Einstein: New radio pulsar discovered in Arecibo data

[RSS]

Congratulations to our volunteers James Drews, UW-Madison and juergenstoetzel. Their computers have discovered a new radio pulsar J1859+03, in data from the Arecibo Observatory PALFA survey. Drews (http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/show_user.php?userid=2013) works at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and is the ninth-ranked Einstein@Home volunteer, measured by total computing credits. This is his second pulsar discovery! Further details about these and other Einstein@Home pulsar discoveries can be found on this web page (http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/radiopulsar/html/BRP4_discoveries/), and will be published in due course. Bruce Allen Director, Einstein@Home

More... (http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/forum_thread.php?id=10397)

[zombie67]

9th ranked in total credits, at a huge BOINC project like Einstein? And this is on his own computers? Really? Or is he just the front-man for the university's machines? I'm confused.

[c303a]

I couldn't say for sure but I would be willing to bet that it is the Wisconsin taxpayers money supporting his computer habit. But it is for the research, so we shouldn't complain. We are getting a tax decrease this year thanks to our governor. Average is supposed to be about $13.

[denim]

I couldn't say for sure but I would be willing to bet that it is the Wisconsin taxpayers money supporting his computer habit. But it is for the research, so we shouldn't complain. We are getting a tax decrease this year thanks to our governor. Average is supposed to be about $13.

In Maryland, we have never heard the terms "decrease" and "tax" in the same paragraph, let alone sentence.

[Mumps]

And, actually, it's an 800 Million dollar surplus from this year that they're using to offset next years' taxes. Government? Surplus? And they didn't look for any way to spend it rather than giving it back??? How out of character... :)

[Slicker]

I couldn't say for sure but I would be willing to bet that it is the Wisconsin taxpayers money supporting his computer habit. But it is for the research, so we shouldn't complain. We are getting a tax decrease this year thanks to our governor. Average is supposed to be about $13.

How exactly should spending tax dollars on finding a radio pulsar bazillions of miles away not be something tax payers should complain about? I can think of thousands of things on which to spend tax dollars and not a single one is looking for pulsars. Granted, I live in Illinois where there are no tax dollars to spend because the corrupt politicians already stole it all.... ;-) Or, is my opinion just skewed because my job entails trying to get tax dollars to the schools so they can provide services to the kids requiring special education and the state is almost 12 months behind on their payments even though the Federal government paid them on time?

[Duke of Buckingham]

How exactly should spending tax dollars on finding a radio pulsar bazillions of miles away not be something tax payers should complain about? I can think of thousands of things on which to spend tax dollars and not a single one is looking for pulsars. Granted, I live in Illinois where there are no tax dollars to spend because the corrupt politicians already stole it all.... ;-) Or, is my opinion just skewed because my job entails trying to get tax dollars to the schools so they can provide services to the kids requiring special education and the state is almost 12 months behind on their payments even though the Federal government paid them on time?

I don't know much about pulsars but I read somewhere that the pulsar search and study lead to the discovery of the neutron stars, the only objects of nuclear density. The study of pulsars was also very important on some tests on the theory of relativity and some physicians made connections with the theory of everything.

What I really think is all knowledge is important to the human race, there is so much money spent for the comfort of a few and for other absurd reasons that money for science and knowledge is always welcome on my point of view.

I felt was important to have counterpoint on this issue, in spite I can understand your point of view, I still think that knowledge can help mankind to be better on a near future or so I hope.