Science

AGU: Reduction In Commercial Flights Due To COVID-19 Leading To Less Accurate Weather Forecasts

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A commercial airplane on a runway. Courtesy/Bilal EL-Daou from Pixabay

AGU News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Weather forecasts have become less accurate during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the reduction in commercial flights, according to new research.

A new study in AGU’s journal Geophysical Research Letters finds the world lost 50-75 percent of its aircraft weather observations between March and May of this year, when many flights were grounded due to the pandemic.

Aircraft typically inform weather forecasts by recording information about air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure Read More

LANL: Atomtronic Device Could Probe Boundary Between Quantum, Everyday Worlds

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A schematic of an atomtronic SQUID shows semicircular traps that separate clouds of atoms, which quantum mechanically interfere when the device is rotated. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

A new device that relies on flowing clouds of ultracold atoms promises potential tests of the intersection between the weirdness of the quantum world and the familiarity of the macroscopic world experienced every day.

The atomtronic Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) also is potentially useful for ultrasensitive rotation measurements and as a component in quantum computers.

“In a conventional Read More

LANL Vs. COVID-19: Battling Virus On Three Fronts

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National Security Sciences Building at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Courtesy/LANL

Kelly Beierschmitt

By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com

It is common knowledge that Los Alamos National Laboratory is using science to fight COVID-19.

Its struggles to maintain a safe working environment for its staff and its efforts to help fellow New Mexicans cope with the impacts of the virus are less well known.

Safe Operations at LANL

LANL Deputy Director of Operations Kelly Beierschmitt spoke to the Los Alamos business community about LANL’s actions to protect its Read More

Space Exploration Moves From Sci-Fi Novel To Reality

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Astronomer Rick Wallace hosted a virtual presentation on manned space exploration, as a part of ScienceFest, which concluded Sunday. Courtesy/PEEC

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Space tourism and colonization seems like the stuff of science fiction, but as retired Los Alamos National Laboratory employee Rick Wallace explained Friday night, it is quickly becoming a reality.

Wallace hosted a virtual presentation titled, The Future of Manned Space Exploration, as a part of ScienceFest, which concluded Sunday.

His presentation touched on space exploration’s Read More

LAAC Announces 20X20 ScienceFest Art Challenge Winners

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The 20X20 ScienceFest Art Challenge first place winner in the teen category created by Elektra Caffrey. Courtesy/LAAC

The 20X20 ScienceFest Art Challenge first place winner in the adult category created by Renae Mitchell. Courtesy/LAAC

LAAC News:

Ten pieces of art lined the sidewalk July 7 through July 12 at Fuller Lodge Art Center.

The pieces were part of the Los Alamos Arts Council’s and Fuller Lodge Art Center’s 20X20 ScienceFest Art Challenge. The Los Alamos Creative District also contributed to the event.

Winners were selected in three categories:

  • Teen 1st Place- Elektra Caffrey, Teen
Read More

STEM Virtual Space Camp With Spaceport America July 20-24

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Spaceport America News:

SIERRA COUNTY – Spaceport America is hosting a free virtual space camp for children and parents to enrich at-home learning this summer.

The STEM with Spaceport America series blends arts and crafts with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiments.

The camp will feature Spaceport America’s new STEM mascots “Spirit and Sky”. The series has been made available to the New Mexico Public Education Department for virtual learning resources for the fall.

“With the current COVID-19 Safer at Home restrictions, many families won’t be taking their Read More

PEEC Celebrating Los Alamos ScienceFest Virtually

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PEEC hosted its third annual Electric Vehicle Show virtually Saturday during ScienceFest. The event included electric vehicle car owners and the Department of Public Utilities discussing how drivers can go electric. Photo by Rachel Landman/PEEC

PEEC News:

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center was excited to join in the fun of Los Alamos ScienceFest again this year.

This popular week long festival is happening virtually through this evening:

  • Today at 2 p.m. see a Virtual Screening of “Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story”Presented by Los Alamos County Environmental Services Department,
Read More

Neeper: The Complexity Of COVID

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By DON NEEPER
Formerly of Los Alamos

COVID-19 shocked the complex system that is our society. Our collective reactions to COVID might be as dangerous as the virus itself.

Society is one example of what scientists call a complex system—many actors (in this case people and institutions) altering individual moves based on responses of the other actors. Complex systems can have emergent system-wide patterns, like the schooling of fish or the fluctuations of the stock market.

Systems become complex as the number of contacts between actors increases. Within two human generations, the number of Read More

Join PEEC And DPU For Online Summer Camp

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ScienceFest Discovery Day 2019, PEEC and the DPU made s’mores in a solar oven. Courtesy/PEEC

PEEC and the DPU host an annual Water Festival but this year campers may get to enjoy some fun activities from this event in Conservation Camp. Courtesy/PEEC

PEEC News:

Would your child like to build a wind turbine, cook in a solar oven or craft a water filtration system? You are in luck! The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities are offering a new, online Conservation Camp!

This camp is for students entering 4th to 6th grade. The camp will take place Read More

Saturday’s Virtual Los Alamos ScienceFest Discovery Day 2020 Features STEM Advocate Miss America 2020, Live Demos And Discussions

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ScienceFest News:

The first virtual Los Alamos ScienceFest Discovery Day is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 11.

Attendees can login to the event app to view exhibitor profiles, engage in online content and videos, sign up for a chance to win raffle prizes and giveaways, and even tune in for live virtual discussions and demos.

The day will kick off at 10 a.m. with a live demo and Q&A from Miss America 2020, Miss Camille Schrier, a STEM advocate. Details for this event and others can be found on the app (desktop or mobile) as well as through the ScienceFest website in the Event Schedule section by clicking Read More