Tornado Quest Science Links And More For Sept. 9 – 16, 2015

There’s been a subtle touch of autumn in the air across North America this week, though if you live in the Southern Plains, it doesn’t feel like it. Temperatures approaching 90F will keep the flannel shirts in storage for a while longer. While the tropical cyclone activity in the Pacific has been going strong, the Atlantic has been well-behaved. Let’s hope that trend continues.

An abbreviated post this week due to several projects with looming deadlines…such is the life of a freelance writer.

For your consideration, here are this week’s links…

GENERAL SCIENCE/SCIENCE EDUCATION

Have you tested your science literacy lately? Here’s a good quiz from the Pew Research Center.

Why every college student, regardless of major, needs to take science courses.

Evaluating science stories can be a daunting task for even the most discriminating reader. Here’s the best essay on this challenging task I’ve read to date.

 “Alabama Students Will Finally Be Required To Learn About Climate Change And Evolution.” It’s hard to believe this is still an issue for debate in the 21st century.

TECHNOLOGY

“What Americans think about NSA surveillance, national security and privacy.” Appropriately enough, American citizens are deeply concerned over blatant privacy and civil liberties violations.

CITIZEN SCIENCE

An excellent read on the value of citizen science and its participants.

ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCE

Mars continues to fascinate us…and we’d only just begun to understand and explore amazing sights like these.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The importance of clean indoor air is one of the most underrated environmental science issues.

For decades, public health officials have known that outdoor air quality is linked to substantial health problems. New research renews the fact that it can kill you.

The impact of marine debris is immense as this information from NOAA explicitly shows.

The western USA states aren’t the only areas on our planet that are reeling from the effects of an ongoing drought.

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE

Why do we trust the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) regarding climate change? This excellent video explains it all.

It’s only September and 2015 is already shaping up to be an even warmer year globally than 2014.

The ice melt occurring on Antarctica is taking place at an alarming rate and could effect coastal cities much sooner than previously anticipated.

How much rain would it take to put a dent in California’s ongoing drought?

Predicting tornadoes months or seasons in advance is nice in theory, but riddled with misinterpretation potential that mainstream non-science media, laypersons, storm chasers, and “mediarologist” hype-sters would have a field day with.

THE QUIXOTIC

Major League strike-out: Putting weather decisions in the hands of umpires is also a major league FUBAR just waiting to happen. Talk about the hen guarding the hen house…egads!

And that’s a wrap for this post!

Cheers!

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Tornado Quest Science Links And Much More For August 12 – 19, 2015

As of this post, the tropical Atlantic just got interesting. The National Hurricane Center has just named an area of low pressure “Danny” which, as of today, is tropical storm forecast to reach hurricane status. The ongoing drought in the USA’s western states continues on a steady course. Any rain received will offer little help. We’ll take a quick look at those topics and more this week…so let’s get started.

For your consideration, here are this week’s links…

GENERAL SCIENCE

Is there elegance in science? Indeed there is! From the microscopic to the atmospheric to the vastness of the cosmos, few other areas of study have such amazingly inimitable beauty as science.

TECHNOLOGY

A most disturbing privacy related read on the AT&T and NSA partnership.

CITIZEN SCIENCE

The increase in popularity of citizen science is amazing and something that I strongly support and advocate. In spite of the good points, concerns do exists…especially with those who have an ax to grind. Objectivity is not only paramount, but good scientific ethics.

 SOCIAL SCIENCE

Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, the social and psychological scars are still very deep, fresh, and won’t go away in spite of any rebuilding and infrastructure rejuvenation.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE/RECYCLING

If you’ve not seen Google’s Earth View, you should check it out. It has a plethora of amazing satellite images from around the world.

Rain will be welcome in drought-ravaged California. What will happen when heavy rains arrive will be another story.

A not-so-good read for those who suffer from seasonal allergies. “Nitrogen dioxide air pollution increases allergenicity (aka potency) in ragweed pollen.”

An interesting recycling concept: taking old shoes and using them for an energy source.

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE

Tropical cyclone Danny is currently at tropical storm status. According to the current National Hurricane Center forecasts, it should become a hurricane by Friday, August 20, 2015. Obviously, all of this is tentative and subject to change…so please follow the National Hurricane Center for the latest updates and forecast information.

Intriguing read on the relation of Amazon fire risk and its possible links to tropical cyclone/hurricane formation.

If you thought July, 2015 was hot in the USA, you were right. In fact, 2015 may well surpass 2014 as the hottest year on planet Earth since records have been kept.

An interesting read from Climate Central on the importance of the Antarctic ice sheets and their relation to sea level rise.

This week is the 46th anniversary of Hurricane Camille…one of only three Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the USA. Here’s a fascinating National Hurricane Center report from September, 1969 on this major weather event. (64 page PDF file)

The Old Farmer’s almanac is indeed popular…but take any weather forecast contained in any issued with a very large grain of salt.

That’s a wrap for this post!

I’d like to extend a hearty “welcome” to my new followers. I’m really glad you’re along for the fun.

Cheers!

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