Tag Archives: science

Capital Punishment: It Could be Worse

It seems that, no matter how bad things are: they could be worse. Take Alabama’s recent execution of a Mr. Smith, for example. There’s been discussion of whether or not using nitrogen gas was okay, along with the ongoing capital … Continue reading

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Doom, Gloom, and Dystopias: But Hope is an Option

This week I’ll be talking about what’s changed over the last century, what hasn’t, and why I think progress isn’t inevitable. On the other hand, I don’t think we’re doomed. That last may take explaining. Yesterday’s Future It was the … Continue reading

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T. Rex, or Not T. Rex, That is the Question

Headlines about Tyrannosaurus rex, scientists, and “what we thought we knew” being wrong started showing up in my news feed last week. It’s been a while since I talked about dinosaurs, and I found Nicholas R. Longrich and Evan T. … Continue reading

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Colliding Planets Near ASASSN-21qj: Maybe

They were looking for supernovae. What they found may become a double planet, like the Earth-Moon system, once it cools down. Or a planet with a giant moon, again like the Earth-Moon system. Then again, an oddly-uneven dusty disk may … Continue reading

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Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A: Cool Images of Hot Gas

Webb’s high-resolution cameras are showing details that scientists have never seen before. That’s what I started talking about this week.

But the Cassiopeia A supernova’s underwhelming appearance, or maybe non-appearance, reminded me of famines, coffeehouses, and other malign menaces. Continue reading

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