news sciences

Via Twitter via ClimateDepot (hold your nose) we come to RealClear Investigations which quotes Lindzen as saying, inter alia, They should probably cut the funding by 80 to 90 percent until the field cleans up… Climate science has been set back two generations, and they have destroyed its intellectual foundations.” This is classic crusty old boy down the club stuff: it was all better when he were a lad, and so on. Just to remind you, I declared Linden emeritus in 2011, but he only became a shark-jumper in 2013. Although now I look he was pretty wacky even back in 2005 (older readers may remember 2005). There’s also a piece in which I side-swipe his work: his contribution and status is often over-stated.

The rest of the article appears to be a not very interesting collection of quotes from the usual suspects about what Trump might do. But my eye was caught by Nevertheless, new organizations like the CO2 Coalition, founded in 2015, suggest the debate is more evenly matched intellectually than is commonly portrayed. In addition to Happer, the CO2 Coalition’s initial members include scholars with ties to world-class institutions like MIT… The language here is characteristically evasive, as it so often is when talking about the “skeptic” bench, in order to hide the thinness of the lineup. “with ties to” is weak, and none of them are named. So I pop across to co2coalition.org and am greeted by a picture of happy smiling people ~~eating lard~~ and the words “CARBON DIOXIDE IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE Learn the facts about the vital role that CO2 plays in our environment” which doesn’t sound very new; I’m sure I’ve heard that message before, but it is too dull to be worth looking up¹. Anyway, the question was, “who are these bozos?” and the answer is, of course, the standard set: one or two you’ve heard of before and a pile of non-entities.

The ones you’ve heard of are the afore-mentioned Lindzen, Roy “sad lonely and wrong” Spencer – probably now the most credible one such an organisation could hope for, and probably the only one left still doing science. Otherwise its Happer, Idso, Michaels… and then tails off into blanks. Just where is Trump going to get all the hordes that the denialists are hoping will flood in? Perhaps that’s why Lindzen is so keen to cut the numbers: somehow the absence of anyone with any credibility on the “skeptic” side has to be hidden.

Notes

1. http://ift.tt/2hAcDhV has some useful history: “established in 2015 from the remains of the now-defunct George C. Marshall Institute” and appears to have rather the same views as CO2 science.

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2hAdW0g

Notes

1. http://ift.tt/2hAcDhV has some useful history: “established in 2015 from the remains of the now-defunct George C. Marshall Institute” and appears to have rather the same views as CO2 science.

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2hAdW0g

Makeblock mBot Add-on Pack-Six-legged Robot [Greg Laden's Blog]

The Makeblock mBot Add-on Pack-Six-legged Robot V1.1 is an add on for the Makeblock DIY mBot 1.1 Kit (Bluetooth Version) – STEM Education – Arduino – Scratch 2.0 – Programmable Robot Kit for Kids to Learn Coding & Robotics – Pink or any of its variants.

The makeblock robot is an arduino technology robot. It can be controlled with a supplied controller, or operated from any of several different kinds of computing devices (such as your cell phone) using an app. It can be programmed using the Arduino interface (from a Mac, Windows or Linux computer), but the robot comes with built in capabilities so you won’t need to do that to operate it. Note that the app-based controls provide more functionality than the hand held IR control.

But here we are talking about making that robot into a six legged insect with an add on package.

The add on package consists of the leggy parts of the photograph above. With this add on installed, the robot walks instead of rolls on wheels.

I love the Makeblock Robot and this is a great add on, but before you start investing in this system you need to know a couple of things.

Makeblock itself makes well designed and interesting robots and add ons, but they also produce several slightly different versions of everything they do. They all seem to work fine but there are many differences you will want to track. For instance, when buying a robot make sure you get one with bluetooth, because you will enjoy controlling the robot with your phone, where you will have more options than with the supplied IR controller. When choosing a leg upgrade, there are several options, though I think they all have the same basic parts. Each expansion pack allows you to make a six legged robot (the beetle robot) or a mantis robot, or a crazy frog robot. The kits I know of are:

I would go for the cheapest one, which at the moment, is this one. Whatever you do, don’t spend more than about 30 bucks.

The basic idea is this: The main back wheels of the mBot robot serve as cams for a set of levers. To get a six legged robot, the first lever is attached off center to the wheel, and thus acts like a piston as the wheel rotates. This then drives all the other levers in a series of crude step like movements. The other variants use a similar principle.

Tips and hints for building the mBot legged robot extensions:

This is a DIY kit. Therefore, the manufacturers have less than the usual interest in keeping their product exactly the same for every iteration. This probably contributes to the plethora of seemingly similar but maybe slightly different versions. So, the first hint is to look at the pictures and descriptions closely to see if you can figure out exactly what you are getting, and then, don’t expect the instructions to necessarily exactly match the product. They usually do, but beware.

If something doesn’t seem quite right, check the instructions to see if you screwed up. Whether or not you screwed up, remember: DIY project. Fish some additional bits out of your box of extra parts, figure it out.

The biggest limitation of the robots, especially the six-legged version, is the surface on which they are walking. I have two suggestions that may allow them to be able to turn on a carpet and to keep traction on slipper tile. First, maybe add length to the legs so the thing rides up higher. Second, add feet. Feet that provided a bit more traction would help on tile. Perhaps a simple wrap of electric tape will do this. Feet that are flat attached to the bottom of the legs, like little snow shoes, should both increase traction and allow better turning on shag carpets. If you are going to have this robot chase around your cat, you are going to have to handle a variety of surfaces. We are playing around with some of these ideas.

The kit comes with what are called “lock nuts.” But really, they are “hard to screw on nuts.” They are designed to not unwind themselves to fall off this highly energetic device. Two hints will make their use more effective.

use a socket from a socket wrench kit to hold the nuts when you are screwing in the bolt. This will work better then the little wrench the kit supplies, or your fingers.
there may be some places where the instructions don’t tell you to use a lock nut, but you will want to anyway. You will discover these when the nuts start falling off as you use the robot.

In the six legged build, shown at the top of the post, notice that the wheels do not have their tires. Take the tires off. In our kit, the instructions did not say to do that.

Instructions for making the Mantis, and Crazy Frog configurations

The six legged adapter kit allows you to make three configurations. The most complex one is the Beetle, which uses six legs. The other two, Crazy Frog and Mantis, are much simpler.

Instructions are provided to make the Beetle. To make the other two, look at the back of the box and, well, DIY!

If the pictures on the back of the box are not clear, the following images may help:

Mantis configuration

Crazy frog configuration

Notice that with the Mantis, I think you keep the tires on the back wheels. With the crazy frog, you take the tire off.

Have fun!

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2ijjz7p

But here we are talking about making that robot into a six legged insect with an add on package.

The add on package consists of the leggy parts of the photograph above. With this add on installed, the robot walks instead of rolls on wheels.

I love the Makeblock Robot and this is a great add on, but before you start investing in this system you need to know a couple of things.

I would go for the cheapest one, which at the moment, is this one. Whatever you do, don’t spend more than about 30 bucks.

Tips and hints for building the mBot legged robot extensions:

use a socket from a socket wrench kit to hold the nuts when you are screwing in the bolt. This will work better then the little wrench the kit supplies, or your fingers.
there may be some places where the instructions don’t tell you to use a lock nut, but you will want to anyway. You will discover these when the nuts start falling off as you use the robot.

In the six legged build, shown at the top of the post, notice that the wheels do not have their tires. Take the tires off. In our kit, the instructions did not say to do that.

Instructions for making the Mantis, and Crazy Frog configurations

The six legged adapter kit allows you to make three configurations. The most complex one is the Beetle, which uses six legs. The other two, Crazy Frog and Mantis, are much simpler.

Instructions are provided to make the Beetle. To make the other two, look at the back of the box and, well, DIY!

If the pictures on the back of the box are not clear, the following images may help:

Mantis configuration

Crazy frog configuration

Notice that with the Mantis, I think you keep the tires on the back wheels. With the crazy frog, you take the tire off.

Have fun!

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2ijjz7p

Ask Ethan: Why doesn’t Earth’s atmosphere turn sunlight into rainbows? (Synopsis) [Starts With A Bang]

“It’s a brilliant surface in that sunlight. The horizon seems quite close to you because the curvature is so much more pronounced than here on earth. It’s an interesting place to be. I recommend it.” -Neil Armstrong

There are many impressive optical phenomena that we can see with our own eyes here on Earth. The right configuration of raindrops or ice crystals can produce rainbows, shining light through a prism will separate it into its individual wavelengths, and from high altitudes in the pre-sunrise or post-sunset skies, a full spectrum of colors become visible.

From very high altitudes in the pre-sunrise or post-sunset skies, a spectrum of colors can be seen, but it isn’t due to the same rainbow effects you’re used to. Public domain image.

Yet despite the beauty and similarities of these phenomena, they don’t arise from the same physics. While ice, water, glass or acrylic will slow down light to anywhere from 66% to 76% of its vacuum speed, air itself will only knock it down to 99.97% of its initial value. In fact, you have to look extremely hard — and under ideal conditions — to see any evidence of atmospheric refraction at all.

$The rising or setting Sun (or Moon) can produce an image of greener or even bluer light atop it (L) and redder light beneath it (R), due to the minuscule refractive effects of Earth's atmosphere. Images credit: Mario Cogo (L) and Stefan Seip (R).$

The rising or setting Sun (or Moon) can produce an image of greener or even bluer light atop it (L) and redder light beneath it (R), due to the minuscule refractive effects of Earth’s atmosphere. Images credit: Mario Cogo (L) and Stefan Seip (R).

Why doesn’t our atmosphere turn sunlight into rainbows? And how does the blue day sky and the red sunset/sunrise sky work? Find out on this week’s Ask Ethan!

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2hWD7LN

“It’s a brilliant surface in that sunlight. The horizon seems quite close to you because the curvature is so much more pronounced than here on earth. It’s an interesting place to be. I recommend it.” -Neil Armstrong

From very high altitudes in the pre-sunrise or post-sunset skies, a spectrum of colors can be seen, but it isn’t due to the same rainbow effects you’re used to. Public domain image.

Why doesn’t our atmosphere turn sunlight into rainbows? And how does the blue day sky and the red sunset/sunrise sky work? Find out on this week’s Ask Ethan!

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2hWD7LN

December Pieces Of My Mind #3 [Aardvarchaeology]

If you’re a bricklayer with unusually high qualifications, being unemployed is frustrating. But very few customers in the construction business make any kind of public promise to always employ the most qualified bricklayer. Now imagine that they did. Imagine that it were illegal for builders to employ anyone but the most qualified bricklayer. And imagine our bricklayer’s frustration when poorly qualified colleagues, who didn’t even quote a lower price, got the jobs anyway. Imagine that. And welcome to academia.
Let’s all refer to the 19th century historian C.G. Styffe as “Stiffie”.
Much-needed encouragement: a colleague wrote me to ask if I would please do this small job that not many people have experience of, and also give a talk about some relevant work of mine to a crowd of contract archaeologists.
Swedish mountains are kind of wimpy. Norway’s highest peak is almost 400 m higher than our highest one.
Played Jeff Buckley’s recording of “Hallelujah” to Jrette and she put her head on my shoulder.
Looking at the distribution of some find categories across the 14th century fortified manor Bjärkaholm. Documentation of where each individual find was made was completely ad hoc. No grid system. For find #405 for instance, a piece of Korsbetningen type lamellar armour, the find context is given as “Between the long cut. Near αα. 1914?”. *facepalm*
The scenic yet inconveniently located Lännersta Inlet keeps me from taking a long walk northward from my home.
Saw a teenage girl walking around outdoors while reading a 1980s copy of Ende’s Never-ending Story.
I once met a weed-smoking Dutch lawyer with only one ball.
My wife invited an Hazara tailor from Afghanistan and his family plus their interpreter friend over for lunch. Lovely people. Kids speak excellent Swedish. I taught them Pitch Car and Qwirkle. And I was particularly pleased to meet interpreter Ali again. He’s picked up Swedish in no time.
The Swedish Skeptics are the subject of a long attack feature in the current issue of the country’s biggest extreme-right hate paper. We are all very proud!
Dreamed that I had hair again. And that I parachuted into a city wearing only my dressing gown. When I landed I asked where I was. “Latvia”.
Saw this ~28ish guy in elaborate punk costume on the train. His jacket celebrated the Swedish punk band Asta Kask whose first EP appeared in 1982. Under it he wore a G.G. Allin teeshirt (obiit 1993). How does a young man become a punk antiquary?
Time spent doing research on tax-free funding cannot be discounted when the unemployment fund determines whether you have worked enough in the recent past to qualify for the dole. Time spent in forced treatment for drug addiction, however, is discounted.
When you’re doing something fiddly with one hand and realise that you’re making some spazzy random gesture with the other. Embarrassing. (Yeah, yeah, nudge nudge etc.)
This is really badass. I’ve never seen this before. A scientist has retracted a journal paper — not because of scientific fraud, but simply because continued research has disproven the paper’s main claim! Respect!
So folks didn’t like 2016. Do we expect celebrity deaths and brown-shirted politics to respect the calendar year? Of course not.

Abandoned club house, Svartkärrsberget Hill

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2hEx4PK

If you’re a bricklayer with unusually high qualifications, being unemployed is frustrating. But very few customers in the construction business make any kind of public promise to always employ the most qualified bricklayer. Now imagine that they did. Imagine that it were illegal for builders to employ anyone but the most qualified bricklayer. And imagine our bricklayer’s frustration when poorly qualified colleagues, who didn’t even quote a lower price, got the jobs anyway. Imagine that. And welcome to academia.
Let’s all refer to the 19th century historian C.G. Styffe as “Stiffie”.
Much-needed encouragement: a colleague wrote me to ask if I would please do this small job that not many people have experience of, and also give a talk about some relevant work of mine to a crowd of contract archaeologists.
Swedish mountains are kind of wimpy. Norway’s highest peak is almost 400 m higher than our highest one.
Played Jeff Buckley’s recording of “Hallelujah” to Jrette and she put her head on my shoulder.
Looking at the distribution of some find categories across the 14th century fortified manor Bjärkaholm. Documentation of where each individual find was made was completely ad hoc. No grid system. For find #405 for instance, a piece of Korsbetningen type lamellar armour, the find context is given as “Between the long cut. Near αα. 1914?”. *facepalm*
The scenic yet inconveniently located Lännersta Inlet keeps me from taking a long walk northward from my home.
Saw a teenage girl walking around outdoors while reading a 1980s copy of Ende’s Never-ending Story.
I once met a weed-smoking Dutch lawyer with only one ball.
My wife invited an Hazara tailor from Afghanistan and his family plus their interpreter friend over for lunch. Lovely people. Kids speak excellent Swedish. I taught them Pitch Car and Qwirkle. And I was particularly pleased to meet interpreter Ali again. He’s picked up Swedish in no time.
The Swedish Skeptics are the subject of a long attack feature in the current issue of the country’s biggest extreme-right hate paper. We are all very proud!
Dreamed that I had hair again. And that I parachuted into a city wearing only my dressing gown. When I landed I asked where I was. “Latvia”.
Saw this ~28ish guy in elaborate punk costume on the train. His jacket celebrated the Swedish punk band Asta Kask whose first EP appeared in 1982. Under it he wore a G.G. Allin teeshirt (obiit 1993). How does a young man become a punk antiquary?
Time spent doing research on tax-free funding cannot be discounted when the unemployment fund determines whether you have worked enough in the recent past to qualify for the dole. Time spent in forced treatment for drug addiction, however, is discounted.
When you’re doing something fiddly with one hand and realise that you’re making some spazzy random gesture with the other. Embarrassing. (Yeah, yeah, nudge nudge etc.)
This is really badass. I’ve never seen this before. A scientist has retracted a journal paper — not because of scientific fraud, but simply because continued research has disproven the paper’s main claim! Respect!
So folks didn’t like 2016. Do we expect celebrity deaths and brown-shirted politics to respect the calendar year? Of course not.

Abandoned club house, Svartkärrsberget Hill

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2hEx4PK