OT: Proper science from The Guardian: Dark matter detected

18 December, 2009 by

Simulation of dark matter coalescing

Simulation of dark matter coalescing

… as opposed to the politicised, corrupt, distorted and manufactured science of “global warming”.

For 80 years, it has eluded the finest minds in science. But tonight it appeared that the hunt may be over for dark matter, the mysterious and invisible substance that accounts for three-quarters of the mass of the universe.

In a series of coordinated announcements at several US laboratories, researchers said they believed they had captured dark matter in a defunct iron ore mine half a mile underground. The claim, if confirmed next year, will rank as one the most spectacular discoveries in physics in the past century.

Tantalising glimpses of dark matter particles were picked up by highly sensitive detectors at the bottom of the Soudan mine in Minnesota, the scientists said.

Dan Bauer, head of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS), said the group had spotted two particles with all the expected characteristics of dark matter. There is a one in four chance that the result is due to some other effect in the underground detectors, Bauer told a seminar at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, near Chicago.

Rumours that Bauer’s group was on the verge of making an announcement surfaced on physicists’ blogs a few weeks ago. Though tentative, tonight’s results triggered an immediate wave of excitement in the science community.

“If they have a real signal, it’s a seriously big deal. The scale on which people are looking for dark matter is vast,” said Gerry Gilmore at Cambridge University’s institute of astronomy. “Dark matter is what created the structure of the universe and is essentially what holds it together. When ordinary matter falls into lumps of dark matter it turns into galaxies, stars, planets and people. Without it, we wouldn’t be here,” Gilmore said.

If confirmed, it would be one of the greatest discoveries in cosmology, and will add hugely to our understanding of the universe.

And that, by the way, is how science should be done, free from political and financial interference, and with no pre-determined agenda. It is in stark contrast to the pseudo-scientific circus currently concluding in Copenhagen.

Read it here.

Filed Under: General Science Tagged With:

OT: Rudd the denier

18 November, 2009 by

You can tell when he's lying - his lips move (allegedly)

You can tell when he's being economical with the truth - his lips move

Just as Kevin Rudd denies that there are any problems with the climate models relied on by the IPCC, and just as he denies that there is any debate to be had on climate change, he also denies that the special deal offered to the Sri Lankans aboard the Oceanic Viking is a special deal at all. The Opposition can see it’s a special deal. The Sri Lankans themselves can see it’s a special deal, because why else would they have left the customs vessel at all? Anyone with half a brain in his head can see it’s a special deal. But not Rudd or his government, who continue to swear blind that black is white. Andrew Bolt does the demolition better than I can:

No special deal? Here’s the offer that the Tamils actually received:

“1. If UNHCR has found you to be a refugee – Australian officials will assist you to be resettled within four to six weeks from the time you disembark the vessel.”

The rest of the Tamils were promised help to get processed as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, with the lucky ones “resettled within 12 weeks”. Probably here.

And there were promises of English classes, daily help, contact with families back home, and more.

This was a deal so special that Rudd refused in Parliament to offer it to the other 2000 UNHCR-approved refugees in Indonesia also waiting to get here, or to the many thousands more boat people yet to be assessed there.

It was so special that Indonesian officials say they must separate the Oceanic Viking asylum seekers from other boat people in detention in case they’re attacked out of jealousy.

Let me explain how special this deal was. Australian lawyer Jessie Taylor, who has visited 11 Indonesian detention centres, reports “it is not uncommon for people to wait 24 to 36 months between their initial registration and their refugee status determination”.

What’s more, “positive findings of refugee status are meaningless in the current context, as there is no prospect of third country resettlement”.

So contrast. Rudd promised to resettle the UNHCR-approved refugees on the Oceanic Viking within just six weeks – and almost certainly in Australia.

If they were in Indonesia, they might wait for years. Indeed, some have waited so long there already that they’ve married Indonesians.

For the others, Rudd offered assessment and resettlement in just 12 weeks, when boat people in Indonesia can wait three years just to have their UNHCR claims finalised.

The moral of all this: you can’t trust Rudd to tell the truth on anything, and that includes climate change.

Read it here.

Filed Under: Aussie Politics Tagged With: ,

OT: Coalition claws back 14% in Newspoll

3 November, 2009 by

Probably due to Rudd’s disastrous policy on asylum seekers. Slightly less reason then to pander to Rudd’s demands on the ETS.

Read it here.

Filed Under: Climate Tagged With: , ,