Cool Science

NASA expected to have difficulty refolding a temporary solar panel on the International Space Station last week - it's still not folded. When the panel got stuck, the astronauts shook it for 2 hours to coax the grommets to slide further - and it actually helped. So much so, that they're planning to shake it some more. I love it - now THAT's science! It immediately reminded me of a saying we have (with many variations): chemistry is 90% plumbing, 10% research. This is a good message to get out - as science leaps ever forward, I think there are some ways in which the paying public feels less and less able to relate and connect with what goes on in research labs. So when a couple of astronauts go out and manhandle a solar panel like cavemen trying to crack open a coconut it has this sublime quality of demystifying the daily practice of science.

This hoopla about the space station is all over the internet news outlets. Sure, that's great, but they have a long way to go on their science portals. CNN's Science and Space portal is way too astronomy-centric and ignores chemistry, physics and math! Every week important and amazing things happen in science and math, and every week CNN misses it. But even at that CNN is doing better than MSNBC's Tech and Science portal which strays too far in the direction of being a gadget page. I noticed today that MSNBC challenges us to test our science knowledge with the question " Which apostle is believed to be under Rome's second basilica?". Interesting, yes, but how is this science? No math on MSNBC either. I wouldn't get your hopes up for FOX's Science portal. There are in fact sub-headings in math, chemistry, and physics and other topics; but they're not on the main science page and they're sparse and outdated. And unfortunately FOX relishes showing fringe scientific stories and portraying them as mainstream.

All of the above are free online sites, so you get what you pay for. But if you don't mind a very modest subscription, try Science News which gives terrific weekly news in science.