Video Throughout: An Astronomer Reacts to 2001: A Space Odyssey
This week, another video throughput where I talk about the science of a classic Kubrick film, 2001: A Space Odyssey
Tagged: Astronomy
Thursday Throughout: No, the Other Simpsons Pandemic Edition
Do not read this headline and think a generation of children are damaged goods. Read this headline and roll up your sleeves.
Thursday Throughput: Leaving on a Superluminal Jet Edition
We are in a golden age of astronomy, with capabilities exceeding anything we’ve ever had before. And we’ve just gotten another glimpse into the universe
Thursday Throughput: Units of Measure Edition
In describing the grandeur and scope of the universe, units intended for the human experience — meters, kilograms, liters — are simply not up to the challenge.
Video Throughput: The Science of Navigation
I take little moments of astronomy in the films Moana and Master and Commander to talk about how our ancestors navigated using the stars.
Thursday Throughput: Billionaires In Space Edition
For some reason, this billionaire space race has set off a wave of hand-wringing articles about how awful billionaires in space is
Thursday Throughput: Not So Fat Obesity Edition
The turn-of-the-century predictions of skyrocketing obesity proved incorrect and the scale we are using to judge health appear to be a few pounds too light
Thursday Throughput: The Boys Are All Right Fertility Edition
Activists will continue to milk the issue, but this new paper suggests we should hold off flogging this fertility panic for the time being.
Thursday Throughput: The Economy of Lockdowns
After a year of evidence, the claim that you must choose between saving the economy and stopping the virus is simply not true.
Thursday Throughput: Brooding Cicadas Edition
Every 13 or 17 years, Cicadas mature to adulthood, fly around, make a hell of a lot of noise, and have an astonishing amount of bug sex.
Thursday Throughput: Michael Collins Edition
Michael Collins was such a professional, he wrote a 117-page manual to deal with every possible rendezvous situation. Ad Astra, sir.
Thursday Throughput: When You Get Caught Between the Moon and Suez Canal
To get the giant container ship blocking the Suez Canal unstuck, engineers needed the stars to align. Actually, the sun, Earth and moon.
Mini-Throughput: The Voyagers
What’s really amazing about The Voyagers is that not only are they functioning after 40 years, but they are also still doing science
Thursday Throughput: COVID Vaccine Side Effects Edition
To stop distribution based on a vaccine side effect that is rare, unproven, & statistically insignificant is simply irresponsible.
Mini-Throughput: Rubin Observatory Edition
This amazing feat of engineering is going to make a huge number of breakthroughs on some of the outstanding problems in astrophysics.
Thursday Throughput: Phthalates, or Every Sperm is Sacred Edition
I do think phthalates may be overstaying their welcome. But I am very dubious that they are the Big Bad Sperm-Killing Wolf.
Thursday Throughput: Texas Power Outages Edition
Republicans and editorial boards have taken to blaming alternative energy for the Texas power outages. Is this accurate? Not Really.
Thursday Throughput: Covid Vaccine Army Edition
The Covid vaccine is not the end of the War on COVID. It’s D-Day. It’s when we begin to fight back against this indifferent monster.
Thursday Throughput: Dark Matter Edition
Dark energy, which comprises a whopping 70% of the universe, is something we are only beginning to formulate questions about, let alone understand.
