Category Archives: Misc.

Astroengine Data Gathering

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
Astroengine needs your input

Astroengine needs your input

Astroengine.com has been in operation for a few years now, but since I began doing some serious space writing in late 2007 the site underwent a major facelift and became what you see today: A space science news blog. As time goes on I will be increasing the frequency at which I update Astroengine – it might be a lot of writing but it will be worth it. During my time researching space articles for Astroengine and my science writing for the Universe Today, I try to find as much original stuff as possible, but often settle of interesting news that is already out there. This is where you can help. If you have anything you would like me to write about, feel free to drop me a line. I recently did this for a regular Astroengine reader who wanted something written about the Higgs boson, a topic I hadn’t thought about addressing. The article was then Dugg like crazy, killing the server more than once! So if you have an idea and want to have a chance at overwhelming Astroengine with traffic, contact me with your idea and I’ll see what can be done.

So, after eight months of space news, I’d like to get your feedback about how Astroengine is shaping up and how you think it could be improved. After all, Astroengine is driven by you, so your views are very important…
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Want to Keep Up with Astroengine Articles? Why not Sign Up for Regular Email Updates…

Posted by Ian O'Neill on

As Astroengine.com grows, I’ve noticed a lot of returning visitors. I update the site daily with new research from various institutions, popular space science news and stories that wouldn’t normally see the light of day on the Internet. With the help of Feedburner.com, Astroengine.com sends out daily emails (one per day) so you can have any updates delivered directly to your inbox. If you want to sign up (at no cost and free of spam), click on the following link and follow the instructions.

I’ll look forward to seeing you soon!

Sign me up for the daily email from Astroengine.com

Alternatively, subscribe to Astroengine.com’s RSS feed

Thank you for stopping by!

Ian (Astroengine editor)

Do Hadrons Feel Pain?

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
Catchy slogan at the protest (BBSpot)

Or else... what? (BBSpot)

Hold on, I’ve just found out some worrying news from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This mammoth experiment goes online in one month and two days and I don’t think we’ve fully grasped what this machine is going to do.

It will kill hadrons, by their millions.

I know, I felt the same way. What kind of deprived mind would think up such a plan? There we are being told by the physicists that colliding hadrons at high energies will somehow benefit mankind. We are also being told by the doomsayers that the LHC will create a micro black hole, killing us all. But so far there has been little thought for the tiny elemental particles caught in the middle of all this. Do you think they want to be accelerated to the point where they resemble a wave more than a particle? No. Do you think they want to be bashed at high speed, splattering their innards around the inside of a detector chamber? No.

Please, spare a thought for all those innocent quarks, they don’t have a voice…

(Oh dear, here we go again…)
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Carnival of Space Week 66 – A Mars Odyssey

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
Banner from A Mars Odyssey website

Banner from A Mars Odyssey website

This week’s Carnival is being held over at A Mars Odyssey, where Nancy Houser does an awesome job of chronicling all the great entries from this week’s collection from the space blogosphere. I have a special fondness for this week’s CoS as I love the detailed approach Nancy has taken, each entry lovingly read, understood and reported on. A joy to read!
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Astroengine Goes to Hollywood: “Fly Me to the Moon” Premier

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
Legendary astronaut and second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin. A really nice chap (© Ian O'Neill & Astroengine.com)

Legendary astronaut and second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin. A really nice chap (© Ian O'Neill & Astroengine.com)

In a very fortunate chain of events, I was asked by Fraser to go to the Directors Guild of America on Sunset Blvd. (LA) for the “Fly Me to the Moon” movie premier. I can’t review the film as yet (we have to wait until the film opens on August 15th for that), but I can give a run-down of who was at the premier and what the new animated feature is all about. Personally, I had a great day, fulfilling my dream of meeting legendary ex-astronaut Buzz Aldrin and legendary British actor Tim Curry…
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Channel 4 Report About LHC Safety (ft. Walter Wagner!)

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
Working on the LHC (CERN)

Working on the LHC (CERN)

The LHC is set to go online in around two months time and the scientific world waits in anticipation for the first results. However, there are a few who are more concerned than excited for the LHC experiments. On Tuesday night, I was kindly asked to join the LHC debate with the prominent LHC critic, Walter Wagner on Captain Jack’s show Paranormal Radio. To be honest, I really enjoyed the open platform provided for me to ask Walter some questions about his forthcoming lawsuit against the US partners funding CERN. Mr Wagner is far from being a fantasist or “crank” (as I’ve seen unkindly written in some of the media), but his views are more in the realms of speculation, rather than being based on the actual physics predicted to come out of the LHC.

Today, science reporter David Fuller with the UK news channel ITN contacted me to say that he had covered Walter’s story in a news item for Channel 4. He put together a very balanced report that should allay any fears that micro black holes or strangelets could be produced by this awesome experiment in the search for the Higgs boson…
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Carnival of Space Week 65 – 21st Century Waves

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
21st Century Waves banner

21st Century Waves banner

Another week and the space bloggers have been busy! For the 65th instalment of the great Carnival of Space, Dr. Bruce Cordell is our host over at the superb blog 21st Century Waves. Once again, there’s a cosmically rich mix of stellar goodness on show. From Astroengine.com, I submitted the popular “New Exotic Particle May Explain Milky Way Gamma-Ray Phenomenon.”

So get to 21st Century Waves to read the full spectrum of CoS #65…

Tonight: Walter Wagner Discusses His LHC Lawsuit (a.k.a. “The Doomsday Suit”) on Paranormal Radio – I Will Join the Debate!

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
The LHC at CERN (CERN)

The LHC at CERN (CERN)

I’ve been captivated by the commotion caused by this summer’s “switch on” of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland. Much of the last few month have been focused around a lawsuit that Walter Wagner filed in Honolulu, Hawaii four months ago.

Tonight, Walter Wagner will be talking live with Captain Jack on Paranormal Radio (WPRT Radio) to discuss his concerns for the particle accelerator. Kudos to Wagner for appearing live to defend his views on the subject. In an added twist, I’ve been invited to join in with the debate. The live show begins at 9pm Eastern Time (Wagner will be on the show starting at 10pm EST), airing over Seattle and Chicago (I think!) and transmitted over the internet.
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Rolling Rock or Walking Martian?

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
The Mars "walker" taking a stroll across the Red Planet's surface (AboveTopSecret.com)

The Mars walker taking a stroll across the Red Planets surface (AboveTopSecret.com)

So the new X-Files movie has been released (awesome), there’s been a surge in alien stories (on YouTube, the most reputable scientific resource), NASA astronauts are citing that UFOs are actually extraterrestrials visiting Earth (of course), and now we have beings with big heads having a stroll on the Martian surface. It must be the season for it…
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Carnival of Space Week 64 – Music of the Spheres

Posted by Ian O'Neill on
Rendering of the Apollo lunar module (LM, pronounced "lem") launching for the return trip. Source: Music of the Spheres

When a Carnival starts off with a quote from a classic book, you know you’re in for a treat:

Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to space.
– Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

This is where we begin with the FlyingSinger (a.k.a. Bruce Irving) who takes us on a journey throughout the space blogosphere stopping at the Sun, Venus, Mars and the occasional black hole. Check out the great website “Music of the Spheres” to read the full contingent of this week’s Carnival. From Astroengine.com, I decided to enter our Sun and why it is so special…