Don’t Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie
Hello SciShmoozers(?),
I hope that you have been enjoying the evenings and taking some Perseid showers. This is pretty comfortable weather in the evenings so it isn’t too difficult to go outside and hangout looking up for awhile. A good lawn chair might be nice. This might also be a good time to consider some applications of quantum mechanics at the beach
It seems as if there have been scientists for millennia, however for most of human history, scientists haven’t been called “scientists”… “By 1834, the pursuit of science had become so wide and varied that English academic William Whewell feared that science itself would become like “a great empire falling to pieces.” He had an idea that worked. If you’re interested in “science” as a topic, I think you might enjoy The Pursuit of Science in the National Interest. You might like to listen to some thought provoking natural music while you read. Continuing to keep Oppenheimer in the discussions, The Lost Women of the Manhattan Project is another excellent addition to the conversation. I’m amazed at how much is being revealed these days about how important women have been in science that we never heard before… In mycology’s early days, botanical drawing was, for some women, a calling. Their mushroom renderings were key to establishing this new field. Here’s another one,The Unsung Heroine of Lichenology
We’re not that far from the pandemic shutdown of a lot of our lives and businesses. The battle between those who made decisions based on science and those that denied was pretty incredible. You may not recognize the name but I’m sure you would recognize Dr Sherri Tenpenny. Here’s a reminder. Well as we know, government can move slowly but does get some things done. I wonder what Dr. Semmelweis would think? There are many risks out there. Do you know about this hidden danger? Be careful.
There are some cool and important presentations this week… (Thu is packed!)
Lunch Break Science: Neanderthals, Denisovans, and your genes – Livestream Th 11:00
Science Education: What We Get Wrong and How to Do It Better – Livestream Th 4:00
After Dark: Sea Life Th 6:00 San Francisco
Discarded Worlds: Astronomical ideas that were almost correct… Fri 7:30 Livermore
This doesn’t work well with our calendar format but you may know someone who should know about the Marin Science Seminar and that the Internship Application Now Open.
Note: On Mon 8.28 a $10 discount is available (with the magic word, WonderfestPromo) Andrew Fraknoi: Two Eclipses of the Sun in San Francisco.
Continuing to keep Oppenheimer in the discussions, The Lost Women of the Manhattan Project is another excellent addition to the conversation.
Recycling has “been over-emphasized, over-utilized, and has caused us to overlook more sustainable strategies—namely producing less waste in the first place!” Would you agree that recycling might be part of the problem as well as the solution?
You may have heard about Florida. There are some heroic efforts to change some of what you heard. Well there is some hope.
This came in and might be a good effort. We haven’t had time to review the legitimacy of it and don’t endorse or condemn it but it’s a cool idea… Electrify School Buses
Way back in the day when science was revered even in elementary school, I was sent to a geometry class in 3rd grade. That and the mathematical logic classes for the next two years shaped much of how I think and look at life and the world around us. (Some might not say for the better!) Still, I do love geometry. But, I don’t remember the term “scissors congruence”. I think I might be falling down another webhole!
Here’s a reality check that probably isn’t a real surprise… Let’s get real about Moon 2024 (note the date it was published!)
Debating the impact of machine-created art, Miller, with a sly smile, told us, “I think if we teach machines to be creative, then they’ll be beneficent toward us, rather than just keeping us around as household pets.”
Have a great time learning new and cool stuff about how this amazing universe we call home works,
herb masters
“There is talk of a new astrologer [Nicolaus Copernicus] who wants to prove that the earth moves and goes around instead of the sky, the sun, the moon, just as if somebody were moving in a carriage or ship might hold that he was sitting still and at rest while the earth and the trees walked and moved. But that is how things are nowadays: when a man wishes to be clever he must . . . invent something special, and the way he does it must needs be the best! The fool wants to turn the whole art of astronomy upside-down. However, as Holy Scripture tells us, so did Joshua bid the sun to stand still and not the earth.”
― Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) stating his objection to heliocentrism due to his Scripture’s “geocentrism”
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.