World

Poll: What’s Causing Bright Spots On Ceres?

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Unusual bright spots discovered on Ceres. Courtesy/JPL

JPL News:

Can you guess what’s creating those unusual bright spots on Ceres? Volcano, geyser, rock, ice, salt deposit, other?

On March 6, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft began orbiting Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Even before the spacecraft arrived at the dwarf planet, images revealed mysterious bright spots that captivated scientists and observers alike.

Until Dawn gets a closer look over the next few months, it’s anyone’s guess what those spots could be. So, go ahead! Read More

U.S. Leads Fifth International Review Meeting On Safety Of Spent Fuel And Radioactive Waste Management

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NNSA News:
 
VIENNA, Austria ― Representatives of the nations or Contracting Parties who are signatories to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (Joint Convention), began on Monday the Fifth Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties.
 
The Joint Convention is the first international instrument that deals with the safety of management and storage of radioactive waste and spent fuel in countries with and without nuclear programs. It elaborates and expands the existing International Atomic Energy Agency
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Proposed Los Alamos Bag Ban Bad For Environment And Freedom

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By PAUL J. GESSING, President
Rio Grande Foundation

The Los Alamos County Council is considering banning plastic grocery bags. More than 200 municipalities in the United States, including two in New Mexico – Santa Fe and Silver City – have banned the distribution of lightweight plastic shopping bags.

Proponents of bag bans, specifically the Sierra Club, claim they will reduce litter and protect the marine environment, diminish our consumption of resources and emissions of greenhouse gases, reduce waste, and save taxpayers’ money.

Unfortunately, the supposed environmental benefits Read More

National Defense University Students Tour Los Alamos

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National Defense University students gather for lunch Monday at Fuller Lodge during their visit to Los Alamos. Photo by KayLinda Crawford/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

Students from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., paid a visit to Los Alamos National Laboratory Monday as part of a two-week trip visiting various national security facilities around the country. 

According to a staff member traveling with the students, 50 different countries are represented by this gathering and all are studying for a Masters Degree in National Security.

Before gathering for Read More

LANL: Better Predicting Flu Outbreaks With Wikipedia

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From left, Kyle Hickmann, Nick Generous, Alina Deshpande, Geoffrey Fairchild, Sara Del Valle and Reid Preidhorshy. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have the ability to forecast the upcoming flu season and other infectious diseases by analyzing views of Wikipedia articles.

“The ability to more accurately forecast the flu season and other infectious diseases will transform the way health departments prepare for and respond to epidemics, ultimately saving lives,” scientist Sara Del Valle said.

Del Valle and her team recently published “Forecasting Read More

Gazan Child Trauma Specialist, Local Palestinian Activist Talk On Humanitarian Crisis In Gaza 7-9 P.M. Today

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Before and after the Israeli bombing in Gaza, Summer 2014. Courtesy photo

COMMUNITY News:

The public is invited to attend a talk by Ayman Nijim and Samia Assed on the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and restoring the Gazan Village of Khuza’a, 7-9 p.m., today at the Albuquerque Mennonite Church, 1300 Girard Blvd.

Ayman Nijim, a lifelong resident of Gaza, is a professional trauma specialist. He has designed programs to provide psychosocial support for children in Gaza and to help mothers heal from the impacts of occupation, displacement, siege and the continuing Israeli assault. 

Ayman Nijim. Read More

National Expert To Discuss Conflict In Israel Sunday

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Laura Green

HADASSAH News:

The Los Alamos Chapter of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, will host a question and answer session on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 17 at Club House facilities at the Los Alamos Golf Course.

All are welcome. Donations will be accepted.

The speaker is Laura Green, a regional leader of Hadassah and a national leader of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. 

Green is very well informed on the history and present state of the conflict and has very extensive experience with travel in Israel Read More

US And China Mark 10th Anniversary Of Peaceful Uses Of Nuclear Technology Joint Coordination Meetings

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NNSA News:

CHENGDU, CHINA – The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Anne Harrington and China National Energy Administration (NEA) Director General Liu Baohua co-chaired the 10th Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology (PUNT) Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) meeting May 6-7 in Chengdu, China.

Since 2002, the United States and China have held periodic joint meetings on their cooperative activities under the U.S.-China PUNT Agreement. The agreement is a formal government-to-government Read More

Businessmen From Philippines Tour Los Alamos

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A group of eight businessmen from the Philippines and a couple of American tour guides visited Los Alamos last Saturday. One of the guides explained that this is the second year the group has traveled through Los Alamos as part of their tour of southwestern United States. The trip began three days earlier when the men flew from Malaysia to San Francisco where they visited for two days before flying to Albuquerque. The tour guides were waiting for them with a truck load of motorcycles, which they rode up I-25 toward Los Alamos. The guide said the group will head for Arizona next as part of their two-week Read More

AHF Meets With Mayors Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki

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AHF President Cindy Kelly with Mayor Taue, on her right, and Mayor Matsui, on her left. Courtesy/AHF.

AHF President Cindy Kelly with Mayor Taue amidst the media. Courtesy/AHF

AHF News:

The Atomic Heritage Foundation met with the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japanese local government officials, Friday, May 1, to discuss the interpretation of the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

The meeting, which was held at the Institute of International Education at 809 United Nations Plaza in New York City, marked a positive first step in opening a dialogue with the Japanese, whose Read More