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The Organ

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Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere may soar to levels not seen in 56 million years

...That era, known by scientists as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), was Earth's warmest period since the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. According to the study, during that period, the poles were ice-free, and the Arctic was home to palm trees and crocodiles. 

That warmth caused a major extinction of organisms in the deep ocean that are a key link in the marine food web...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/carbon-dioxide-atmosphere-may-soar-130003384.html

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Posted

 


The Wave Organ


Peter Richards and George Gonzalez
Exploratorium artists in residence, 1986


The Wave Organ is a wave-activated acoustic sculpture located on a jetty in the San Francisco Bay. The concept was developed by Peter Richards and was installed in collaboration with sculptor and master stone mason George Gonzalez. Inspiration for the piece came from artist Bill Fontana’s recordings made of sounds emanating from a vent pipe of a floating concrete dock in Sydney, Australia.

In 1980, Richards (a Senior Artist at the Exploratorium for many years) received a planning grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that enabled him to conduct an extensive period of investigation into the physicality of the Wave Organ phenomenon.

A prototype, built at the same location, was presented as part of the New Music ’81 Festival. Though very rudimentary in nature, it generated enthusiasm and support for a permanent work. Permit acquisition and fundraising efforts by Frank Oppenheimer, Founding Director of the Exploratorium, began soon after, but actual construction did not start until September 1985, seven months after Oppenheimer’s death. The Wave Organ was completed in May 1986 and was dedicated in June to the memory of Frank Oppenheimer.

The Wave Organ is located on a jetty that forms the small Boat Harbor in the Marina district of San Francisco. The jetty itself was constructed with material taken from a demolished cemetery, providing a wonderful assortment of carved granite and marble, which was used in the construction of this piece. The installation includes 25 organ pipes made of PVC and concrete located at various elevations within the site, allowing for the rise and fall of the tides. Sound is created by the impact of waves against the pipe ends and the subsequent movement of the water in and out of the pipes. The sound heard at the site is subtle, requiring visitors to become sensitized to its music, and at the same time to the music of the environment. The Wave Organ sounds best at high tide.

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Posted
20 hours ago, AdamSmith said:

 

Of course I still remember the Columbia and Challenger accidents as if they were yesterday.  Is space flight ever safe?  Going to the moon was so improbable (in retrospect) that I can understand why some do not believe we went there.  Naturally any mode of transportation is inherently dangerous, some more than others.  Sometimes it makes me wonder how I survived all these years and "crazy" flights.

Best regards,

RA1 

Posted
4 hours ago, RA1 said:

Of course I still remember the Columbia and Challenger accidents as if they were yesterday.  Is space flight ever safe?  Going to the moon was so improbable (in retrospect) that I can understand why some do not believe we went there.  Naturally any mode of transportation is inherently dangerous, some more than others.  Sometimes it makes me wonder how I survived all these years and "crazy" flights.

Best regards,

RA1 

von Braun did however jave ^_^ one mantra:

’NEVER put ze propellants above ze astronauts!’’

Posted
8 hours ago, AdamSmith said:

von Braun did however jave ^_^ one mantra:

’NEVER put ze propellants above ze astronauts!’’

He also resolutely refused any consideration of solid-rocket fuels. The need in event of catastrophe to turn OFF a rocket motor to avert even greater catastrophe.

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Posted
1 hour ago, AdamSmith said:

He also resolutely refused any consideration of solid-rocket fuels. The need in event of catastrophe to turn OFF a rocket motor to avert even greater catastrophe.

Does your right hand inadvertently go up when writing about von Braun?

Best regards,

RA1

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