Category Archives: Series

Listing posts by topic, an alternative to using the Tag Cloud

Vega, a Closer Look: Smooth Disc, No Planets, Starspots

A little over a week ago, scientist published a detailed analysis of Vega’s surprisingly planet-free debris disc. Vega, one of the brightest stars in Earth’s sky, may have planets: but the October 31 paper rules out any Saturn-size or larger … Continue reading

Posted in Discursive Detours, Exoplanets and Aliens, Science News, Series | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Radian Aerospace PFV01, Remembering Max Valier

It’s not what I’m writing about this week, but an article in TechCrunch about a prototype space plane got my attention. And reminded me of a promising development of the 1920s that didn’t work out. About a century back, someone … Continue reading

Posted in Back to the Moon, Onward to Mars, Discursive Detours, Series | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Cursed(?) Diamond’s Story: The Koh-i-Noor

Last week, I said I’d have “…tales of cursed gems, glow-in-the-dark diamonds, diamonds from outer space…” ready this week: “barring the unexpected”. Then the unexpected happened. But I do have most of the Koh-i-Noor’s story ready for you. I pieced … Continue reading

Posted in Being Catholic, Diamonds and Gems, Discursive Detours, Series | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Big Diamond, a Little History, and Some Geology

I take commercial puffery with a grain of salt, but that 2,492 carat diamond from the Karowe mine does seem “epic”. It’s also what I’ll be talking about this week: along with the Karowe mine, Botswana, what diamonds are and … Continue reading

Posted in Diamonds and Gems, Discursive Detours, Science News, Series | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cancer Followup Scan: Good News

My third-oldest daughter relayed good news about my second-oldest yesterday (Monday, August 19, 2024). A routine check last month showed an anomaly on number-two daughter’s neck. It might have been inconsequential, or might not have been. So she was scheduled … Continue reading

Posted in Family Stories, Journal, Series | Tagged , | 2 Comments