By Marc Timm

My name is Marc Timm. I have been an engineer and manger with NASA contractors for practically my entire career. I am an engineer by birth, and, as such, tend to look at the world with engineer's eyes. Lately though, interesting, "non-engineering" things have begun happening in my life that are expanding my normally narrow view of the universe. I hope to use this opportunity to help bridge the chasm between the world of the physical engineer and the internal world. I have an intense interest in science and engineering and have a gift of explaining complex topics in ways that are understandable to non-engineers and non-scientists. It is my goal to provide insight into the world of science and engineering, specifically as it pertains to the changing world around us. This column will provide "Science Snippets" of emerging theories and technologies in ways we can all embrace, kind of a "Science and Engineering, What's New".

The format will generally consist of a presentation of a particular topic along with links to additional reference sources, so you can explore the topics you are interested in perusing. I warmly invite you to forward to me any fascinating "Science Snippets" you run across so we can include them in this forum as well. With that stated, let's explore the "Wonderful World of Science".

No discussion of existing science would be appropriate without a brief discussion of TRUTH. Truth is defined as follows:

1 a archaic : FIDELITY, CONSTANCY b : sincerity in action, character, and utterance
2 a (1) : the state of being the case : FACT (2) : the body of real things, events, and facts : ACTUALITY (3) often capitalized : a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality b : a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true <truths of thermodynamics> c : the body of true statements and propositions
3 a : the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality b chiefly British : TRUE 2 c : fidelity to an original or to a standard
4 capitalized, Christian Science : GOD
- in truth : in accordance with fact : ACTUALLY

What is not clearly stated here is that truth is actually a negotiated set of understandings or viewpoints. An interesting aspect of Truth is that it changes over time. In the world of science and engineering, truth changes as new tools are developed to help us understand our universe and ourselves. A few examples of past indisputable truths are: The world is flat, the Earth is the center of the Universe, man cannot fly, nothing can fly faster than the speed of sound. There are similar truths we live by every day. You can come up with plenty of these "truths" yourself. You can see truth changing in all areas of our lives: our nutritional advice, educational practices, etc.

In the world of science, there is the existing truth. The existing truth is based on the available tools and the observations conducted using these tools. The truth is the way it is. An interesting thing happens over time. As new ways of observing the universe are developed, new truths are developed that explain the universe better. These new truths are generally ridiculed by established science. The new truth is scrutinized by peers, falls away, or becomes the new "TRUTH". This "Truth" is then challenged by a new truth and the whole cycle repeats itself. This is the scientific principle in action. As new tools are developed to view the universe, I find it interesting that scientists and mystics are starting to use the same terminology to describe the universe. This shift began in the west with the work of Albert Einstein. Prior to Einstein, truth was based on Newtonian physics. The universe was viewed as a great machine, with all its interconnected pieces. Great equations were invented to describe the workings of this great universal machinery. These equations are still used today in everything from manufacturing to exploring the planets and stars. This was the truth, concrete and irrefutable. Newtonian physics works very well for large objects, like people, planets, your car's brakes, and my pet dog. Newtonian physics does not, however, work when studying the atom and the sub-atomic particles with which atoms are constructed.

In the early 1900's, a Physicist named Einstein dropped the big one, literally. According to Einstein, mass and energy were interchangeable and therefore, we were energy. This new tool allowed physicists to begin studying the mysteries of the atom, and opened up a real can of worms. What Einstein and others found was atoms were actually made, not of 'stuff', but swirling bits of potentiality. Additionally, in order to make the whole theory work form a math perspective, you have to take time out. A new revision to the existing truth describes that each point in space-time actually exists in a minimum of ten (10) dimensions. This theory, called the "string theory" is currently the best hope for unifying the Newtonian physics of big things with Einstein physics of the sub-atomic realm. The scientific community is currently scrutinizing the string theory and, to date, is still holding its own.

So that brings us to the science truth of today. We are swirling bits of potentiality living in a minimum of 10 dimensions, and, as far as time is concerned, there is only now, no yesterday or tomorrow. Now is that wild or what? Science is truly moving toward what mystics and religious leaders have been saying for some time. Science truths tend to lag behind spiritual and non-scientific truths because tools must develop tools, and theories need to be tested in order for science to make the jump to the next truth.

This is probably the longest piece you will see me write. I tend to write in short paragraphs. I tend to get the information out and then move on. So here we go, let's investigate some of today's truths and see where the truths of tomorrow may be hiding.

THE SUN FLIPS OUT

Steve Rother recently mentioned that he received information from the Group that the Sun's magnetic poles have reversed. Being the science sleuth that I am, I looked into this to see if there was any scientific evidence for this claim. NASA has indeed reported that the Sun's magnetic field has actually flipped. This is a normal event that happens around the peak of the Solar Maximum, an 11-year cycle in which we are currently at the peak. The next Solar Maximum peak is expected in the year 2012. * See below for the NASA site and additional informational sites.

CLOSER TO HOME - HEALING WITH LIGHT

I have heard from several sources that "In the Future, We will use light to heal". As futuristic as this sounds, it is actually happening today. NASA is currently sponsoring investigations aimed at determining whether or not LED light therapy can be used during long duration space flights.

Long-term space flight, with its many inherent risks, also raises the possibility of astronauts being injured while performing their required tasks. The fact that the normal healing process is negatively affected by microgravity requires novel approaches to improve wound healing and tissue growth in space. NASA LEDs have already flown on Space Shuttle missions for studies of plant growth. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved human trials. The use of light therapy with LEDs is an approach to help increase the rate of wound healing in the microgravity environment, reducing the risk of treatable injuries becoming mission catastrophes. ** See below for more informational sites.

IT'S A STRINGY WONDER

As I mentioned briefly in my introduction, one of the newest theories in Physics is the string theory. This theory, it is hoped, will help unite the world of the very large (planets, people, and suchlike) with the world of the sub-atomic particles. To date, physics has not been able to develop a single set of tools that describes both the very large and the very small. This would be a Unified Theory of everything. To date, scientists evaluating this new "Truth" report that the string theory seems to hold up under intense analysis.

The String Theory states that all "matter" is actually composed of small vibrating "strings" of potentiality. These strings are expressed in the physical world as protons, neutrons, and other sub-atomic particles, depending on their individual vibrations. Additionally, each "string" actually exists in a minimum of ten (10) dimensions at a time. It's a pretty eastern way of looking at life. I plan to do a more detailed discussion on the string theory in the future. *** See below for additional string theory sites.

Well, that's about it for "Science Snippets" for now. I look forward to next time. Again, if you have any interesting science snippets of your own, please forward them to me. Until then, keep looking to the stars, it's a really cool place.

* Here's the NASA site, if you would like to check it out in more detail, http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15feb_1.htm. Some additional solar environment sites include:

• The current solar forecast - http://www.sel.noaa.gov/forecast.html
• Solar data - http://www.maj.com/sun/ (you can be your own solar scientist)

** Here are some links to gather your own information:

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/12/001219195848.htm - An overview of the NASA research
• http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM/news/photos/2000/photos00-336.htm - The Marshall Space Flight Center research site.

*** Here are some string theory links into the world of the unknown. Enjoy.

• http://www.superstringtheory.com/index_p.html - A great site with a string theory tutorial and links to all the string theory research currently going on in the world.
• http://www.theory.caltech.edu/people/jhs/strings/index.html - A great site from Cal Tech
• http://ParticleAdventure.org/ - Provides overviews on current particle physics experimentation. Be sure to check out the "Extra Dimensions" link on the home page

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Marc Timm has been involved in science and engineering for practically my entire career. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Degree in Biomedical Engineering and a Minor in Electrical Engineering. He began working with GE, a NASA contractor at the Johnson Space Center upon graduation where he developed many science hardware items used to understand the effects of microgravity on humans in space. He then relocated to the Kennedy Space Center, where he expanded these skills into developing systems and managing programs investigating the effects of microgravity on plants and animals. You can reach Marc by email here.