April 22, 2012 – Page 2

Scientific discoveries this week: 4-23-12

Concepción, Chile – According to a new study by astronomers in Chile, dark matter particles that hold the universe together may not be present in this part of the galaxy. Many astronomers and cosmologists are doubting the findings of the study, because of the implications of there being no dark matter holding this part of the Milky Way together. This poses problems to scientists’ understanding of the galaxy, because much of what is known about the cosmos is based upon the existence of an invisible particle whose gravity holds everything together.

Headlines from around the world: 4-23-12

Norwegian Anders Bering Breivik is on trial for the murder of 77 people last year, whom he killed in shooting and bombing attacks. Breivik says that he has been mentally preparing himself for what he calls a “war on the Muslim invasion of Europe,” by mentally de-humanizing Muslims and teaching himself to build car bombs. If the court decides he is sane, then he will likely be sentenced to 21 years in prison.

The economics of borates

Borates are important in the modern economy. The minerals, named as such because they contain the element boron, are most well known for their use in the touch screen glass that is the key to most smartphones and tablets. Because of the demand for the final products that include borates, they have become a world commodity and borate producers such as Rio Tinto Minerals are becoming major players on the world stage.

New legislation threatens CSM

Ever since the 1950s there has been a dream in metropolitan Denver to have a “beltway system,” a super highway that would circumscribe Denver and bring together the Denver metro area and all of Colorado. The beltway made progress early on and was nearly complete, but when it was time for the beltway to go through Golden, the city refused, citing that it was unnecessary and a waste of the city’s efforts at that time. This has been the story for the last 60 years and now, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, and some state legislatures have felt that they have no further choice but to create an authority that would create the beltway – with or without the consent of the City of Golden.

4/20 comes to halt on CU campus

On Twitter there seems to have been a recent outbreak of tweets referring to “420” and the “Mary Jane Day.” Although festivities abound on 4/20, Students at the University of Colorado at Boulder were not celebrating as their campus was closed and officials stopped the annual 4/20 rally.

This Week in Colorado History: Preparation for Graduation and the New Year

The Colorado School of Mines declined to renew five faculty contracts this week in 1916. “The Colorado Transcript” reported that this was due to “a general policy of retrenchment,” in other words, cost-cutting. On the other end of the spectrum, the school founded a department of applied engineering with Ralph R. Knowles as head. CSM also created “a department of English and foreign languages.” Although the professor to head it had not yet been found, he was required to be able to teach English, German, Spanish and maybe French. Additionally, the school hired Fred G. Carter “to take entire charge of the department of physical education and to act as head coach of all teams.” Carter was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and an expert in both sports and medicine.

Beer Review: Stella Artois

Stella Artois, steadily growing in popularity since 2011, delivers a non-unique flavor for a heavily advertised beer.

When opening a bottle of Stella Artois, the paper wrapping that ensures safety and elegance creates anticipation for the first taste. At the first smell, a dry aroma wafts from the freshly opened bottle allowing many bubbles to escape and reach the top.

How I Met Your Mother in a struggle with plot

One of the problems with television is that in order to turn profits, writers are often forced to ruin some of the artistic value of their shows. Certain shows start off with incredible premises and interesting characters, but after six seasons their characters and plots seem to tread water. If the writers pursue character and/or plot development, they risk changing the formula that made the show so successful. This occurs notable in the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.”

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Geek of the Week: Mike Burton, Sophomore, Geological Engineering

Many people throughout history have tried to define the traits that separate ordinary men and women from geniuses and revolutionaries. One must have both intellect and great knowledge in one’s area of interest. Despite these favorable qualities, however, genius is never appreciated in its own time, often because the geeks who transcend into “genius-dom” are those who push the boundaries that others simply accept and work around. Many students at Mines recognize the necessity of pushing the limits around them and few understand this need more than sophomore and geological engineer, Mike Burton.

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Fun. Concert Review

A couple of weeks ago Fun. played a show at the Fox Theater in Boulder. It was one of three stops they made in Colorado, all of which sold out. This was not surprising considering the recent success of the band, but for long time fans it was somewhat disconcerting. The fact that more people are attending their concerts is yet another reminder of the changes they have undergone. It is not that more people like them that make them less appealing, but that their sound has become less distinctive and more crowd-pleasing. The sold out shows are merely a symptom of this. But even the most jaded fan cannot help but loose all inhibitions the second Nate Reuss’s vocal chords tear across the room at their live shows.

Daily Archives: April 22, 2012