Apr

24

The Art Of Space.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

April 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment

If told I could go anywhere—and I mean absolutely anywhere—my first choice would be Naiad. It’s a tiny moon orbiting Neptune at less than thirty-thousand miles. Neptune’s closest known satellite, I think it would provide a spectacular view of one of the most amazing planets in the solar system. And, with the demotion of Pluto, […]

Apr

16

Just Dandy.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

April 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment

What do gardeners and people who are obsessive about their have against dandelions? I’ve never understood it. Just because they’re common doesn’t make them any less beautiful, and there’s something incredibly fun about blowing away the seed-heads. Don’t forget all the various ways to cook dandelions too–they’re delicious. A lot of flowers have been celebrated […]

Mar

20

Among The Stars.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

March 20, 2008 | 1 Comment

Sir Arthur C. Clarke, born December 16, 1917, died March 19, 2008. Reading through news articles about Clarke, I found this brilliant quote: “I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarian and we’re skeptical.”
I have to admit I’ve never really been a fan of Clarke. I’ve read four of his books–2001, 2010, Childhood’s End, and […]

Mar

14

Ten Little Doctors.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

March 14, 2008 | 1 Comment

“The thrill is in the chase, never the capture.”
After a surprising shortage of literary figures in the original Doctor Who (broadcast from 1963-1986), they’re in danger of becoming a cliché in the new Doctor Who, which began in 2005 and, in its third episode, gave The Doctor a chance to meet Charles Dickens. In 2006 […]

Feb

1

More Than A Shadow.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

February 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment

This Groundhog Day if you live in the Southeastern United States, think about waking up early (between 6:00am and 7:00am local time) to see a beautiful astronomical event: Jupiter and Venus, two of the brightest objects in the night sky, close together, almost in conjunction, near the crescent Moon. They’ll be visible in the Southwest, […]

Jan

9

Nor Iron Bars A Cage.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

January 9, 2008 | 5 Comments

“What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”
–William Blake
The news saying “if it bleeds it leads” always takes on an even more powerful meaning when a person is savagely and dramatically attacked by an animal, whether it’s in the wild or, in the case of the Christmas Day attacks at the San Francisco Zoo, […]

Nov

21

Is There Anybody Out There?

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

November 21, 2007 | 3 Comments

The December issue of Discover magazine calls scientist David Charbonneau the “scientist of the year” for research he’s done, but, strangely enough, the honor is being conferred mainly for what his research might reveal, not what it’s already uncovered. They’re not exaggerating when they compare the discovery of extraterrestrial life to Copernicus’s theory that the […]

Aug

31

Jellyfishing!

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

August 31, 2007 | 2 Comments

I’ve always had a fascination with jellyfish. These strange, brainless, spineless bells that swim through the ocean trailing deadly tentacles, sometimes reaching one-hundred feet long, are beautiful and strange, and beautiful because they’re so strange. I recently ran across an article detailing myths about dealing with jellyfish stings and actual remedies. (The article is from […]

Aug

3

Big Dog.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

August 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment

August is typically the hottest period of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the period some people call “Dog Days”, a term which dates back to the Greeks who believed only dogs were crazy enough to go out in the heat. Anyone who’s owned dogs knows it’s more likely humans who are the crazy ones, […]

Jul

27

Bye Bye, Bat Boy!

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

July 27, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The Weekly World News, which is one of the few magazines I find myself actually tempted to buy while standing in the supermarket checkout line, is ceasing publication. They’ll maintain their online version, but the old familiar paper edition, with its headlines about the Angel of Death visiting Earth, Mother Nature endorsing Al Gore’s presidency, […]

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