Causes to Celebrate: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

While the idea of atomic energy may not seem like it relates much to the environment, there are a lot of environmental impacts and human impacts that the discovery of radioactive materials set into motion.  And some of these are very much an environmental issue--the struggle to figure out what to do with our radioactive waste while continuing to maintain outdated nuclear power stations instead of working to close them and build from the newer science and data that we currently possess, for instance.  But it's not just nuclear power that we need to be worried about; we also need to consider the impacts that our scientific marvels and technologies can have on the world around us, as well.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, as it has been known since 2003, understood the need for those considerations all the way back in 1945.  Over the years its mission expanded to include all man-made, existential threats, including those of climate change and disruptive technologies.  But in the 1940's nuclear technology, and specifically the nuclear bomb, were foremost on the minds of some of the most prominent scientists of the day.  They worried that the dangers of these newfound discoveries wouldn't be shared with the public, and they knew that if they were going to influence and change governmental policies and laws, they were going to need that support.

Over the years, while their mission has expanded to include other man-made threats besides nuclear energy, their vision has remained constant:

The Bulletin equips the public, policymakers, and scientists with the information needed to reduce man-made threats to our existence.

Now in its 76th year, the Bulletin continues to build upon that vision with the annual reveal of the Doomsday Clock, their print publications, their online site, and by sponsoring various grants and initiatives through their non-profit organization.

Growing up as a kid in the 80's I watched a lot of educational shows with my parents--National Geographic, Nova, the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, and any other PBS nature program (one of which was actually Nature,) that happened to catch my parents' interest.  I remember most the discussions of acid rain, and recycling became a talking point--and something of a political topic as resistance for having to separate out the trash, or having to use separate trash cans for recyclables was something done mostly in liberal California but not in the mid-west and southern states.  I also recall my dad and I kept our aluminum cans separate to take to the recycling center--something I think his mom did, as I recall having to do that at my grandparents' house, too.

I also have vague recollections of hearing about the Doomsday Clock, but our elementary school drills out in Kansas were for tornados--not nuclear bombs.  Living in Houston, Texas during the "Space Shuttle years" and during, and then after, the fall of the Berlin wall, the idea of there being a nuclear threat seemed distant, even as movies like War Games sought to popularize the idea of computing technologies being the harbinger of our nuclear demise.

It wouldn't be until the last several years that I began to really consider nuclear technology once more and found the Bulletin and its articles ready to catch me up to the present day of man-made threats.

I think we would often rather not look at the bad things out there in the world--especially if they're not threatening us in the here-and-now.  We've grown skeptical of government figures who tout scientific theories as fact and want to dismiss them as mere charade and personally motivated.  And while that may be true in many cases, the science shouldn't also then be thrown out because of the politician.

Those programs that I watched as a kid might not have been perfect, but it did help us to learn about threats which we did combat--CFC's and acid rain and prolific garbage piles (though we've still got a lot of work to do on that last one.)  Worldwide conservation efforts sought to save rhinos and rainforests and endangered species.  And it is organizations like the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that help to promote better ideas and better ways of doing things.  They brought the conversation of nuclear power and nuclear weapons into our homes--even, and especially, when we didn't want to think about them.  And now they remind us that we need to take care of this place we call home, and that it is with our own voices and our own choices that we can and will do that.

That they have acknowledged that climate change is caused by man is important, and it isn't something we should take lightly.  Science is a tool that can be used for many purposes, but when there are scientists trying to warn us about the dangers of something, it's important that we listen.  Because while scientists may not have all the answers right now, choosing not to ask the questions--choosing to discount the science, is a surefire way to our own demise.

So, while I do not often like to ponder my own end, I think doing so is important for not only my own continued existence, but that of the world's in turn.  And as the Bulletin says, "We are an early-warning system, but we are also determined to inject hope into the conversation by offering achievable actions. We are not a debating society; we strive to fix problems."  And it is that hope, and that commitment to finding solutions that I believe makes the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists a cause worth celebrating.

So Much Science Talk!

So it's Thursday, and I've been trying to play catch up with my article reading and doing a fairly poor job of it because there is just so much interesting stuff out there.  It's impossible to read everything, sadly, and it's a lot more difficult when I have to spend more time reading stories that, to me, are not quite as straight-forward as they seem.

That said, the things I've shared on Facebook recently interest me because of the discourse that occurs when I share them.  The same is true when I talk to friends and family who have read the blog, and they share their thoughts and ideas.  It's important to have a shared dialogue, I think, because no one person can know everything about everything.  So, please know that I welcome your thoughts, criticisms, and ideas.  They help to shape my further understanding of situations and the world, and they are much appreciated.

On a related note, a few days ago I was writing about Roth's Divergent series, and I wanted to let you all know that I have finished it.  I am not sure how people couldn't have enjoyed the third book, and I am having a hard time finding criticism for her work.  She stayed true to the characters that she wrote, and she offered a compelling story about someone who believed in actions to effect changes in the world.  If it inspires bravery in the young men and women who read it, I don't think that's a bad thing; and if it inspires in those who read it a desire to look at the world as we know it in a new light, I think that, too, is a good thing.  Overall, I thought the concept held up, had merit, and showed how we can blind ourselves to some important ethical questions when it comes to "scientific facts".  In short, I would recommend the books to anyone who is interested in reading about a dystopian society that challenges us to look at our own modern ideas of bigotry, psychology, and war.

Let's move on from science fiction to some science facts, though (and bear with me; there is a lot to cover today).

Monday Memories

I hope all of you had a good weekend.  I certainly got a lot more accomplished than I had anticipated, but there is always still more to do.  Still, Monday is a good day to rekindle some of that good-weekend energy and help it carry us through the day--and perhaps the rest of the week, too.  So today I have a few memories--and a few funny little items to share with you all.

She Blinded Me with Science!

After going through hundreds of e-mails yesterday, I found a few things that I thought I'd share with you.  Each of them, in one way or another, has a bit of science to offer; and so, today, I am blinding you with science.  Enjoy!

A Black Widow Pulsar Consumes Its Mate



I found this video while looking through some suggested YouTube videos yesterday.  It was so interesting that I wanted to share it.  This is the story of how we found a rather strange pulsar phenomenon--a pulsar with its binary star which it is burning away.  This may be the most visible dense object we have found to date in our solar system, and that's pretty exciting for a lot of reasons, especially to scientists who are studying dense particles--how they form, how they maintain their stability, and how these binary star-pulsar systems work.

Pulsars are simply neutron stars that are rotating.  To learn more about pulsars and neutron stars, check out this article by NASA.  And to learn about how black holes are formed, check out this article and video by Universe Today.  (And yes, black holes can be formed when two neutron stars collide.  How cool is that?)

GLaDOS (the evil computer from the Portal games) Explains Nuclear Fusion and Fission



I found this video linked to me by an article from The Mary Sue.  It was just too amazing not to share with all of you, and you'll learn a bit about nuclear fusion and nuclear fission by watching it.  While this is aimed at kids, I imagine a lot of us adults could stand to have things explained to us like this, too.  After all, having an evil computer teach me about science is way more fun than having a professor do it.

The Nebula Award Nominees

While this is dedicated in large part to science fiction and fantasy writing, there has always been a spark of scientific innovation mixed with social ideology that collides with our modern world.  Sometimes written as commentaries, these works can teach us about the world we live in by taking us to far away places and strange worlds.  They can also allow the authors to express new philosophical ideas or take a Zenoistic view on one particular idea played out to its absurd--and sometimes intriguing--conclusions.

This year's nominees have a few particular favorites for me.  Among them are:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman -- for best novel
Doctor Who: ‘‘The Day of the Doctor’’ (Nick Hurran, director; Steven Moffat, writer) (BBC Wales) -- the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and all of the other nominees

Europa Report (Sebastián Cordero, director; Philip Gelatt, writer) (Start Motion Pictures)
Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón, director; Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, writers) (Warner Bros.)
Her (Spike Jonze, director; Spike Jonze, writer) (Warner Bros.)
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Francis Lawrence, director; Simon Beaufoy & Michael deBruyn, writers) (Lionsgate)
Pacific Rim (Guillermo del Toro, director; Travis Beacham & Guillermo del Toro, writers) (Warner Bros.)

That said, The Mary Sue has found some of the nominees available online to read.  Check out their article to find them.

The President Says a Few Words about Iron Man



If you haven't seen this video yet, you should.  I found it while looking over an article, once again, by The Mary Sue.

"Your Undead Heart" -- A Romeo and Juliet Song



Last, but not least, I leave you with some zombie love.

"But what does this have to do with science?" you ask.

To that, I can only say--watch some zombie movies, take a zombie apocalypse survival course, and then tell me what zombies don't have to do with science.

Also, ...it's Romeo and Juliet and a song about zombies!

Again, a special thanks to The Mary Sue for their article that steered me to it.