"Death From the Skies"

A Bad Astronomer (...and Punster)


Phil Plait is an astronomer and writer who runs one of the most popular (and award-winning) science blogs on the Web, "Bad Astronomy." When I stumbled across his book "Death From the Skies!" in my local library I was so put off by the National Enquirer-like title and cover (...I can only imagine that the publisher was trying to appeal to a teenage audience???), I almost ignored it, but luckily did relent and check the volume out.
The writing is interesting, lively and fluid, even playful (especially for a book basically informing us that we're all eventually doomed!), touching upon much science, but at a level that the astronomy amateur or even lay reader can readily follow. To a total novice, unfamiliar with modern day physics the topics and content may seem almost unreal, and thus some background in the physical sciences is helpful.
For wordsmiths the writing is peppered with puns and word-plays (who knew physics could be so funny), almost to the point of sometimes taking away from the seriousness of what is being discussed. Lots of facts and figures here as well, and lots of science, but amidst much cleverness and wit. Plait's passion for his subject rings through on every page. Each chapter is well-written with somewhat stand-alone material (that need not be read in sequential order), covering a variety of basic cosmological subjects: the sun (and its death)/stars/galaxies, asteroids, supernovae, black holes, gamma rays, the possibility of alien life; all with an aim of showing how these might be agents for our world's demise in the distant future.

I likely enjoyed chapter 4 on gamma rays the most, if only because much of the content was new to me (chapter 9, "The End of Everything" is a particularly fun read as well). Chapter 6 on alien existence was possibly the weakest in my view. I'd fall in the camp that thinks probabilistically there are 1000s (maybe millions) of planets with advanced life (that may differ tremendously from us), but Plait seems to downgrade that possibility with what I think are weakly parochial or myopic arguments, while granting too much seriousness to what many perceive as an infinitesimal possibility that we Earthlings might be alone in the Universe. But we won't settle that debate here.
The very last chapter (epilogue) reviews the probabilities that any of the scenarios outlined will actually bring about the world's end, with an asteroid at 1 in 700,000 being the best bet... if that helps you to sleep better at night.

Richard Feynman was fond of saying that he wasn't absolutely certain of anything, but he just held beliefs based on the preponderance of the evidence. My one concern with Plait (and many scientists for that matter) is that he actually believes that much of what he states (the underlying science) is certain (because it currently seems so) when in fact, especially in the sort of time-frames he is discussing, our understanding/beliefs of physical law, the Universe, and life could change in unforeseeable ways, no matter how 'certain' they may seem at this moment. All black-and-white "facts" are actually strongly-held and supported 'beliefs,' still subject to possible, even if unlikely, change --- what we currently view as 'modern' science, will, 1000 years from now, no doubt appear very primitive and naive. Some folks worship God, and some worship empiricism, but both do so at the risk of putting blinders on to the extent that they accept/assume any human logic as 'certain.' But so much for philosophical quibbles...

If you already like Plait's blog you will almost certainly enjoy this book where he has the freedom to write more extensively on his subjects. If you're unfamiliar with him but interested in astronomical matters this book is a fine place to start. But a warning: for those of you with a long-term, 6 billion-year-or-so horizon, this could be a verrrrry gloomy, depressing, scary read given what it foretells... but as long as you're more short-term in your outlook (say the next 10,000-or-so years), feel free to give it a whirl! For the price of admission you'll get both some laughs and some chills, along with a healthy dose of science. (I just hope that for his next publishing effort Plait selects a more adult title and cover! ;-)

B+

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Mind Wars

Hour-long interview HERE at another blog with Jonathan Moreno author of "Mind Wars."

Believe It Or Not...

For the Friday video, an incredible stunt (maybe a tad much for the squeamish) given a possible interesting explanation here:

Kidney Disease Testing Made Easy...

Possible breathalyzer test for early diagnosing of kidney disease, based on components of exhaled breath, reported on here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090615100053.htm

Speech Processing

A current take from neuroscientists HERE on how the human brain processes language; recognizing, segmenting, and applying semantics to speech sounds.

Science Misapplied

an essay worth reading HERE on science, quantum mechanics, and religion...

Echidna

Natalie Angier elucidates the enigmatic echidna (a mysterious monotreme related to the duck-billed platypus) here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/science/09angi.html


And a special bonus video today for sheer entertainment....
Not exactly science, but too good (and uplifting) not to pass along --- I'm a sucker for acoustic guitar playing, but had never seen or heard of Tony Melendez, armless since birth; was blown away when I stumbled upon this video:

Schrodinger's Cat

For the Friday video, a real physicist and a real dog explain the anomaly of 'Schrodinger's cat' in less than 4 minutes! :

Mathematics In 10 Lessons

"Mathematics In 10 Lessons: The Grand Tour" by Jerry King

Just a brief review since I can't recommend this offering to a general readership, and only give it an overall "C" rating. Browsing the volume in a bookstore it looked intriguing to me, as it touched upon many math topics of interest to me: infinity, number theory, probability, calculus, paradox, imaginary numbers, and "truth and beauty."

The book claims that it does not require much math background to be enjoyed, and several mathematicians endorse the book heartily on the back cover (although I noticed none of them are major math popularizers who's names would be readily recognized). However, I think a math novice or lay reader might have some difficulty with the material, while those more well-read in math may find the material dull or boring --- the writing is likely too dry and pedantic for a lay reader and too basic or simplistic for those more sophisticated in math. Some math fans may find the content elucidative, but I suspect they may be a small subset of all readers. Much of the material is on math underpinnings and/or proofs that may appear intuitively obvious --- and while there is some benefit in this explication, it can also be somewhat tedious. Generally speaking, the most interesting aspects of math are probably those that are counter-intuitive, and thusly in need of step-by-step rendering. I think the author here has made a very sincere attempt to bring many fundamentals of math to a general audience, but this is actually one of the most difficult tasks in all of science-writing, and so most attempts, as in this case, fall short.

A book that covers at least some of the same type material, which I found much more engaging and do strongly recommend is William Byers' 2007 volume "How Mathematicians Think."

Nature Poetry

A nature digression today... haven't seen this volume myself, but looked interesting on Amazon, for those with a yen for nature poems:

"Can Poetry Save the Earth?: A Field Guide to Nature Poems" by John Felstiner (Stanford professor)

Form Follows Function...?

Possibly more than you wanted to know... or consider :

This piece from "Scientific American," reports certain evolutionary biology hypotheses and testing to account for the particular shape of the human penis (which differs significantly from our primate relatives)... a fair amount of conjecture, with a smattering of experimentation :

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=secrets-of-the-phallus

A tad reminiscent of Robin Baker's book, "Sperm Wars."

There has been a small spate of popular books out recently on the never-ending favorite topic of human sexual behavior, including:

"Bonk" by Mary Roach, and "How Sex Works" by Sharon Moalem

Words, Words, Words... and the NY Times

For all word lovers out there:

Not the usual "science" I pass along here, but as a word-lover have to link to this interesting survey of words that the astute readers of the NY Times most frequently feel the need to look up --- how many of these would perplex you if stumbled upon in print? A few of the 50 top stumpers: "louche," "sumptuary," "schadenfreude," "hagiographic," "dauphin," "comity," "bildungsroman," "fealty." And the word with the highest rate of looking up per use: "saturnine" ("solipsistic" a close 2nd).

Ticklish Rats... You Betcha

For the Friday video, giggling rats here:

Animal Feelings

NY Times piece on scientific evidence for animals feeling 'regret' (...not that any pet owners required scientific evidence) :

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/science/02tier.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Bird Evolution

The popular, common view that everyone hears is that birds evolved from dinosaurs; yes, those are miniature-seed-eating-feathered-brontosauruses at your backyard feeder... but NOT so fast. Another minority view that has actually been around a long time, but had difficulty gaining traction is that birds have little to do with dinosaurs, evolving instead from earlier small tree-dwelling creatures; they evolved from the trees down, not from the ground up, so-to-speak.
"Tetrapod Zoology" blog recently covered some of the arguments HERE.
And more HERE, from ScienceDaily.

Black Hole Photography

Getting a picture of a black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy... New Scientist article HERE.

There Be Fungus Among Us

Courtesy of Natalie Angier (and NY Times), a focus on lowly fungi:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/science/26angi.html

The Intelligence of Crows

Penguin Poo

And now from the scatological sciences....

Scientists are tracking penguin poop (guano, droppings... birdSH*T) from space, via satellite imaging, in order to tally colonies of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica:

http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_articles/penguins_space_guano_story

Thomas Berry Dies

Earth-theologian Thomas Berry dies at 94:

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/06/02-5

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/04berry.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

(Wikipedia entry for Berry HERE.)

Richard Wiseman Redux

'Quirky' British research psychologist Richard Wiseman has begun a mass experiment on Twitter to test for the psychic ability known as "remote viewing." To read about it or take part in his study start here:

http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/twitter-experiment-starts-today/

BTW, one of my favorite YouTube quickie tricks is from Wiseman HERE.

Earlier on in this blog I recommended his fun book, "Quirkology" to readers.

A Two-fer

Good blogger summary HERE of Michael Pollan's thoughts from his wonderful book "In Defense of Food."

And HERE the same writer covers a talk by popular physicist Brian Greene on his favorite topic, string theory.

The Monty Hall Problem

One of the most interesting popular math problems of recent times:







And on the same topic, Jason Rosenhouse's new book, entirely on this puzzle,"The Monty Hall Problem," is now available at Amazon HERE.

Life's Origin

A new view of the origin of life and replication (known as "Metabolism First" theory) from "American Scientist" authors based upon inevitable laws of chemistry and physics when operating on early Earth-like conditions, pre-the-development of RNA or DNA:

http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/2009/3/the-origin-of-life/1

Next At Apple?

According to this report, those creative geniuses over at Apple Inc. (sometimes known as Steve Jobs) will come out with a $500-$700 "tablet" next year to "fill the gap" between the iPod Touch and laptop computer; the new device may also compete with Amazon's Kindle in the eBook market (...may it be so) :

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6337739.ece

Speaking of the Kindle, this interesting/depressing piece on the future of book publishing:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6236384.ece

The Inner Feynman

A Man Of Letters...

Like a lot of science-types I'm a Feynman groupie --- admiring physicist Richard Feynman's scientific brilliance, and finding his personality and character fascinating and endearing. I've enjoyed several of the books written by or about him over the years, but had never read the volume of his personal correspondences that was published several years back (2005), compiled by his daughter Michelle, entitled "Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track".
Better late than never... A friend sent the volume to me, and I jaunted my way through it, with varied (mostly good, but somewhat mixed) reactions. Many of the letters are very mundane, to the point of wondering why they were even included. Other letters are so personal in nature (usually to one of his wives or family members) one almost feels uncomfortable reading them, knowing the writer was not around to grant his okay for their publication --- the fact that his own daughter selected/compiled this material eases, but does not entirely dispel, the discomfort (almost voyeuristic feeling) in perusing some of these missives that publicly bare Feynman's private 'human' side.

More interesting (to me) are the letters back and forth with various other scientists, professionals, and even certain fans, young students, or oddballs who contacted him over the years with sincere questions. The letters from the early/mid-60's on are especially good and fortunately make up the bulk of the work, which can be savored. Here we see the brilliant, playful, iconoclastic, even rascally Feynman that we've come to relish. One of my favorite exchanges of letters (spanning a decade-long stretch in the '60's) involves Feynman trying to politely resign his membership from the prestigious National Academy of Sciences. Just to give the flavor, that is oh-so vintage Feynman, an early letter to then-President Bronk of the NAS reads in part as follows:

"I am sorry that you had to be bothered by this matter of my wanting to resign my membership in the Academy. It must be quite a job worrying about all the peculiar whims of all the strange birds that make up your flock...
"My desire to resign is merely a personal one; it is not meant as a protest of any kind, or a criticism of the Academy or its activities. Perhaps it is just that i enjoy being peculiar. My peculiarity is this: I find it psychologically very distasteful to judge people's 'merit.' So I cannot participate in the main activity of selecting people for membership. To be a member of a group, of which an important activity is to choose others deemed worthy of membership in that self-esteemed group bothers me. The care with which we select 'those worthy of the honor' of joining the Academy feels to me like a form of self-praise. How can we say only the best must be allowed in to join those who are already in, without loudly proclaiming to our inner selves that we who are in must be very good indeed. Of course I believe I am very good indeed, but that is a private matter and I cannot publicly admit that I do so, to such an extent that I have the nerve to decide that this man, or that, is not worthy of joining my elite club..."

Pure, delicious, and yes, possibly peculiar, Feynman. (It took a decade, but he finally successfully resigned his membership despite the Academy's ardent wishes to keep him on board.) In a similar vein, in other letters Feynman refuses to accept "honorary" degrees from different prestigious universities because of his uncompromising distaste for 'unearned' honors (even experiencing discomfort at accepting the Nobel Prize he was awarded.)

Another very interesting exchange comes in 1967 between Feynman and a Jewish freelance writer who wishes to include him in an article on "Jewish Nobel Prize winners" and later in an article on accomplished Jewish scientists. Feynman quickly and sternly, yet politely, rebuffs the requests as he not only isn't a practicing Jew (he says, "at the age of thirteen I was converted to non-Jewish religious views"), but moreover believes the desire to attribute intelligence or accomplishment to one's heritage is a dangerous and misguided proposition; similar to the Nazis ascribing traits to whole groups of people based on their heritage.

There are so many wonderful, even amazing, passages I would like to share here (unfortunately some are buried between rather duller stretches of composition), but one ought read and select one's own favorites.
In later life, Feynman became especially interested in the manner of science instruction at the lower school levels, and his thoughts/writings on that subject are always illuminating as well. Although some of the book's entries are plain or repetitive, others shine with Feynman's famous independence, humor, even mischief, as well as his wonder in the world and his legendary teaching forte. Indeed, Feynman the teacher, Feynman the inquisitor, the playful rascal, the incisive scientist, and Feynman the mere mortal human, are all here on display. And I believe the volume gets better and better as it progresses --- as Feynman ages, so too are his communications more seasoned, succinct, and insightful. The "Foreward" and "Introduction" to the book are also very good, by the way.

I give this volume a "B+" and recommend it to all Feynman fans (who have probably already devoured it well before me), with a caution that the pre-1960 material (first 100 pages or so) doesn't measure up to the rest of the book, and patches of triteness or repetition do arise as with any extensive collection of letters. Non-Feynman fans (is there such a thing in the scientific community???) may take a pass on it. And I would have enjoyed the book even more had it included fewer letters, but more commentary and anecdotes from friends and family members interspersed between the letters (though that was not the compiler's purpose) --- even the six Appendices, I think, could've been effectively integrated into the main body of the volume, rather than slapped on at the end. Still, the volume easily takes its rightful place among the growing library and lore on this singular American icon.
Thank you Michelle Feynman for taking the time to draw together these non-scientific communiques of your illustrious father. No doubt you've evoked many happy memories and brought a smile to many faces.

A NY Times review of the book is HERE.

Lastly, for anyone unfamiliar with Feynman, a 1981 interview with him from the BBC was shown to huge popular acclaim both in Britain and in the U.S. (the video is rough/grainy in spots) :

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7136440703094429927&hl=en

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Mathematical Curiosities Indeed!

Number Fun...

The latest volume from prolific British mathematician Ian Stewart is "Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities," an entertaining compendium (he calls it "a miscellany") of "amusing and intriguing" puzzles, tales, factoids, and interesting tidbits from recreational mathematics; actually quite an amazing range and variety of short offerings (180+ entries). All the common mathematical recreations are found here, and a great many less familiar ones. Discussion tends to be brief, but not overly so, although in a few cases greater elucidation might've been helpful.

Obviously, one needs to enjoy math to enjoy this volume, but one doesn't need an advanced grasp of mathematics to comprehend most of the content (although for some entries it WILL definitely help). For the math aficionados out there I definitely give this book a "B+"; it is a wonderful addition to this genre. One recreational math work I probably like better (and would rate an "A") is Martin Gardner's "The Colossal Book of Mathematics," but then it's pretty hard to top Martin Gardner! And for math-inclined lay readers who especially enjoy this genre I'll mention three other volumes I'm fond of:

"Math Charmers" by Alfred Posamentier, and
"A Passion For Mathematics" by Clifford Pickover
"Wonders of Numbers" also Clifford Pickover

Lastly, another review of Stewart's book HERE.

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Spoiled Brats?

For this Friday video, some comic relief on modern-day science and technology:

That's Amore

Not altogether surprising, but one of the most popular articles (which in turn links to several other articles) over at the "Scientific Blogging" website is still this one from over 2 years ago entitled "The Chemistry of Love":

http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_releases/chemistry_love

Does Life Create Time and Space

Is the universe "biocentric"? One more theory for cosmologists to play with:

http://discovermagazine.com/2009/may/01-the-biocentric-universe-life-creates-time-space-cosmos

Empathy: Men vs. Women

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen presents (video) an interesting experiment testing for gender differences between men and women on the attribute of empathy:

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/serpentine-edge09/baron-cohen_vid.html

Ethics In Science

Any of us who have worked in science long enough, and hold a clear definition of ethics, have probably witnessed instances of unethical behavior in science, ranging from the 'massaging' of data to outright fraud. Getting a feel for just how prevalent unethical behavior is, is a more difficult matter, and certainly some fields are more prone to it than others. But like business and politics, science is very much a human activity, and as such is far from the pristine, objective endeavor lay people too often envision it to be...
Below, an interesting NY Times piece on competition in science; ethical or otherwise (several of the followup 'comments' interesting as well):

http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/do-scientists-compete-unethically/