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Bob Siederer

Celebrating Earth Day with the SciSchmooze

Blooming Prickly Pear cactus at the Tucson Botanical Garden, April 2019. Will climate change endanger cactus species?

Hello again Science Fans!

First off, Happy Easter, Passover, Ramadan, or whatever you are celebrating today.

I’m happy to report that my Ukrainian friend successfully got out of the country to safety with her daughter. So many have not been able to, or lost their lives trying. Imagine the uncertainty she faces now, in a country where she doesn’t speak the language and has no social support. Her daughter fell and chipped one of her front teeth yesterday. At home, that would prompt a quick visit to the doctor. Now, she’s unsure what to do. It is a daunting situation, but much better


Solar Flare, January 20. NASA/Solar Dynamics Observatory

from the desk of Bob Siederer

Hello again Science Fans!

I fully realize that with a subject line/title such as the one I wrote this week, I run the risk of shooting myself in the foot with an unclear editorial today. Ah, the risks we take…

As I’m sure you know, California faces a serious drought condition. While the rain and snow we received so far has lessened the severity, the drought is far from broken. So we’re under water use restrictions that call for a 15% reduction


A 2021 Review with the SciSchmooze

The James Webb Space Telescope blasts off on December 25, 2021

Hello again Science fans. We hope your holidays have been happy and bright!

This is the last SciSchmooze of 2021. It has been quite a year. Let’s take a look back at some of the most significant science events of the past 12 months.

COVID-19
The most persistent story of the year has to be COVID-19. Early in the year, two mRNA vaccines were approved for emergency use by the Centers for Disease Control and the US started rolling out vaccinations against COVID. There were peaks and valleys in the measurement of cases and deaths, but clearly the vaccines had an impact, and came just in time.

Just when it looked like we might be getting the upper hand on the pandemic in the US, the D


Travels with the SciSchmooze

from the desk of Bob Siederer

galaxies black and white photos from hubble space telescope
Two colliding galaxies (left) and a rare odd number of arms. Source: NASA

Hello again Science fans!

I recently took a road trip back east, my first journey of more than 50 miles or so from home since COVID-19 broke out. It felt good to get away, but also a little unsettling. I’m sure th


Eclipsing with the SciSchmooze

Lunar Eclipse. Photo by Chandra Grahan

from the desk of Bob Siederer

Hello again Science fans!

Early on Wednesday, May 26, the full moon will move through the shadow of the Earth, creating a total lunar eclipse. It will be visible here in California, with the window of totallity running from 4:11 AM to 4:26 AM, relatively short for a lunar eclipse. The moon will also be pretty low in the western sky at that time of night, so you will need to be somewhere with a good view to the west to see it. Wa


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