July 14, 2019

Gravity's Mystery May Prove Our Multiverse Exists (Source: Engadget)
In the beginning, the universe was nothing. In the quantum interpretation of nature, however, even nothing is something. It's potential -- specifically, it is the potential to exist. Whether the nothing fulfills that potential is subject to probability. The odds are that nothing will come to nothing. But any one nothing might beat the odds and do something. If so, the something it does will be to come into existence. As Einstein concluded, "Experience remains, of course, the sole criterion of the physical unity of a mathematical construction."

In 1948, the Dutch physicist Hendrik Casimir predicted that virtual particles would leave traces of energy. Put two parallel plate conductors closer and closer together, and you would be able to measure the increase in vacuum energy. Numerous experiments over the following decades validated the existence of the "Casimir effect." As odd as it is, the Casimir effect holds a special meaning for gravity. According to the general theory, energy interacts with gravity. And the Casimir effect shows that virtual particles have energy. Therefore virtual particles bits of nothing that have managed to beat the odds and become something -- interact with gravity.

If the universe did arise out of a quantum pop -- a nothing that became a something -- that pop almost necessarily would have created other pops. Other universes. The most common mathematical interpretation placed the number of such universes, before the self-replicating mechanism shut off, at one followed by 500 zeros. If the inflationary scenario was a valid interpretation, then maybe the reason gravity is such an outlier that it may as well belong to a different universe is that it does. Theorists proposed, for instance, that gravity might be something that bleeds into our universe from an adjoining universe, or that it's an artifact from a colliding universe. (7/13)

Alternative Theory of Gravity Makes a Nearly Testable Prediction (Source: Ars Technica)
A class of theories, collectively termed MOND (for Modified Newtonian Dynamics), is intended to do away with dark matter, but it struggles to account for things relativity handles with easy. But when it comes to dark energy, MOND is silent, in part because it was originally developed before dark energy was known to be an issue. Instead, an entirely separate class of theories has been developed that handle gravity while eliminating the need for a separate dark energy. These are known as f(R) models and are commonly described as having a "chameleon" mechanism. That's because they posit an additional force that changes its behavior based on its surroundings.

Where there's a lot of matter, the chameleon force is minimized, allowing it to blend in with its surroundings. As matter becomes sparse on larger scales, it starts to make its presence felt. That's why we can't detect any major deviations from relativity on Earth or near objects like neutron stars, but we do detect them when we start looking at the large scale structure of the Universe. The net result is an acceleration of the expansion of the Universe that's only apparent at large scales—just like dark energy. Click here. (7/14)

UNF Student Lee Giat Wants to Take Next Giant Leap (Source: Jacksonville.com)
He has no memories of the Eagle landing on the Sea of Tranquility. He’s a 21-year-old University of North Florida student, born nearly 25 years after the last Apollo mission. And yet, as was the case with me growing up, he wants to be an astronaut. He also has a much better shot at actually making his dream come true.

By the time he turned 21, Giat had only added to his dream, combining two passions, space and film. As his Twitter bio says: “I will film a movie in space.” He’s been making films since he was 7. He founded a production company when he was 14. And last year he filmed a video of himself — complete with graphics, holograms and enthusiastic talk about space — that led to him being the winner of a TV show’s student astronaut contest.

The prize: He got to follow in the footsteps of generations of international astronauts, head to Russia with the host of Xploration Outer Space and spend a few days at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center — the world’s oldest facility dedicated to training humans for space exploration. “So, I can fly rockets now,” he tweeted when he returned to Florida. He knows quite well that he’s a long way from this — that the odds are against him, with only .08 percent of applicants for astronaut training accepted. But that experience only added fuel to a dream that can be traced to early childhood. (7/12)

Boeing’s Role in Moon Missions Helped Launch Seattle as Tech Center (Source: Seattle Times)
Seattle’s fingerprints are all over the first moon landing. The reverse is also true. Fifty years after Apollo 11, this region’s contribution to the mission and all the technological achievements that have sprouted from it over the decades still resonate in the Pacific Northwest in profound ways. With another great race to space under way — again a sprint, this time fueled by rival capitalists rather than rivalry with the Soviet Union — companies such as Blue Origin, SpaceX and many others with headquarters or divisions here are vying for a piece of the moon, Mars and beyond.

It begins, of course, with Boeing. “What’s in the water?” Boeing historian and archivist Michael Lombardi joked. “Really, it’s because of Boeing. Boeing created that foundation.” (7/14)

Galileo System Outage (Source: GPS World)
The entire Galileo system suffered an unexpected and hitherto unexplained signal outage, beginning on Thursday, July 11 at 1:00 pm Central European Time. The signal outage has persisted for more than two days (as of Saturday) and as yet no word has emerged as to the cause or duration of the signal outage. On the evening of July 13, a second NAGU appeared, saying simply that “Until further notice, users experience a service outage. the signals are not to be used.” (7/14)

France to Create New Space Defense Command in September (Source: BBC)
France will set up a new space defence command in September, President Emmanuel Macron has announced. Speaking a day before the annual Bastille Day celebrations, Mr Macron said that the command would help to "better protect our satellites, including in an active way". Analysts say this marks a switch from a defensive to an offensive posture. Mr Macron's proposal follows similar moves by the US, China and Russia in recent years. (7/13)

NASA Thanks Houston for Past, Present, Future Support (Source: NASA)
The spirit of “Space City” is as strong today as it was a half-century ago, with a community-wide outpouring of support for NASA and the anniversary of Apollo 11, and the Johnson Space Center is proud to be a partner in those efforts. “Those of us at NASA’s Johnson Space Center are proud to be a part of the Houston community,” said Johnson’s Director Mark Geyer. “When NASA and Houston have had triumphs, such as the Apollo lunar landings, we’ve celebrated together. ...Together, Houston and NASA will lead the way through the next 50 years of great achievement in space exploration, innovation and scientific discovery … and the next 50 after that.” (7/11)

Rise of Private-Sector Research Onboard the ISS National Lab on Display with SpaceX CRS-18 Mission (Source: CASIS)
SpaceX’s 18th commercial resupply services mission (CRS-18) to the International Space Station (ISS) will include 17 private-sector research projects sponsored by the U.S. National Laboratory. In total, the ISS National Lab is sponsoring 25 separate payloads on SpaceX CRS-18, a new high for a resupply mission. ISS National Lab Vice President of Business Development and Strategy Christine Kretz comments, “This launch showcases both the potential of the ISS National Lab to reach a wide range of private-sector users and the increased appeal of conducting research in the unique environment of low Earth orbit.” Click here. (7/9)