Congress today overwhelmingly passed the 2016 spending bill. The House of Representatives this morning voted 316 to 113, with a majority of Republicans and nearly all Democrats favoring the $1.1 trillion package for all federal agencies. The Senate concurred a few hours later with a vote of 65 to 33. President Barack Obama is expected to sign it into law later today. Early on 16 December, congressional leaders released the text of an omnibus spending bill that will fund all federal agencies for the rest of the 2016 fiscal year. We’ve taken a look at how individual agencies fared under the bill (see bullets below). Science has also compiled a table showing the budgets of key research agencies and programs. 2016 spending bill gives NIH $2 billion raise, largest in 12 years At long last, Congress to make R&D tax credit permanent White-nose bat study funded FDA gets 5% bump and ban on gene editing NASA science budget rises 6.6% NOAA research rises 4% in new budget … [Read more...] about Updated: Budget agreement boosts U.S. science
Ministry 0f science technology
Hinsdale Science Changes Draw Protests
HINSDALE, IL — The Hinsdale Township High School District last week approved changes to its science curriculum that critics say would reduce offerings for students. But district officials said they wanted to align the courses at Central and South high schools. Under the new plan, students would take physics as freshmen, chemistry as sophomores and biology as juniors. Each of those classes would include earth science concepts. In its plan, the school district says it not only seeks to align offerings, but also to increase student exposure to core sciences and enroll them in more than the required two years of science. Many colleges suggest three years of science. Opponents said the curriculum's goal of alignment meant removing classes from Central. "Do you really think Central is given preferential treatment? If so, we should offer what's preferred to everyone," a woman told the board last week during public input. The district, she said, should add classes, instead of taking … [Read more...] about Hinsdale Science Changes Draw Protests
Feel Good Every Day with These 9 Little Acts of Technology
Advertisement Helping others doesn’t just benefit them; it makes you feel better, too. Humans are social creatures and we feel good when we can be useful in the world. It’s a great way to alleviate feelings of sadness and isolation, or to just have fun and improve someone else’s life.With all the ways technology connects us, doing good in the world is now easier than ever before.These nine apps and websites will enable you to help out in many different ways, from charitable donations 7 Apps and Websites to Help You Give Money to Charity 7 Apps and Websites to Help You Give Money to Charity Give more money to charity and become a more engaged human citizen by using these 7 apps and websites. Read More to community improvement and ethical shopping. Read on to find the perfect way for you to participate in a great cause.Try them out. Do a little every day and improve your feel good factor.Donate a Photo (iOS & Android, Free)Do you like to take photos 10 … [Read more...] about Feel Good Every Day with These 9 Little Acts of Technology
Google Has A Domain Just For You, Science Makes Light Of Time Travel, And More… [Tech News Digest]
Advertisement Also, parking apps battle each other and the law in San Francisco, Google Glass lands in the UK, Second Life is being rebuilt from the ground up, Bono compares Apple to “a religious cult,” and British Airways introduces Slow TV to some flights.Google Enters GoDaddy’s DomainBrilliant. Let Google control absolutely aspect of online life: http://t.co/794Fuy1kKd — Leon Paternoster (@leonpaternoster) June 24, 2014Google has quietly launched a domain registration service, muscling in on a market currently dominated by GoDaddy. Google Domains is being tested on an invite-only basis. Interested parties can request an invite by clicking on ‘Manage My Domains’.Once fully up and running, Google Domains will allow you to buy and sell domains with no extra charge for private registrations. While Google won’t be offering hosting, it has teamed up with a number of third-party website builders such as Squarespace and Weebly to simplify the … [Read more...] about Google Has A Domain Just For You, Science Makes Light Of Time Travel, And More… [Tech News Digest]
Tony Brooker obituary
Tony Brooker, who has died aged 94, was a pioneer of computer programming and education. He designed and implemented the world’s first high-level programming language, at Manchester University, and was later founding professor of computer science at Essex University. In 1947, when Brooker took up his first academic post, as assistant lecturer in engineering mathematics at Imperial College, University of London, computers were in the air. He joined Professor KD Tocher and another student, Sidney Michaelson, in building the Icce (Imperial College Computing Engine, pronounced “icky”). In 1949 Brooker became a research assistant at the Cambridge University mathematical laboratory and took charge of its differential analyser, a prewar analogue computer. This machine was made obsolete following the completion in May 1949 of the laboratory’s Edsac, the world’s first practical electronic digital computer. Brooker switched his interest to computer programming, … [Read more...] about Tony Brooker obituary