World

AGU: The Shifting Landscape Of Science

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By Eric Davidson, President, American Geophysical Union
By Chris McEntee, Executive Director/CEO, American Geophysical Union

It has been said that our greatest fears lie in anticipation. Following the U.S election results this past November, many of AGU’s members are beset by fears of what might happen with regard to federal support for scientific research and the tenets of scientific integrity, progress in advancing inclusiveness in science workplaces and learning places, promoting the education and development of the next generation of scientists, how climate science may be affected,

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Doomsday Clock Slips Toward The Brink – An Analysis

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By ROGER SNODGRASS
Los Alamos Daily Post

A vital tradition with global significance transpired this week, when a new time was posted for the Doomsday Clock under the guidance of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a magazine of science and public affairs founded by Manhattan Project scientists in 1945.

The timekeeping ritual Read More

Skier Alex Mueller Shares Adventures In Antarctica

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One of Alex Mueller’s shots of the landscape in Antarctica. Mueller shared a number of his photos during Los Alamos Mountaineers’ meeting Tuesday night at the Los Alamos Nature Center. Photo by Alex Mueller 

 

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
 

Alex Mueller was in a meeting at Lawrence Livermore when he got a call; a friend asked if he would like to take the ski trip of a lifetime. So in November 2014, Mueller packed his bags, picked up his skis, flew on a plane to Argentina before boarding an ex-Russian ice breaker vessel to Antarctica.  

Mueller Read More

Extreme Space Weather-Induced Electricity Blackouts Could Cost U.S. More Than $40 Billion Daily

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AGU News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The daily U.S. economic cost from solar storm-induced electricity blackouts could be in the tens of billions of dollars, with more than half the loss from indirect costs outside the blackout zone, according to a new study.
 
Previous studies have focused on direct economic costs within the blackout zone, failing to take into account indirect domestic and international supply chain loss from extreme space weather.
 
“On average the direct economic cost incurred from disruption to electricity represents only 49 percent of the total potential
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Heinrich On Reports Of Executive Order On Reinstating Interrogation Policies

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U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement regarding media reports that the Trump Administration is considering an executive order to reinstate the CIA detention and interrogation program:

“Any attempt to roll back prohibitions against torture is out of step with American principles and ruins our global credibility on human rights.

“The CIA’s use of ‘black sites’ and ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ resulted in a dark chapter in our history, and was filled Read More

Heinrich Secures Agreement From Trump Administration To Not Vacate Management Of Nuclear Stockpile

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) secured an agreement from the Trump Administration that it would not vacate the management of the nation’s nuclear stockpile.

“I’m pleased the Trump Administration listened to my concerns and agreed to maintaining continuity in the leadership of the NNSA during the transition. The administration came dangerously close to allowing the management of our nation’s nuclear stockpile to go on auto-pilot,” Heinrich said. “I understand Read More

Seafloor Valleys Found Below West Antarctic Glaciers

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AGU News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Glaciologists have uncovered large valleys in the ocean floor beneath some of the massive glaciers flowing into the Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica.
 
Carved by earlier advances of ice during colder periods, the troughs enable warm, salty water to reach the undersides of glaciers, fueling their increasingly rapid retreat.
 
“These oceanic features are several hundreds to a thousand meters deeper than what we thought before,” said Romain Millan, a graduate student in Earth system science at UCI and lead author of the new study. “It gives new insight
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Explore Your Universe: Astrophysics For Everyone

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The destructive bombardment of a planet. Courtesy image

UNM-LA News:

UNM-Los Alamos Community Education will again offer “Explore Your Universe: Modern Astrophysics for Everyone.” The class meets 2:35-3:30 p.m., Tuesdays beginning Jan. 17 and running through May 9.

 

In this class, students will explore modern, unsolved research problems in astrophysics, guided by mentors who work as astrophysicists at Los Alamos National Laboratory spanning a wide range of expertise. Topics for this class will be guided by students’ individual interests, and might Read More

DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg Meets With Drug Control Officials In China

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DEA News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― At the invitation of the China Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg visited China this week to discuss issues of mutual concern and to build on DEA’s existing relationship with Chinese counter-narcotics law enforcement authorities.  
 
Rosenberg emphasized the increased cooperation between the DEA and the MPS and recognized China’s actions toward combating global synthetic drug trafficking and illicit money laundering. He also met with
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