Chikara @chikara@qoto.org

RE·FO·CUS /rēˈfōkəs/ = verb generally meaning "adjust the focus of a lens or one's eyes"; more specific meaning "focus attention or resources on something new or different"

REC·ON·CILE /ˈrekənˌsīl/ = verb generally meaning "restore friendly relations between"; more specific meanings = (a) "cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible"; (b) "make one account consistent with another, especially by allowing for transactions begun but not yet completed"; (c) "settle a disagreement"; and (d) "make someone accept a disagreeable or unwelcome thing"

RE·PAIR /rəˈper/ = verb generally meaning "fix or mend a thing suffering from damage or a fault"; more specific meanings = (a) make good such damage by fixing or repairing it"; (b) "put right a damaged relationship or unwelcome situation" ... also, a noun generally meaning "the action of fixing or mending something; more specific meanings = (a) "a result of fixing or mending"; (b) "the relative physical condition of an object"

STEM in a real world setting needs a non-technical vocabulary, for example

RE·PAIR /rəˈper/ = verb generally meaning "fix or mend a thing suffering from damage or a fault"; more specific meanings = (a) make good such damage by fixing or repairing it"; (b) put right a damaged relationship or unwelcome situation" ... also, a noun generally meaning "the action of fixing or mending something; more specific meanings = (a) "a result of fixing or mending"; (b) "the relative physical condition of an object"

本当にそうです

UPGRADE

There are days, months, endless years when almost nothing happens. There are minutes and seconds that contain a whole world. -- Jean d'Ormesson

[Il y a des jours, des mois, des années interminables où il ne se passe presque rien. Il y a des minutes et des secondes qui contiennent tout un monde.]

SCIENCE VS HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE -- see Wiktionary "give hostage to fortune" https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/give_hostage_to_fortune; and consider whether the Nobel Prizes are good for science in "The million dollar question" (Philip Ball). Chemistry World. 1 October 2018. https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/are-the-nobel-prizes-good-for-science/3009557.article

According to Francis Bacon, the Father of the Scientific Method: "He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief." -- see BrainyQuote https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_bacon_149835 ; and see Wikipeida "Francis Bacon" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon

Compare: "A man who never loves gives no hostage to fortune, to paraphrase a great scientist." -- Takeshi Kovacs in "Altered Carbon," S1:E6 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6731634/characters/nm1172478

STEM = fact-based, truth-based description and analysis?

'The truth is like a lion; you don't have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.' -- Augustine of Hippo

PERIHELION

Tonight something happens in the sky, but there's nothing to see.

Q: Did you know that perihelion, the point during the year when the Earth is closest to the Sun, occurs around this date every year? -- see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_3

In 2020, perihelion takes place tonight --at precisely 2:48 a.m. EST on January 5.-- see https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/space-astronomy/what-is-perihelion-day-2020

FYI: Graphic below shows 2019-2020

DEEP SEA MINING = tech frontier

#seismology #sismologie #geology #géologie #metallurgy #métallurgie #fishing #pêche

International agreements about ocean mining in international waters have never been formally established. The issues have become urgent because
(a) the development of undersea mining technologies has advanced radpidly; and
(b) increasing worldwide demand for raw materials has flattened corporate risk/reward ratios.

SEABED AUTHORITY. The United Nations has delegated the task of developing a regulatory structure to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) "in order to ensure environmentally sustainable development of seabed mineral resources." -- see ISA, "Scientific Activities Promotion."
https://www.isa.org.jm/scientific-activities

MITIGATE DAMAGES. The purpose of the ISA is to mitigate the expected damages caused by mining on the deep seafloor in specific ways
(a) selecting locations where extraction will be permitted; and
(b) issuing licenses to mining companies; and
(c) drafting the technical and environmental standards of an underwater Mining Code. -- see "History’s Largest Mining Operation Is About to Begin" (Wil S. Hylton). The Atlantic. Jan/Feb 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/01/20000-feet-under-the-sea/603040/

LIKELY MINING TARGETS. "The most likely targets for deep-sea mining are polymetallic sulphides, manganese nodules and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts. On a longer time scale, rare earth elements (REEs) in deep-sea muds may also become important, and there has long been interest in the extraction of gas hydrates as a source of hydrocarbons. -- see MIDAS (Managing Impacts of Deep-seA reSource exploitation), https://www.eu-midas.net/science

ISA = INDEPENDENT. The ISA has 168 member states. It is autonomous. Its headquarters are in Kingston, in Jamaica. -- see ISA, "Authority" https://www.isa.org.jm/authority; and see "Member states" https://www.isa.org.jm/member-states

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES? What about this? FYI -- see below, Global map of thermohaline circulation; and likely MIDAS-identified deep sea mining sites

EXPLOITATION IN HAUTE MER = frontière technologique

#sismologie #géologie #métallurgie #pêche

Les accords internationaux sur l'exploitation des océans dans les eaux internationales n'ont jamais été formellement établis. Les problèmes sont devenus urgents car
a) le développement des technologies minières sous-marines a progressé rapidement; et
(b) l'augmentation de la demande mondiale de matières premières a aplati les ratios risque / rendement des entreprises

AUTORITÉ MARINE. L'ONU a délégué la tâche d'élaborer une structure réglementaire à l'Autorité internationale des fonds marins (ISA) "afin d'assurer le développement écologiquement durable des ressources minérales des fonds marins". -- see ISA, "Scientific Activities Promotion." https://www.isa.org.jm/scientific-activities

ATTÉNUER LES DOMMAGES. Le but de l'ISA est d'atténuer les dommages attendus causés par l'exploitation minière sur les fonds marins de manière spécifique
a) sélectionner les emplacements où l'extraction sera autorisée; et
b) délivrer des licences aux sociétés minières; et
(c) l'élaboration des normes techniques et environnementales d'un code minier sous-marin. -- "History’s Largest Mining Operation Is About to Begin" (Wil S. Hylton). The Atlantic. Jan/Feb 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/01/20000-feet-under-the-sea/603040/

CIBLES MINIERS PROBABLES. "Les cibles les plus probables pour l'exploitation en haute mer sont les sulfures polymétalliques, les nodules de manganèse et les croûtes de ferromanganèse riches en cobalt. À plus long terme, les éléments des terres rares (ETR) dans les boues des grands fonds peuvent également devenir importants, et il y a longtemps intérêt pour l'extraction d'hydrates de gaz comme source d'hydrocarbures. -- MIDAS (Managing Impacts of Deep-seA reSource exploitation), https://www.eu-midas.net/science

ISA = INDÉPENDANT. L'ISA compte 168 États membres. Il est autonome. Son siège est à Kingston, en Jamaïque. -- ISA, "Authority" https://www.isa.org.jm/authority; et "Member states" https://www.isa.org.jm/member-states

CONSÉQUENCES INATTENDUES?
Que faut-il en penser? -- ci-dessous, une carte mondiale de la circulation thermohaline; et une carte mondiale des sites miniers en eau profonde identifiés par MIDAS

TAXONOMY = the branch of science concerned with classification, especially of organisms; systematics

#agriculture #botany #botanique #garden #jardinage #potager #Japan #Japon

Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) was a Swedish naturalist. He is sometimes called the "Japanese Linnaeus". -- see Wikipedia "Carl Peter Thunberg" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Peter_Thunberg

His name --Thunberg -- is cited in the scientific names of 200+ species of both plants and animals in Japan, including Houttuynia cordata. -- see Wikipedia "Houttuynia cordata" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houttuynia_cordata

He published "Flora Japonica" in 1784. -- see digitized copy of text https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/viewer/11585/?offset=#page=5&viewer=picture&o=bookmark&n=0&q=

ANTHROPOMORPHISM = the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to an object

#Scotland #Écosse

A truck named "Thunberg" interests me because of its name. -- see "WAY TO SNOW ‘Gritter Thunberg’ hits streets as Scottish school kids honour Swedish Eco Warrior Greta Thunberg" (Kirsty Feerick). Scottish Sun. 21 Dec 2019. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/5093055/gritter-thunberg-gritter-thunberg-children-snow-scotland/; and see https://twitter.com/HolyroodLiam/status/1208041301402406913; and see also "This website lets you see all of Scotland’s spectacularly named gritters in action" (Taylor Heyman). Independent (Eire). 21 Dec 2019. https://www.independent.ie/world-news/and-finally/this-website-lets-you-see-all-of-scotlands-spectacularly-named-gritters-in-action-36444525.html

TAXONOMIE = branche de la science concernée par la classification, en particulier des organismes; systématique

#agriculture #botanique #jardinage #potager #Japon

Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) était un naturaliste suédois. Il est parfois appelé le "Linné japonais." -- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Peter_Thunberg

Son nom - Thunberg - est cité dans les noms scientifiques de plus de 200 espèces de plantes et d'animaux au Japon, y compris Houttuynia cordata. -- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houttuynia_cordata

Il a publié "Flora Japonica" en 1784. -- copie numérisée du texte https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/viewer/