Posts tagged "science"
When Astronauts Return to Earth

When Astronauts Return to Earth

I had studied astronomy, and I had studied cosmology, and fully understood that the molecules in my body and the molecules in my partners’ bodies and in the spacecraft, had been prototyped in some ancient generation of stars.  In other words, it was pretty obvious from those descriptions we’re stardust.  Well, that was pretty awesome,...
Are Parabens Bad for You?

Are Parabens Bad for You?

I’ve noticed a trend over the past few years where grooming companies advertise their products as “paraben-free.” The first few times I saw this, I honestly didn’t care. I didn’t know what parabens were, so the fact that something was paraben-free didn’t seem too compelling. However, as I saw more grooming companies following this trend,...
A Gut Check in the Form of a Russian Meteor

A Gut Check in the Form of a Russian Meteor

Sometimes we, as a species, get excessively caught up in our lives. The small things–flat tires, bad grades, work–are often over-exaggerated to a point of hilarity. Sometimes, we need a gut check to remind us of the larger picture. Today, we were brought one in the form of a Russian meteor. Stargazing, at least on...
Video Showcasing Mine Kafon Displays Genius Ingenuity

Video Showcasing Mine Kafon Displays Genius Ingenuity

This video, about the “mine kafon” is simply fantastic. I really love hearing about ingenious ideas, especially ones which are used for really important purposes like clearing out leftover land mines. The mine kafon, as you see in the video, was inspired by a childhood activity of creating wind-powered racing “vehicles.” Taking this childhood game...
Imagining the Tenth Dimension

Imagining the Tenth Dimension

Rob Bryanton’s video, “Imagining the Tenth Dimension” is one of the most cogent and comprehensive visualizations of the tenth dimension I’ve ever seen (which, admittedly, is only three). This video does an excellent job at explaining, among other things, the fourth dimension on down. It’s important to understand the concept of the first four dimensions,...
The Universe in a Nutshell

The Universe in a Nutshell

Michio Kaku is the man. Not only is he one of the smartest and most famous physicists alive, he has an extreme level of comprehensibility–taking some of the most complex scientific ideas and breaking them down into terms a high school student could understand. To me, this is a true measure of genius–if you can...
Voyager's Golden Record

Voyager’s Golden Record

In 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1 and 2 which sent them both out into the cosmos in an effort to explore Jupiter and Saturn. Once they reached their destination, NASA kept them on course and wondered how far they could go. Currently, 35 years after their launch, they are both in the “heliosheath” layer, which...