Science

Federal Agencies Take Safety Steps As New Mexico Tests For Fungus Causing Bat Disease

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Western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis), one of many bat species found in New Mexico caves and abandoned mines. Photo by Kenneth Ingham, copyright 2016
 
University of New Mexico research team member Eddie Strach takes a sample of bat guano in Carlsbad Cavern in March 2018. Photo by Kenneth Ingham, copyright 2018
 
Research leader Diana Northup of the University of New Mexico enters a New Mexico cave in March 2018 to collect samples to test for P. destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats. Photo by Kenneth Ingham, copyright 2018
 
STATE News:
 
Federal
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PEEC: Explore Dark Matter At Planetarium Friday

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Courtesy/PEEC
 
PEEC News:
 
Unearth the mysteries of Dark Matter and Dark Energy this weekend at the Los Alamos Nature Center’s planetarium. At 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 17 Galen Gisler will give a talk called “The Dark Side of the Universe” that will explore these phenomena. The following day, the nature center will show the full-dome film “Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter” to dive further into this fascinating subject.
 
Astrophysicists and cosmologists attempt to understand the universe by studying the radiation that comes to us from outer space. Visible, ultraviolet
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Los Alamos Middle School Hawk Hangout Friday

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Time out for Pizza sponsored a STEM Solar Smores project, for National Smores Day Friday at the Los Alamos and White Rock Youth Activity Centers. This Friday the DWI Council and Rotary Stars will host a special event for Los Alamos Middle School students 6-9 p.m. at the Los Alamos Youth Center. Free burgers and drinks will be served to the first 80 students showing their ID or a print out of their class schedule. Call 662.9412. Courtesy photo
 
Courtesy photo
 
YAC News:
 
This Friday, the Los Alamos Youth Activity Center and the DWI Planning Council, will host a very special Hawk Hangout
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Udall, Heinrich, Lujan Grisham Announce $3.5 Million In NSF Grants To UNM For Transmission Electron Microscope, Professional Development For HS Teachers

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UNM News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Monday two funding awards to the University of New Mexico (UNM), totaling $3.5 million, from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
 
The awards will enable UNM to acquire a transmission electron microscope for state-of-the-art research, and will fund the creation of an online professional development program for high school science and mathematics teachers. Together, these initiatives aim to enhance science and computer education for students across
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LANL: Two Los Alamos Scientists Named American Geophysical Union Fellows

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S. Peter Gary
 
LANL News:
 
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) named two Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists fellows in recognition of their leadership and excellence in Earth and space sciences.
 
Geoffrey D. Reeves and S. Peter Gary are among 62 new fellows who will be honored at AGU’s annual conference in December in Washington, D.C. Only 0.1 percent of AGU’s 60,000-plus member scientists are named fellows each year, according to the international organization.
 
Reeves has been involved in numerous NASA and national security missions, most recently the
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NASA Awards UbiQD Of Los Alamos Contract To Develop Greenhouse Films For Space Missions

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Growing Opportunities is hosting UbiQD’s first commercial greenhouse pilot project in Alcalde. This false color photo shows the Dutch-style greenhouse where UbiGro™ Film is boosting the weight yield of tomatoes. Courtesy/UbiQD, Inc.

Artist’s rendition of a quantum dot enhanced lunar greenhouse. Courtesy/UbiQD, Inc.

NASA News:

  • Phase I STTR will fund a collaboration with the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center to develop and test quantum dot materials for maximizing crop yields on the Moon, Mars, or other long-term space missions

UbiQD, Inc., a Los Alamos-based Read More

American Geophysical Union Announces 2018 Fellows

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AGU News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Geophysical Union (AGU) Friday announced its 2018 Fellows, an honor given to individual AGU members who have made exceptional scientific contributions and gained prominence in their respective fields of Earth and space sciences.
 
Since the AGU Fellows program was established in 1962, and according to the organization’s bylaws, no more than 0.01 percent of the total membership of AGU is recognized annually. This year’s class of Fellows are geographically diverse coming from 21 countries.
 
“AGU Fellows are recognized for their
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Pajarito Astronomers Dark Night Saturday

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PAJARITO ASTRONOMERS News:
 
The Pajarito Astronomers are hosting a County-Sponsored Dark Night starting at 8 p.m. (sunset), Saturday, Aug. 11 at Spirio Soccer Field at Overlook Park in White Rock.
 
Weather permitting, the public is invited to come out, wander among the telescopes, and star gaze. The planets Venus, a brilliant Mars, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and its rings, Neptune and Uranus will potentially be visible during the evening. There will be a tour of the summer constellations and there will be telescope views of double stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies.
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Study Reveals How Sand Dunes Alter Seismic Waves

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Barchan dune geometry, in reality and the simulations. (a) Image of an isolated Qatari barchan dune from an aerial drone, courtesy of Sylvain Michel. (b) Elevation profile of the same barchan, from data courtesy of Michel Louge. (c) Mesh generated model of the same dune. The red arrow indicates the location of the point force for the simulation in the video. Courtesy/AGU
 
AGU News:
 
Sand dunes may be lovely to behold, but they have long been seismic troublemakers to geophysicists trying to detect what lies underground nearby. A new study takes a stab at figuring out just how dunes are
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DOJ: New Forensics Technology Group Members

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DOJ News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Office of Justice Programs’ National Institute of Justice Wednesday announced important advances to improve federal coordination with state and local forensic science laboratories.
 
As part of this effort, the department is announcing the newly selected members of the recently created Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG). The effort underscores the department’s commitment to creating an effective network of crime labs across the country. The working group will provide objective and independent knowledge and
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