A look at today’s science and health policy news:
The Next President’s Homework Assignment
Forbes–Nationwide, 39% of fourth graders tested at or above proficient in math, up from 31% in 2003. Progress? A little. But in science, fourth graders improved only one percentage point in the same period.
7 Years to Climate Midnight
Washington Post–The world may have only seven years to start reducing the annual buildup in greenhouse gas emissions that otherwise threatens global catastrophe within several decades. That means that between Inauguration Day in January 2009 and 2015, either John McCain or Barack Obama will face the most momentous political challenge of all time.
McCain Outlines Technology Policy
Broadcasting & Cable–McCain opposes net neutrality, but echos the FCC’s open access guidelines.
Senate, House should approve energy bill
Denver Post (Opinion)–The Denver Post on why Congress should pass the relabeled “Gang of 16″ energy bill.
Reid rips “old doc McCain’s” energy policy
Politico–Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid emerged Wednesday night to rip into Sen. John McCain for selling ”snake oil” on energy issues.
Arctic sea ice drops to 2nd lowest level on record
AP–Arctic Ocean sea ice has melted to the second lowest minimum since satellite observations began, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
U.N. Makes Headway In Climate Talks
CBS News–Proposals Include Limiting Emissions By Industries, Compensating Countries For Halting Deforestation
FAA Rushes to Fix Aging System That Caused Delays
WSJ–The Federal Aviation Administration said it is overhauling an error-prone computer system that caused hundreds of delayed flights Tuesday.
Finding Use for the Airwaves’ ‘White Spaces’
Washington Post–The FCC has spent nearly a year testing devices designed to use empty television channels, known as white spaces, for high-speed Internet service. As those tests near conclusion, the agency is evaluating yet another proposal about the best use of the airwaves.
Tropical Storm Gustav Threatens U.S. Energy Infrastructure
Wired–Tropical storm Gustav is headed straight for the heart of the Gulf’s oil-producing infrastructure, according to early government forecasts, and it could become a very strong hurricane.
Doubly endangered
Nature (Opinion)–The landmark Endangered Species Act in the United States needs more flexibility and fresh thinking — but not of the kind being advocated by the Bush administration.
Green Roofs Offer More Than Color for the Skyline
NY Times–The thousands of recently planted green and purple shrublike sedum lining the roof of Con Edison’s training center in Long Island City look a bit out of place in the shadow of Manhattan’s skyline.
Daily TIPs: How Green is My Convention?, Twitter of Science, Mobility Powers Mobiles, & More
Xconomy–Both the Democratic and Republican Conventions plan on being their greenest ever.
FCC proposes rules for VOIP 911 calls
FCW–Enhanced 911 systems would accommodate calls from IP-enabled phones under rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Former FCC Chairmen to Discuss Cross-Partisan Agenda for Telecom Policy
Government Technology–William Kennard and Michael Powell, a Democratic and a Republican former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, will speak on “Consensus FCC Reforms and the Communications Agenda for the Next Administration” next month.
Despite Breakthroughs, Embryonic Stem Cells Still Needed
Wired–The transformation of pancreas cells from one type to another has been hailed as a breakthrough: until now, such tricks required of scientifically — and sometimes ethically — tricky stem cells. But for all its promise, the new technique — like de-differentiation before it — won’t replace embryonic stem cells, and wouldn’t have been possible without them.
Purdue, Citing Research Misconduct, Punishes Scientist
NY Times–An appeals committee at Purdue University has upheld findings of misconduct on the part of a professor who claims to have created energy-generating fusion in a tabletop experiment, the university announced on Wednesday.
