Most Massive Neutron Star

Astronomers at the Green Bank Radio Telescope in West Virginia have announced the discovery of a neutron star significantly more massive than any previously known. This discovery could affect our understanding of the laws of physic and astrophysics.

Green Bank is where David Drake began SETI.

http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2010/bigns/

Anne McCaffrey

I understand that Anne McCaffrey has passed away. She graduated from a prep school here in Virginia, Stuart Hall in Stanton, although she had been living in Ireland since 1970.

NASA Astronaut Michael Fossum Lands In Kazakhstan With Russian Cosmonauts Sergei Volkov, Satoshi Furukawa

I am reading this article NASA Astronaut Michael Fossum Lands In Kazakhstan With Russian Cosmonauts Sergei Volkov, Satoshi Furukawa on The Huffington Post's website.
According to this article the weather was very cold and the wind was blowing hard.
However Volkov, Furukawa and Fossum arrived safely at 0226 GMT on 22 November 2011.

I am reading this article International Space Station crew land in Kazakhstan after 167 days in orbit Three members of Expedition 29 emerge from Soyuz capsule into steppe's sub-zero temperatures on The Guardian's website.
According to this article, the temperature was -15 C. and the heavy winds blow the capsule onto its size by the time it landed.

Aurora Award for Best Novel

Robert Sawyer's novel WWW.Watch won this year's Aurora Award for best novel. Last year, WWW.Wake, the first novel in the trilogy, also won the Aurora Award for best novel. The Prix Aurora Awards honor the best in Canadian science fiction and fantasy every year.


Robert Sawyer's latest novel in being serialized in Analog magazine. The first part is in the January/February issue -- now on the newsstand. Also, another Ravencon guest of honor has a story in the same issue of Analog --Jack McDevitt.

"Distress" by Greg Egan

I recently finished reading the book Distress by the Australian science fiction writer Greg Egan. It is based on an interpretation of quantum cosmology. I have to say that I can't buy the premise, but it was interesting enough that I read it to the end. His viewpoint and writing style is a bit different to me. He was recommended by the Professor Drout in the science fiction course I listened to on CD.

Cliff Pickover

I am listening to Coast To Coast AM with George Noory. http://www.coasttocoastam.com/
He is interviewing Cliff Pickover. http://www.pickover.com/
I am interested in reading his new book, The Physics Book.

China spacecraft returns to Earth after docking test

I am reading this article China spacecraft returns to Earth after docking test on Reuters's website.
According to this article, a Shenzhou 8 unmanned spacecraft successfully docked with the unmanned Tiangong module in orbit about 340 kilometers about the Earth, on 3 November 2011.

NASA on Twitter

I see NASA tweets that say that:
Soyuz docked with International Space Station at 1224 EST today
Hatches between ISS and Soyuz were officially opened at 0239 EST today

Russian Soyuz Capsule Successfully Launches to ISS After Rocket Troubles

I am reading this article Russian Soyuz Capsule Successfully Launches to ISS After Rocket Troubles on Daily Tech's website.

I heard on the news this morning that The Soyuz TMA-22 capsule is in orbit around Earth and heading to the International Space Station with Anatoly Ivanishin, Dan Burbank and
Anton Shkaplerov.

The Eerie Silence -- Dr. Paul Davies

I have been listening to the audio book version of Paul Davies book The Eerie Silence -- renewing the search for alien intelligence. Davies is the well known British physicist and astrobiologist who is a professor at Arizona State University. He is the chair of SETI's Postdetection Taskgroup. This book gives an evaluation of SETI after 50 years and ideas for a "new SETI" -- different ways to search for other life forms. One of the most interesting ideas is the realization that if Earth's environment is conducive to the biogenisis of life, then life should have arisen several times on Earth. Finding a different biogenisis of life on Earth would say a lot about the likelihood that life would arise on other Earth-like planets.

I strongly recommend The Eerie Silence.

Fresh Air with Terri Gross

I am listening to Terri Gross interview Brian Greene, on her radio show Fresh Air.

First Progress Launch Since Accident Looms Large for Space Station Program

I am reading this article First Progress Launch Since Accident Looms Large for Space Station Program on Universe Today's website.

I am reading NASA Statement on Success of Russian Progress Launch
Successful Launch Sets Stage for Soyuz Flight on NASA's website.

From what I read, the Progress 45 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 0611 EDT on 30 October 2011, for the ISS.

WSF Live Forum: Fabric of the Cosmos

View NOVA’s The Fabric of the Cosmos on PBS or a live webcast on worldsciencefestival.com on 2 November 2011 at 10pm ET.
You can find out more information about this on World Science Festival's website. http://worldsciencefestival.com/fabric_info