A large cluster of astronomers were sighted in Paris last week at the official launch of the International Year of Astronomy. Planned to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first observations of the heavens with a telescope, the year, also known as IYA 2009, will commence under the theme ‘The Universe, Yours to Discover.’ The celebration is meant to reignite the wonder that the starry skies have always provoked in humankind and promote astronomy’s contribution to society, culture and development.
“People have always looked to the sky for answers to the questions ‘How did we get here?’ and ‘Why are we here?’” said Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The gala opening at the agency’s headquarters gathered astronauts, artists, diplomats, industrialists and astronomy undergraduates from over 100 countries.
“The sky belongs to everybody,” Mr. Matsuura said. “Astronomy is an instrument to promote peace and understanding among nations.”
The two-day launch ceremony featured presentations by Nobel prize winners Bob Wilson and Baruch Blumberg, reports of the latest discoveries, discussions on the role of astronomy in culture and public engagement, real-time astronomical observation and a closing performance by the Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet. (See the video trailer announcing IYA2009 at the bottom of this article.)
A newly formed Waste Commission in Mexico City is working to build four state-of-the-art processing centers in the next four years to recycle, compost or burn for energy 85 percent of Mexico City’s trash – compared with about six percent recycled today. If it works, it would put this sprawling, polluted metropolis in a league with San Francisco, The Netherlands and other top recyclers, and first among developing cities, where the recycling rates mostly hover around 10 percent. (Full story from Associated Press) 
