The blink comparator and The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Barnes’ Yard

With rich dark wooden curio cabinets and a narrow book-filled balcony accessed by a steep staircase, the Rotunda at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff feels like a natural home for the distinguished gentleman scientist (including this female one). Feeling the warm glow of scientific discoveries past, there was one thing in the room I couldn’t take my eyes off: the glass plates and elegant brass eyepiece of the blink comparator used to discover Pluto. Continue reading “The blink comparator and The Rural Alberta Advantage’s Barnes’ Yard”

Gasp, Republican politicians act like Republican politicians trying to get Republican votes

I’m not sure what else we expected from the Republican primary candidates.

Do they have anything to gain offending their social conservative base on the issues of climate change and stem cells?  Integrity? Come on, this is politics.

Would you really vote for Newt Gingrich if he took the scientific consensus position on climate change or stem cells? Because, I can guarantee you that Newt’s staff is sure there are Republican primary voters that would vote for one of his opponents instead, if he did.

Until we figure out how to let Republicans know that pro-science groups might actually vote for them in numbers that will replace the votes they fear losing, I’m going to have to go with a big “I told you so”:

Being a dedicated partisan, like our ordained friend above, eliminates your ability to influence a politician’s positions in exchange for your vote. While I know the guy[3] you voted for is not like this, it is reasonable to assume that the primary incentive for politicians is votes. If your vote is already committed, there is no reason to attempt to appeal to you.

It’s hard work being a role model

It is even harder work being an effective role model. But, if you don’t go read the full article post at Boundary Vision, you won’t get to find out that our DJ, Marie-Claire, is more than just impeccable musical taste:

Real personal doubts can make it easy to dismiss potential models as special: “I could never do that. Even though he comes from the same neighbourhood and background, he’s obviously smarter/better/luckier/more hard working.” Role models that seem too successful or too perfect are difficult to relate to even if they’ve taken a difficult road to reach their success.

…but is it science?

Granted, this kid seems creative & entrepreneurial – the next generation of Maker; but why is building a marshmallow cannon science? I can think of a number of ways building and testing a marshmallow cannon could illustrate the scientific method. Successfully constructing a marshmallow cannon, however, is an engineering challenge – very suitable for a Maker Faire, but why is this a top Science Fair project?

In fairness to the marshmallow cannon, descriptions of the award-winning projects all sound like engineering or invention projects rather than exercises in the scientific method. I like gadgets and inventions, but is it small wonder that we are a scientifically illiterate society when even our Science Fairs don’t know what science is?

Darwin and Melville in the Galapagos

A little preview from a forthcoming Darwin Day essay on The Voyage of the Beagle, here are the contrasting styles of Darwin and Melville in their descriptions of the Galapagos. Melville’s imagery is impressionistic and improvisational, while Darwin’s approach to imagery depends, naturally, on observational precision and tight organizations of his thoughts, which can be just as successful as Melville’s more consciously literary style.

Melville’s description of the Galapagos from The Encantadas: Continue reading “Darwin and Melville in the Galapagos”