Scientific Observations
“i think the problem we have in
this country and maybe in many
other parts of the world is that
the public, especially in a
democratic society, ... is not
clued in to what science is, what
science can do, what science
cannot do and how important it
is to educate people to have a
voice in what their country is
going to decide to do or not do.”
PHYSICIST AND NOBEL LAUREATE LEON
LEDERMAN, ON JUNE 2 AT “THE SCIENCE OF
ANGELS AND DEMONS” LECTURE AT THE ILLINOIS
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IN CHICAGO
SN Online
www.sciencenews.org
SCIENCE & SOCIE T Y
Mathematical analyses
show something could be
rotten with the state of
Iranian election results. See
“Statistical tests suggestive
of fraud in Iran’s election.”
Science Past | FROM THE ISSUE OF AUGUST 1, 1959
RENAME DISCOMFORT INDEX — This summer you have
a chance to “do something about,” not the weather, but
the combination of heat and humidity that often makes
so many persons so uncomfortable. The
Weather Bureau in June started experi-
mentally … publishing for the summer
what it then called the “Discomfort Index.”
The immediate results were cries of out-
raged indignity from citizens who thought
their particular home towns were being
maligned when the Discomfort Index hit high numbers. So
the Weather Bureau changed the name to “
Temperature-Humidity Index.” However, many ... find this a long and
difficult-to-handle name. Therefore, the Weather Bureau
is welcoming suggested new names....
Science Future
august 12–15
scientists convene at the american ornithologists’ union meeting in philadelphia. visit www.
birdmeetings.org/aou2009
august 31
proposals to digitize scientist
wernher von braun’s notes due
to nasa. see www.nasa.gov/
directorates/somd/home
EARTH
When spring comes to a
mountain hinges on more
than just temperature,
a new study shows. The
distribution of dust and
dirt on the peaks plays a
role too. Read “Dirty snow
may bring green burst
to mountain peaks.”
september 12
the smithsonian institution
hosts a symposium on darwin
in washington, d.c. see www.
mnh.si.edu/calendar.asp
starting salaries for physics degree recipients
in the private sector, classes of 2005 and 2006
Science Stats | EDUCATION PAYOFF
Bachelor’s
non-STEM*
Bachelor’s
STEM*
Master’s
*Jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
source: american institute of physics statistical research
center, initial employment survey
Ph.D.
Annual salaries in thousands of dollars
0 20 40 60 80 100
Introducing...
after at least 120,000
years in ice, tiny bacteria
(near right) have emerged
from dormancy and been
declared a new species. Herminiimonas glaciei
grow barely a tenth the size of E. coli and could
have survived in the delicate veins and liquid films
around ice crystals. pennsylvania state university
researchers discovered the species during a survey of organisms in kilometers-long ice cores (drill
shown, far right) from a glacier in Greenland, the
team reports in the June International Journal of
Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
GENES & CELLS
No baggage fee applied, but
commercial airline passengers could have carried
the H1N1 virus around the
world. See “H1N1 racks
up frequent flier miles.”
clockwise from top left: russell conard; mckenzie skiles/snow optics laboratory;
mark twickler, univ. of new hampshire; adapted from pennsylvania state univ.
4 | SCIENCE NEWS | august 1, 2009
