Tag Archives: science

Vega, a Closer Look: Smooth Disc, No Planets, Starspots 0 (0)

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

Surrounded by Beauty and Wonders: T Tauri Stars and Nebulae 0 (0)

“…All of us dwell under the same sky. All of us are moved by the beauty revealed in the cosmos and reflected in the study of the heavenly bodies and substances. In this sense, we are united by the desire … Continue reading

Posted in Being Catholic, Discursive Detours, Science News | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Porphyrion: Black Hole Jets on a Cosmic Scale 0 (0)

We’ve known about “black hole jet systems” for some time, but never one as big as Porphyrion: a 23,000,000 light-year giant. I’ll be talking about that today, along with how astronomers have been studying it, a plausible explanation for its … Continue reading

Posted in Discursive Detours, Journal, Science News | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Neanderthals: Sensible, Decent Homebodies; and My Ancestors 0 (0)

A long time ago, some folks were — apparently — living happily in the Rhône River Valley. Whether or not they were happy there, we’ve found evidence that they stayed near what we call the Grotte Mandrin for 50,000 years. … Continue reading

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A Big Diamond, a Little History, and Some Geology 0 (0)

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