Science & Technology News

[GordMay]

“For what its worth, we have been projecting future warming since the first climate models in the late 1960s/early 1970s. We can look back to see how well they have performed. It turns out our models generally did a good job." ~ Zeke Hausfather

“Evaluating the Performance of Past Climate Model Projections” ~ by Zeke Hausfather et al
➥ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley....9/2019GL085378

... Plain Language Summary
Climate models provide an important way to understand future changes in the Earth's climate. In this paper we undertake a thorough evaluation of the performance of various climate models published between the early 1970s and the late 2000s. Specifically, we look at how well models project global warming in the years after they were published by comparing them to observed temperature changes. Model projections rely on two things to accurately match observations: accurate modeling of climate physics and accurate assumptions around future emissions of CO2 and other factors affecting the climate. The best physics-based model will still be inaccurate if it is driven by future changes in emissions that differ from reality. To account for this, we look at how the relationship between temperature and atmospheric CO2 (and other climate drivers) differs between models and observations.

We find that climate models published over the past five decades were generally quite accurate in predicting global warming in the years after publication, particularly when accounting for differences between modeled and actual changes in atmospheric CO2 and other climate drivers.

This research should help resolve public confusion around the performance of past climate modeling efforts and increases our confidence that models are accurately projecting global warming...

[ImaginaryNumber]

Study Links Glaciers to Earth’s ‘Great Unconformity’

https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2022/01/study-links-glaciers-earths-great-unconformity

[GordMay]

'Burning' hydrogen plasma in the world's largest laser sets fusion records

Last year, scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory [LLNL] announced [1] the record release of 1.3 megajoules [10 quadrillion watts] of energy, for 100 trillionths of a second, at the National Ignition Facility (NIF).

In two new research papers [2 & 3], NIF scientists show the achievement was due to the precision engineering of the tiny cavity, and fuel capsule. at the heart of the world's most powerful laser system, where the fusion took place.

Although the fuel capsule was only about a millimeter (0.04 inch) across, and the fusion reaction lasted only the briefest sliver of time, its output was equal to about 10% of all the energy, from sunlight, that hits Earth, every instant, the researchers reported.

The researchers said the reaction blasted out that much energy, because the process of fusion, itself, heated the remaining fuel into a plasma, hot enough to enable further fusion reactions.


[1] “National Ignition Facility experiment puts researchers at threshold of fusion ignition” ~ LLNL [Aug. 2021]
➥ https://www.llnl.gov/news/national-i...usion-ignition

[2] “Design of inertial fusion implosions reaching the burning plasma regime” ~ by A. L. Kritcher et al
➥ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-021-01485-9

[3] “Burning plasma achieved in inertial fusion” ~ by A. B. Zylstra et al
➥ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04281-w

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by ImaginaryNumber

Study Links Glaciers to Earth’s ‘Great Unconformity’
https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2022...t-unconformity

The paper, reported above:
“Thermochronologic constraints on the origin of the Great Unconformity” ~ by Kalin T. McDannell et al
➥ https://www.pnas.org/content/119/5/e2118682119

[pt49]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Possibly, because we're not a-holes, nor ignorant idiots.

Very debateable.

[GordMay]

The birth of Omicron [1]

Omicron is so different from earlier coronavirus variants, such as Alpha and Delta, that evolutionary virologists estimate its closest-known genetic ancestor probably dates back to more than a year ago, some time after mid-2020. Its unusual array of mutations evolved under virologists’ radar, so it seemed to come out of nowhere. Working out under what conditions this highly transmissible variant arose might help scientists to understand the risk of new variants emerging, and suggest steps to minimize it. Scientists are investigating three theories:

- Although researchers have sequenced millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes, they might simply have missed a series of mutations that eventually led to Omicron.
- The variant might have evolved mutations in one person, as part of a long-term infection.
- It could have emerged unseen in other animal hosts, such as mice or rats.

Researchers await a report, expected in early February, in which the World Health Organization’s recently formed Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens [SAGO 2] will grapple with Omicron’s origins.

[1] “Where did Omicron come from? Three key theories” ~ by Smriti Mallapaty
➥ https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00215-2

[2] SAGO ➥ https://www.who.int/groups/scientifi...athogens-(sago)

First meeting of SAGO ➥ https://www.who.int/news/item/24-11-...athogens-(sago)

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The birth of Omicron [1]

Omicron is so different from earlier coronavirus variants, such as Alpha and Delta, that evolutionary virologists estimate its closest-known genetic ancestor probably dates back to more than a year ago, some time after mid-2020. Its unusual array of mutations evolved under virologists’ radar, so it seemed to come out of nowhere. Working out under what conditions this highly transmissible variant arose might help scientists to understand the risk of new variants emerging, and suggest steps to minimize it. Scientists are investigating three theories:

- Although researchers have sequenced millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes, they might simply have missed a series of mutations that eventually led to Omicron.
- The variant might have evolved mutations in one person, as part of a long-term infection.
- It could have emerged unseen in other animal hosts, such as mice or rats.

Researchers await a report, expected in early February, in which the World Health Organization’s recently formed Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens [SAGO 2] will grapple with Omicron’s origins.

[1] “Where did Omicron come from? Three key theories” ~ by Smriti Mallapaty
➥ https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00215-2

[2] SAGO ➥ https://www.who.int/groups/scientifi...athogens-(sago)

First meeting of SAGO ➥ https://www.who.int/news/item/24-11-...athogens-(sago)

Or it may have been released intentionally or accidentally from a level 4 lab that did a serious gain of function on it . in the lab in Gabon, South Africa. Not for me to say but the possibility does exist.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Or it may have been released intentionally or accidentally from a level 4 lab that did a serious gain of function on it . in the lab in Gabon, South Africa. Not for me to say but the possibility does exist.

Not for you to say - yet you say it.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Not for you to say - yet you say it.

Not to say where it came from but the possibility does explain many things and questions asked by '" official sources" .

Been to to many rodeos to not consider all options myself .

[ImaginaryNumber]

https://www.vox.com/22894978/covid-1...=pocket-newtab

[GordMay]

New MERS-related virus NeoCoV may be more lethal & transmissible

A new lethal virus, known as NeoCoV, has been discovered, and it may be more transmissible [with one mutation] according to a new preprint (not yet peer-reviewed) study [1], by Chinese scientists from Wuhan. It has not yet made the leap to humans. Right now, NeoCoV is only known to spread among bats, but, according to the Wuhan researchers, it is only one mutation away from becoming dangerous for human life.

Further, according to the study, antibodies targeting both SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and MERS-CoV, were not able to stop NeoCoV.

According to the study [1], the NeoCoV variant is a type of coronavirus, originally discovered in South Africa. However, it isn't entirely new. According to the researchers, the NeoCoV variant is linked to the MERS-CoV virus, also known as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which had outbreaks in several countries in the Middle East before.

[1] “Close relatives of MERS-CoV in bats use ACE2 as their functional receptors” ~ by Qing Xiong et al
➥ https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...01.24.477490v1
Full PDF ➥ https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...490v1.full.pdf

More reporting about:
NeoCov’s potential danger to humans requires further study — WHO
➥ https://tass.com/society/1394163

[pt49]

With Fauchi's financial assistance they will be able to further reduce population growth with CovV.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by pt49

With Fauchi's financial assistance they will be able to further reduce population growth with CovV.

Would "they" refer to the Gabonese, Chinese, or some other "Other", in this case?

NeoCov does not infect humans.
According to researchers, further mutations of the virus may make it potentially harmful to humans, but there are no cases of NeoCov in humans yet. "We unexpectedly found that NeoCoV and its close relative, PDF-2180-CoV, can efficiently use some types of bat Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and, less favorably, human ACE2 for entry," the scientists said.
The World Health Organisation has said further studies would be required to ascertain if NeoCov coronavirus poses a threat to humans.

On the other hand:
The virus carries the high mortality rate of MERS-CoV (where one in three infected people die on average) and the high transmission rate of the current COVID-19 virus.
NeoCov can penetrate human cells in the same way as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The NeoCov infection could not be neutralised by antibodies that target the Covid virus.

[ImaginaryNumber]

Driverless cars won’t be good for the environment if they lead to more auto use

https://theconversation.com/driverless-cars-wont-be-good-for-the-environment-if-they-lead-to-more-auto-use-173819

[pt49]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Would "they" refer to the Gabonese, Chinese, or some other "Other", in this case?

Fauci and his cronies apparently have a history of financing Chinese labs to develop viruses to kill humans.

As Louie The Fly said... "When you're on a good thing, stick to it!"