How simple is simple?
I don’t know, but it’s pretty clear that the models are oversimplifying, and the models are useless as a basis for public policy.
Category Archives: General Science
The Speed Of Light
I’d missed this, but apparently Louise Riofrio’s book project met its funding goal. I’ll look forward to seeing it.
Physics Girl
A new Youtube channel.
Apollo And The Pyramids
An analysis from Randall Munroe.
Earth II?
My thoughts on the latest discovery from the Kepler data, over at PJMedia.
What Is A Scientist?
I have some thoughts over at PJMedia.
Chupacabra!
They’ve found one.
Well, not really. It’s a hairless raccoon. As she notes, dogs don’t eat with their hands. And the guy who thinks that coons don’t growl apparently doesn’t have much experience with them. We saw one on the island in Fort Lauderdale a few years ago, at night, with a big crowd of viewers of the holiday boat parade. It was a spooky-looking creature.
Cosmos
Chad Orzell has some problems with the reboot. So do I and while it’s not his main concern, he puts his finger on it:
The bit where he called out young-Earth creationism for the impoverished scale of its vision was cute, too, though I’m not sure it was all that necessary or useful (in that the people who believe that won’t be watching, and wouldn’t be convinced), but then the show has clearly established a pattern of throwing red meat to the anti-religious from time to time.
Yes, if by “from time to time” he means every episode so far. I’m not traditionally religious, but I find it gratuitous and off putting. The writers and Tyson seem to get some sort of righteous satisfaction from putting a rhetorical thumb in the eyes of believers. It does not advance science, or their own secular religious cause.
A Scientific Breakthrough
So, it turns out that not only did early humans kill off megafauna like mammoths, but they may have wiped out the dinosaurs.
Damn you, Og. DAMN YOU TO HELL!
Note, the copy editor is responsible for that one. The story itself is OK.
Space Is Really Really Empty
A scale map of the solar system, with the moon as a single pixel.