Religion News in Brief (2016/10/28)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Conatus News/Uncommon Ground Media Inc.
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2016/10/28
Patient Zero for HIV ‘cleared’
According to BBC News, Gaetan Dugas was one “of the most demonised patients in history” and “has been convincingly cleared of claims he spread HIV to the US”, which diminishes the demonised, “legendary status”.
Dugas was a homosexual flight attendant. He acquired the name Patient Zero. Via a publication in the prestigious journal Nature, he was shown to be one of among thousands infected with HIV/Aids.
New York was found to be a nexus for the incubation and spread of HIV/Aids. It was
recognized in 1981 when unusual symptoms emerged among gay men. Researchers have been able to look back farther in time with stored samples from 1970s hepatitis trials, which contain HIV.
Probe glitch possibly behind Mars probe crashing
According to The Guardian, the European Space Agency (ESA) describes how a potential computer glitch might have caused the crashing of the probe that was sent to Mars.
Apparently, the plummet began a couple miles up. Further satellite images “confirm”
that the probe, or spacecraft, was travelling at about 300km/hr and “smashed into an
equatorial Martian plain on October 19th.
“After a flawless start to its descent, the craft’s landing sequence appears to have gone out of kilter” and The ExoMars 2016 lander put out its parachute much too early, and the retrorockets should have been on for 29 seconds but only were on for 3. The plummet and crash followed.
Science budget unaffected post-Brexit
The Register reports that Jo Johnson, Science Minister, promised the United Kingdom government will continue to allocate funding to the science budget “to underwrite EU funding following Blighty’s departure from the European Union.”
PM Theresa May notes the Brexit negotiation will take place following the Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty “triggering” in March, 2017. Johnson made assurances that the government committee devoted to this is “working hard.”
According to Johnson, there is a “strong commitment” on the part of the UK government to “not use any of the £26.3bn science budget pledged in April 2016” in support of monetary support cut by the EU.
Bad scientific climate a problem for the practice of it
EurekAlert notes that an acrimonious political context can slow down science and its progressive effects, which is especially important as a consideration in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and in a Knowledge Economy.
“The House of Representatives Science, Space & Technology Committee has been operating in lockstep with the combative political climate this election season” with detrimental consequences on science.
There have been 25 subpoenas since “last year.” These were raised to investigate the activities of science agencies and others. Some “scientists say the efforts are having a chilling effect” rather than bringing any problem behaviour to the fore.
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