Now I know what a planet is August 25, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science, Space.7 comments
The astronomical community chose to downgrade Pluto to a dwarf planet instead of going with their original draft proposal. Clyde Tombaugh is rolling in his grave and millions of school children worldwide will now recite an incomplete sentence trying to remember the name of the nine–ahem–eight planets. (more…)
Planet defined August 16, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science, Space.add a comment
The International Astronomical Union, currently holding its General Assembly in Prague has come up with a draft resolution defining a planet. (more…)
Space volcanoes July 31, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science, Space.4 comments
I haven’t written much about space or astronomy lately. Since I wrote about volcanoes and other natural disasters here I will continue that discussion on a system-wide scale. (more…)
It’s global warming, stupid July 28, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Enivronmental Issues, Science.10 comments
I highly recommend that everyone watch Global Warming: What You Need to Know. This amazing program aired on The Science Channel last night. Hosted by Tom Brokaw, the show sheds light on the mass of scientific evidence pointing to human initiated global climate change. (more…)
One two many heads July 25, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science.1 comment so far
If evolution’s not right (a battle cry for the forces of anti science), then God is either a) insane or b) a mediocre deity. (more…)
The God of Fire July 19, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science.1 comment so far
Always stumbling across cool stuff on the web. Really. (more…)
Strings July 12, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science, Space.1 comment so far
After watching the latest Nova on PBS I have been surrounding myself with musings on String Theory. It’s a complex topic that I, unfortunately, lack the expertise to fully explain. (more…)
Rainbow over DeKalb May 15, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Science.5 comments
I took a few photos, just minutes ago, of a cool rainbow that appeared over DeKalb this evening.
This weird weather pattern seems to be persisting with rain coming out of the northeast as a result of a huge low pressure centered over eastern Ohio. Anyway check out the photos and the blurb below: (more…)
Jason-2 April 21, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science, Space.add a comment
Everybody else had been writing about Venus and the ESA's sucessful orbital insertion of its Venus Express orbiter. Anyone who wasn't is writing about LCRSS, NASA's plan to slam an impactor into a lunar crater on the moons southern polar region to analyze the ejecta for water.
So this post is just going to avoid those topics, space news is kind of slow right now anyway but you can read about them elsewhere in great depth, just try a few of the blogs in the Space Blogroll or even the ESA link in the Space Links section on the sidebar.
Instead I am going to write about Jason. Macabre deaths and murderous rampages, not really. That's not the Jason I want to talk about. (more…)
It’s raining ice April 14, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science.2 comments
Earth is weird. I know this. But large ice chunks falling from the sky? I know, I know what you are thinking, airplanes. But it's not that obvious. Or maybe it is, depending on who you talk to. (more…)
Resource-war-hell April 8, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Science.2 comments
(A reprint) Nov. 17, 2005– A time when I was too much like the Destroyers of themselves.
The United States is guzzling oil faster than Tara Reid downs martinis. Now is the time to do something – not later.
In Tuesday’s Northern Star the peak oil theory was explained. The theory, in essence, explains oil production along a bell curve and says that oil is cheap and plentiful on the up curve and scarce and expensive on the down curve. (more…)
Kava time March 3, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science.2 comments
Oceania has always been a land of enchantment in my mind. My stumbling upon Jon Frumism just played right into that image.
I think it all goes back to the first time I heard about the mysterious statues on Easter Island, or maybe the annual Christmas Island crab migration. Something about the South Pacific just captures my imagination.
A big part of the Melanesian culture (which includes Vanuatu–think Jon Frum) is a psychoactive pepper plant called kava. (more…)
Atomic death rays–updated February 10, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Science.2 comments
UPDATE (02.10.06):
After talking with a journalist friend of mine I thought I should update this blog entry.
According to this reporter the smoke detector industry and others began reading about the Americium-smoke detector-atomic bomb connection back in 1996. Thusly, the way most smoke detectors were manufactured changed. (more…)
From the Gonzo 