Nobel Prizes and COVID-19: Slow, basic science may pay off
The Nobels, with new winners announced starting Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, often concentrate on unheralded, methodical, basic science. It’s that type of basic science that the Nobels usually reward, often years or decades after a discovery, because it can take that long to realize the implications. Basic research comes first. “Without basic science, you won’t have cutting-edge applied science,” said Frances Arnold, a Caltech chemical engineer who won the 2018 Nobel in chemistry. John Mather, who won the 2006 physics Nobel for cosmology, which is the study of the origin of the universe and is thus the ultimate basic science, said nearly everything we use around us is there because of basic science.
New this week: 'Enola Holmes,' Public Enemy and Bonnaroo
Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIES— “Enola Holmes”: It’s somewhat fitting that “Stranger Things” breakout Millie Bobby Brown gets her first starring role in a Netflix film, “Enola Holmes,” coming to the streamer Wednesday. — The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was supposed to take place in June in Tennessee but was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. This week, though, the festival is launching Virtual ROO-ALITY, a three-night live broadcast featuring new performances as well as content from the Bonnaroo archive. The two-hour film will be available at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday at pbs.org/frontline and on YouTube at 9 p.m. EDT.
Neil deGrasse Tyson's tweets upset many
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson attends the IMAX exclusive experience for "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" at AMC Loews Lincoln Square IMAX on June 20, 2018, in New York City. (CNN) - Neil deGrasse Tyson is facing backlash online after he tweeted about gun deaths over the weekend. 200+ Americans died from gun violence in the past 48 hours," author and gun control activist Shannon Watts responded. Many other people mentioned that the other causes he listed were being researched or had reliable preventative measures that could be taken such as vaccines, while gun violence remains an unsolved issue. The remarks come just days after deGrasse Tyson's return to television following accusations of inappropriate behavior.
Neil deGrasse Tyson keeps museum post after sexual misconduct probe
American Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson speaks onstage during the Onward18 Conference - Day 1 on October 23, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Onward18)NEW YORK - Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will keep his job as head of the Hayden Planetarium at New Yorks American Museum of Natural History after the museum concluded its investigation into sexual misconduct accusations against him. A museum spokesman said in a statement Thursday that based on the results of the investigation, Tyson "remains an employee and director of the Hayden Planetarium." A representative for Tyson did not respond to an email seeking comment Saturday. Messages seeking comment were sent to Allers and Watson.