Update

I just noticed that it has been over a month since my last post. I have cleared a huge hurdle and completed my latest graduate course (which was applied biomedical engineering). It was very likely the most difficult course I have ever taken. I finished strong and am happy that it is over.

I am working on a program of Materials Science Engineering. I have two courses left; a mathematical methods course and very likely a course in medical imaging. I already teach about medical imaging at some level and have developed a unit on MRIs and CAT scans.  So I already have an interest in that and some background knowledge.

So hopefully, in May of 2016 I will be graduating from the program. From there, we shall see...

Direct detection of an exoplanet atmosphere

This article describes the first visible light directly detected from an exoplanet. This is something like seeing what color the sky is in New York is from Los Angeles. 

Voyager at the edge of the solar system

I have followed the Voyager probes with interest since I was a kid. It made a great impression on me and taught me about the importance of all sorts of things (planetary science, rocketry, propulsion, communication, exploration,...)

After a period of debate, it now appears that Voyager 1 has left the solar system. Scientists have debated exactly where the edge of the solar system lies, until now it seems. Between the shift of magnetic fields (from solar to galactic) and the change in flux of particles (fewer from the sun and more from elsewhere) Voyager appears to now be in a region of space where nothing from Earth has ever gone.

What is weather like on exo-planets?

I find this topic particularly fascinating. Not only can we detect the presence of exo-planets (planets orbiting stars other than our own) we can search for evidence of their atmospheres. And this article is particularly well-written. 

http://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/blueshift/index.php/2015/01/29/exoplanet-weather/

How smart are smart materials?

Materials that know how to bend and respond to conditions. How smart are they?

Is quantum mechanics spooky for you?

I think the authors have a point here: are we doing a disservice to quantum mechanics (and the understanding of q.m. by the general public) by emphasizing the "spooky" behavior? Is any news good news? Or are we essentially calling quantum mechanics some kind of pseudo science when we do this?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/physics/2014/09/whos-afraid-of-quantum-mechanics/

Who runs CERN?

Inside the control room(s) at CERN.

http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/march-2015/inside-the-cern-control-centre