Niels Bohr’s model of the atom, which was the first to account for the quantum nature of the atom, was first published 100 years ago. Although it is now known to be incomplete, his model still serves as an excellent basis for understanding atoms and their structure and behavior. The journal Nature has published a special edition to mark the 100th anniversary of Bohr’s model of the atom. Read here.
The Vatican Information Service reports:
“Vatican City, 5 April 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present the Second International Vatican Adult Stem Cell Conference, “Regenerative Medicine: A Fundamental Shift in Science & Culture”, which will place in the new Synod Hall of the Paul VI building in the Vatican from 11–13 April. Participating in the press conference were: Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Dr. Robin Smith, president of The Stem for Life Foundation and CEO of NeoStem; and Msgr. Tomasz Trafny, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture’s Science and Faith foundation.
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[Msgr. Trafny explained,] “We want “to have a cultural influence on society, pointing to research models of excellence that are, nevertheless, in tune with the highest moral values of protecting the life and dignity of the human being from the moment of conception. However, we are aware that you cannot permanently influence society and culture without the constant and far-sighted support that comes from religious, social, and political leaders, from the community of entrepreneurs and from benefactors who are ready to commit to developing long-term scientific, bioethical, and cultural research.”
More information is also available from Zenit.
[DOT]
“Something unexpected is happening on the sun. 2013 is supposed to be the year of Solar Max, the peak of the 11-year sunspot cycle. Yet 2013 has arrived and solar activity is relatively low. Sunspot numbers are well below their values in 2011, and strong solar flares have been infrequent for many months.
The quiet has led some observers to wonder if forecasters missed the mark. Solar physicist Dean Pesnell of the Goddard Space Flight Center has a different explanation:
“This is solar maximum,” he suggests. “But it looks different from what we expected because it is double peaked.”
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The three final members of ISS Expedition 35 are set to launch to the space station today from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, aboard a Soyuz capsule. Launch is currently scheduled for 4:43 p.m. EST. This launch will be the first attempt at a new, faster trajectory that will get the crew from the ground to docking at the space station in a mere six hours. Previous missions have taken a paced, two-day trip to get to the station. The new procedure, while more hectic, will save on fuel and supplies and will more quickly get the astronauts out of the cramped Soyuz and into the roomier, more comfortable ISS.
More information, including launch coverage, is available from NASA and from Spaceflight Now .
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Image: NASA
