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Portal:Science - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Wikipedia (December 2006) - wikipedia2006.classicistranieri.com
Science, in the broadest sense of the term, refers to any system of knowledge attained by verifiable means. In a more
restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on empiricism, experimentation, and
methodological naturalism, as well as to the organized body of knowledge humans have
gained by such research.
Fields of science can be further distinguished as pure science or applied science. Pure science is
principally involved with the discovery of new truths with less
(or no) regard to their applications. Applied science is
principally involved with the application of existing truths in new ways.
Erosion is
the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and
other particles) by the agents of wind, water or
ice, by downward or
down-slope movement in response to gravity or
by living organisms (in the case of bioerosion). Erosion is
distinguished from weathering, which is
the decomposition of rock and
particles through processes where no movement is
involved, although the two processes may be concurrent.
Erosion is
an intrinsic natural process but in many places it
is increased by human land use. Poor land use practices include deforestation, overgrazing, unmanaged construction activity and
road or
trail building. However, improved land use practices can limit erosion, using techniques like terrace-building and
tree planting.
A certain amount of erosion is
natural and, in fact, healthy for the ecosystem. For example, gravels continually move downstream in watercourses. Excessive erosion, however, can cause problems, such as receiving water sedimentation, ecosystem damage (including fish kills) and
outright loss of soil.
Her parents were Quakers who, unconventionally for their time, insisted on giving her the same quality of education that boys received. She worked as a librarian and
also pursued astronomy at her father's observatory.
Using a telescope, she discovered "Miss Mitchell's Comet" (Comet 1847 VI, modern designation is C/1847 T1) in the autumn of 1847. Some years previously, King Frederick VI of Denmark had established gold medal prizes to each discoverer of a "telescopic comet" (too faint to be seen with the naked eye). The prize was to be awarded to the "first discoverer" of each such comet (note that comets are
often independently discovered by more
than one person). She duly won one of these prizes, and
this gave her worldwide fame, since the only previous woman to discover a comet had been Caroline Herschel.
December 6: A study by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark does not produce any statistically significant link between cancer and cell phone use. it
is based on about 400,000 cell phone users. (Reuters)
