While I missed the controversial episode with comments about aliens, I figured I should at least take a look at the Discovery Channel’s Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking, so I put it on last night after putting SteelyKid to bed. This was the big two-hour “Story of Everything” episode, starting with the Big Bang… Continue reading Into the Universe With Portentous Music (and Stephen Hawking)
Category: Television
Hawking on Aliens: Not as Silly as You’d Like to Think
I’m a little surprised at the vehemence of some of the negative reactions to Stephen Hawking’s comments about aliens. Not so much in blogdom– Ethan’s response is pretty reasonable, for example– but there was a flurry of Twitter traffic yesterday of the form “Where does Stephen Hawking get off pontificating about aliens?” which strikes me… Continue reading Hawking on Aliens: Not as Silly as You’d Like to Think
The Big Blah Theory
Dennis Overbye has a piece on “The Big Bang Theory” in today’s New York Times, taking the “Is this good or bad for science?” angle: Three years later some scientists still say that although the series, “The Big Bang Theory” (Monday nights on CBS), is funny and scientifically accurate, they are put off by it.… Continue reading The Big Blah Theory
Dorky Poll: TV Technology
I won’t attempt to explain the chain of reasoning that led to this topic this morning. The poll itself doesn’t need much explanation, though: As any geek knows, the tv show(s) CSI: Descriptive Subtitle rely heavily on fake technologies. which of these would you most like to be real? Which imaginary technology from CSI would… Continue reading Dorky Poll: TV Technology
Other People Need Your Help
Several items in the general category of charitable activity: Kate is running the Con or Bust auction again this year, with proceeds going to support people of color interested in attending SFF cons, principally Wiscon. Bidding is open through Saturday at 11:59pm ET, and items up for bid include many things that may be of… Continue reading Other People Need Your Help
The Super Bowl Index of Economic and Cultural Indicators
It occurs to me that if you take the Super Bowl as a comment on the current state of the US of A– which, you might as well, because it’s as good as anything else– we are totally screwed. I mean, consider the fact that two-thirds of the ads were for Bud Light. OK, that… Continue reading The Super Bowl Index of Economic and Cultural Indicators
Sports Science Poll: Super Bowl
We’re mere hours away from the start of the Super Bowl, the biggest football game of the year. Obviously, the question of who will win has been the subject of much debate over the last couple of weeks on sports media and in offices around the country. What these discussions have lacked, though, is Science!!!… Continue reading Sports Science Poll: Super Bowl
Semi-Dorky Poll: Super Meeting!
I have to go to the Happy Fun Meeting this afternoon, which will be both Happy! and Fun! To keep things lively while I’m there, here’s a question that is dorky, but not in the usual way for this blog: What superpower would you most like to have to help you deal with annoying meetings?… Continue reading Semi-Dorky Poll: Super Meeting!
Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2009?
The overlap between my readership and SF fandom is not as high as one might like, but I thought I would throw this out there anyway: What were the best science fiction and/or fantasy stories of 2009? (“Stories” here can mean anything from short stories to novels to feature films. We’re all about inclusiveness, here… Continue reading Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2009?
Companions in Zealous Research
Blogging has been light of late because I was in the Houston area for the weekend, at the annual meeting of Sigma Xi, the scientific research honor society (think Phi Beta Kappa, but for science nerds). Every chapter is required to send a representative to the annual meeting at least once every three years, and… Continue reading Companions in Zealous Research