Science Memes

Would you fly to space in this? This article is about an amateur rocketeer at Copenhagen Suborbital who is getting closer to orbit. He is testing a new bi-liquid fuel combination for a hand-built, donation-funded, non-profit rocket. The group had made a TM65 rocket, alcohol and liquid oxygen powered. They carefully test fired the rocket for thirty seconds making seven hundred liters of propellant into raging power. Eventually this rocket will lead to the launch of the Tycho Brahe capsule, sending a single passenger to space. This capsule, or rocket, is as big as a MRI. Their goal is to ,"build a privately financed, amateur-designed space transport system, to probe you don't need the government funds to reach space." Copenhagen Suborbital launched its first rocket last year and have been editing it ever since. They hoped to make hybrid propellant rockets but found that the bi-liquid fuel solved some of the oscillation problems. They plan to test during the summer. I believe that this new idea will not only lead to more successful space explorations but a new understanding of how to build a rocket with no ones help. I also believe that the very small Tycho Brahe capsule changes the perspective of scientist and may add a second level of danger into space travel. With experiments come knowledge, with knowledge comes success. WORK CITED: Article and Picture: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-05/would-you-ride-pencil-shaped-space-capsule-space

The Danger in Commuting... It's Bad for You

When you drive to work you think about watching the rode, looking for any dangers that could affect your driving, but you do not think about the dangers of how many miles you travel. A new study is say that commuting is bad for you. Researchers decided that obesity is a huge issue facing Americans this day, so they plan on finding out what causes obesity, other than certain unhealthy food. To figure out if their hypothesis was correct, they used four thousand, two hundred and ninety-seven residents who live in the Dallas- Fort Worth or Austin Texas metropolitan area, and found evidence of their hypothesis to be correct. Scientist believe that the study will give information about biological outcomes and commuting distance, an understudied contributor to behavior that is needed among employed adults. It provides evidence about potential mediators in relationships spent driving and cardiovascular mortality. Commuting is now believed to take away exercise needed to lose weight that is gained during the day. When you drive in the car, you lose time to burn the fat that is being produced. The new study linked commuting to poor health from cardiovascular issues to obesity. Scientist worry that longer commutes may replace participation in physical activity. Not only that, but a longer commute distance may lead to reduction in overall energy. Yes, several mechanisms contribute to obesity, but now people who are exposed to heavy traffic resulting in higher stress levels and more time sitting, have something else to think about before they change everything else. I personally think that this proven idea is a good indicator that will help save gas, save the Earth and reduce the increasing amount of obesity. By doing so, there will be less fossil fuels being burned, less traffic, and may reduce the amount of people driving to lose weight. Now that there is more reason to be suspicious of obesity in certain distances traveled, people will start to become aware of how far they have traveled and how unsafe it is. Who knew driving could make you at risk of a stroke or heart attack? This may be the wake-up call people needed to get in shape for their own health and safety. I do agree with this accusation and believe it is important to consider it a possibility of obesity.