Bay Area Skeptics

The San Francisco Bay Area's skeptical organization since 1982

Blowing Smoke with the SciSchmooze

4.15.2024 another taxing day
Herb Masters

Hello Science Fans and Acceptors,

I hope everyone had a chance to see the last week’s eclipse in one form or another. I was fortunate enough to see it with a few thousand people in Torreon, Mexico. They were in the park that surrounds the Planetarium in Torreon. It was great to experience it with a bunch of astronomy loving high schoolers who had been working for months with staff to collaborate with the explOratorium and NASA to webcast the whole event. Needless to say few people there had had a chance to see an eclipse before and I enjoyed them as much as the eclipse itself. Here’s a timelapse from the roof of the planetarium that Ron Hipschman shot, Eclipse Time-lapse Torreon 4.8.24. {Note: Ron’s website Full Spectrum Science is really worth watching. As they say… “SMASH THAT BUTTON” and subscribe!) If you have a bunch of eclipse viewing glasses left over.

The next time you go to watch an eclipse… 9 (6 actually) spectacular night sky events to see in 2024 Try These Alternative Ways to Experience the Event Maybe you should join the Ecliptomaniacs too! Here’s a Brief History of Eclipse Chasers and are you Wondering what’s the difference?

I’m a bit worn from the travel there and back plus all of the excitement. Please forgive me for not writing more as it is getting late already. I have been collecting lots of material I wanted to comment on and include this week but I’m going to let you make the connections yourself. So without much ado here’s some items that I found to be worth my time and hopefully yours!

People Don’t Know What They Don’t Know ‘David Dunning explains how people can avoid overestimating their own knowledge’ Remember, you can’t always spot them! Consider Crank Magnetism Flatearth.ws Root Cause (film) Think Seeing is Believing? “Ready, Set, Go! Use and Abuse of Science in the World of Sport”

There are a lot of presentations coming in the next few weeks. Here’s a few that I think look interesting…

I was led to The Science of Smoke Rings by BLOWING SQUARE SMOKE RINGS because of Mt Etna… Mount Etna blows rare volcanic vortex smoke rings Into Sicilian sky The most powerful volcanic Lady, Etna. In Iceland where there are more than 30 volcanic systems they don’t put on a show like Italy does! Though the recent Sundhnúkur eruptions certainly are worthy of attention!

Worst Science Experiments Gone Wrong

Cooking with Science and just who was bain-Marie? An Egyptian Jewish female alchemist?

It’s getting late. Please remember to share this with friends and family you care about! Maybe people you know who should, or want to, know better as well. Remember, it’s because of science that we are all here and can learn more about how this amazing universe works. Yes, there is a subscribe button to smash here too!

herb masters


“The products of modern science are not in themselves good or bad; it is the way they are used that determines their value.”
Marshall Mcluhan


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