Cool science stuff

[da man]

Quantum computing might be about to make a quantum leap.

IBM announced it will release the world's largest quantum computer, aiming to beat Atom Computing's current record of 1,180 qubits by linking three of its smaller "Flamingo" chips in parallel to create a 1,386-qubit machine.

In 2026 the company plans to link three larger "Kookaburra" chips to build a quantum computer with triple that computing power -- 4,158 qubits.

https://slguardian.org/ibm-to-launch-the-largest-quantum-computer-yet-in-2025/

 

[WriteThinking]

Some good news regarding cancer: It turns out the HPV vaccine is an effective preventative against six types of it.

The HPV vaccine could eliminate 6 types of cancer. Why don't more people get it?

HPV — a common virus often transmitted through sex — can actually cause six different types of cancer: cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal and throat cancer. This means both men and women are at risk for HPV-related cancers.

The good news? The HPV vaccine, first released in 2006, is 97% effective at preventing these cancers and has minimal side effects, the research shows.

"For years, the public has wanted a vaccine against cancer," Electra Paskett, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at The Ohio State University, tells TODAY.com. "We now have a vaccine that could protect for up to six different types of cancer."

 

[TrooperBari]

The HPV vaccine could eliminate 6 types of cancer. Why don't more people get it?

The article is almost at pains not to mention the decades-long efforts by US conservatives to gin up controversy around a thoroughly tested vaccine and blame it for their daughters not being virgins on their wedding night.

In Republican Race, a Heated Battle Over the HPV Vaccine (Published 2011)

The unlikely issue has become the latest flashpoint among G.O.P. presidential candidates as they vie for the support of social conservatives.

www.nytimes.com

On Tuesday, Mrs. Bachmann, of Minnesota, raised that concern by suggesting that Mr. Perry had put young girls at risk by forcing "an injection of what could potentially be a very dangerous drug." Appearing on NBC's "Today" show, she recounted that after the debate in Tampa, Fla., a tearful mother approached and said her daughter had suffered "mental retardation" after being vaccinated against HPV. "It can have very dangerous side effects," Mrs. Bachmann said.

Conservatives' HPV vaccine dilemma: are they anti-cancer, or just anti-sex? | Jill Filipovic

Jill Filipovic: Proof that vaccinating girls against the HPV virus does not cause promiscuity puts culture warriors in a spot

www.theguardian.com

Under Scrutiny, Perry Walks Back HPV Decision

With his lengthy record as governor under intense new scrutiny, Rick Perry is seeking to defuse the controversy around one of his most controversial decisions: his 2007 executive order requiring all girls to be vaccinated against HPV, the principal cause of cervical cancer.

www.texastribune.org

 

[WriteThinking]

The article is almost at pains not to mention the decades-long efforts by US conservatives to gin up controversy around a thoroughly tested vaccine and blame it for their daughters not being virgins on their wedding night.

In Republican Race, a Heated Battle Over the HPV Vaccine (Published 2011)

The unlikely issue has become the latest flashpoint among G.O.P. presidential candidates as they vie for the support of social conservatives.

www.nytimes.com

Conservatives' HPV vaccine dilemma: are they anti-cancer, or just anti-sex? | Jill Filipovic

Jill Filipovic: Proof that vaccinating girls against the HPV virus does not cause promiscuity puts culture warriors in a spot

www.theguardian.com

Under Scrutiny, Perry Walks Back HPV Decision

With his lengthy record as governor under intense new scrutiny, Rick Perry is seeking to defuse the controversy around one of his most controversial decisions: his 2007 executive order requiring all girls to be vaccinated against HPV, the principal cause of cervical cancer.

www.texastribune.org

Yes, I thought it kind of had that tone to it, overly much, and, I admit, I wondered why, considering that I figured the news regarding the HPV vaccine and cancer was great, and very exciting, actually.

Those articles you posted almost seem RFK Jr.-esque, hm?

 

[TrooperBari]

RFK Jr's ascent to his current position is the crowning triumph of decades of misinformation and disinformation from the fearful, the ignorant, and frauds and grifters like the demon Andrew Wakefield, who lied about finding a link between the MMR vaccine and autism in the 2000s, conveniently failed to disclose his financial interest in replacement vaccines, and was stricken from the rolls in the UK only to make a fortune preying on Americans. The arguments haven't changed much over the years, but being anti-vaxx now has Dear Leader's seal of approval, and His word is law. Their insistence that they're just "pro-SAFE vaccines" rings hollow the moment you notice the likes of RFK Jr. vaccinated their own kids despite insisting that polio and measles are normal childhood disease that really aren't that bad.

It sucks all the more because there is amazing work taking place in this field. MRNA vaccines show the promise of offering long-term protection against cancer -- even pancreatic cancer! -- but mRNA technology is tainted by association with Anthony Fauci (TRAITOR!) and the Covid-19 pandemic (FAKE NEWS!) so it's officially too 'woke' for this administration. Another victim of anti-intellectualism in the name of political correctness.

 

[WriteThinking]

RFK Jr's ascent to his current position is the crowning triumph of decades of misinformation and disinformation from the fearful, the ignorant, and frauds and grifters like the demon Andrew Wakefield, who lied about finding a link between the MMR vaccine and autism in the 2000s, conveniently failed to disclose his financial interest in replacement vaccines, and was stricken from the rolls in the UK only to make a fortune preying on Americans. The arguments haven't changed much over the years, but being anti-vaxx now has Dear Leader's seal of approval, and His word is law. Their insistence that they're just "pro-SAFE vaccines" rings hollow the moment you notice the likes of RFK Jr. vaccinated their own kids despite insisting that polio and measles are normal childhood disease that really aren't that bad.

It sucks all the more because there is amazing work taking place in this field. MRNA vaccines show the promise of offering long-term protection against cancer -- even pancreatic cancer! -- but mRNA technology is tainted by association with Anthony Fauci (TRAITOR!) and the Covid-19 pandemic (FAKE NEWS!) so it's officially too 'woke' for this administration. Another victim of anti-intellectualism in the name of political correctness.

That is a great post, and so right. RFK Jr., like in Trump's Cabinet, is among many, along with Trump, who should removed from their positions. I have a nephew who works for CRISPR, a leading-edge company when it comes to disease research who often speaks of all the really exciting and potentially successful things going on in medical research lately that are being slowed and stopped -- intentionally -- by this criminal administration that knows nothing. And cares even less.

 

[da man]

Where's the magnetic North Pole? Not where it was a fw months ago.

Earth's Magnetic North Pole Officially Has A New Position

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

OK, this is not actually cool — more like terrifying — but it is science stuff.

As it flew up toward the International Space Station last summer, the Starliner spacecraft lost four thrusters. A NASA astronaut, Butch Wilmore, had to take manual control of the vehicle. But as Starliner's thrusters failed, Wilmore lost the ability to move the spacecraft in the direction he wanted to go.

He and his fellow astronaut, Suni Williams, knew where they wanted to go. Starliner had flown to within a stone's throw of the space station, a safe harbor, if only they could reach it. But already, the failure of so many thrusters violated the mission's flight rules. In such an instance, they were supposed to turn around and come back to Earth. Approaching the station was deemed too risky for Wilmore and Williams, aboard Starliner, as well as for the astronauts on the $100 billion space station.

But what if it was not safe to come home, either?

"I don't know that we can come back to Earth at that point," Wilmore said in an interview. "I don't know if we can. And matter of fact, I'm thinking we probably can't."

Starliner’s flight to the space station was far wilder than most of us thought

“Hey, this is a very precarious situation we’re in.”…

arstechnica.com

 

[da man]

There has been a lot written lately in cosmology circles about the so-called "Hubble Tension", which refers to a discrepancy between the results of two methods for measuring the universe's rate of expansion.

The result of calculations using data provided by the European Space Agency's Planck satellite from its mapping of the cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang (which aligns with the accepted standard model of cosmology), and those using the Hubble Space Telescope's measurements from the redshift of certain types of stars don't match, with the Hubble's numbers showing a faster rate than the Planck's. But there were questions about the Hubble data's accuracy, with some wondering if dust or light from nearby stars or galaxies could be interfering with its measurements from some its more distant targets.

So astronomers called in the James Webb Space Telescope to double check the Hubble's results. The JWST has greater resolution in infrared light, allowing it to see through any dust and make more precise measurements. When the Webb data was analyzed, it showed the same results as Hubble, all but eliminating measurement error as a cause for the Hubble Tension.

NASA's Webb, Hubble Telescopes Affirm Universe's Expansion Rate, Puzzle Persists - NASA Science

Webb telescope's largest study of universe expansion confirms challenge to cosmic theory

So what happens now? That's a great question. The search for answers is ongoing.

The search for answers to resolve the Hubble tension is indeed ongoing, and some think they might be found in Einstein's theory of gravity. No, not general relativity -- his OTHER theory of gravity.

More than a decade after introducing general relativity in 1915, Einstein began trying to find equations that would unify gravity with electromagnetism. What he came up with was something called teleparallel gravity. It's similar to general relativity, but with a twist -- literally.

In GR, gravity is the result of curvature and warping of spacetime by objects with mass. In other words, mass (and energy) tell spacetime how to curve, and the curved spacetime tells matter how to move. But with teleparallel gravity, spacetime is flat, and mass and energy tell it how to twist. That torsion is what tells matter how to move -- in other words, it creates gravity.

While no one is ready to abandon general relativity just yet, there are scientists working with teleparallel gravity and its math in hopes it can resolve the Hubble tension, remove the need for dark matter or dark energy, or maybe do all of those things.

Einstein's other theory of gravity could have the recipe to relieve 'Hubble trouble'

Einstein's General Relativity with a Twist: Teleparallelism

BTW, Einstein never could unite gravity and electromagnetism.

 

[Slacker]

While no one is ready to abandon general relativity just yet, there are scientists working with teleparallel gravity and its math in hopes it can resolve the Hubble tension, remove the need for dark matter or dark energy, or maybe do all of those things.

Can we get our flying cars now? I'm running out of decades here.