World

Letter To The Editor: Note On Trump’s UNGA Address

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By DR. T. DOUGLAS REILLY
Los Alamos
 
Tuesday I read a transcript of and Guardian article on President Trump’s address to the UN General Assembly with sadness and disbelief. The book title, Cry the Beloved Country, comes to mind; also the quote of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, “there never was a good war, or a bad peace…”
 
“When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn?”
 
“the dead have seen the end of war” (Plato)
 
I wish to add President John Quincy Adams definition of a leader:
 
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and
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World Futures: Accuracy and Precision (Part Two)

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World Futures: What Do We Need?
By ANDY ANDREWS
Los Alamos World Futures Institute
    
In the last column we looked at some definitions of accuracy, precision, and randomness, ending by considering how accurately we need to know the value of Pi. 

Now, let’s consider how we measure things in the world, both scientifically and in human activity. Human activity includes the things we do in everyday life (like buying a gallon of gasoline, or is it a liter) and how we function interactively in society (like buying a gallon of gasoline).

The International System of Units (abbreviated Read More

Pearce: Chinese Action Against North Korea Is Sign U.S. Is A Global Leader

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U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce
 
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce Sept. 21 released the following statement after President Trump announced increased United States (U.S.) sanctions on North Korea following China’s central bank decision to limit North Korea’s access to Chinese financial institutions:
 
“North Korea’s continuing work on a nuclear weapons program poses a significant threat to global stability. Isolating the rogue regime relies heavily on China, as the nation has historically been a major trading partner with North
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Heinrich, Sarbanes Lead Democratic Coalition Calling On FEC To Help Prevent Foreign Governments From Using Social Media Ads To Influence U.S. Elections

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U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and U.S. Representatives John Sarbanes (D-Md.) and John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) have led a coalition of Democratic House and Senate members in sending a letter to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) urging the agency to consider new rules that would prevent foreign nationals from using online advertising platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, to influence U.S. elections.
 
Following the revelation that Russia purchased
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LANL Director Shares Insights At Radioactive And Hazardous Materials Committee Meeting At UNM-LA

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Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan speaks to legislators at the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee meeting Thursday at UNM-LA. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
 
From left, Sen. Carlos Cisneros, Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, Rep. Steven Smith and Sen. Richard Martinez listen to the Lab Director’s presentation. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
 
LANL Director Charlie McMillan, left, responds to a question about Lab safety from Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, right. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
 
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NORAD: U.S. Sends Search And Rescue Teams In Response To Mexico Earthquake

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U.S. Urban Search and Rescue team arrives in Mexico. Courtesy/NORAD
 
NORAD News:
 
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. ― At the request of the Mexican government, a U.S. Urban Search and Rescue team arrived in Mexico to support search and rescue efforts after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the country. 
 
USAID has deployed USAR internationally approximately 16 times since 1988, most recently for the 2015 Nepal earthquake and the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.
 
Below are links to relevant imagery from the U.S. Air Force’s transport of United States personnel
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Los Alamos National Laboratory Gains Role In High-Performance Computing For Materials Program

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 The Trinity Supercomputer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

  • Companies to compete for inclusion, workshop in October

A new high-performance computing (HPC) initiative announced this week by the U.S. Department of Energy will help U.S. industry accelerate the development of new or improved materials for use in severe environments.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, with a strong history in the materials science field, will be taking an active role in the initiative.

“Understanding and predicting material performance under extreme environments is a foundational Read More

LANL: Pew! Pew! Curiosity’s ChemCam Zaps Half Million Martian Rocks!

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 A graph illustrating the number of laser shots by ChemCam per Martian day (or ‘sol’). Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

  • ChemCam instrument aboard Mars Curiosity rover passes milestone

Late Tuesday, the ChemCam instrument that sits atop NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover fired its 500,000th shot at a Martian rock. That’s big news for the ChemCam team at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which developed the instrument in conjunction with CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) in France and continues to help direct operations.

Data collected from ChemCam has helped quantify elements like hydrogen, Read More

Science On Tap: How Lab Scientists Use Biochemistry To Better Understand And Mend The Planet

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Los Alamos Creative District News:

The Earth is a complex place. The field of biogeochemistry seeks to better understand the links between geologic, chemical and biological processes. The community is invited to learn more at Science On Tap 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21 at UnQuarked Wine Bar, 145 Central Park Square. The American Chemical Society, Central New Mexico Local Section, will provide light refreshments.

During this Science on Tap event, join Sharon Bone, of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Inorganic Isotope and Actinide Chemistry group, who will talk about how molecular- and Read More