Category Archives: Science

2020 Nobel Laureates

Posted on by

“Justice is to be found only in the imagination.”
Alfred Nobel

  • The Nobel Prize Medal

Today, the Nobel Prize Awards will begin announcing the winners for 2020. It will kick off with the awards for Physiology or Medicine on Monday October 5, 11:30 CEST at the earliest. Then they will announce the awards for Physics on Tuesday October 6, Chemistry on Wednesday October 7, Literature on Thursday October 8, The Peace Prize on Friday October 9, and then finally the award for Economic Sciences on Monday October 12.

One of the most prestige’s awards in the World, it was established by the late Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist and the inventor of dynamite.

Alfred Nobel was born on October 21, 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. His father was an engineer and inventor. In 1842, Nobel’s family moved to Russia where his father opened an engineering firm providing equipment for the Tsar’s armies. Around 1850, Nobel’s father sent him abroad to study chemical engineering. During a two-year period, Nobel visited Sweden, Germany, France and the United States. He returned to Sweden in 1863 with his father after the family firm went bankrupt.

While in Sweden, at the age of 30 years old, Nobel devoted himself to the study of explosives. He was particularly interested in the safe manufacture and use of nitroglycerine, a highly unstable explosive. Nobel’s brother Emil had been killed in a nitroglycerine explosion in 1864. Deeply affected, by the death of his beloved brother, Nobel incorporated nitroglycerine into silica, an inert substance, which made it safer and easier to manipulate. This he patented in 1867 under the name of ‘dynamite’. Nobel’s dynamite was soon used in blasting tunnels, cutting canals and building railways and roads all over the world. Nobel went on to invent a number of other explosives.

In the 1870s and 1880s, Nobel built up a network of factories all over Europe to manufacture explosives. Then, In 1888, Nobel’s brother Ludvig died while in France. A French newspaper erroneously published Alfred’s obituary instead of Ludvig’s and condemned Nobel for his invention of dynamite. Provoked by the event and disappointed with how he felt he might be remembered, Nobel set aside a bulk of his estate to establish the Nobel Prizes to honor men and women for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and for working toward peace. 

In 1894, he bought an ironworks at Bofors in Sweden that became the nucleus of the well-known Bofors arms factory. He continued to work in his laboratory, inventing a number of synthetic materials and by the time of his death he had registered 355 patents.

After years of acquiring enormous wealth through his patents and business ventures, in November 1895, Nobel signed his final last will providing for the establishment of the Nobel Prizes. He set aside the bulk of his huge fortune to establish annual prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. An Economics Prize was added later.

Nobel died at his home in San Remo, Italy of a stroke on December 10, 1896. After taxes and bequests to individuals, Nobel left 31,225,000 Swedish kronor (equivalent to 250 million U.S. dollars in 2008) to fund the Nobel Prizes.

The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901 to Frédéric Passy and Henry Dunant, who shared the Peace Prize award. The official Nobel Prize Award Ceremonies is held every year December 10th.

Each Nobel Laureates receives three things: a Nobel diploma, a Nobel Medal and a document confirming the Nobel Prize amount. The Nobel Prize amount for 2020 is set at Swedish kronor (SEK) 10.0 million per full Nobel Prize. (In US Dollars is approximately, $1,119,278.) Each Nobel diploma is a unique work of art, created by foremost Swedish and Norwegian artists and calligraphers. The Nobel Medals are handmade with careful precision and in 18 carat recycled gold.

In over a century of Nobel Awards, we have seen such people as Marie Skłodowska Curie win for Chemistry and Physics and the youngest to win, 17-year old Malala Yousafzai for Peace. With such a historical year in the World that all of us have been experiencing, I know I’ll be curious to learn who will be the 2020 Nobel Laureates.

 Shine On

Under the Sea

Posted on by

“Water and air, the two essential fluids
on which all life depends,
have become global garbage cans.”
Jacques Yves Cousteau

Researchers are creating images of coral reefs along the lush and steep windward coast of the Hawaii island of Oahu.

Why? Because the coral reefs are in danger of dying due to the ever-increasing temperatures of the ocean waters.

These high-definition 360-degree panoramic images of the reefs are being used to monitor and study the health of corals over time. Scientists are concerned about how much coral off the coast of Hawaii already is beginning to bleach, especially because it’s the second such event in two years.

Coral bleaching occurs when ocean water temperatures rise and cause the coral to lose key nutrients, turning the normally colorful organism white. If bleaching recurs or is severe, the coral will eventually die.

The researchers use GPS tags and facial recognition technology to help identify and organize individual reef systems. As part of the project, the survey team has partnered with Google and uploads the images to Google Street View, allowing people to explore the underwater ecosystem via the Internet.

The Hawaii reef mapping is part of a larger project by the XL Catlin Seaview Survey research team to make thousands of images of reef around the world. These researchers are trying to understand why certain species of coral are more susceptible to bleaching than others, and they hope to find organisms that can adapt to warmer waters and remain healthy.

If you want to learn more about what’s happening to our oceans, check out Global Reef Record and explore a whole new world, under the sea.

Shine On

Awesome

Posted on by

“He who can no longer pause
to wonder and stand rapt in awe,
is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
Albert Einstein

  • Photo by Brenna Hernandez at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

For the past two decades, scientists have been studying the emotion called, awe. Growing research suggests that experiencing awe may lead to a wide range of long-term benefits, from happiness and health to perhaps more unexpected benefits such as generosity, humility, and critical thinking.

The research also suggests that taking the time to experience awe, whether through appreciating nature, enjoying art or music, or even watching YouTube videos, could be a way to improving your life and relationships.

Did you know that experiencing awe can improve your mood and make you more satisfied with your life? You don’t even need to take a trip to Tahiti to get the job done. You can experience awe by watching slideshows or videos of Tahiti to induce awe. It’s also possible that awe can even bring people together. Research tells us that awe helps us feel more connected to the people in our lives and to humanity as a whole.

What I found interesting about these recent studies is that people who experience awe more often, had a better understanding of nature and science and were more likely to reject creationism and other scientifically questionable explanations about the world. Importantly, these people didn’t have greater “faith” in science; they just understood better how science works.

In 2020, seeking awe should be a high priority. The power of awe may be a simple remedy to improve our outlook and have transformative effects. With increasing interest among psychologists and the public in the study of awe, the future looks bright. Maybe even awesome.

 Shine On

African Violets

Posted on by

“Keep calm and grow African Violets.”

If you live in a small home or apartment, there’s a compact plant that is easy to care for and can cost under $5.00. This colorful flowering plant with clusters of small, fuzzy-leaves originated in East Africa. Thanks to Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire discovery around the 1890s of the Saintpaulia ionantha, now known as the African violet, it grows in homes and offices around the world.

Hardy enough to grow outdoors, the African violets are grown almost entirely as houseplants. There are approximately 10 different species. A full-sized plant typically measures 6 to 9 inches in both height and width. With dark green, thick fuzzy leaves and star-shaped blossoms of white, pink, purple or blue, the African violet makes a boring shelf, coffee table, credenza or desk top more joyful.

African violets are fairly easy to grow. They prefer nighttime temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. While daytime temperatures should be in the 75- to 85-degree F range. They can also bloom continuously as long as they are healthy. Just be sure to pinch off wilted flowers at the stem to encourage blooming.

The water needs of this hardy plant are simple. Although, over watering can kill this delicate little plant. I prefer to plant it in a container that has drainage holes at the bottom. Then, I place that container in a shallow tray or decorative pot and fill the pot with about an inch of water, allowing the water to gradually move its way up through the soil. I also never water the top of the plant, to avoid letting water touch the leaves, as this will cause leaf spots and weaken the plant’s system.

During hot summer months, I check to be sure the plant has plenty of water. Usually, I only add water as it evaporates from the bottom.

With minimum care, my African violets blossom throughout the year. Currently, I have three plants and they are one of my favorite indoor flowering plants, the African Violets.

Shine On

Pothos Plants

Posted on by

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap,
but by the seeds that you plant.”
Robert Louis Stevenson

If you’re one of those that believes you don’t have a green thumb, buy a pothos plant and you’ll be surprised to find out how green your thumb can become.

The pothos plant is believed by many to be a great way to get started caring for houseplants. The plants care is undemanding. This hardy plant is an easy way to add some green in your home. They can tolerate low light as well as direct sunlight.

What I love about this plant is its versatility to be grown in water or in dry soil. That’s why propagating them is so easy. Just take a snip off one of the leafy vines, place it in a glass of water and within a week you will have new roots. You can either leave it in the water, as I do sometimes, or plant it in potted soil. The only downside to pothos is they’re poisonous. So, be sure to keep them far enough away from children and animals.

All my plants have been flourishing lately. So much so, that I’ve been propagating a few overgrown ones. Five years ago, I started with one pothos plant and I now have five. Mostly likely by the end of the year, that will grow to half a dozen hardy pothos plants.

Shine On