as an agent of natural selection!) that has led to the abundance of influenza strains resistant to amantadine.

It’s too early yet to tell whether the swine-flu fatalities in Mexico will be seen here in the United States or elsewhere around the world, but we probably won’t have to wait very long to find out.  As the eccentric chaotician Ian Malcolm said in Jurassic Park, “life finds a way” – we had better work hard to ensure that it’s human life that finds a way this time.  If you’re wondering what you can do, look at this guide on the US Department of Health and Human Services’ PandemicFlu.gov website.  And, of course, you can follow the CDC’s swine flu updates on Twitter.

In that vein, I lastly want to commend President Barack Obama, who, speaking today before the National Academy of Sciences, made a remarkable (and badly needed) commitment to the advancement of American science. After describing how the current swine flu emergency should remind us of the necessity of science, and among many breaks for applause, Obama said:

I believe it is not in our character, the American character, to follow.  It’s our character to lead.  And it is time for us to lead once again.  So I’m here today to set this goal:  We will devote more than 3 percent of our GDP to research and development.  We will not just meet, but we will exceed the level achieved at the height of the space race, through policies that invest in basic and applied research, create new incentives for private innovation, promote breakthroughs in energy and medicine, and improve education in math and science.

That’s why I campaigned for this guy. Let’s all make sure we hold him to this promise.

Here’s NASA’s mission page for the mission, dubbed STS-119.  From their clock it looks like they’re going to make the next launch attempt tomorrow night at around 9PM EDT.  So stay tuned!

Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter

The Evolution Of Compassion by Robert Axelrod*

Stiff by Mary Roach

The Lives To Come by Philip Kitcher*

The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond

An Anthropologist On Mars by Oliver Sacks*

In The Shadow Of Man by Jane Goodall

The Double Helix: A Personal Account Of The Discovery Of The Structure Of DNA by James Watson*

Monster Nation by David Wellington*

The Demon-Haunted World: Science As A Candle In The Dark by Carl Sagan*

The Red Queen: Sex And The Evolution Of Human Nature by Matt Ridley

Bad Astronomy by Philip Plait

I hope that Ms. Nash recovers remarkably, and that Travis’ death serves as a warning to those who own or may consider adopting pet chimpanzees.  They are best left to professionals running well-equipped sanctuaries.  Consider donating to a sanctuary if you want to help.  (Chimpanzees raised in captivity are almost never accepted by wild troops, and therefore cannot be released into the wild).

Edit: Apparently, the face-shredding is a common feature of chimp attacks.  I’d forgotten that I wrote about this in one of my very first posts on Survival Machine.

Today is the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, the British naturalist whose publication in 1859 of On the Origin of Species laid the foundation for virtually all subsequent discoveries in biology.  He did for the Western world’s understanding of life what Galileo did for our understanding of the heavens, and what Newton did for our understanding of physical forces.  Each year on February 12, those who appreciate the magnitude of Darwin’s contribution to human knowledge celebrate Darwin Day in his honor.  You are probably aware also that today is Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday as well.  Yes, Darwin and Lincoln were born on the exact same day in 1809.  And Abraham Lincoln founded the United States National Academy of Science! There seems to be no shortage of scientific significance today.

This year is not only Darwin’s bicentennial, but also the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species.  It’s also the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first use of a telescope, and the 400th anniversary of the publication of Kepler’s Astronomia Nova (which described his first two Laws of Planetary Motion). Wow! These coinciding anniversaries are among a number of reasons that a grassroots coalition called COPUS has established 2009 as a national Year of Science (YoS).  YoS 2009 is a national, yearlong celebration and campaign aimed at getting scientists out of the laboratory from time to time and into the public spotlight to share their research and raise public awareness and enthusiasm for science.  Both amateur and  professional scientists and science educators can get involved, and I intend to do my part by writing more actively this year and by beginning to apply to graduate schools.  Here’s hoping that the latter turns into a lifelong, professional involvement on my part…

Today, you can do your part by refreshing your knowledge of evolution by natural selection in this brief synopsis at DarwinDay.net.  If that’s all elementary to you, then challenge yourself by reading some evolutionary news at Science Daily.  And lastly, I’ll be celebrating a belated Darwin Day with friends when I fly back to Baltimore tomorrow night, most likely at Joe² restaurant & bar on North Avenue and Howard Street.  Leave a comment if you want to join me.  Let’s raise a glass to evolution!

Edit:  Also, check out this essay by Susan Jacoby in today’s Washington Post. It’s an excellent commentary on Darwin’s lasting impact.

I’m looking into ways of boosting readership, since a limited audience is the main reason I don’t write prolifically.  On the other hand, I’m less likely to post pointless drivel than I would someplace like Livejournal.  I’m looking at crossposting plugins, and I will probably find a way to publish my new posts via email to willing friends and colleagues.

Hopefully they’ll have the broadband fixed tomorrow and I’ll be able to get something of substance up here.  I’m considering a few good stories as topics.  In the meantime, I hope you’re preparing for the most important Darwin Day in your lifetime – this Thursday, February 12, is Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday! Check out the Happy Birthday, Mr. Darwin! page at the Year Of Science 2009 website for lots of perspective on Darwin’s impact as viewed from his bicentennial.  To find Darwin Day events near you, check out DarwinDay.net!

Now, on to the fun part.  On January 19, an e-print was published to arXiv.org detailing the results of an analysis of the accretion and decay of black holes that could possibly be produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)¹.  Casadio et al argue in their article against the possibility of catastrophic black hole growth—you can gather this simply by reading their abstract.  But they also claim that tiny black holes might take >1 second to decay, far longer than most subatomic particles generated in supercolliders.  Now, never mind that this only applies to the Randall-Sundrum 5-dimensional theoretical model of the universe, which is only one of numerous theoretical frameworks whose validity the LHC is designed to investigate.  Let alone that the paper was an argument against catastrophic black hole formation.  What the gelatinous mass of popular media hears is: longer decay time, thus a greater possibility that black hole accretion will outpace decay resulting in catastrophe.  Or to FOX News, “Scientists Not So Sure ‘Doomsday Machine’ Won’t Destroy World“.

Now, perhaps you’re thinking that FOX News’ headline is just sensationalism to attract readers, and the content of the article will be a bit more sophisticated.  But why the hell would you think that?

FoxNews.com can think of a few other things that didn’t seem possible once — the theory of continental drift, the fact that rocks fall from the sky, the notion that the Earth revolves around the sun, the idea that scientists could be horribly wrong.

I’m not pulling your leg.  Check out the article.  It’s not just that they making a mountain out of a molehill—an astronomical understatement!—I think FOX News paints itself as the journalistic equivalent of the torch-wielding mob outside Frankenstein’s castle.  It’s a view that fuels an unwarranted distrust of science and indirectly promotes anti-intellectualism.  Worse still, when public concern is aroused it pulls scientists (and funds) away from their research to form commissions and try to extinguish the hysteria.  These kinds of media misrepresentations of scientific concepts or developments usually irritate me, but they also serve as reminders of what an monumental challenge we face in reshaping science education in the United States.  Our culture needs to get to a point where media outlets like FOX News are laughed onto the tabloid shelves where they belong.

Fortunately, the new Obama administration has signaled that it is serious about promoting science with the appointment of the new Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu.  Before his appointment, Chu was a professor of physics and molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley.  He also shared the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1997 for using laser beams to trap supercooled atoms.  In announcing Chu’s appointment, Obama stated, “his appointment should send a signal to all that my administration will value science.  We will make decisions based on the facts, and we understand that facts demand bold action.”  Obama understands that investment in research and science education is one of the crucial tools we must use to invigorate our sluggish economy and confront the ecological and health threats on our horizon.  I hope he’s able to put that understanding into action.

Oh, and I’m sorry it’s been so long since I posted anything.  I’d like to dedicate more time to writing this year, so we’ll see what that leads to.  Stay tuned.

¹ arXiv:0901.2948v1, January 19, 2009.  On the Possibility of Catastrophic Black Hole Growth in the Warped Brane-World Scenario at the LHC, by Robert Casadio, Sergio Fabi, and Benjamin Harms.

Meanwhile, I’ll share something with you that I expect you’ll enjoy.  Nearly a year ago, when Suvival Machine was all fresh and new, I linked to Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy blog and his entry about the Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2007.  Bad Astronomy has since moved to the Discover Magazine blogs site, and true to form, Phil has done it again.  Here you are: The Top Ten Astronomy Pictures of 2008.  Enjoy.

My favorite of the top ten for 2008, spiral galaxy NGC 7331:

I’m actually writing this entry in WordPress on the iPhone (not an app that requires jailbreaking). So, I don’t feel like typing much more at the moment. I’ll probably post screenshots of my phone once I get it tricked out just the way I like. In the meantime, here’s a self-portrait I took with a app called Snapture (jailbreak required) that packs a lot more features than Apple’s bare-bones built-in camera.

I don’t think that commentary on this story is necessary.  I just want to make sure that everyone knows about it, and sees what despicable, self-absorbed cretins this celebration of crass consumerism can turn us into.  This wasn’t a mob of rapists or murderers.  They weren’t drunk or frightened.  This was a crowd whose blind violence was motivated by low prices and marketing.

Here’s looking at you, America.

I’ve been meaning to write about a number of interesting developments lately, including the recent difficulties with the Hubble Space Telescope.  But what’s grabbed my attention at the moment, and what may turn into a real post (gosh, it’s been a while) is this: evolution may actually be able to learn. You heard right – life may actually evolve the ability to evolve faster.  If that’s true, it’s another nail in the coffin for any theory that suggests complex life hasn’t had enough time to develop by natural selection.

Let’s get through this next day of work, first, and then I’ll think about writing something more. If I don’t decide to finish Kafka’s The Metamorphosis first, that is.