Monthly Archives: February 2010

Solar Power from Deserts

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

One per cent of the surface area of the world’s deserts would be enough to meet our current electricity needs. This concept has long been promoted by Desertec, a European network of scientists and engineers, which argues that just 1 … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy | Leave a comment

Israel Slaps Six-month Travel Ban On Palestinian Map Expert

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

Citing “security reasons” — the ubiquitous and unanswerable catch-all phrase against which it is almost impossible to mount any defense — Israel’s Ministry of the Interior has just issued a six-month travel ban on map expert Khalil Tafakji. He heads … Continue reading →

Posted in map making | 1 Comment

Cassini images Saturn’s Moon Mimas

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

NASA’s Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft this month made its closest pass yet of the odd, eyeball-shaped moon Mimas, which bears the scar of a massive, violent impact from its past. Scientists aren’t sure why the giant impact that caused the crater … Continue reading →

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Dark Stars Spawn Supermassive Black Holes

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Rashid Faridi

Approximately 200 million years after the Big Bang, the universe was a very different place. There was no starlight as there were no stars. This period was known descriptively as the “Dark Ages.” As there were no stars, only clouds … Continue reading →

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