“Space Policy Directive 1,” which Trump signed Monday, sees Mars as the ultimate destination. But analysts wonder whether money will follow to support the plan.
Science & Tech
Marine biologists seek answers in a warmer Bering Sea
A group of marine scientists visited Western Alaska recently to discuss the results of a second bottom-trawl survey of the northern Bering Sea. This round of research comes seven years after their first survey of the area in 2010.
Rare lichen identified on rain forest fringe in Southeast Alaska
Scientists have learned that a kind of lichen found in Southeast Alaska is a distinct sub-species that has evolved from the lichen of the same name found elsewhere in the world.
Flat-Earther delays launch in his homemade rocket, saying ‘It’s not easy’
Mike Hughes had planned to launch himself Saturday over the Mojave Desert in a quest to prove the world is flat. But he didn’t count on a federal agency’s rejection — or a significant tech breakdown.
Dog owners have lower risk of cardiovascular disease, Swedish data suggest
It’s possible that there are other explanations for the link, but overall, the researchers say the large Swedish data set provides “the most robust evidence so far of a link between dog ownership and health outcomes.”
Police hope to launch drones over Anchorage — with limits
Anchorage police Capt. Kevin Vandergriff presented draft policies Wednesday on how police would like to use drones at a meeting of the Assembly’s public safety committee.
Students gain fieldwork experience in Indian River
After years of gravel extraction in the mid-20th century, Sitka’s Indian River has changed. It’s become straighter, and its banks are deep. students and area scientists repeated the study to see just what, if anything, has changed in the Indian River watershed.
STEM advocates build network for classrooms to connect with local experts
“I can tell the kids, yeah, when I was an engineer I did this, but that was a long time ago and it doesn’t have the same credibility as somebody who’s actually doing it day to day,” said Carol May, a former engineer who now teaches statistics and computer science at TMHS.
Tech investors pitch dedicated lanes on I-5 for self-driving cars
“If this technology goes the way that leading experts are predicting, we could see the entire corridor as a freeway could be autonomous by 2040,” said transportation consultant Scott Kuznicki.
Do you care if your fish dinner was raised humanely? Animal advocates say you should
Concerns over animal welfare have led to changes in recent years in how livestock are raised. But seafood has been missing from the conversation. One group aims to change that.