The NASA Equation

NASA gives a lot more than it gets. After working at Johnson Space Center for 13 years, I saw first hand the great engineering and technological advances developed there and then sent out to the business section. It is part of the NASA charter.

In fact, a recent NASA Agency report explains, "NASA generated more than $64.3 billion in total economic output during fiscal year 2019, supported more than 312,000 jobs nationwide, and generated an estimated $7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes throughout the United States."  This was all gained from NASA's budget of 1/2 of 1% of the federal budget. Awesome return on investment.

NASA has 10 centers operating across the U.S. and its economic impact is not just limited to states with NASA facilities. All 50 states receive economic gain from NASA’s research and space exploration missions.

It is one of the high points of this wildfire burning, Midwest flooding, hurricane spawning, 2020 pandemic "new normal." So, let's look to the stars for some positive relief and hope that next year we have a science data and aerospace driven outlook with less worries, better health, and a trustworthy COVID-19 vaccine that works. 

Stay healthy and remember to vote. Go science!

NASA Spinoffs

Some folks wonder if space exploration is "worth it." (Not me or anyone I know, but some.) I believe it's because for decades, NASA was not great at advertising its amazing technologies. Not exactly a strength (or even of interest) to most scientists and engineers.

When I worked at Johnson Space Center, I became aware of NASA accomplishments (besides launching rockets and building an international space station) through the annual NASA Spinoffs book that employees received.

You can read the online 2018 edition or download a copy here. It's amazing all the science and technology we take for granted that originated within the NASA space program. If you want a comprehensive look at NASA spinoffs, check out the NASA Spinoff Database which contains abstracts of all Spinoff articles published since 1976.

Next time you hear someone asking the question of what has NASA done for me, direct them to these resources. Go science!

Leeuwenhoek - Father of Microbiology

If you love science, technology, and engineering, chances are you are like me and an "early adopter." An early adopter is defined as, "a person who uses a new product or technology before it becomes widely known or used." Early adopters are often innovators as well. They recognize the value of a new invention or process, try it and then improve it, apply it in a more effective way, or try it in a completely different application.

This was especially the case several hundred years ago when early scientists and engineers had to conceive of and then construct their equipment before using it to seek answers to puzzling questions.

Early Dutch scientist, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632 – 1723) was highlighted this week with a Google doodle for his discovery in 1676 of "little animals" (microorganisms) in rainwater. He saw these through his improved (i.e., he ground and polished his own single lens) version of Robert Hooke's microscope. With this DIY improvement, van Leeuwenhoek went on to study muscle fibers, bacteria, spermatozoa and blood flow in capillaries.

As a scientist trained in microbiology, van Leeuwenhoek is my hero. His improved lens could magnify objects by a factor of about 200 – 300, while Hooke’s compound microscope magnified only by a factor of about 40 – 50. 

Just another example of old school ingenuity and innovation in action. Go science!

Science and Technology Meet Design to Monitor High RIsk Pregnancies

I'm always interested in new and ingenious ways to improve health for everyone, but especially pregnant moms and children. So, I was particularly excited to hear about research on wearable sensors that give physicians a heads up on early labor and baby movement.

Supported by the National Science Foundation, electrical/computer engineer Kapil Dandekar, industrial/fashion designer Genevieve Dion, and OB-GYN physician, Owen Montgomery have added radio frequency identification (RFID) technology into their “belly bands” for women with high-risk pregnancies. The wearable sensor constantly tracks movements and signals the physician via the Internet if a patient begins early contractions. A petite sensor band is in the works for babies at risk for sleep apnea.

Combining engineering, medicine and fashion design, this trifecta of human-centered technology offers simple-to-use, yet critical tools for better healthcare. Go science!

Robotics - Then & Now

I have long been interested in the various ways robots and mechanical arms add value to nearly every process. In fact, some people worry that robots will eliminate thousands of jobs in the decades to come.

Perhaps.

But as an early technology adopter, I'm willing to take the chance. In fact, I'm ready to have a self driving car! After all, I trust aircraft equipped with automatic pilot, so why not robotics on the daily commute? After driving at a crawl for years in the super congested Houston traffic, I KNOW robotics could perform better than a lot of those drivers. 

Progress in robotics science and technology over the past 50 years has led us to today's robo vacuums and flying robots that act like birds. Check out the video link to see how far we've come. Have a great weekend and Go Science!

Science Images Online

Since I write about science, I often use or link to associated science and technology images. I've also taken some of my own photos to include in science updates. You can find this image of an equation written on glass and others at the stock photography site, Dreamstime.com. 

I think of science and technical photography as creative cross-training. It give me new ways of looking at things for my writing and research.

Interested in World War II diesel submarine technology? I took a series of photographs recently aboard the USS Razorback-394. Everything from views through a hatch, water cutoff valves, and navigation panels to an old school diving officer's checklist panel and torpedo launch controls.

Do you have ways to stir your creative or scientific creativity? Go science!

3D Printing Now

I'm interested in 3D Printing and like to keep up with the latest developments. See for yourself. 3D printing technology can be used for everything from art and fashion to prosthetics or food. 

Eager to find out more? I save the latest and most interesting 3D applications and updates on my 3D printing Pinterest board, here. 

I'm just back from 2 weeks vacation on the Oregon coast. More next time. Go science!

Gravity

As you can imagine, I like science movies, science fiction, and other assorted real and imagined technology (even Steampunk).

So when I heard from more than one person that the new movie, Gravity, with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, got a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, (has it ever happened before?) I made plans to see it this weekend.

Mark Uhran, a 28-year NASA veteran with the International Space Station, said it was extremely realistic. I worked at Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX for thirteen years and the movie trailer made my stomach lurch. I can hardly wait to see the movie. To avoid spoliers, let's comment next week when a lot of us have seen it. Go Science!

Science Videos in School

When I was in school, having a film during class was a treat. Usually it was because the regular teacher was out, but sometimes films were used to augment curriculum. 

These days, videos are a staple in our culture. YouTube has experienced logarithmic growth. Teaching methods also use video more as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts especially benefit from video. Videos are able to show an experiment that would take too long in one class period or are too dangerous to demonstrate. 

I love the University of Nottingham videos on each of the elements in the Periodic Table. They are fun and offer examples of each element, their uses, and often a reaction. I also enjoy the Symphony of Science videos like "We Are Star Dust" by Neil DeGrasse Tyson that I've pinned with many other educational videos to my Cool Science Videos Pinterest board. Check it out and share some of your favorites.

If you're a teacher, I have Pinterest boards for Science Education, Science and Nature, Space and NASA, Robots, and Architecture and Design, to name a few. I use Pinterest as an online, visual filing system for cool websites, articles, concepts, and images. Stop by if you are exploring Pinterest and say hello.
Go science!

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle are known as the 3 Rs, but another important R has been part of my life for a long time: REPAIR. 

Growing up in the country, my family had a "fix-it" mind set that I've carried to my adult life. I almost always tinker with things that break, but many people don't. In fact, some people look at me funny when they learn I replaced a Krups  heating coil instead of tossing the entire coffee pot and buying the latest cool technology. (Actually, I was amazed how simple it was and only cost ~$3)

But the 4th R isn't just a matter of changing a mind set, many products are not built to be fixed by their owners. In fact, electronics' warranties are often invalidated if the products are opened. 

So what can a person who is green-minded do? Simple stuff. Watch for the availability of replacement parts, be willing to pay more for good quality products that are able to be repaired and avoid buying products with warranties that are voided if you attempt to fix them. 

I look upon successful repairs as a fun way to save our dwindling global resources. Try it and share your successes! 

There are more ways than ever to communicate science discoveries. For people who soak up the latest discoveries and gadgets, it's an exciting time. A few months ago, I attended a National Science Foundation conference on using social media to spread science news. The leaders emphasized Twitter as a real time way to spread science cheer. As part of the two day event, we all practiced and promised to tweet "all science, all the time." I have gotten better about Twitter, but still have room for improvement. 

Recently, I spotted Ph.D. Comics' fun list of tweets that could have been written by scientists from the past. Enjoy and share some of your own!  Historical Science Tweets 

In The Greater Scheme of Things

Mission mgr Jennifer Trosper with Curiosity model

I recently read an interview with the NASA engineer, Adam Steltzer, who helped design the Mars lander, Curiosity. This rock band artist turned astronomer talked about what the entire mission means to regular folks. Rather than trying to sum up his eloquent response to the question, "Why does Curiosity Matter?" you can check out the article and YouTube video at http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/21sep_curiositymatters/.

I Want a Hubless Bicycle

Just when you thought bicycles were all the same, along comes one that is a whole new level of cool techno. Plus the engineering that went into it is simple and awesome at the same time. Called a Hubless bicycle, Lunartic uses a hubless wheel to create a bicycle that hides away the working parts and reduces the wheel base without sacrificing familiar riding geometry. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPsY2NfPJtw

Ideas Worth Spreading

I have been following TED.com (stands for technology, entertainment, and design) for several years now. TED offers hundreds of videotaped talks on every topic imaginable. Click on the science category and you'll find experts and entrepreneurs explaining everything from mathematics to monkey behavior to music. New talks appear weekly. Check it out. It's awesome!! www.ted.com 

Here are a couple I found interesting.
Bacteria- http://www.ted.com/talks/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate.html

Aortic engineering-http://www.ted.com/talks/tal_golesworthy_how_i_repaired_my_own_heart.html

Cool new technology!

Check out this new water jet pack. http://gizmodo.com/5865517/man-just-got-a-little-closer-to-leaping-like-a-dolphin
Go Science!

Getting Started

If you know me, you know I am "All Science, All the Time!" And blogging! What a great way to share cutting edge science! Got science/technology news? Let's here from you. 


For lots of great science, check out my Cool Science Links page, http://ldwilliams.com/Science_Links.html


Talk to you soon!