The Houston Chronicle reports another possible name under consideration for NASA Director, former Rep. Nick Lampson:
The 64-year-old Stafford Democrat, whose Houston-area congressional district included Johnson Space Center, has joined a short list of prospective nominees for the 177,000 dollars-a-year post. Former astronaut Charles Bolden Jr., a retired Marine Corps major general, also remains in contention, in part because of support from Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., chairman of the Senate panel that oversees NASA.
Mr. Lampson has an inspiring American story to tell: arising from humble roots in a large family raised mostly by his widowed mother, he went to work sweeping floors at age 12, on to earn two degrees, taught high school science, worked in the local county tax office, and even served in the US House of Representatives. It's not surprising Lampson is a staunch supporter of science, public education, and social security.
- This giant annelid, like something straight out a sci-fi horror flick, was found living surreptitiously inside a large aquarium in the UK!
- HIV is a nasty, clever virus, especially considering it only has the RNA equivalent of about 10,000 base pairs or genetic 'letters'. Humans by comparison have roughly 3 billion, and amoebas have about 100 times the number we do.
- Humanity's gift that keeps on giving: direct Hubble image of an exosolar planet found in older data, and there could be many, many more waiting to be discovered the same way.
- Despite hopes we could look forward to the good ole "up or down vote," weaning the nation off of fossil fuels and leading the way to stabilize global warming will now take 60 votes.
- Congratulations to a talented friend and a tireless champion for science: Chris Mooney has joined fellow science bloggers Phil Plait and Carl Zimmer at Discover Magazine Online.