Daily Archives: January 26, 2011

Comet Hunting Space Robot Spots Quarry

January 26, 2011UncategorizedCosmosGreg Laden

Stardust, the NASA probe, has downloaded a snapshot of Tempel 1, a comet that the comet seeking craft will sidle up to on February 14th. Here is the picture:

On the night of encounter, the navigation camera will be used to acquire 72 high-resolution images of the comet’s surface features. Stardust-NExT mission scientists will use these images to see how surface features on comet Tempel 1 have changed over the past five-and-a-half years. (Tempel 1 had previously been visited and imaged in July of 2005 by NASA’s Deep Impact mission).

I don’t know why they call it night. Perhaps because NASA is playing up the whole romance theme. Anyway, details here.

Jupiter’s Scar Caused by Asteroid?

January 26, 2011UncategorizedCosmosGreg Laden

A huge scar formed on Jupiter in July of 2009. It’s shown here near the “bottom” of the planet:

Continue reading Jupiter’s Scar Caused by Asteroid? →

Falsehoods: Human Universals

January 26, 2011UncategorizedAnthropology, Behavioral Biology, Brain and Behavior, Ethnography, Evolutionary Biology, Falsehoods II, Gender and Sexual Orientation, Human sexuality, Naturalistic Fallacy, Nature-Nurture, Neurobiology, Rape, Sex DifferencesGreg Laden

There are human universals. There, I said it. Now give me about a half hour to explain why this is both correct and a Falsehood. But first, some background and definition.
Continue reading Falsehoods: Human Universals →

The Macbook Wheel

January 26, 2011UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Darwin Day is Coming Up

January 26, 2011UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

From the NCSE:

It’s time to dust off your Darwin costume again: less than a month remains before Darwin Day 2011! Colleges and universities, schools, libraries, museums, churches, civic groups, and just plain folks across the country — and the world — are preparing to celebrate Darwin Day, on or around February 12, in honor of the life and work of Charles Darwin. These events provide a marvelous opportunity not only to celebrate Darwin’s birthday but also to engage in public outreach about science, evolution, and the importance of evolution education — which is especially needed with assaults on evolution education currently ongoing in Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. NCSE encourages its members and friends to attend, participate in, and even organize Darwin Day events in their own communities. To find a local event, check the websites of local universities and museums and the registry of Darwin Day events maintained by the Darwin Day Celebration website. (And don’t forget to register your own event with the Darwin Day Celebration website!)

Go here for details.

Don’t Panic!

January 26, 2011UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

The BBC us cosing down Douglas Adams Hitchiker’s Guide web site. But there is a plan to get off the planet before it’s too late. So have a beer and read this.