Scientists have spotted a planet orbiting a star relatively near our solar system that may offer a prime opportunity to study the atmosphere of a rocky Earthlike alien world – the type of research that could aid the hunt for extraterrestrial life. The researchers said on Thursday (March 4) the planet, called Gliese 486 b and classified as a “super-Earth”, is not itself a promising candidate as a refuge for life. It is thought to be inhospitable – hot and dry like Venus, with possible rivers of lava flowing on its surface. But its proximity to Earth and its physical traits make it well suited for a study of its atmosphere with the next generation of space-borne and ground-based telescopes, starting with the James Webb Space Telescope that Nasa has slated for an October launch. These could give scientists data to be able to decipher the atmospheres of other exoplanets – planets beyond our solar system – including ones that may host life. “We say that Gliese 486 b will ... » Learn More about Nearby ‘super-Earth’ could give scientists a boost in search for alien life
Ministry of earth sciences
Alien ‘super-Earth’ may offer clues about atmospheres on distant worlds
The surface of the newly discovered exoplanet called Gliese 486 b, a type of planet known as a “hot super-Earth” is seen in an undated artist’s impression. With a surface temperature of about 430 degrees Celsius/800 degrees Fahrenheit/700 degrees Kelvin, astronomers suspect that the planet has a Venus-like hot and dry landscape interspersed with glowing lava rivers, possibly with a tenuous atmosphere. Renderarea/Handout via REUTERS WASHINGTON – Scientists have spotted a planet orbiting a star relatively near our solar system that may offer a prime opportunity to study the atmosphere of a rocky Earth-like alien world – the type of research that could aid the hunt for extraterrestrial life. The researchers said on Thursday the planet, called Gliese 486 b and classified as a ‘super-Earth,’ is not itself a promising candidate as a refuge for life. It is thought to be inhospitable – hot and dry like Venus, with possible rivers of lava flowing on its surface. But its proximity to ... » Learn More about Alien ‘super-Earth’ may offer clues about atmospheres on distant worlds
‘Put scientists at decision-making front lines,’ urges PH’s 1st homegrown gravitational physicist Reginald Bernardo
Dr. Reginald Christian Bernardo in a photo he captioned “Expelliarmus.” Image: courtesy of Dr. Reginald Christian Bernardo After earning the title of being the country’s first homegrown gravitational physicist, Dr. Reginald Christian Bernardo made headlines in recent months, and only rightfully so. Despite this newfound fame, the scientist wants to emphasize to fellow Filipinos that there have been several other Filipino gravitational physicists before him, albeit not being “homegrown.” He points out that the era of gravitational physics in the Philippines started way back in 1970 when Dr. Roger Posadas obtained his Ph.D. under the supervision of renowned theoretical physicist Ezra Newman from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. Noting that while the 1970s is not only the era that is “darkest in Philippine history,” it is also the time when the most respectable physics programs in the country were “only at their infancy.” Following Posadas, it took around ... » Learn More about ‘Put scientists at decision-making front lines,’ urges PH’s 1st homegrown gravitational physicist Reginald Bernardo
This Harvard professor thinks we finally have proof of alien life
Astronomers spotted an interstellar visitor to our solar system for the first time on October 19, 2017. But it wasn’t an alien life form – it was an object. Even so, the surprise visitor, which was named “‘Oumuamua”, caused a stir in the world of astronomy and astrobiology, the discipline that investigates the possibilities of extraterrestrial life. The excitement arose because scientists were unable to explain what ‘Oumuamua was. Our interstellar visitor – the term “interstellar” here means that it originated from a place outside our solar system – was not a comet , as it did not have the tail of gases and dust behind it that all comets leave behind. If such an object is not a comet, scientists say, it’s usually an asteroid. But ‘Oumuamua, which was travelling at 58,000 miles (93,300km) per hour in the direction of the Pegasus constellation, did not move like an asteroid. Although there was no “outgassing” – no cometary tail – there was still a confusing acceleration that did ... » Learn More about This Harvard professor thinks we finally have proof of alien life
China’s first reusable rocket on way, says expert
Designers at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology have started developing the first reusable model in the nation's Long March carrier rocket family, said a senior rocket scientist. Jiang Jie, an expert at the academy and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said on Wednesday that research and development of the reusable variant of the Long March 8 rocket was proceeding well and designers plan to conduct the first test to verify key vertical landing technologies before the end of this year. "The new model will feature highly integrated equipment, autonomous technologies and convenient pre-launch preparations," said Jiang, a member of China's top political advisory body, one day ahead of the opening of the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Designers are developing an integrated first stage for the reusable variant, she said. This new first stage will consist of a core booster and two side ... » Learn More about China’s first reusable rocket on way, says expert
Commonwealth Secondary School nurturing next generation of environmental stewards
SINGAPORE - For Miss Swapna Haresh Teckwani's students, learning takes place not only in the classroom but also among the green shoots of the school's endangered species nursery. After discussing biodiversity and sustainability with the Secondary 4 class during a lesson on plants last Thursday (Feb 25), she led them to the first-floor nursery. First, they inspected the bok choy they had grown, which will be harvested later and passed to canteen vendors to be used in the dishes they sell. Next, they proceeded to the greenhouse, a collaboration between Commonwealth Secondary School and the National Parks Board, where endangered plants are grown. Miss Swapna, the subject head of science and research, pointed out the various species to her students. The school took about three years from 2014 to 2016 to create eco habitats on its campus such as a rainforest and a wetland, in a pioneering effort to educate students on sustainable living. It is also part of the Eco Stewardship ... » Learn More about Commonwealth Secondary School nurturing next generation of environmental stewards
Over 113,000 people in S’pore received first Covid-19 vaccine dose: MOH
SINGAPORE - More than 113,000 people have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Thursday (Jan 28). Among them, there were 432 "adverse event reports" linked to symptoms generally associated with all vaccinations. These include injection site pain and swelling, fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, giddiness, nausea and allergic reactions such as itch, rash, swelling of eyes or lip. Most of these symptoms resolved on their own within a few days, said MOH. There were three cases of anaphylaxis, or rapid onset of severe allergic reactions, but all of them recovered and were discharged from the hospital after a day's observation or treatment, the ministry added. The three people, who are in their 20s and 30s, developed multiple symptoms such as rash, breathlessness, lip swelling, throat tightness and giddiness. All three had a history of allergies, including allergic rhinitis and food allergy such as to shellfish, ... » Learn More about Over 113,000 people in S’pore received first Covid-19 vaccine dose: MOH
ScienceTalk: Choosing Singapore’s Covid-19 vaccines
SINGAPORE - With more than 200 potential Covid-19 vaccines being developed globally, the world is inundated each day with news on the latest developments. How to sift through the vast amount of information, to guide the pressing decisions on which vaccines to buy or use? To put together Singapore's Covid-19 vaccine portfolio, an expert committee reviewed more than 40 vaccine candidates over the past seven months. This involved more than a hundred meetings with companies and academics, and a detailed study of thousands of pages of scientific papers, industry reports and protocols. Balancing a vaccine portfolio Covid-19 fuelled the development of an unprecedented number of vaccine platforms, some of which have never before been approved for use in humans. These include traditional and well-tested approaches using inactivated whole viruses or fragments of virus protein, newer technologies employing nucleic acids (RNA or DNA) and viral vectors (riding on another virus to ... » Learn More about ScienceTalk: Choosing Singapore’s Covid-19 vaccines
New COVID-19 cluster formed after Indonesian maid working for SIA cabin crew member tests positive
SINGAPORE: A new COVID-19 cluster involving three confirmed cases has been identified in Singapore, after the Indonesian maid of a Singapore Airlines (SIA) cabin crew member and her husband tested positive for the coronavirus. The 35-year-old domestic helper was among the seven new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Wednesday (Feb 24). She was Singapore's sole community case. The helper has also tested preliminarily positive for the B117 strain and is pending further confirmatory tests. The remaining six infections were imported cases and were placed on stay-home notice upon arrival, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update. No new infections were reported in foreign worker dormitories. In its update, MOH also said that it received the first shipment of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, although it has not yet been authorised by the Health Sciences Authority for use in the country. THE COMMUNITY CASE The Indonesian ... » Learn More about New COVID-19 cluster formed after Indonesian maid working for SIA cabin crew member tests positive
Pay hikes for over 56,000 public healthcare workers from July, with nurses getting up to 14% more
SINGAPORE - An estimated 56,300 public healthcare workers - including nurses and support care staff - will get pay bumps over the next two years, starting in July. Nurses will see increases of 5 to 14 per cent in their monthly base salaries, while other healthcare staff, such as allied health professionals, pharmacists and administrative and ancillary staff, will get pay rises of 3 to 7 per cent. The Health Ministry (MOH) will also increase funding support for salaries at publicly-funded community care organisations in order to ensure that wages in this sector remain competitive. This will benefit another 20,800 staff. In announcing the pay increases, Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon spoke of how the Covid-19 pandemic has shown Singapore the importance of maintaining a resilient core of healthcare workers. "Our healthcare workforce is the lifeblood of our healthcare system, and the work that they do is critical in protecting the health of our society," he ... » Learn More about Pay hikes for over 56,000 public healthcare workers from July, with nurses getting up to 14% more