Near-Infrared Monitoring of Volatiles in Frozen Lunar Simulants While Drilling

In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) focuses on using local resources for mission consumables. The approach can reduce mission cost and risk. Lunar polar volatiles, e.g. water ice, have been detected via remote sensing measurements and represent a potential resource for both humans and propellant. The exact nature of the horizontal and depth distribution of the ice remains to be documented in situ. NASA's Resource Prospector mission (RP) is intended to investigate the polar volatiles using a rover, drill, and the RESOLVE science package. RP component level hardware is undergoing testing in relevant lunar conditions (cryovacuum). In March 2015 a series of drilling tests were undertaken using the Honeybee Robotics RP Drill, Near-Infrared Volatile Spectrometer System (NIRVSS), and sample capture mechanisms (SCM) inside a 'dirty' thermal vacuum chamber at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The goal of these tests was to investigate the ability of NIRVSS to monitor volatiles during drilling activities and assess delivery of soil sample transfer to the SCMs in order to elucidate the concept of operations associated with this regolith sampling method

Physiological Correlates of Volunteering

We review research on physiological correlates of volunteering, a neglected but promising research field. Some of these correlates seem to be causal factors influencing volunteering. Volunteers tend to have better physical health, both self-reported and expert-assessed, better mental health, and perform better on cognitive tasks. Research thus far has rarely examined neurological, neurochemical, hormonal, and genetic correlates of volunteering to any significant extent, especially controlling for other factors as potential confounds. Evolutionary theory and behavioral genetic research suggest the importance of such physiological factors in humans. Basically, many aspects of social relationships and social activities have effects on health (e.g., Newman and Roberts 2013; Uchino 2004), as the widely used biopsychosocial (BPS) model suggests (Institute of Medicine 2001). Studies of formal volunteering (FV), charitable giving, and altruistic behavior suggest that physiological characteristics are related to volunteering, including specific genes (such as oxytocin receptor [OXTR] genes, Arginine vasopressin receptor [AVPR] genes, dopamine D4 receptor [DRD4] genes, and 5-HTTLPR). We recommend that future research on physiological factors be extended to non-Western populations, focusing specifically on volunteering, and differentiating between different forms and types of volunteering and civic participation

Marksizm ve Doğal Sınırlar: Ekolojik Bir Eleştiri ve Bir Yeniden Inşa Denemesi

Soldaki pek çok kişi “yeşil” ve sosyalist perspektiflerin yeniden birleştirilmesine bir umut kaynağı olarak bakıyor. Bunda haklı olduklarına inanıyor, bu umudu paylaşıyorum. Ancak, Yeşil siyaset ve kültür hareketleri içinde bazı önemli akımlar (anladıkları şekliyle) sosyalizme husumet beslerken, sosyalist solun ekolojik siyasetin yükselişine karşı verdiği tepkinin büyük ölçüde netlikten uzak olduğu da bir vakıa.1 Ben bu yazıda iki şey yapmaya çalışıyorum: birincisi bu muhalefet ve gerilimlerin solun en etkili düşünsel geleneği içerisinde derin kökleri olduğunu göstermek, ikincisi ise, artan Kızıl/Yeşil diyaloğunun hızlanmasında rol oynayabileceğini umduğum bazı yeni kavramsal yaklaşımlar getirmek.2 Bu diyaloğu sürdürenlerden bazıları (bence haklı olarak) Marksist olmayan sosyalist düşünce ve eylem geleneklerini yeniden değerlendirmekten yana olsalar da,3 bunun Marksizmin kendisinin sınırlarını ve kaynaklarını keskin bir biçimde incelemeyi sürdürmenin yerini almaması gerektiğini düşünüyorum