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Summer 2009
The fast-paced science magazine series NOVA scienceNOW returns this summer with a new, 10-week season full of fresh new perspectives, fascinating scientists, cutting-edge innovations, and provocative stories from the frontlines of science, technology, and medicine. Hosted by renowned author and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the series also introduces a brand-new correspondent this season, Ziya Tong (former host and producer of Wired Science).
Programming highlights to be featured this summer on NOVA scienceNOW:
• Synthetic Diamonds: A blindfolded Tyson is led to a top-secret “diamond farm” to investigate breakthroughs in the engineering of artificial diamonds. Indistinguishable from the real thing, these glittering, scientifically mastered creations may one day adorn more than ring fingers. They could replace silicon transistors in everything from supercomputers to high-speed electric trains. (NOTE: screener available for this segment)
• Hunting Hidden Planets: NOVA scienceNOW visits astronomers on the brink of finding “another Earth” in our galaxy with a new planet-hunting machine that will soon be operational: the Kepler telescope. This and other ingenious new techniques could turn up hundreds of Earth-like worlds and finally answer the age-old question: Are we alone?
• The Sounds of Science: Do you have what it takes to be a rock star? Neil Tyson tests his singing talents in a segment using “AutoTune,” the controversial computer pitch-correction software that turns sour notes into sweet ones.
• The Dinosaur Plague: Renowned paleontologist George Poinar—whose study of extinct creatures exquisitely preserved in amber partly inspired Jurassic Park—has announced his discovery of multiple clues to parasitic pandemics that could have been just as instrumental in wiping out the dinosaurs as the hypothesized asteroid impact.
• Anthrax Attack: Go behind the scenes with NOVA scienceNOW to explore the science that went into solving the case of the deadly anthrax attacks after 9/11 and the ingenious technique researchers developed to pinpoint the source. This revolutionary method also has the potential to identify the microbes responsible for everything from food-borne poisonings to deadly epidemics.
• The Moon Smasher: Tag along with a team of scientists at NASA who will smash two SUV-sized rockets onto the lunar surface and unleash a debris cloud to study with LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite). The data could provide the key to understanding how to build a permanent base on the moon, and findings could accelerate a new “race to the moon” and an era of “colonizing the stars.” NASA is enlisting the aid of amateur astronomers to witness and document this experiment.
Programming highlights to be featured this summer on NOVA scienceNOW:
• Synthetic Diamonds: A blindfolded Tyson is led to a top-secret “diamond farm” to investigate breakthroughs in the engineering of artificial diamonds. Indistinguishable from the real thing, these glittering, scientifically mastered creations may one day adorn more than ring fingers. They could replace silicon transistors in everything from supercomputers to high-speed electric trains. (NOTE: screener available for this segment)
• Hunting Hidden Planets: NOVA scienceNOW visits astronomers on the brink of finding “another Earth” in our galaxy with a new planet-hunting machine that will soon be operational: the Kepler telescope. This and other ingenious new techniques could turn up hundreds of Earth-like worlds and finally answer the age-old question: Are we alone?
• The Sounds of Science: Do you have what it takes to be a rock star? Neil Tyson tests his singing talents in a segment using “AutoTune,” the controversial computer pitch-correction software that turns sour notes into sweet ones.
• The Dinosaur Plague: Renowned paleontologist George Poinar—whose study of extinct creatures exquisitely preserved in amber partly inspired Jurassic Park—has announced his discovery of multiple clues to parasitic pandemics that could have been just as instrumental in wiping out the dinosaurs as the hypothesized asteroid impact.
• Anthrax Attack: Go behind the scenes with NOVA scienceNOW to explore the science that went into solving the case of the deadly anthrax attacks after 9/11 and the ingenious technique researchers developed to pinpoint the source. This revolutionary method also has the potential to identify the microbes responsible for everything from food-borne poisonings to deadly epidemics.
• The Moon Smasher: Tag along with a team of scientists at NASA who will smash two SUV-sized rockets onto the lunar surface and unleash a debris cloud to study with LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite). The data could provide the key to understanding how to build a permanent base on the moon, and findings could accelerate a new “race to the moon” and an era of “colonizing the stars.” NASA is enlisting the aid of amateur astronomers to witness and document this experiment.
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I opened a network Cafe Scientifique in Mississippi. However, the group hasn't approved it yet. I wanted to get them to see what an advantage it would be to have a network on Ning by presenting them with an example. Then I missed the meeting. So I do not know if I will keep the network open or not.
A group here sounds great. First I want to get the MS group's permission. The group I am associated with is mostly run by professors of Mississippi State, who have been making wonderful presentations at a local bar and grill on a monthly basis.
Do, please keep me posted. Wherever you go, I suspect the MS group will want to follow--or at least link-up. Ditto from my side.
Are there Cafe Scientifique guidelines I should know about? I haven't taken the time to carefully study the cafescientifique.org website as carefully as I should have. No time.
I have a NetworkShrub concept I am promoting. By linking networks, public and private, you create a NetworkShrub. Each network uses public and private groups to make the interlinking/networking/collaboration extremely versatile and effective. I know that this is being done now by many, but when I offer to sell my services in setting up and managing networks, I call the practice NetworkShrub.
Point is, the network for Cafe Scientifique is to me a volunteer effort to help improve the science literacy of the general public, a way to gain experience in networking, and to spread the idea of the NetworkShrub by example. Consequently, I will be sending tendrils out in several directions to see what connections I can make. It is fun. A bit like blogging, in fact.
Nuff said. Oh, is this network now private? I had to sign in. Because you are moving it? Or because it is still in the set-up stage. If so, my, my, didn't I luck out!
Look for updates in my blog at MyPage here. That way, you can take a look when you have time--and it won't get lost in the tons of email I am sure you deal with daily. I'll email when things are settled.
til next time--val
I am looking for a network for Cafe Scientifique. I want to open one for our local group, but might find it easier to be part of a larger encompassing network. Do you consider the sciencecafes.org to be part of the Cafe Scientifique movement?