Science - Technology (STEM) News and Issues: Two Steps into the Future!

[Tami]

As a complement to the Politics Thread, I wanted to create a place to discuss Science, Technology, Math, Engineering, the Environment and related issues. The upsurge in mainstreaming and supporting Science in the first part of the 21st century seems to have been replaced by a near hatred of science, or at least a downgrading it to not-so-important.

Lets' test this out and see how much of a interest there still is in Science and Technology.

To start with:

Unprecedented U.S.-British project launches to study the world’s most dangerous glacier

The largest U.S.-British Antarctic mission in seven decades officially launched at an event in Cambridge on Monday, as the two countries pooled dollars and scientific resources for missions to West Antarctica’s Thwaites glacier — a Florida-size ice body that, scientists fear, could flood the world’s coastlines in our lifetimes.

“For global sea-level change in the next century, this Thwaites glacier is almost the entire story,” said David Holland, a geoscientist at New York University, who will pair with British Antarctic Survey researcher Keith Nicholls to lead one of the six scientific field missions.

Thwaites is wide and deep and flows out of the heart of West Antarctica, a marine ice sheet that could contribute about 10 feet of global sea-level rise. Thwaites is losing ice rapidly, with its 50 billion tons per year currently driving 4 percent of global sea-level rise, and sits perched in 2,600-foot-deep waters atop a seafloor “bump” that scientists fear is the last thing holding it in place.

How high will the sea levels have to rise before deniers become believers?

[Tami]

Another to start things off, here is some potential good news

Harnessing Remote Infrasound to Study Volcanic Eruptions

These findings highlight the potential for the IMS network to not only monitor the nuclear explosions for which it was designed but also detect—and even perform detailed studies of—volcanic eruptions occurring thousands of kilometers away. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB015182, 2018)

Basically, technology designed to monitor nuclear explosions might be used to predict volcanic eruptions.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

As a complement to the Politics Thread, I wanted to create a place to discuss Science, Technology, Math, Engineering, the Environment and related issues. The upsurge in mainstreaming and supporting Science in the first part of the 21st century seems to have been replaced by a near hatred of science, or at least a downgrading it to not-so-important.

Lets' test this out and see how much of a interest there still is in Science and Technology.

To start with:

Unprecedented U.S.-British project launches to study the world’s most dangerous glacier



How high will the sea levels have to rise before deniers become believers?

That depends on the person. While this opinion isn't at all substantiated by facts, I'm of the belief older people, those in their 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond don't care about climate change because by the time it has that feared and adverse effect on the world, they'll be dead and gone. Is it any wonder our SEVENTY-ONE year old president is in the denier camp while Barack Obama who was in his 40's when he took office was a believer. Politics as usual drives deniers, thinking it's either a liberal conspiracy or junk science, and, of course, the big oil lobby is working hard to keep everyone thinking climate change is rubbish.

Meanwhile, this is a good idea for a thread. As someone who regularly watches Science Channel, I'll do my best to contribute.

[Kirby101]

That depends on the person. While this opinion isn't at all substantiated by facts, I'm of the belief older people, those in their 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond don't care about climate change because by the time it has that feared and adverse effect on the world, they'll be dead and gone. Is it any wonder our SEVENTY-ONE year old president is in the denier camp while Barack Obama who was in his 40's when he took office was a believer. Politics as usual drives deniers, thinking it's either a liberal conspiracy or junk science, and, of course, the big oil lobby is working hard to keep everyone thinking climate change is rubbish.

Meanwhile, this is a good idea for a thread. As someone who regularly watches Science Channel, I'll do my best to contribute.

I know many older people, in fact most that I know care deeply about Climate Change. We came of age during the Environmental Movement. The first name that comes to mind is the 70 year old Al Gore.
In fact I have found many young people don't know or care about Climate Change.

[Tami]

Yale Climate Opinion Maps – U.S. 2016

These maps show how Americans’ climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy support vary at the state, congressional district, metro area, and county levels.

Concerns about climate change in the United States in 2015, by age group

This survey indicates the concerns about climate change in the United States as of May 2015, by age group. During this period, some 49 percent of adults between 30 and 49 years of age agreed that global climate change is a very serious problem.

Only two surveys, but they give a glimpse into attitudes towards Climate Change. There a re plenty of other surveys out there that would, when put together, would give a greater image of these attitudes.

[Kirby101]

Yale Climate Opinion Maps – U.S. 2016



Concerns about climate change in the United States in 2015, by age group



Only two surveys, but they give a glimpse into attitudes towards Climate Change. There a re plenty of other surveys out there that would, when put together, would give a greater image of these attitudes.

The second link is behind a wall. What did it say about age?

[PaulBullion]

There already is a science and tech thread:

http://community.comicbookresources....hlight=science

[Tami]

There already is a science and tech thread:

http://community.comicbookresources....hlight=science

Yeah, but it hasn't been posted in for over a year. Plus, it wasn't aimed so much at discussions and news reports in the style of the Politics thread. I'm hoping this one gets' more attention and more debate.

[Tami]

The second link is behind a wall. What did it say about age?

That's odd. There wasn't a wall when I look at it originally. Didn't copy down the data, didn't think I needed to.

I'll look for better statistics, but fornow I foudn this article

The climate change generation gap

A June 2014 Washington Post-ABC News poll asked a nationally representative sample of American respondents several questions about their support for climate policies. Specifically, those surveyed were asked whether they would be in favor of government greenhouse gas regulations that increased their monthly energy expenses by $20 per month. Overall, 63 percent of respondents expressed support for the proposed policy, including 51 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of Democrats.

Interestingly, there was a significant age gap among the responses. For Democrats under age 40, support for the policy proposal was 78 percent, as compared to 62 percent over age 65. Among Republicans, 61 percent under age 50 supported the proposed regulations, as compared to 44 percent over age 50. According to a Pew Research Center survey, younger Americans are also more likely to correctly answer that the planet is warming and that this warming is primarily due to human activities.

Which isn't the best way to do a survey since it throws in a qualifier that may lead respondents to a response they might not otherwise make.

I can't find a good, accessible survey that includes age as one factor.

[Jack Dracula]

As a complement to the Politics Thread, I wanted to create a place to discuss Science, Technology, Math, Engineering, the Environment and related issues. The upsurge in mainstreaming and supporting Science in the first part of the 21st century seems to have been replaced by a near hatred of science, or at least a downgrading it to not-so-important.

Lets' test this out and see how much of a interest there still is in Science and Technology.

To start with:

Unprecedented U.S.-British project launches to study the world’s most dangerous glacier



How high will the sea levels have to rise before deniers become believers?

Another problem to consider (and the writer of the article touched on very briefly) is the effect of the additional fresh water from all of that melting glacier. An extreme change in ocean salinity can disrupt warm trade currents and climates in specific regions.
https://www.theguardian.com/environm...global-warming

[Tendrin]

But guys it was cold today where I lived so there's nothing to worry about. Stop being so alarmist.

/s

[PaulBullion]

I read an article the other day on how scientists are doing research into which jellyfish are edible because we will see a lot more jellyfish and a lot less regular fish in years to come.

[MyriVerse]

I read an article the other day on how scientists are doing research into which jellyfish are edible because we will see a lot more jellyfish and a lot less regular fish in years to come.

I've had jellyfish, but it's just not tasty at all. Not bad, but it's all rubbery texture and zero taste. Future seafood is going to suck.

[Soubhagya]

Its a good idea for a thread. Political questions varies from place to place. But science is for everyone.

I am surprised that people say global warming like its some belief. Religious beliefs depend on hearing. A personal experience. But scientific stuff is unlike that. These are based on data. One can't deny scientific evidence. How are people able to deny that? Is there any opposing evidence?

[Tami]

Its a good idea for a thread. Political questions varies from place to place. But science is for everyone.

I am surprised that people say global warming like its some belief. Religious beliefs depend on hearing. A personal experience. But scientific stuff is unlike that. These are based on data. One can't deny scientific evidence. How are people able to deny that? Is there any opposing evidence?

I think, and mind you I have no evidence of it, that some people see Science as a Religion. They regard it the same way people of one religion look upon another, those who are close minded and not open to other ideas.