Sci/tech tidbits in and around New Hampshire
December snow-killing “rain on snow” events have increased by 46%
After yet another warm-rain-killing-snowpack event, New Hampshire Bulletin reports on analysis showing that it's not our imagination: they really have increased. ROS days increased 17 percent between 1981-2010 and 1991-2020, Peachey found. Even more telling is that...
Multi-pronged tussle over N.H. state energy policy roles
UPDATED TO FIX LINK If you like seeing how the sausage is made, as they say, check out the detailed New Hampshire Bulletin article about upcoming struggle over the role of various regulators in shaping New Hampshire's energy policy. Basically, there is disagreement...
Using A.I. ‘is almost like dealing with an alien intelligence’
Dartmouth Health sent out this article about a study of using A.I. to analyze radiographs (X-rays, to you and me). The whole article is linked below, but I want to highlight this quote because it's really interesting: “It is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of...
Vaccines are great; free vaccines for kids are greater
New Hampshire residents have always been pretty sensible about getting ourselves vaccinated, certainly better than those scared-of-modernity goofballs in Vermont because we know a good deal when we see it. And you can’t get a much better deal than avoiding deadly...
Doctors write ‘solar prescriptions’ for poor patients using power from their rooftop panels
One of the arguments in favor of distributed energy (mostly behind-the-meter solar on rooftops) is that it allows us to do interesting things with electricity that can't be done with the old model of getting power only from a big plant far away. A terrific example is...
NH patents through Dec. 8
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through Dec. 8. *** Method of Manufacturing a Dielectric Lens ASTRONICS AEROSAT...
This is the hottest year on record – but maybe the coldest year of the rest of your life
The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed what many experts anticipated: 2024 will almost certainly beat 2023 to become the hottest year on record. It will also be the first with an average temperature exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold – in fact...
Science (meaning us) thrives with the long-term view – who’s going to pay for it?
When it comes to science, there’s something to be said for longevity. Consider the Lamprey River. The Lamprey, which flows 212 miles from Northwood through Durham to Newmarket, isn’t exactly a huge river but it is the largest contributor of fresh water to the Great...
Science on Tap: The Air We Breathe
The SEE Science Center’s twelfth season of Science on Tap discussions continues on December 10th. Science on Tap events are free, informal discussions with local scientists and experts on a particular topic. On Tuesday December 10 the topic will be: The Hyper Local...
The scientifically dubious bills are trotting out in NH
It's the time of year when legislators file bills, although many of them aren't actually written yet so we've only got the titles. A couple hundred have been filed; I zipped through them and flagged these scientifically dubious ideas. There may well be others - you...
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