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Chief Science Officer’s Log: (2013.0902) September Science Report

Can We Build a Star Trek Tricorder?

Qualcomm is offering a $10,000,000 prize to whomever can invent the first medical tricorder. Many companies have entered this race and already have some production models. This would be a great leap forward in medical diagnosis, and a boon for Starfleet Medical officers. Read more about the race here: http://americablog.com/2013/08/can-build-actual-star-trek-medical-tricorder-theyre-sure-trying.html

New Technology Will Help Assist Women in Childbirth

The sad truth is that even in our current century, pregnancy and childbirth are the #1 killer of women who are child-bearing age, and it tends to be worse in rural areas and developing countries that are far from good medical access. The ePartogram seeks to help lower this statistic. Much like you’d remember in the Starfleet archives where Lieutenant Worf delivers Keiko O’Brien’s baby in Ten Forward on the Starship Enterprise, the ePartogram will help walk birth attendants through the steps of labor and delivery, and identify and prevent complications. Read more here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/deniserestauri/2013/08/26/how-emerging-technology-will-save-womens-lives-during-childbirth/

Earth Life May Have Originated from Mars

Mars Hubble

Yet another theory has arisen that life on Earth began on Mars. While Mars isn’t a very hospitable planet for life currently, it was the perfect place for the creation of certain materials millions of years ago. Scientists are now speculating that life started on Mars because it has boron and molybdenum and Earth’s crust has very little, and this is needed to create the RNA, DNA, and proteins. This life-forming material traveled over to Earth on meteorites but we know the real truth about where our genetic materials came from…the ancient Humanoids that existed in the Milky Way Galaxy and spread their genetic makeup across the universe before going extinct. You can read more about the false theory here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23872765

=^= LT Amy MacKinnon
Chief Science Officer & Cyberneticist
USS Loma Prieta

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EPISODE 1: “SHIFTS” – Act 1 (by Shawn Alpay)

[Story by Shawn Alpay, Character Art by Thomas Marrone]

ACT 1

Captain’s Log, Stardate 48315.7.  With two ships of the line lost in as many weeks, I’ve ordered Yeoman Bukowski to research any relevant and possible dangers to the Loma Prieta.  She’s a quick study, so she’s already got something for me…

“Come.”

The door to Yeoman Bukowski’s quarters slid open, and Captain Perkins entered, having since changed into a Starfleet command uniform of a more contemporary era.  He stood with a rigid posture just inside her quarters as the door closed.  “What am I not going to like?”

Continue reading “EPISODE 1: “SHIFTS” – Act 1 (by Shawn Alpay)”

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EPISODE 1: “SHIFTS” – Prologue (by Shawn Alpay)

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[Story by Shawn Alpay, Character Art by Thomas Marrone]

PROLOGUE

The ship rocked violently under the force of the looming Klingon battle cruiser.  On the bridge, lights were low, and morale was lower.  The officer in command picked himself up off from the ground and nursed a freshly-twisted shoulder as the chief medical officer quickly came to his side.  “Damage report!”

Continue reading “EPISODE 1: “SHIFTS” – Prologue (by Shawn Alpay)”

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STAR TREK: LOMA PRIETA – THE FAN FICTION SERIES

Starting today… an all new fan fiction series starring the crew of the USS Loma Prieta, boldly going where no short stories have gone before.

Tuesday, August 27th, marks the premiere of Episode 1: “Shifts”, written by Ensign Shawn Alpay. The story begins with a prologue to be followed by a new act every Tuesday and original character art by Lt(jg) Thomas Marrone.

When the USS Loma Prieta is plagued by a mysterious computer glitch that threatens them and all of Starfleet, will the crew turn against one another? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and watch this Tumblr every Tuesday to find out!

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Chief Science Officer’s Log: (2013.0826) August Science Report and Departmental Summary

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The USS Loma Prieta’s science department continues to make exciting breakthroughs in a variety of scientific disciplines.We are happy to report that even though Ensign Shawn Alpay has been largely distracted by while writing his fan fiction, the Stellar Cartography department has continued to thrive. Thanks to the efforts of Ensign Alex Ionescu, Stellar Cartography’s SETI @Home project has computed so much astronomical data that the USS Loma Prieta BOINC account  now ranks in the top 95th percentile of all SETI @Home team’s worldwide.
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At our recent crew dinner, honoring the decommissioning of the SFI based NCC-26848 (we’ve now taken up operations on the newly rebuilt NCC-26848-A), Xeno Psychologist Ensign Melissa Crystal conducted an experiment on the crew’s capacity for taste. Using small strips of chemically treated P.T.C. paper, individual members of the crew place them on their tongues to determine their status as a ‘non-taster’, ‘taster’, or ‘super-taster’. Those who have the abnormal sensory capacity of super-tasters were met with a distinguishing bitter taste from the test strips. Thankfully, adult beverages were on hand to wash away the experiment’s unpleasant aftermath.
Now for a summary of this month’s scientific discoveries from around the Federation:
 
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Scientists Invent a Hangover Free Beer
For years scientists have been trying to perfect alcohol concoctions that don’t get you drunk or have other ill effects and now an exciting step forward has come about. Scientists are getting closer to creating alcohol that has the same great taste, but doesn’t get you drunk or hungover. By adding electrolytes to the beer, they realized that the taste was unaffected but it was helping to keep the drinkers hydrated. As this research continues they may even create alcohol that has absolutely no drunken effects at all. I wonder what they will call this synthetic alcohol…maybe synthehol? Read more about the new beer here.
 
Implantable Device Records Brain Activity
Researchers have developed a device that can not only record neural activity in the brain but also send electronic charges to it. With devices such as these they can better treat movement conditions like Parkinson’s, and may even help with other brain disorders like depression. Our Starfleet doctors and nurses are very excited about the possibilities of this new way to treat conditions. I just hope a device like this doesn’t get into the hands of those who would use it for ill, like the Romulans. For more on this ground-breaking research, click here.
=^= LT Amy MacKinnon
Chief Science Officer & Cyberneticist
USS Loma Prieta