Ever wanted to drop in on a bunch of space nerds discussing the top stories of the week? Of course you do. You are reading this blog.
All of the episodes are now also archived on CosmoQuest, where you can watch the show live, every Thursday at 18 UTC. Find your timezone for next week here!
Also, I’ve been dumping some personal videos that I’ve dug up onto YouTube. Here is a panorama of the PAPER-South Africa site from June 2011:
There’s also my skydiving video that was on VHS (thank you, Tim, for converting it!) and some “Occupy” and related protest footage from recent travels. I figured, why not share the bits.
Aaaannnnddd… back. In Charlottesville. The last week and a half saw me in two of the most fun cities I know and at two different conferences presenting my thesis work and all kinds of other professional stuff. Crazy.
You can get a nice sense of the week’s astronomy and space stories by watching the weekly astronomy video chat:
Thanks to Google+ master of the universe, Fraser Cain, we’re doing a live chat about astronomy every Thursday at 10amPT/1pm ET (that’s 18 UTC; check here for your local time.) You can ask questions in the chat during the event or watch the recorded video after it’s done. Last week, I called in from the American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin, and was graced with the presence of such stellar people as Pamela Gay, Phil Plait, Jon Voisey, Nancy Atkinson, Alan Boyle, Emily Lakdawalla, and Ian O’Neill.
I woke up to the news that Christopher Hitchens has died. Well, that sucks. Controversial and ornery though he could be, he was also a superb writer, thinker, and pusher-of-boundaries. So, in his honor, I’ve dug up an old post I did in 2008, reporting on his debate with Frank Turek over the existence of god at VCU. Hope you enjoy.
Even though it’s been a few weeks, I still want to bring attention to some of the interesting stuff on the internet that has caught my attention…
via NASA
Earth had a visitor of the rocky kind in YU55 which passed within the distance of the Moon’s orbit. See the radar video from NASA and get your dose of science from the Bad Astronomer. I got to see the asteroid fly through the field of view of the 26-inch telescope at McCormick Observatory, thanks to Ed Murphy, who is my new favorite candidate for space-laser-operator after the great job he did of finding and tracking it.
Because too much awesomeness happens over the span of a week to deal with individually, I have a weekly wrap-up of last week’s good stuff. After all, it’s Monday morning. Are you really getting anything done?
The Good
The US Food and Drug Administration tells TV’s Dr. Oz to STFU about arsenic in apple juice. My favorite part can be paraphrased as, “…like we already TOLD you, dummy…”
I am going to classify the James Webb Space Telescope news as “good,” despite some controversy. A Senate subcommittee favors funding JWST for a 2018 launch, but Phil Plait warns us to hang on, since it isn’t clear from where the money is coming. JWST’s possible cancellation has already stirred up animosity within the community of astronomers, since it is perceived that JWST is taking money away from other potential missions. Not being a NASA person, I reserve judgement on the issue, except to say that I appreciate when government officials support science.
NASA has unveiled plans for a new Space Launch System that kind of looks like a Saturn V got it on with a Space Shuttle. Will this one really happen?
Totally credulous article in the New York Times about the so-called natural treatment arnica. Boo. BOO I say.
The Ugly
Politics in general are ugly, IMHO. We all know that Rick Perry is wrong about climate change, but Donald Prothero points out that global warming denialism is dangerous, and not just from an environmental point of view. Oddly enough, however, Perry is pro-vaccine and has sparred with Michele “I do what my man wants” Bachman on this issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics responds, while the lovely Jamie Bernstein reflects on just how odd it is to agree with Perry on an issue.
The Shameless Self-Promotion
Feed a grad student! I’m having an e-garage sale of sorts on eBay.
Yes, I realize that “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” is sorely overused, but, dammit, I love that movie!
I also post random stuff on Tumblr, but beware, that one is a little NSFW.
Don’t get me wrong. The night sky is awesome. But I’m totally drawn to the cloud sequences in this lovely timelapse video of the Canary Islands by Daniel López:
Brief paper-writing break to showcase my two favorite videos this week. First, Tim Minchin’s STORM has been animated and is finally available on YouTube! Seriously, let the whole thing upload, then watch high-def full screen. It is so awesome. I am floored by the talent of the illustrators and their ability to convey the message, and the fun, of Minchin’s infamous 9-minute beat poem.
(Note of awesomeness, Tim and I got tickets to see him live in Boston on June 4th!)
Second up is a video of my favorite bald, be-spectacled skepticalmen doing a LIVE performance of “Death From the Skies”, based on the awesome book and on this awesome album, in New York this weekend.
Sadly, I could not make NECSS, but that is mostly because I am a) working and b) saving up to attend TAM9 From Outer Space! in July. I already have my registration in, thanks to the lovely, fantastic donors to the TAM Forum Grant (please donate so even more students can attend!), and my airfare booked.
So excited! So… think we can get Phil and George to do a live performance at TAM???? (Pretty please??)
I’m a 7th (and final!) year graduate student in astronomy. My thesis has focused on radio astronomy instrumentation. That means, I get to build cool telescopes that will open up new frontiers in the universe. I also love to teach, both in a classroom setting and informally. I'm happy to talk about the universe with anyone who will listen, and I am skeptically curious about all things.
I’m a 7th (and final!) year