Stephenson starts his novel Seveneves by blowing up the moon.
A new theory indicates that the moon may be a coalesced explosion. Perhaps even more troubling...so is the Earth.
The theoretical object is a synestia, formed by a collision, and it explains the different composition of the Earth and moon better than any other theory proposed so far...
Read more here.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Side Effect of Black Panther
...no, I'm not talking about the great representation (Thanks to life getting in the way I haven't seen it yet).
I'm talking about the fact that many animal shelters no longer have any black cats in them. They've all been adopted.
Black cats tend to stay in shelters the longest in the United States because of the superstition that they're unlucky. So it's entirely possible that on top of everything else it's doing, this movie is saving some kitty lives.
Just be careful about naming your kitten Killmonger...
I'm talking about the fact that many animal shelters no longer have any black cats in them. They've all been adopted.
Black cats tend to stay in shelters the longest in the United States because of the superstition that they're unlucky. So it's entirely possible that on top of everything else it's doing, this movie is saving some kitty lives.
Just be careful about naming your kitten Killmonger...
Monday, February 26, 2018
Mission to Methone - Les Johnson
Les Johnson - I love you and I hate you. Where's the sequel? You can't end it like that.
I picked up Dr. Johnson's book because it felt like something I would write myself - and it is. Of all the books I've read, it's the most like Transpecial. It is, I believe, Les' first novel - he mostly writes popular science - and the rough edges show, but it's old school, it's a lot of fun, and it shows his knowledge of science.
Recommended.
I picked up Dr. Johnson's book because it felt like something I would write myself - and it is. Of all the books I've read, it's the most like Transpecial. It is, I believe, Les' first novel - he mostly writes popular science - and the rough edges show, but it's old school, it's a lot of fun, and it shows his knowledge of science.
Recommended.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Digital Afterlife
Yup, the first company to make digital copies of dead people...of course, we're not talking real people, here, just chat bots that duplicate the deceased.
We know where this ends, people.
(The company is Swedish and is currently seeking volunteer families willing to hand over the necessary records and recordings so they can start field testing the technology).
(It ends with glass avatars ;)).
We know where this ends, people.
(The company is Swedish and is currently seeking volunteer families willing to hand over the necessary records and recordings so they can start field testing the technology).
(It ends with glass avatars ;)).
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Joss Whedon...
...will not be writing Batgirl. Why? Because he apparently couldn't come up with a good idea. I respect him for acknowledging that. And as much as I've enjoyed a lot of Whedon's work, he'd have turned Batgirl into the new Buffy anyway...
No word as to who will be replacing him, but this is the second major comic book movie that was almost written by Joss Whedon. Maybe he needs to do something else?
No word as to who will be replacing him, but this is the second major comic book movie that was almost written by Joss Whedon. Maybe he needs to do something else?
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
2017 Nebula Nominations
If you're looking for something to read, you can find the nebular award nominations here.
Some things I'd like to highlight - Mur Lafferty is a fun person, a great writer, so definitely check out her novel Six Wakes.
And I can't not push for Lawrence M. Schoen's Barry's Deal, which will likely be amusing.
The Bradbury Award - I'm not sure whether I want it to go to Logan or Wonder Woman, but suspect it will actually go to The Shape of Water.
But if you're the kind of person who likes to pick up books you already know are good - here you go.
Some things I'd like to highlight - Mur Lafferty is a fun person, a great writer, so definitely check out her novel Six Wakes.
And I can't not push for Lawrence M. Schoen's Barry's Deal, which will likely be amusing.
The Bradbury Award - I'm not sure whether I want it to go to Logan or Wonder Woman, but suspect it will actually go to The Shape of Water.
But if you're the kind of person who likes to pick up books you already know are good - here you go.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Rebel Minis Kickstarter
The latest Rebel Minis kickstarter...has been up for a bit. Oops. (I did post elsewhere).
We've made our first two stretch goals already, but have four more. This one involves goblins and duckmen! Because duckmen are awesome.
If you haven't already backed it (thank you), you can go here to make your pledge. And $50 or more will get you an entire box of duckmen.
The first stretch goal adventure is by me, if you need an added incentive.
We've made our first two stretch goals already, but have four more. This one involves goblins and duckmen! Because duckmen are awesome.
If you haven't already backed it (thank you), you can go here to make your pledge. And $50 or more will get you an entire box of duckmen.
The first stretch goal adventure is by me, if you need an added incentive.
Monday, February 19, 2018
So...
...apparently the remaining life of Jupiter's great red spot is even less than we thought. The spot will probably cease to be a spot in the next ten to twenty years.
Of course, another one might form in the near future. Jupiter's just so big that hurricanes last for centuries.
Of course, another one might form in the near future. Jupiter's just so big that hurricanes last for centuries.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Oops...
...the car might be coming back. Although it was intended to be in a permanent orbit, there's a decent chance it will hit Earth.
In a few million years.
When it will burn up in the atmosphere.
(IOW, don't worry about it, but they didn't quite get the insertion right...)
In a few million years.
When it will burn up in the atmosphere.
(IOW, don't worry about it, but they didn't quite get the insertion right...)
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Playtesting Stuff
I keep forgetting to post this. Bad freelancer, no cookie.
But, there are some things Cobalt Sages Creations wants playtesting - these are single elements to slip into one shots or a campaign.
Go here to find the species and magic rules we need opinions on. We need more feedback - and more stuff is going to be added over time.
(One day I'm gonna run in this world).
But, there are some things Cobalt Sages Creations wants playtesting - these are single elements to slip into one shots or a campaign.
Go here to find the species and magic rules we need opinions on. We need more feedback - and more stuff is going to be added over time.
(One day I'm gonna run in this world).
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Third Flatiron Monstrosities Lineup
They've announced the TOC, which includes a special reprint by Edward Bryant.
Find the full list - and the really neat cover art - here.
(My story is a giant mecha story because. Well, because).
Find the full list - and the really neat cover art - here.
(My story is a giant mecha story because. Well, because).
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Farpoint Roundup
Con went well. It was so nice to be in a competent hotel (The Hunt Valley is not my favorite, but at least they can handle, you know, basic level hospitality).
Highlights:
The guy in an inflatable T-Rex suit singing "A Red Solo Cup." ONLY at Farpoint.
Jay Justice. Some people improve the entire con just by wheeling in.
Matt Frewer's little stunt in the auction. Which he did not warn the con about. (Let's just say it ended with money being thrown at the auctioneer). Basically just Matt Frewer.
The genderbending panel - went very well and zero trolls.
Lowlights:
The clown who thought it would be funny to throw a bad pickup line at me while in costume. Really, people. I expect better from the Farpoint crowd. And mostly get it, I'd note, but there's always one.
Highlights:
The guy in an inflatable T-Rex suit singing "A Red Solo Cup." ONLY at Farpoint.
Jay Justice. Some people improve the entire con just by wheeling in.
Matt Frewer's little stunt in the auction. Which he did not warn the con about. (Let's just say it ended with money being thrown at the auctioneer). Basically just Matt Frewer.
The genderbending panel - went very well and zero trolls.
Lowlights:
The clown who thought it would be funny to throw a bad pickup line at me while in costume. Really, people. I expect better from the Farpoint crowd. And mostly get it, I'd note, but there's always one.
Monday, February 12, 2018
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Welp, I'm off...
...to Farpoint (well a bit later, but...)
I hope to see some of you there. We have some great programming going on and some great guests.
I'll be back some time on Monday but probably won't post a roundup until Tuesday 'cause I know I'll be con brained ;).
I hope to see some of you there. We have some great programming going on and some great guests.
I'll be back some time on Monday but probably won't post a roundup until Tuesday 'cause I know I'll be con brained ;).
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
So, who's white anyway?
Not only are more and more white people discovering they have African ancestry more recent than they thought, but we just proved whiteness itself is even more recent.
The oldest Briton known is "Cheddar Man" - he carbon dates to about 10,000 B.P. (Before present) and was found in a cave. He may have been murdered, but his body was almost certainly deposited in the cave intentionally.
And this, based off of DNA sequencing, is what he looked like:
(The guy holding the reconstruction is Professor Chris Stringer, who's been literally studying this one skeleton for 40 years).
As you can see.
He's not white. He does have blue eyes, and we aren't sure about the hair texture (it may have been a bit curlier).
But that is not a white man.
It's worth remembering that pale skin is nothing more than an adaptation to protect us from Vitamin D deficiency - and that we're the ones who are the "wrong" color.
(Another interesting detail from the sequencing - he was not lactose tolerant).
The oldest Briton known is "Cheddar Man" - he carbon dates to about 10,000 B.P. (Before present) and was found in a cave. He may have been murdered, but his body was almost certainly deposited in the cave intentionally.
And this, based off of DNA sequencing, is what he looked like:
(The guy holding the reconstruction is Professor Chris Stringer, who's been literally studying this one skeleton for 40 years).
As you can see.
He's not white. He does have blue eyes, and we aren't sure about the hair texture (it may have been a bit curlier).
But that is not a white man.
It's worth remembering that pale skin is nothing more than an adaptation to protect us from Vitamin D deficiency - and that we're the ones who are the "wrong" color.
(Another interesting detail from the sequencing - he was not lactose tolerant).
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
SpaceX Does It Again
Stunts with cars aside... (I think Elon is hoping to prank any aliens who wander past)
The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket launched in a long time. And it is designed in a modular way to save money...and to be reusable.
...there, for those who were, like me, too busy to quite catch the live stream. And yes, a successful launch of a rocket which is designed to take extremely large payloads (like, ya know cars) into orbit.
But the really fun part is...landing the first stages. Plural. He got two of the three down, and close enough together that a screw up could easily have resulted in a collision. No wait. Two on the pad and the third one headed down to the drone ship because of angle.
Rocket ballet, somebody on Facebook called it.
There will be more...
The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket launched in a long time. And it is designed in a modular way to save money...and to be reusable.
...there, for those who were, like me, too busy to quite catch the live stream. And yes, a successful launch of a rocket which is designed to take extremely large payloads (like, ya know cars) into orbit.
But the really fun part is...landing the first stages. Plural. He got two of the three down, and close enough together that a screw up could easily have resulted in a collision. No wait. Two on the pad and the third one headed down to the drone ship because of angle.
Rocket ballet, somebody on Facebook called it.
There will be more...
Monday, February 5, 2018
Bad movie plot, or?
The headline from Science literally reads "An aquarium accident may have given this crayfish the DNA to take over the world"
Which is totally the plot of a low-budget horror movie, except...it's kind of true.
The guilty party: The marbled crayfish, which apparently mutated in an aquarium to reproduce asexually. (The original species was the slough crayfish). Oh, and to be bigger. And it's causing problems all over the place.
No other crayfish can reproduce asexually. That said, to blame humans might be out of place - this kind of weird thing could have happened anyway, and they can't even be sure the original was an aquarium escapee. Even if it does remind me of Species. Or, no, even better. Darwin's Radio.
Oh, and the asexual crayfish do it by having three strands of DNA. Which is only done by one species of plant.
There's so much plot fodder here. A new species in one generation? A single individual producing a ridiculously invasive population.
But also, what the heck do we do about marbled crayfish? (And don't suggest eat them, I get violently ill at the idea since an unfortunate food poisoning incident many years ago... :P)
Which is totally the plot of a low-budget horror movie, except...it's kind of true.
The guilty party: The marbled crayfish, which apparently mutated in an aquarium to reproduce asexually. (The original species was the slough crayfish). Oh, and to be bigger. And it's causing problems all over the place.
No other crayfish can reproduce asexually. That said, to blame humans might be out of place - this kind of weird thing could have happened anyway, and they can't even be sure the original was an aquarium escapee. Even if it does remind me of Species. Or, no, even better. Darwin's Radio.
Oh, and the asexual crayfish do it by having three strands of DNA. Which is only done by one species of plant.
There's so much plot fodder here. A new species in one generation? A single individual producing a ridiculously invasive population.
But also, what the heck do we do about marbled crayfish? (And don't suggest eat them, I get violently ill at the idea since an unfortunate food poisoning incident many years ago... :P)
Friday, February 2, 2018
About those Mayans
(Who, by the way, are not extinct. I've met some).
Turns out there were a lot more of them than we thought. A LIDAR survey of Guatemala showed more than 60,000 hidden ruins, making a human-controlled landscape home to millions. It might indicate that Mayan civilization was akin to, well, Greece. Or China. The new estimation for the Mayan population - 15 million (before it was five million).
Most of the hidden ruins are fairly small stone platforms. That is to say: Houses. But they also found walls and fortresses, a seven storey pyramid (seriously) and raised highways that would have allowed trade to continue even during the rains.
But really. A seven storey pyramid...
IOW, lidar is awesome.
Turns out there were a lot more of them than we thought. A LIDAR survey of Guatemala showed more than 60,000 hidden ruins, making a human-controlled landscape home to millions. It might indicate that Mayan civilization was akin to, well, Greece. Or China. The new estimation for the Mayan population - 15 million (before it was five million).
Most of the hidden ruins are fairly small stone platforms. That is to say: Houses. But they also found walls and fortresses, a seven storey pyramid (seriously) and raised highways that would have allowed trade to continue even during the rains.
But really. A seven storey pyramid...
IOW, lidar is awesome.
Thursday, February 1, 2018
More Alarmism
There are a few causes for alarmism that show up periodically. One of them is the Yellowstone Volcano Will Destroy All Life On Earth.
The one that's back right now is "The Earth's magnetic poles will flip, destroying our civilization and causing a mass extinction."
The latest one is caused by a book excerpt - and, of course, the tabloids and the worst popular science sites are having a field day.
So, let's unpack it.
A geomagnetic pole reversal has occurred numerous times in Earth's history. It's a natural phenomenon. It has nothing to do with the Earth's position in orbit - a polar flip will not make the Earth suddenly spin around.
What is actually true?
1. Yes, a geomagnetic reversal could happen at any time. The last one was 780,000 years ago, meaning we're overdue. There's some data indicating it will happen in the near future - say in the next 2,000 years or so. That's a few minutes in geological terms, but it seems pretty unlikely we'll wake up tomorrow and all the compasses will point south instead of north.
2. Fluctuations in the magnetic field may damage satellites, sensitive electronics and even power grids. However, as the reversal is a long-term phenomenon (see below), it's not going to abruptly destroy our power grids and satellites. However, we may get some nasty blackouts because we have lost some of our protection from space weather.
What is not true?
1. Geomagnetic reversals cause mass extinctions. The data just doesn't support this. It's true that migrating animals might get a bit confused and we might see fewer, say, barn swallows for a while, but they'll get themselves sorted out.
2. The Earth's magnetic field will disappear, exposing us to cosmic radiation and everyone will get cancer. The truth is that there will be a dip in the magnetic field that may cause an increase in cancer for a while. It also may be that airline pilots and flight attendants will experience an increased risk because they go further up in the atmosphere (the rest of us are protected by all of that air).
3. The flip will happen in seconds. No, the data indicates it will take a while - as long as a few thousand years. It'll be slow enough that animals - and humans - will adapt to it just fine.
4. Large areas of the Earth will be rendered uninhabitable. Again, there is no evidence of any significant effect on plant or animal life during a flip. This wonderful theory is supposedly being touted by Dr. Daniel Baker, an expert in cosmic radiation. Dr. Baker does exist, and he is an expert on cosmic radiation, but the quote comes from a single source - he's a space weather expert, not a geomagnetics expert, and it seems unlikely any reputable scientist would be saying this when, again, fossil evidence shows it is not true. (I suspect he was misunderstood or misquoted. He hasn't said anything yet and doesn't seem to have a twitter).
Most people are blaming a sensationalist journalist for this.
But tl;dr.
Yes, it is very likely the Earth's magnetic poles are about to flip.
No, it is not going to happen literally tomorrow.
No, we are not all going to die.
The one that's back right now is "The Earth's magnetic poles will flip, destroying our civilization and causing a mass extinction."
The latest one is caused by a book excerpt - and, of course, the tabloids and the worst popular science sites are having a field day.
So, let's unpack it.
A geomagnetic pole reversal has occurred numerous times in Earth's history. It's a natural phenomenon. It has nothing to do with the Earth's position in orbit - a polar flip will not make the Earth suddenly spin around.
What is actually true?
1. Yes, a geomagnetic reversal could happen at any time. The last one was 780,000 years ago, meaning we're overdue. There's some data indicating it will happen in the near future - say in the next 2,000 years or so. That's a few minutes in geological terms, but it seems pretty unlikely we'll wake up tomorrow and all the compasses will point south instead of north.
2. Fluctuations in the magnetic field may damage satellites, sensitive electronics and even power grids. However, as the reversal is a long-term phenomenon (see below), it's not going to abruptly destroy our power grids and satellites. However, we may get some nasty blackouts because we have lost some of our protection from space weather.
What is not true?
1. Geomagnetic reversals cause mass extinctions. The data just doesn't support this. It's true that migrating animals might get a bit confused and we might see fewer, say, barn swallows for a while, but they'll get themselves sorted out.
2. The Earth's magnetic field will disappear, exposing us to cosmic radiation and everyone will get cancer. The truth is that there will be a dip in the magnetic field that may cause an increase in cancer for a while. It also may be that airline pilots and flight attendants will experience an increased risk because they go further up in the atmosphere (the rest of us are protected by all of that air).
3. The flip will happen in seconds. No, the data indicates it will take a while - as long as a few thousand years. It'll be slow enough that animals - and humans - will adapt to it just fine.
4. Large areas of the Earth will be rendered uninhabitable. Again, there is no evidence of any significant effect on plant or animal life during a flip. This wonderful theory is supposedly being touted by Dr. Daniel Baker, an expert in cosmic radiation. Dr. Baker does exist, and he is an expert on cosmic radiation, but the quote comes from a single source - he's a space weather expert, not a geomagnetics expert, and it seems unlikely any reputable scientist would be saying this when, again, fossil evidence shows it is not true. (I suspect he was misunderstood or misquoted. He hasn't said anything yet and doesn't seem to have a twitter).
Most people are blaming a sensationalist journalist for this.
But tl;dr.
Yes, it is very likely the Earth's magnetic poles are about to flip.
No, it is not going to happen literally tomorrow.
No, we are not all going to die.
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