Saturday, June 30, 2012

Plan to launch asteroid-hunting space mission

An organisation in the USA is reportedly planning to send into space a telescope which could keep track of asteroids. 'Asteroids are celestial rocks that could hit the earth and that are believed to have landed on earth in prehistory, causing climate changes that killed off dinosaurs. In a recently-released study, 'dinosaurs' own flatulence is said to be a contributory cause of climate changes 'in the prehistory of our planet.

Chinese now usable for explorations of space

The success of the Shenzhou-'9 space mission also marks a milestone in 'the development of the Chinese language, 'which is now proven to be usable in command and also communication in space explorations. To be sure, the English language is still pretty important for studying and learning more ideas as well as exchanges of scientific knowledge. Russian is also an important foreign language in contemporary China.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Shenzhou's astronauts return to earth happily

The three astronauts in China''s Shenzhou-9 spacecraft have returned to earth safely. 'The mission is a total success as it has completed all the tasks according to plans made by many women and men on earth.

NASA's spacecraft goes into interstellar space

Reportedly, 'a NASA spacecraft is venturing into the interstellar space which is situated outside the heliosphere. Although the heliosphere is very large as compared to the earth, it is only an area in the universe which also includes other known, still-unknown or unknownable zones.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sauds' Arabia now okays women for Olympics

Well, Sauds' Arabia now allows its female athletes 'to participate and also compete at the 'Olympic Games to be held in London fairly soon. On what basis the original decision was reached '? On what basis the original decision is now changed ''? 'These are 2 critical questions for scholarly exploration 'on how policy decision is made in Saudi Arabia. In this context, ''basis' 'means the underlying principle and argument upon which the two clearly opposite decisions are premised or based.

Reading 'old' books in age of knowledge leaps

In the past six decades, many programmes of space exploration have enabled people to understand better the universe, 'especially our own planet. So, some of the 'old' books have really to be read less literally. Also, the era of relying on one everything-is-inside book is long gone.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Prehistoric timeline adds knowledge on earth

In recent decades, 'sufficient quantity of useful knowledge in geology, paleontology, 'archaelogy and other related fields of science has been gathered for a time-line of prehistory 'to be conceptualised for better understanding of various forms of life, 'including dinosaurs, on earth.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Vital facts for archaelogists & paleontologists

Several days before the launch of the Shengzhou-9 'spacecraft, 'it was announced in China that a new set of artifacts had been unearthed in the Terracotta Warriors site.'Archaeology, like paleontology, requires tangible things as objective facts for reason'-premised hypothesising.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Turtles in prehistory fossilized in mating acts

Paleontologists in Germany have reportedly unearthed the fossils of 9 pairs of prehistoric turtles frozen in mating positions. Paleontology is a 'specialised or focussed field of science that studies prehistoric life. Although paleontological studies involve a degree of hypothesising, it is premised on touchable remains and fossils of prehistoric creatures.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Sally Ride out in space as America's astronaut

Sally Kristen Ride became the first American female astronaut 'on 18 June, 1983. 'Two other women who preceded her in space are Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova (1963) and Svetlana Savitskaya (1982).

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Fastest supercomputer on earth in USA again

America is now again the home of the world''fastest supercomputer. It is still leading in many fields of scientific endeavours, 'although its economy is not as good as before and other nations are learning fast. America itself was also a fast-learning nation as it quickly landed the first human '('Neil Armstrong') on moon in 1969 soon after the Soviet Union had blasted off the first man (Yuri Gagarin) into space in 1961. In 1957, 'the Soviet Union put up the first satellite called Sputnik and it was followed very soon by the USA which also launched one in 1958.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Soviet woman astronaut Savitskaya speaks up

According to Svetlana Savitskaya, a female as well as an astronaut of the former USSR, it was she and also 'Valentina Tereshkova' who first challenged the once prevalent notion that women can''t be astronauts. Later, both Tereshkova and Savitskaya were awarded the Order(s) of ('V.I.) Lenin as recognition of their pioneering exploration into space. Indeed, as Chairman Mao put it in his typically plain language several decades ago in a famous quote, "women can hold up half of the sky'".

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Science & technology to excite more Chinese

Certainly, the very successful launch of Shenzhou-9 spacecraft can be expected to make science and technology more attractive to ordinary people, including many grandmothers, in the Chinese-speaking world. The launch was broadcast live to the world by China''s TV news and in the next two weeks, 'many more educative programmes will be aired. Yesterday also marked the 49th anniversary of Soviet's brave woman Valentina Tereshkova becoming the first female astronaut 'in history.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

China launches historic spacecraft as planned

China's Shenzhou-9 spacecraft has just been blasted off as scheduled. Besdies 'Major Liu Yang, 'there are also many other women who work as scientists, 'technicians as well as operational staff for the project.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Telescope launched to search for Black Holes

Reportedly, 'an X-ray telescope has been launched to search for 'Black Holes in the galaxy. One of the scientists who has been exploring the subject is UK''Stephen Hawking who penned A Brief History of Time. Meanwhile, the world's largest telescope E'-'ELT is to be built in Chile.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

First Chinese woman ready for space journey

Reportedly, 'China is set to send its first female astronaut into space. It is also reported that the historic mission may face tough challenge. Valentina Tereshkova, 'a Soviet woman who is said to be still alive in Russia, became the first female astronaut of the world in 1963 at 27. The Soviet Union was the first country that put up a satellite in 1957.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Japan's parliament probes nuclear plant crisis

As concerns grow 'in America over the tsunami debris 'now floating in the Pacific Ocean, 'a parliamentary panel 'in Japan is going to release a report 'later this month on the nuclear crisis that occurred last year. Japan's nuclear crisis, broadcast on TV news programmes all over the world, have caused more people on earth to be more environmentally conscious. Germany, for example, has decided to close all its nuclear power plants by 2022, as a lesson learned from the tragic experience. Now, many people in Japan also oppose the government's proposal to restart 2 nuclear reactors purportedly ''for the survival of the society''.

Concerns over Pacific debris grow in America

There is now a not unfounded concern that the huge amount of debris floating over the Pacific Ocean could itself turn into an environmental disaster. How do clean the debris up technically and operationally is a problem. The question of which country should bear the cost of clean-up is also an important issue as its original cause is an Act of Nature. The impacts of the debris on 'marine life certainly need to be studied to ensure that seafood from the waters is safe for daily consumption, as fish 'contaminated with radiation has reached water off California. A fairly critical question raised in an online newspaper in Russia ( RT, 8 June') is': why has the federal government in the USA not created a centralised programme to handle the looming environmental threat '?

Saturday, June 09, 2012

No cohesive plan yet in US to clean up debris

Reportedly, the authorities in the USA still do not have any "'cohesive plan" to clean up the debris that floats to the American shores on the west coast from Japan, which was hit by earthquake and tsunami last year. The disasters also caused radiation leak from a nuclear reactor. Now, Japan is split over whether to re-start two nuclear power plants. In 2010, Americans and people all over the world watched on their TV news a fairly massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks.

Friday, June 08, 2012

Singer Robin Gibb laid to rest in English town

Bee Gees'' lead singer Robin Gibb's funeral took place earlier today in his hometown Oxfordshire. Robin was laid to rest at St. Mary Church.

Farewell for singer Robin Gibb in Oxfordshire

Robin Gibb's funeral will be held later in his hometown in Oxfordshire. Our thoughts and prayers in Malaysia are with Gibb's loved ones. 'RIP.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Singer Robin Gibb to be laid to rest on Friday

Robin Gibb, a great singer 'in the English-language world for some 40 years and 'who died recently, 'will be laid to rest on 8 June in England. Bee Gees, the band co-founded by Gibb, was also popular in Malaysia.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Watching Diamond Jubilee celebration on TV

BBC's focussed coverage of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth''s coronation certainly provides 'the world with insights into the cultural depth of Britain whose language is widely understood by many people. The world can disagree on many topics but it seems that most people in the world agree that Queen Elizabeth is a fairly lovable personality.

Putin begins trip to China as Russia looks east

After his trip to Central Asia and Europe, Russia's president Putin has begun a three-day visit to China. 'Nowadays, 'there is no more border or ideological dispute between the two nations. Any convergence and divergence can now be managed and handled in a more practical way. Observations and assessments of Putin's trip will, of course, differ in the 'international media which strives to offer different perspectives. In this age of Internet and satellite TV news, understanding an event from a range of vantage points 'is not too difficult 'or very expensive.

Dinosaurs' 'stories' also quite popular in China

The existence, behaviour as well as causes of extinction of dinosaurs also excite the minds of many people in China where a large quantity of remains and fossils of the prehistoric beasts have been unearthed. China now also has a pretty active community of paleontologists who, in collaboration with archeologists, zoologists, biologists and experts of other scientific fields, study all aspects of prehistoric life on earth.

Monday, June 04, 2012

US researchers: birds may be infant dinosaurs

According to researchers, birds may be dinosaurs that never grew up. Another recent research 'in UK hypothesises that dinosaurs' flatulence may have caused global warming which, in turn, led to the extinction of the prehistoric beasts whose fossils and remains can still be found. A Dinosaurs-Live'! exhibition is being held now at Pusat Sains Negara.

Journalist & friend Thomas Lee departs at 64

It is sad to hear that Thomas Lee ( Seng Hock ), 'a veteran journalist and personal friend for many years, had passed away at 64 yesterday. We last met at DAP''s memorial service for former MP, Fan Yew Teng. My prayers and thoughts are certainly with Seng Hock''s beloved ones.

Saturday, June 02, 2012

Gibb from black-and-white to colourful times

Robin Gibb''s Massachusetts is one of the English songs which is loved from the black-and-white to very colourful era. Gibb (1949-2012), the 'soul' 'of the Bee Gees band, died in London on 20 May (Sunday) at 62.

Friday, June 01, 2012

Putin's visit to Eurozone heartland significant

Of particular significance in President Putin''s first foreign tour 'is the visit to 'Germany and France. 'Although both Germany and France are NATO's members, 'the two nations publicly differ on how to overcome the crisis in the Eurozone that have caused many forms of instability. What political and economic opportunities Russia now see in Europe ? What do European countries expect from Putin's re-assertive Russia ?

Putin begins foreign trip to re-position Russia

Russia's president Vladimir Putin is going abroad officially and his trip will, to be sure, be fairly closely watched by observers and analysts of the foreign policy orientation and 'also conduct of a revitalised nation which strongly feels to be 'geostrategically squeezed by hostile forces. Russia recently tested a missile 'that is said to be capable of piercing NATO's anti-missiles shield and its economy is said to be not too bad. While it has been observed that Russia''s economy is over-'dependent on oil and gas, 'its scientific and technological base is still productive enough to manufacture many things the country and its peoples need. Although Russia''s treatment of dissidents is controversial, 'women in the country are free to participate and excel in all areas of public life.

Economic growth in India slows down sharply

Official statistics in India have revealed that its economic growth has slowed down drastically. At the same time, there is also a speculation in the mass media that there is' ''a looming economic crisis" 'in China.