How Science Is Improving Our Understanding Of Nature

March 18, 2010 by Adriana Noton  
Filed under Astronomy

For centuries, scientists have engaged in research that has increased our understanding of nature and how natural forces work to create and sustain the world and universe we see today. The purpose of science is to follow a process of making careful and unbiased observations in order to generate knowledge about the world through tested theories based on the scientific observations. Although theories may not guarantee the absolute truth about a particular scientific theory, the idea is to get as close to an accurate approximation of the truth. The result will lead to a more accurate and credible understanding of how the natural world works.

Scientists seek to learn as much as possible about the nature of the world. By using intellect, the aid of scientific study devices, and formulated scientific hypothesis, scientists now have a better understanding of nature. For instance, the principles of motion and the law of gravity are applicable when studying other parts of the universe, even if we have yet to travel to these areas. The same principles can be applied to other forces such as seeking to understand ocean tides, bird migrations, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Scientists study patterns both in the natural world and in laboratories using technologically advanced research devices to gather data, take measurements, and make their observations and create their scientific theories. The result is an improved understanding of nature.

Science also helps us understand how we evolved. By studying such elements as fossils of species that once roamed the earth millions of years ago, various rocks and other matter located deep within the earth, skeletal remains of dinosaurs, and the remains of prehistoric man and early primates, scientists have made many significant discoveries about how we evolved. In fact, such famous scientists as Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein, and Charles Darwin, have all contributed important theories and data that have brought us even closer to understanding how the universe emerged and developed.

How science has reconstructed the events in the history of the planet and its life forms have led to remarkable improvements and insight into how nature works. For instance, by studying the contours of the ocean floors, the shape of continents, the effects of a volcano eruption and earthquake, and where different fossils have been found, we get a better understanding of why our continents reside where they are and how human populations and species migrated and evolved to what we see today. We also get a better understanding of the results of the ice age and the effect it had on the types of species we have today. Understanding how the world evolved and the changes that took place also helps us to better understand current world problems such as the effects of Global Warming which is essential to finding ways to slow it down. By understanding how nature and its natural forces work, we are better able to come up with ways to manage the planet and its inhabitants.

Because science relies heavily on accurate and unbiased data, there is a constant development of advanced techniques and instruments which has lead to many astounding discoveries in the world and universe. For instance, the Hubble Telescope has resulted in many astounding discoveries about the stars, planets, black holes, and even far away galaxies. With advanced computer systems and other technologically advanced instrument, the future for scientific discovery looks bright concerning our understanding of the history of the universe and the history of life on earth.

It will be interesting to follow the progression of nature and science in the years ahead. physics research will also be developed and integrated into even more systems that we use in everyday life.

Some Things About Geographic Information Systems

March 15, 2010 by Adriana Noton  
Filed under Astronomy

Lots of people are learning some things about geographic information systems these days. One of the first things they are learning, is just what one is. A GIS as they are referred to, helps us to question, interpret, understand, and visualize data that can show us patterns or trends, or relationships by way of report, globes, charts, and maps.

The main way that GIS is used is through maps. But this is only one way that it can be taken advantage of. A GIS can be used in various ways, and can put out other products as well for the use of geographic data. They assist in problem solving in mapping programs and contribute data to many online mapping tools.

When you have a database that is full of information in relation to geography, then you have what is known as a geodatabase. This is a database in the geographic information systems that will interpret the world for you by putting it into geographic terms. It can lay out streets and addresses from an aerial point of view, enabling you to accurately see how the geography of that area lays out.

A GIS can be used along with a GPS in order to answer questions specifically about a certain location. You can use the data that is available for making analysis and accurately understand about the location in question. The GIS basically takes the information and can geoprocess it so that it can be used along with existing database information.

You may wonder who would have need of a GIS. Well, businesses can make good use of a GIS system. They can be used to analyze and more accurately calculate an ROI, or return on investment. This function is used by quite a few in the business world, like governments, academic institutions, agencies, or corporations and companies. The GIS can provide these types of businesses with a lot of helpful benefits.

With GIS you can see where there are quantities of things for finding relationships between different places. It is an added bit of information that can be useful in making decisions about how your business or organization will treat those places in regard to a project you may have in that region or area. It can map specific activities in various locations and present the data for it in a map form, even though the data is about a census.

This technology can be used to look at earthquake activity or other types of weather. If you can map things out and see how they look over a period of time, then you can get some insight into their behavior. Like with hurricanes. This gives you an idea of where and when the next ones are most likely to occur. This allows you to prepare for and anticipate possible future events. That can be very powerful, and very beneficial information.

Learning some things about geographic information systems, will help you to understand how lots of businesses are able to project future happenings and trends. It is an easier way of looking at data and being able to see just what it means in relation to the question at hand. It basically is an information converter, that puts data into a form that is then easily interpreted in a visual way. It has tremendous benefit for many situations and in answering important questions.

Canada’s top science authority offers vast knowledge on a variety of Canadian research topics, including mathematics research, engineering Canada, and physics research.

Animal Research Over The Decades

March 5, 2010 by Adriana Noton  
Filed under Uncategorized

Animal research has undergone many updates and transformations of the years, and certainly within the past few decades. Even up until the 1980s many leading cosmetic giants were insisting that animal testing was necessary in order to prove that their products were safe for human use.

Many organizations came out of nowhere to help protect animals that were, in their eyes, being mutilated and killed needlessly in the name of beauty. These organizations quickly came to the defense of these animals and made certain that the general public was well aware of what was happening at these cosmetic companies by releasing photos of tiny helpless bunny rabbits that were blinded or even worse, for no good reason. Cosmetic companies were forced to find alternative means to test their products and now, all cosmetic companies carry disclaimers on their labeling to alert consumers to the fact that they do not engage in animal research.

Even up until the 1970s, companies involved in animal research were heavily involved in a practice called vivisection where animals were tested and forced to undergo painful procedures without anesthesia.

If an animal even happened to survive one of these “tests”, he was simply brought back to his cage to await what was in store for him next. The use of vivisection was quickly stopped by legislation once the public was aware of all this inhumane suffering.

Regardless of these updates, medical research still needs animal research, yet most research facilities have been forced to find labs where they work away from the public eye and avoid as much scrutiny as possible. No longer housed in the basements of large inner city teaching hospitals, labs have sprung up behind secure barriers literally in foothills and desert communities.

Groups and organizations such as PETA have used what some have referred to as aggressive and unsavory tactics in their self appointed role of animal protectors, but it is largely due to their relentless investigations and the willingness of the mass media to listen, that unnecessary animal research and mutilation has been almost wiped out.

There have been, however, successful and much needed advances in various diseases and conditions that have plagued man for eons, all due to animal research. Researchers have been able to discover research methods, however, that do not mandate the death or permanent maiming of these creatures and instead they have learned to create vaccines and serums that have shown great promise in many diseases from cancer to AIDS.

With all that success, however, comes a new form of research: genetic engineering. This focuses on many types of cloning for replacement body parts, internal organs and skin. One of the most common procedures involves the use of mice on which to graft and grow human ears. Although the procedure has provided some incredible results and has been well received by both the medical community and recipients of their new fully functional ears, it does involve the ultimate (humane) euthanization of the host mouse. Because of this, there are qualified recipients who choose not to undergo the procedure.

Canada’s top science authority offers vast knowledge on a variety of Canadian research topics, including mathematics research, nature and science, and physics research.

Chinese Lunar Calendar

February 10, 2010 by Owen Jones  
Filed under Astronomy

Prior to their adoption of the Western solar calendar scheme, the Chinese almost wholly followed their own lunar calendar for determining the times of planting and harvesting and festival days. Although people in China today use the Western calendar for almost all business, governmental and practical matters of daily life, the old method still serves as the basis for determining many seasonal holidays. This coexistence of two calendar schemes has long been accepted by the people of China.

However, this does not only happen in China, it also occurs in most other Eastern countries, like Thailand, and most Arabic countries.

A lunar month is determined by measuring the period of time needed for the moon to complete its full cycle of 29 and a half days, a standard that makes the lunar year a whole eleven days shorter than its solar counterpart. This difference is made up every 19 years by the addition of seven lunar months.

The 12 lunar months are further divided into 24 solar divisions characterized by the four seasons and periods of heat and cold, all of which bear a close relationship to the yearly cycle of agricultural work.

The Chinese calendar – very much like the Hebrew calendar- is a mixture of the solar and lunar calendars in that it strives to have its years coincide with the tropical year and its months coincide with the synodic months. It is not surprising that a few similarities exist between the Chinese and the Hebrew calendar.

For instance, an average year has 12 months, a leap year has 13 months. An ordinary year has 353, 354, or 355 days, a leap year has 383, 384, or 385 days. When working out what a Chinese year will be like, one needs to make a number of astronomical calculations.

First of all, you have to determine the dates for the new moons. In these cases, a new Moon is the completely black Moon (that is to say, when the Moon is in conjunction with the Sun), not the first visible crescent, as is used in the Islamic and Hebrew calendars. The date of a new moon is then the first day of a new month.

The reason why the majority of countries which had their own calendars had to dump them in favour of the Western, Julian calendar that we use today, is business. First the British and then the Americans ran international business and they used the Gregorian calendar. Anyone who sought to work with them had to follow suit. This is why national policy often varies from local custom in Third World countries.

The government desires to trade on the International markets, but the ordinary family in the country can not. So, the government adopted the Gregorian calendar but the people only pay lip service to it. I live in Thailand and people here do not even use the 24 hour day divided into two halves. Their day has four sections of six hours each and the first part starts at 6AM, not midnight. Therefore, they have four 4 o’clocks a day, for example but no 7 o’clocks. They are also 543 years ahead of us, although this is more common, for instance in Muslim countries.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

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