Category Archives: Science

Scales of the Universe

The 13 scales that define our physical universe; A video that maps the Milky Way onto the United States, where on that scale our sun would fit between the ridges of a fingerprint; Recalling again the famous Powers of Ten … Continue reading

Posted in Music, Science, Space | Comments Off on Scales of the Universe

Feeding Voters a Fantasy World

The most alarming thing I’ve learned in the past decade is how so many ordinary people are not smart, not well-educated, are susceptible to political ideology and religious zealotry, and are driven by ideology and zealotry to try to take … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, History, Politics, Science | Comments Off on Feeding Voters a Fantasy World

Climate Change, Culture, the Economy, and Real Americans

Paul Krugman on climate change as a culture war issue; Florida censors come after Shakespeare, and educators flee the state; Robert Reich is confidant that Biden will get credit for an economy “that’s better off than it’s been in decades”; … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on Climate Change, Culture, the Economy, and Real Americans

Saturday Updates

More from NY Times on Republican plans to let climate change wreck the planet; Updates on stories about DeSantis slitting throats and A.P. Psychology in Florida; Another story about a Republican claiming credit for a Biden initiative that he fought; … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Science | Comments Off on Saturday Updates

Sagan & Druyan: Propensities and Predispositions

A couple hours ago I finished that Carl Sagan/Ann Druyan book I mentioned a couple days ago, and it’s remarkable how its conclusions resemble my own recent observations about how certain forms of human morality align to conservative politics, and … Continue reading

Posted in Book Notes, Conservative Resistance, Evolution, Human Progress, Quote at Length, Science | Comments Off on Sagan & Druyan: Propensities and Predispositions

More on the Latest Indictment

Goofy Republican responses to the latest indictment, about Federal employees, and to the teaching of psychology; The spectacle goes on and on, as the US experiences what some are saying is the most important legal indictment in its history: John … Continue reading

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on More on the Latest Indictment

My Uninterest in UFOs

No, I don’t mean disinterest. I’ve mentioned before that people who are unfamiliar with science fiction, or with science fiction writers and fans, tend to assume that SF folks are credulous along the lines of “believing” in UFOs, where “believing” … Continue reading

Posted in Psychology, Science | Comments Off on My Uninterest in UFOs

Horror and Exasperation

How young people are progressive, a problem for the GOP; Thomas Edsall on Republican and Democratic attitudes about masculinity; Climate experts express “horror and exasperation as global predictions play out”. Sometimes you have to wonder what conservatives are conserving. On … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Science | Comments Off on Horror and Exasperation

Gays, Small Towns, Climate Change Backlash

The increased visibility of L.G.B.T.Q. people as a sign of progress in a multicultural global society; Versus the sentiments of a country song called “Try That in a Small Town”; And global backlash against climate change policies as an indictment … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Science, Social Progress | Comments Off on Gays, Small Towns, Climate Change Backlash

Three Philosophical/Scientific Matters

I’m spending most of today’s blog hour doing some housekeeping on the blog itself. For today’s post, just one item, sorta deep, sorta light. Big Think, Scotty Hendricks, 18 Jul 2023: 3 advances in philosophy that made science better, subtitled … Continue reading

Posted in Philosophy, Science, Website Issues | Comments Off on Three Philosophical/Scientific Matters