20 most recent
Wed, Dec. 9th, 2009, 09:21 am
Brian is making a hot chocolate run. It's nice having a Starbucks on campus some times...
Mon, Dec. 7th, 2009, 01:41 pm
NASA's new "Life on Mars?" paper...
One of the more interesting and exciting things that I have read in a long time... The paper argues strongly for the existence (at least at some point in the past) of native bacteria and microbes on Mars, based on fossil evidence found on multiple meteorites of Martian origin.
If this ends up being true, the fact that life has developed independently on two very different planets in one system (and the only two planets we've studied in any depth at that) means that planetary life in the universe is the rule, not the exception.
"Life on Mars: New Evidence from Martian Meteorites"
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/p
New data on Martian meteorite 84001 as well as new experimental studies show that thermal or shock decomposition of carbonate, the leading alternative non-biologic explanation for the unusual nanophase magnetite found in this meteorite, cannot explain the chemistry of the actual martian magnetites. This leaves the biogenic explanation as the only remaining viable hypothesis for the origin of these unique magnetites. Additional data from two other martian meteorites show a suite of biomorphs which are nearly identical between meteorites recovered from two widely different terrestrial environments (Egyptian Nile bottomlands and Antarctic ice sheets). This similarity argues against terrestrial processes as the cause of these biomorphs and supports an origin on Mars for these features.
If this ends up being true, the fact that life has developed independently on two very different planets in one system (and the only two planets we've studied in any depth at that) means that planetary life in the universe is the rule, not the exception.
"Life on Mars: New Evidence from Martian Meteorites"
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/p
New data on Martian meteorite 84001 as well as new experimental studies show that thermal or shock decomposition of carbonate, the leading alternative non-biologic explanation for the unusual nanophase magnetite found in this meteorite, cannot explain the chemistry of the actual martian magnetites. This leaves the biogenic explanation as the only remaining viable hypothesis for the origin of these unique magnetites. Additional data from two other martian meteorites show a suite of biomorphs which are nearly identical between meteorites recovered from two widely different terrestrial environments (Egyptian Nile bottomlands and Antarctic ice sheets). This similarity argues against terrestrial processes as the cause of these biomorphs and supports an origin on Mars for these features.
Mon, Dec. 7th, 2009, 11:21 am
Brian installed a new flow-through, drum-style humidifier on the furnace last night. Wooo!
Sat, Dec. 5th, 2009, 10:01 am
Brian is currently securely erasing the data on the two compact flash cards he is including in his camera auction.
Sat, Dec. 5th, 2009, 02:04 am
Brian has is old Rebel XT camera body, plus a pile of goodies listed on EBay. We'll see if I get what I want. :)
Thu, Dec. 3rd, 2009, 08:57 am
Brian has left the crowded and seasonally frozen or sweaty ranks of Winnipeg's transit riders... Not sure for how long, but it's nice for now!
Wed, Dec. 2nd, 2009, 07:17 pm
Brian was suprised that the surgeon offered to download Annette's x-rays to a USB drive, if I had one with me...
Wed, Dec. 2nd, 2009, 03:11 pm
Brian is waiting w/ Annette for her first post-surgery checkup. Might have some photos of the x-rays later...
Wed, Dec. 2nd, 2009, 11:21 am
Brian is home today with a goopy chest cold. Bleah.
Tue, Dec. 1st, 2009, 07:00 pm
Brian has discovered that Google Street View is now active in Winnipeg. Cool! Thx, e!
Tue, Dec. 1st, 2009, 08:02 am
Brian boggles.... Holy crap, it's December! Where the hell did that come from?!
Sun, Nov. 29th, 2009, 06:13 pm
Brian notes that the first quarter was excellent football. Why couldn't the Bombers play this well? (Besides the fact that they sucked...)
Sun, Nov. 29th, 2009, 05:14 pm
Brian is getting ready to watch the Grey Cup. Not sure who to cheer for this year....
Fri, Nov. 27th, 2009, 10:58 am
Brian is PO'd that while laptop screens are getting wider and wider, it's rare to find something with higher resolution than 1200x800 or so. 1995 called -- they want their screen back.