(no subject)

[threemonkeys]

While I'm thinking about science, I should note that Sciam have put their year's best list together. I'm feeling pretty satisfied that I had read in one form or another almost all of these stories. It has been a goal of mine to keep up with the scientific state of play better. The only one I care about missing was this one about quantum teleportation developments. It goes quite a way to address my scepticism about the practical application of this technology.

Comments

[darthsappho.livejournal.com]

An interesting juxtaposition in that summary. "Whether or not that means life has ever existed on Mars is still up for debate--but if Mars's oceans were as acidic as scientists currently believe, all signs point to no" followed by "extremophiles were also discovered in an ultraheated environment as acidic as vinegar". Hmmmm...

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

The juxtaposition is interesting even if a bit misleading - the detail of the first article notes earthbound extremophiles and points out that it is the phosphates which are the problem. Phosphoric acid is really nasty stuff - it can dissolve glass. I wonder if the editors deliberately put those articles together - Mars and the nature of life are still very much an open book after all.