Earth Day 2008

Earth Day 20008 is next Tuesday the 22nd, however many events are taking place worldwide beginning this weekend. The EarthDay Network, established by the original founders of Earth Day, provides an abundance of information and resources for getting active.

In addition, The National Academies has released it's 2008 version of "Understanding and Responding to Climate Change" (pdf, 3.3 MB) and is providing free printed editions, also. The academies have also established a website, Safe Drinking Water is Essential, that highlights what I believe is the most pressing environmental issue facing the world today.

Speaking of pressing environmental issues, last summer, long time environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio released a documentary film entitled The 11th Hour. It phrases our current crises in the context of the opportunities they present the current generation coming of age. The trailer is embedded below:

Sphere: Related Content

Science as a Democratizing Activity

Science Debate 2008 is an initiative aiming to bring the U.S. Presidential candidates together to discuss the role science plays in all of the issues that dominate the election, U.S society and its citizens.

Why is science important for anyone but the scientists?

"Science as a democratizing activity" is a phrase presented by Dr. Harold Varmus, president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Discussed much more eloquently and passionately than I can do here, the video below is the Charlie Rose Science Series: The Imperative of Science (04/07/2008) with a distinguished panel that includes Dr. Varmus, Shirley Ann Jackson (President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), Bruce Alberts (Editor-In-Chief of Science), Lisa Randall (Harvard University), and Sir Paul Nurse (President of Rockefeller University).

View the entire list of episodes of the Charlie Rose Science Series here. Although it is heavily focused on life sciences, and sponsored by Pfizer, it is well worth watching.

Sphere: Related Content

Jules Verne, the Cargo Spaceship

Jules Verne, the Automated Transfer Vehicle Spaceship, docked with International Space Station this week. Below is a video (5:24 min/sec) that explains the importance, plans, and potential for this type of ATV/cargo spaceship.

The ship itself is simply a vessel delivering equipment, fuel and supplies. Here is an image taken from the ISS of the Jules Verne on approach.

Credit: ISS Expedition 16 Crew, NASA, ESA

It will carry away garbage/trash/waste material that will burn upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Below is the NASA TV video (9:59 min/sec) of the real-time docking:

Is that amazing, or what? Imagine the possibilities?

Sphere: Related Content