Cool Science thread

NASA's Solar Probe Plus that will launch next year is bad ass: http://www.popsci.com/nasa-solar-probe-2018

Helium gets weird at immense pressures: http://gizmodo.com/a-wild-new-helium...ext-1792042165

Neil deGrasse Tyson smackdown: http://gizmodo.com/i-watched-neil-de...tic-1791380377

"The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you."

"If somebody published a paper that the Earth was flat, would you say, in the last 30 years, no one has written a paper to refute that result. Would you invoke that as evidence that the Earth was really flat, or would you invoke it as evidence that the person has his head up his ass and didn’t do it right?"

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Originally Posted by wyeaster

i can't get the quantum mechanics link to open for some reason.

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Are you certain about that, or are you uncertain?

Nothing about SpaceX sending two people around the moon next year?

http://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/2...moon-next-year

That is cool indeed. They must be paying an ungodly sum for the privilege.

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Originally Posted by Viva

Are you certain about that, or are you uncertain?

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cant you be both?

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

That is cool indeed. They must be paying an ungodly sum for the privilege.

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When I first heard about it I thought "man, they are a lot more confident in SpaceX than I"

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Originally Posted by steepconcrete

Nothing about SpaceX sending two people around the moon next year?

http://www.spacex.com/news/2017/02/2...moon-next-year

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While absolutely cool, I do wonder why they're stopping there. To overly simplify it, didn't we land on the moon using basically a couple of tin cans, a motorolla cb radio and computing tech that could barely fit inside a Beetle? Surely between NASA and SpaceX they have the ability to make such a difficult mission way easier than it was when we first did it.

I'm happy for all involved and will be very excited to see it. I also understand that there might not be any value in returning to the moon's surface. I just figure: you went all that way, and not in a Sonata, so why not get out and look around for a minute or two.

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Originally Posted by Brock Landers

cant you be both?

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Probably.

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

While absolutely cool, I do wonder why they're stopping there. To overly simplify it, didn't we land on the moon using basically a couple of tin cans, a motorolla cb radio and computing tech that could barely fit inside a Beetle? Surely between NASA and SpaceX they have the ability to make such a difficult mission way easier than it was when we first did it.

I'm happy for all involved and will be very excited to see it. I also understand that there might not be any value in returning to the moon's surface. I just figure: you went all that way, and not in a Sonata, so why not get out and look around for a minute or two.

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There is definitely value in returning to the moon's surface, just not with civilians on a sightseeing tour. A flyby can basically be done with SpaceX's current tech. Landing requires a lander, return module, and rendezvous with the main capsule. A lot of the flight operations for those steps could probably be automated compared to the Apollo days, but it still massively complicates the mission compared to a flyby.

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

While absolutely cool, I do wonder why they're stopping there. To overly simplify it, didn't we land on the moon using basically a couple of tin cans, a motorolla cb radio and computing tech that could barely fit inside a Beetle? Surely between NASA and SpaceX they have the ability to make such a difficult mission way easier than it was when we first did it.

I'm happy for all involved and will be very excited to see it. I also understand that there might not be any value in returning to the moon's surface. I just figure: you went all that way, and not in a Sonata, so why not get out and look around for a minute or two.

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Simple answer is that they probably want dumb cargo, not astronauts trained to locate their position in space if the computer fails at any point.

Plus the moon is actually far away. Much further than the satellites. I think there are three teams who could be seriously posed to land on the moon this year for that big Google prize, but that's just with rovers

I should clarify that I would assume any future moon landing by humans would be manned by astronauts and not ticket buying citizens.

I think it's cool regardless, I just think I want to see some person stand on the moon in my lifetime.

Browns Super Bowl title or Direct flights from JFK to The Moon...whats first?

For any physics nerds. The author summers in Driggs and is awesome to drink a beer with. http://www.bjphysicsnotes.com

Shit we will have Everest type backups for moon landings before a Browns Super Bowl!

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Originally Posted by Brock Landers

Browns Super Bowl title or Direct flights from JFK to The Moon...whats first?

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I'll do you one better. Direct flights to the moon from LaGuardia with no delays and an upgraded Au Bon Pain before the Browns win a Super Bowl.

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

For any physics nerds. The author summers in Driggs and is awesome to drink a beer with. http://www.bjphysicsnotes.com

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Fucking awesome

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

I'll do you one better. Direct flights to the moon from LaGuardia with no delays and an upgraded Au Bon Pain before the Browns win a Super Bowl.

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LaGuardia will still smell like piss though

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

I'll do you one better. Direct flights to the moon from LaGuardia with no delays and an upgraded Au Bon Pain before the Browns win a Super Bowl.

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Heliskiing on Mars before the Browns win a superbowl.
Which is even odder considering the difficulty in flying a helicopter in mars' atmosphere and the lower gravity making the skiing suck.

Meh, I'm holding out for the steep and ultra deep of Jupiter (thanks to insane gravity) that will still become a reality before the Browns win the big one.

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Originally Posted by Brock Landers

LaGuardia will still smell like piss though

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It doesn't already?

It used to. And it still does. When the renovations get done it probably won't for a while. But then it will again.

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Originally Posted by iceman

It used to. And it still does. When the renovations get done it probably won't for a while. But then it will again.

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The history of LaGuardia in a nutshell. Just mention the Au Bon Pain and you're complete.

Talk about something the brainiacs over at NASA should be working on.

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Originally Posted by iceman

It used to. And it still does. When the renovations get done it probably won't for a while. But then it will again.

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They are working on lga and jfk at the same time? Jfk was the suck before they started.

Not so sure this is "real science", but I thought this was interesting considering in Hudson valley it has hit 65-70 3 days this week. Could be #fakenews though, and it is only 40% of the country.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...66570abcf7.jpg



These maps show how early spring is arriving in your state this year
https://news.google.com/news/amp?cau...f-e8c79ac2f80c

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

For any physics nerds. The author summers in Driggs and is awesome to drink a beer with. http://www.bjphysicsnotes.com

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Isn't Leon Lederman also a part time Driggs resident?

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Originally Posted by NoPostholio

They are working on lga and jfk at the same time?

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LGA they are currently working on, it's a huge project and will drastically change the place. JFK as far as I know is only a proposal at this time but I haven't been there for a couple of years and I'm not sure on that.

They started that stupid fucking hotel across from jet blue terminal. Not sure about actual airport infrastructure. How nice would it be to have a one seat train/subway ride into mid town from either of them. NY airports make you feel like your on the set of an '80s movie.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.cntra...ins-at-jfk/amp

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6b5de8cd75.jpg

Thanks for the story on the Solar Probe Plus! Dan. Truly amazing.