A Strange Ring Galaxy

SPACE WATCH
NASA – Is this one galaxy or two? Astronomer Art Hoag first asked this question when he chanced upon this unusual extragalactic object. On the outside is a ring dominated by bright blue stars, while near the center lies a ball of much redder stars that are likely much older. Between the two is a gap that appears almost completely dark. How Hoag’s Object formed remains unknown, although similar objects have been identified and collectively labeled as a form of ring galaxy. Genesis hypotheses include a galaxy collision billions of years ago and the gravitational effect of a central bar that has since vanished.

This image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in July 2001, reveals unprecedented details of Hoag’s Object and may yield a better understanding. Hoag’s Object spans about 100,000 light years and lies about 600 million light years away toward the constellation of the Snake (Serpens). Coincidentally, visible in the gap (at about one o’clock) is yet another ring galaxy that likely lies far in the distance. more> http://tinyurl.com/287wdau

Pentagon’s cybersecurity plans have a Cold War chill

By David Ignatius – Rather than a “domain” that can be protected – such as airspace – Cyberspace may be closer to the oxygen we breathe.

An intriguing aspect of cyberstrategy is that it turns “globalization” inside out. A U.S. laptop maker that once would have boasted that its components were assembled in 50 countries must now worry about 50 points where an intruder could plant malicious code.

In the debate about cyberstrategy, I hope officials will recognize the dangers of militarizing the global highway for commerce and communication. more> http://bwbx.io/2uo

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Net neutrality: The sound of the Internet

By Erin McKeown, Hank Shocklee, Martín Perna, Jamie Laurie – Artists like us depend on an open Internet to manage our careers, reach fans, sell music and much more. It’s hard to imagine returning to a time when letting people know you’re coming to their town took a dozen people and even more dead trees. We used to have to hope that the club promoter stapled the show flyer to a record store bulletin board. Now we can email our fans directly. Progress!

The old version of the music industry was built on a system of bottlenecks and gatekeepers. To do much of anything you needed the backing of big companies who required that you sign over your copyrights (and often your autonomy). more> http://bwbx.io/7FPh

Australia’s NBN Co puts broadband rollout on hold

By Bill Lindsay – The Australian government body building a proposed A$43 billion national fiber optic broadband network has put an indefinite freeze on its tendering and hiring processes after what is shaping up to be the first hung parliament in 70 years. more> http://bwbx.io/tLly

Support for patent office rises as reform bill wanes

By Rick Merritt – Backing for a draft patent reform bill in the U.S. Senate appears to have waned while support is rising for a more recent proposal to give the patent office more funds to deal with its historic backlog of applications. Observers say neither initiative is likely to pass in the current Congress though change is urgently needed.

A patent reform bill that passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last year has lost key industry backing, say several sources. A separate bill introduced in May to bolster funding for the patent office faces “a civil war” between warring House committees, said one observer. more> http://bwbx.io/Ex3y