Science.ie newsletter

Science.ie

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Science.ie Newsletter
Science for a Successful Ireland
http://www.science.ie

Issue 12 - July 2002

THIS MONTH:
1)...News - Don't Blame it on the Weatherman, Blame it on Seaweed
2)...Jocelyn Bell Burnell - Irish Star of Astrophysics
3)...Events - Family Science Quiz - Win a 5000 Euro Holiday Voucher

CHANGE OF ATMOSPHERE
To celebrate 1 year of Atmosphere - we're changing its name!
From now on it will be known as the science.ie newsletter.
Still monthly, still free, and still bringing you Ireland's
Science, Technology and Innovation news, events and information.

If you find this ezine useful, please forward it to a friend.
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* How to Subscribe *
Subscribing is easy, simply send an email to
mailto:subscribe@science.ie with 'subscribe' as the subject.
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1)...N E W S A N D I N F O

>>>WIN A SONY DISCMAN!
Take part in our brief 12 question survey about the science.ie
website, and you could win a Sony Discman.
http://www.thedmco.com/survey/sci101_invitation.asp?value=yes&src=nwsltr


>>>DON'T BLAME IT ON THE WEATHERMAN, BLAME IT ON SEAWEED
Approximately 100 inches of rain fell in Ireland in May 2002,
a figure well above the average for previous years. But an
Irish scientist could finally have found the answer to why we
have had such a miserable summer – seaweed.
http://www.science.ie/news_info/index2.html


>>>GM FOODS AND HUMAN HEALTH
Genetically Modified crops can contain genes from unrelated plant
or even animal species, which confer on them radically altered
physiological traits. Critics of this technology have raised fears
that such altered traits could lead to unforeseen health impacts.
http://www.biotechinfo.ie/content/content.asp?section_id=185&language_id=1


>>>PROFILE OF A CAREER IN SCIENCE
Inspired by his biology teacher in school, Luke O'Neill, Associate
Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, passes on his
own enthusiasm, knowledge and discoveries to the next generation.
http://www.science.ie/careers/index_rolemodel.html


>>>IRISH RESEARCHERS TO COMPETE FOR OVER 16 BILLION EURO EU FUNDING
The Sixth EU Framework Programme (FP6) gives Irish researchers the
opportunity to participate with researchers in Europe and further
afield in developing cutting edge technology.
http://www.forfas.ie/eufp.html


>>>ASTEROID HYPE - OR CAUSE FOR CONCERN?
There has been much talk in the media of late about asteroids
predicted to pass very close to the earth, in particular asteroid
2002 NT7. But what are the chances that it will actually hit?
http://www.science.ie/news_info/index2.html


More Science and Technology Headlines at:
http://www.science.ie/news_info/index2.html
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* Fact of the Month *
Boolean algebra, the logic at the heart of today's
computers, first emerged in Ireland.
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2)...JOCELYN BELL BURNELL - IRISH STAR OF ASTROPHYSICS

Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell (born 1943, Belfast) is the
astrophysicist who first discovered pulsars - rapidly rotating
neutron stars that release regular bursts of radiowaves. The
discovery is one of the most significant in astrophysics.

While at Cambridge University during her Ph.D., Jocelyn began
working on a radio astronomy project using a telescope she
herself had helped to construct. She was responsible for
monitoring the daily recordings from the telescope, which proved
a tedious job until, in November 1967, she began to take notice
of unusual signs on the recordings. After playing with theories
of reflections from the moon, or even extraterrestrial origins,
Bell noticed that the unusual radio source remained fixed with
respect to the stars and was therefore beyond the solar system.
Over the next few months, she discovered 3 more pulsating radio
sources. The signals were coming from pulsars.

Burnell was awarded the prestigious Michelson Award with her
former graduate advisor Anthony Hewish in 1973. The following
year when Sir Martin Ryle and Anthony Hewish were awarded the
Nobel Prize in Physics "for their pioneering work in astrophysics",
Jocelyn was not acknowledged or recognised for the discovery. Many
astronomers felt she should also have been awarded the Nobel prize.

Today Jocelyn Bell Burnell is still working on the advancement of
astronomy and is presently Professor of Physics and Department
Chair at the Open University, England.

Read more at:
http://www.ceemast.csupomona.edu/nova/burn.html
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* Link of the Month *
The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) promotes the use of
wind energy in Ireland. The IWEA website includes maps of Irish
windfarms, details of projects, publications, news and events.
http://www.iwea.com/
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3)...E V E N T S

Family Science Radio Quiz, on 'Today with Pat Kenny'
Answer fun science questions to win holiday vouchers.
>>>http://www.science.ie/

Astronomy Ireland Star-B-Q on 30 August
Fund-raising barbecue under the stars with Ireland's biggest
portable telescopes to be held in the mountains just south of
Dublin. Food, unlimited telescope use, talks, night sky classes.
>>>Advance booking required on (01) 847 0777. Discounts if booked
before 12 Aug. Otherwise 20 Euro (adults) / 13 Euro (under 16s).

All-Ireland Innovation Awards 2002
Is your company a potential winner of the 2002 Innovation Awards?
>>>http://www.science.ie/events/national-innovation/index_nia.html
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* Quote of the Month *
"Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to
humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science
is the highest personification of the nation because that
nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the
works of thought and intelligence." Pasteur, Louis (1822-1892)
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...W H A T T O D O T H I S M O N T H

Read...
'Agnes Mary Clerke and the Rise of Astrophysics' by Dr Mary Brück
An account of the remarkable life of the Skibbereen-born historian
of astronomy. £35.00stg hardback from Cambridge University Press.
>>>More info: http://books.cambridge.org/0521808448.htm

Listen...
'Origin of the Universe' - Astronomy Ireland Talk
Controversial Irish engineer Dr. Al Kelly details his alternative
theory on the origin of the universe "The Full Stop".
Mon 12 August, 8pm. Henry Grattan Building, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.
>>>Booking on +353 (0)1 8470777 Mon-Sat. http://www.astronomy.ie/

Get your copy of...
Ireland's new science, technology and engineering wall calendar.
Available free to all readers of science.ie and this newsletter.
>>>http://www.science.ie/events/index.html
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Next Issue - August 2002
http://www.science.ie/

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