science | Mostly Bright Ideas

Browsing All posts tagged under »science«

A Cool Look at Global Warming (Part 2)

September 29, 2014

“The debate is over.” Al Gore said that about man-made climate change. A lot of other people have said it, too. But it isn’t true. If the debate were over, then no one would be debating it anymore. There was a time when it was widely believed that there were canals on Mars and bathing was […]

A Cool Look at Global Warming (Part 1)

September 21, 2014

In my lifetime, we have been scared out of our minds by an assortment of impending disasters: nuclear war, asteroids, asbestos, fire ants, locusts, killer bees, rogue planets, Lyme Disease, Mad Cow Disease, SARS, swine flu, bird flu, Satanic cults, holes in the ozone, the Bermuda Triangle, alien abductions, the Y2K bug, and – every […]

Over the Moon?

July 16, 2014

Forty-five years ago, on July 16, 1969, a Saturn-5 rocket was launched from Cape Kennedy on Florida’s northeast coast. Carrying three astronauts, the spacecraft circled the globe one and a half times, then re-ignited its engines and headed toward the moon. Much of the human race watched, excited and nervous. Before Apollo 11, there had […]

Unwavering Ambivalence

July 6, 2014

There was a time, when I was a teenager and therefore remarkably witless, that I fell for every crackpot idea that crossed my path. I was certain I had extrasensory perception, could move objects with my mind and see the future, and would eventually figure out how to walk through walls. I believed in ghosts, […]

Some Pointless Thoughts, on Balance

January 22, 2014

I tend to read a lot of books about science, because the universe is a mysterious place. In fact, it’s the most mysterious place I’ve ever been to — not including the motor vehicle department — and I’d like to understand it as much as I can. Part of the problem is that most of […]

What to Expect in 2014

December 29, 2013

Predicting the future is a risky thing to do. You’re going to be wrong most of the time, and people – especially your closest friends — will happily point out how far off you were. In 1974, I said Richard Nixon would never resign. Ten years later, I announced that Walter Mondale would defeat Ronald […]

More Energy, Less Work (Part 1)

December 6, 2013

I’m a problem-solver. When I read or hear about something people are struggling with, I want to help them fix it. When they’re grappling with a difficult question, I want to help them answer it. A few years ago, I learned that physicists still don’t know how gravity works. I decided that I was up […]

Thoughts, Words, and Deeds

April 12, 2013

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After pumping gas into my car while freezing rain pelts the back of my neck and a howling wind blows straight into my face, I trudge into the warm, dry station and locate the cashier. She’s seated behind a tall counter, drinking something hot and watching The Price Is Right. I hand her my money, […]

My Brain in a Jar (Part 2)

December 30, 2012

There are clear benefits to leaving your brain to science. For one thing, there’s no more sitting at traffic lights, having to go to the bathroom in the middle of a movie, or arguing with someone three continents away about the four-dollar mistake on your last bank statement. For another, you never get the hiccups. […]

My Brain in a Jar (Part 1)

December 22, 2012

Recently, fellow blogger Karen asked if I would consider leaving my brain to science. I was flattered by the question, until I realized that such a donation would have adverse effects on my health, and suddenly the idea didn’t seem quite so appealing. Also, science doesn’t spend much time on things it already comprehends, preferring […]