In a landmark project, the Oregon National Guard is relying on gold-mining technology to restore the land at a century-old shooting range on Camp Withycombe here.
The process will remove lead bullets from the land and at the same time save the state millions of dollars.
Categories: Military · Science
“This soil appears to be a close analog to surface soils found in the upper dry valleys in Antarctica,” Kouvanes said. “The alkalinity of the soil at this location is definitely striking. At this specific location, one-inch into the surface layer, the soil is very basic, with a pH of between eight and nine. We also found a variety of components of salts that we haven’t had time to analyze and identify yet, but that include magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride.”
I just thought this was a neat pic. No terrorists here, just Coasties and Mr. Happy Feet.
A curious penguin comes by to investigate the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Sea as the ship takes a break from its ice-breaking duties. The Polar Sea is in Antarctica as part of the Air Force-led Joint Task Force Support [...]
Categories: Military · Science
DoD
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2008 – A network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors confirms that the U.S. military intercepted a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth’s atmosphere, defense officials announced in a press release.
At approximately 10:26 p.m. EST today, a U.S. Navy AEGIS warship, the [...]
Categories: Hard · Military · Science
The military is studying ways to shoot down, or more accurately break-up an intelligence satellite that failed [we think] to function properly and is losing altitude. It will soon enter the atmosphere and large portions of it may reach the ground. Aviation Week
DoD
An uncontrollable U.S. experimental satellite which was launched in December 2006 is expected [...]
Categories: Hard · Military · Science
DAHLGREN, Va. (Jan. 28, 2007) Particle debris ignites as a test slug exits the Office of Naval Research 32 MJ (megajoules) Electromagnetic Railgun laboratory launcher during a test at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. U.S. Navy photo John F. Williams
Categories: Hard · Military · Science
The New England Journal of Medicine presents the findings of an Iraqi study of the number of civilian deaths due to violence since the Liberation. It’s not 601,027 as the Lancet study proposed. It’s not 500,000. Or 400,000. Or… well, you get the idea.
ABSTRACT
Background Estimates of the death toll in Iraq from the time [...]
Categories: Iraq · Medicine · Mushy · Science · War on Terror
The Congress has spoken. That light bulb you climb on a chair to change every so often? Banned within a few years.
Instead, you’ll be forced to buy compact fluorescent lights, CFL’s, those squiggly blubs.
Here’s what GE says, and remember they WANT you to buy CFL’s.
Because the wattage of a CFL bulb is much lower than [...]
Categories: Commentary · Mushy · Original writing · Satire · Science
DVIDS
By Sgt. Mike Pryor
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
BAGHDAD – On a bright afternoon, Dr. Dave Matsuda went with a group of U.S Soldiers to tour a food distribution depot in the Ur neighborhood. The Soldiers were worried about how to keep the warehouse from being infiltrated by Moqtada Al Sadr’s Shi’ite militia [...]
Categories: Iraq · Military · Science · War on Terror
The answer is to be found in Lapland, it seems.
Or was that Lapdanceland?
Telegraph
Now Dr Samuli Helle, University of Turku, has found the answer with the help of a study of the nomadic Sami, the “reindeer people” of Finland.
Finnish parish records from the 17th to 19th century on three Sami populations, who depended on reindeer herding, [...]
