Activist, singer-songwriter, teacher, environmentalist and American icon. He was one of the most influential folk singers of all time. He opposed Mcarthyism, marched next to Martin Luther King, fought for the environment and still joined protests well into his 90’s. He never stopped being a trouble-maker. In short, an excellent American.
Pete Seeger, legendary folk singer, dies at 94
One of my favorite Pete Seeger songs…
Okay, someone who is much better than I at Mathematics will have to explain to me why this is not just a bit of mathematical trickery. Remember, this only works if we include all the integers to infinity.
In 1964 two of the greatest science fiction writers of the twentieth century looked ahead 50 years and predicted what our modern world would be like. They got a lot of things right.
First Isaac Asimov. Asimov wrote over 200 books in his lifetime. Non-fiction books in every category of the Dewey Decimal system (the only writer to do so) and some important fiction as well.
Isaac Asimov Predicts in 1964 What the World Will Look Like Today — in 2014
Next, Arthur C. Clarke. Clarke is best known as the author of the book and film “2001: A Space Odyssey”, however he was the first to propose geosynchronous telecommunications satellites, pushed for manned space flight as an activist/scientist and helped create NASA, and was a trail blazing Ocean explorer.
Arthur C. Clarke Predicts the Future in 1964 … And Kind of Nails It
First, Space.com’s picks for the top 11 skywatching events of the upcoming year…
11 Must-See Skywatching Events in 2014
Second, universe Today’s exhaustive month-by-month guide to upcoming astronomical events…
101 Astronomical Events for 2014
Finally, a cool image to get you thinking from Phil Platt. What would a lunar eclipse look like from the moon?
What does a lunar eclipse look like from the Moon?
Thanks to Kai for the last one.
Well it looks like we’ll be seeing some truly cold weather as school starts back up. It’s summer in Antarctica right now, but it’s a good time to reflect on how cold it can get on our planet (remember, being in the Southern Hemisphere, their winter is during our summer). Few scientists can take wintering on the Antarctic continent. The population of the whole continent drops to only a few hundred over the winter and they must pass a rigorous screening process before they are allowed to do so. The video below shows what “Condition 1” weather is like. No travel outside quarters is permitted during these conditions.
Makes you feel warmer already, doesn’t it?
That got your attention, didn’t it? One of my very favorite websites, The Internet Archive (blocked at school sadly) has now created a huge catalog of free-to-play early video games. These are the Atari and Colecovision games from the 80’s that started the home video game revolution. Play On!
So if millions of free books, movies and music wasn’t enough, now classic video games. Great Website.
“The “Super Ball Bot”, under development at NASA Ames, is a robotic exoskeleton designed to land on the surface of Titan without a parachute or airbag.”
According to Space.com
Hope everyone is enjoying break and for most of you, the holidays. I have been a bit late in posting, largely due to me wanting to leave the EPS assignments at the top of the page for awhile. So here are some stories I’ve been watching…
We are getting more information on our genetic history, but that is raising more questions. Very interesting stuff here…
Neanderthal Woman’s Genome Reveals Unknown Human Lineage
A little geologic mystery. Although I’m inclined to agree with the boulder hypothesis.
Under Seattle, a Big Object Blocks Bertha. What Is It?
Update! – It appears as of now, Jan 4th, that the object is an 8 inch diameter steel pipe put there in 2002. Construction engineers as now arguing over why they didn’t know it was there before.
And finally, does this survey correctly place your dialect of American English? I took this short survey and it accurately told me where in the U.S. I was from.
Just mesmerizing.
Now this looks like it will be good. Christopher Nolan’s new Science Fiction Movie “Interstellar” is coming next year.
Here is a link to the Wiki page…
China has accomplished the first soft landing on the moon since 1976! They are only the third country to do so.
China successfully soft-lands probe on the moon
Update: The “Jade Rabbit” rover is sending back it’s first pictures…
China Moon Landing: ‘Jade Rabbit’ Rover Basks in Lunar Bay of Rainbows
Iran says they have launched a monkey into space, controversy ensues…
Getting closer and closer to finding remains of life of the Red Planet.
Mars Curiosity rover finds life-supporting chemicals
Image: NASA/JPL
Thanks Vrajesh!
Well one hurdle won’t be quite as high as expected…
Radiation on Mars ‘Manageable’ for Manned Mission, Curiosity Rover Reveals
This has been expected for awhile based on computer models. Now we have evidence…
Not news from the world of science, but important none the less. He could have been a bitter, angry man. I don’t think anyone would say he didn’t have a right to be. But he wasn’t.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
– Robert Frost
We should all take the road that makes the world better, Nelson Mandela did.
ISON is gone, but Comet Lovejoy can be seen, but not without binoculars or a small telescope and clear skies….
Adieu, Comet Ison; Hello Comet Lovejoy
Image:P-M Hedén
Chris Hadfield is one cool guy. PBS News Hour’s Miles O’Brien interviewed Hadfield about his new book.
India’s MOM (Mars Orbital Mission) probe is on it’s way to Mars after a bit of a rocky start, thus making India only the fourth space agency to have a probe make it to the red planet.
India Set To Be The First Asian Country To Reach Mars
India’s Mars Orbiter Overcomes Engine Glitch
note – Space.com is becoming too clogged with ads.
Now here’s an interesting paleontological mystery.
NASA’s LADEE probe is on it’s way to the moon…
This is very cool. “inFORM is a Dynamic Shape Display that can render 3D content physically, so users can interact with digital information in a tangible way. inFORM can also interact with the physical world around it, for example moving objects on the table’s surface. ”
inFORM – Interacting With a Dynamic Shape Display from Tangible Media Group on Vimeo.
Video: Tangible Media Group
Also known as the aurora borealis. This is just beautiful.
Northern Lights Timelapse – Nov 9, 2013 from Richard Gottardo on Vimeo.
Video: Richard Gottardo