Science of the Week, 11/30/12

First, I'd like to thank everyone who commented on Tuesday's post. The random number generator I used wasn't very random; it picked one of the end points. The winner is....(drumroll)...PT Dilloway! Congratulations! PT, I think you've mentioned you already have Lyon's Legacy, so please let me know if you'd rather have one of my short stories now or wait for Twinned Universes, the sequel to Lyon's Legacy.


Now, on to some interesting news articles from ScienceBlog:

Microneedle patch could boost immunization programs

Simple, robust fission reactor prototype (that could be used in space)

Ancient microbes found living beneath Antarctic lake

Electricity from the marshes

Star Trek classroom: the next generation of school desks

Can life emerge on planets around cooling stars?

Researchers use 3D printer to make parts from moon rock
(I'm definitely using 3D printers in my fiction!)

Hagfish slime as a model for tomorrow's natural fabrics

Biggest black hole blast discovered

I also finished reading the December 2012 issue of Scientific American. Perhaps the most interesting article for SF readers/writers is the one about ten world-changing ideas that may someday move from the lab to the real world. Other useful articles include ones on climate change (why our winters may become more extreme) and an essay arguing that quantum effects don't carry over to the physical world. I have to reread that one to get a better sense of it.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone, and see you Monday!