Bay Area Skeptics

The San Francisco Bay Area's skeptical organization since 1982

It ain’t over with the SciSchmooze


Murmurations – © Irish Post

From the desk of Herb Masters

Greetings to all who value science,

So here we are, a year of incredible challenges continues to challenge. Spring ’21 has come but Day and Night weren’t equal! We may be on the brink of success in taming Covid-19, but we are still at risk, especially by those who can’t accept the science and facts of the disease and how to control it. Consider some of the history of science denial.

Above all of that, there are still so many people that can’t accept that we are all one people with a lot of variations. How different is hair color, eye color, skin color, and blood? Don’t get me wrong on this, there are horrible inequities that are real and crush the spirit of all concerned because of false beliefs held, unfortunately, by many. It’s just that the root of them is based not on science and facts, but on ignorance, lies, and denial. The violence over the past year, right up to now, has often been due to or blamed on things that either don’t matter, shouldn’t matter or don’t exist (religion, skin color, cultural or racial superiority to name a few). Please read or at least consider these two articles. White, Black, and Red All Over: What Blood Segregation Says About Science and Race and Why blood can be racially or ethnically specific Here’s a bonus article… Racism is behind anti-Asian American violence, even when it’s not a hate crime

While politics and personal beliefs may be at the root of many issues, viruses don’t recognize what you think or believe. You might ask how these ideas spread as the popular sites seem to be trying to stem the spread. I have included this before but I think it is worth repeating… Vaccine truth with Scott Galloway (note: language warning) This isn’t Buridan’s ass, the decision ahead is pretty easy. (Go ahead… look it up!-)

The success of Perseverance since landing on Feb 18 has been great but they are still working out how to do some of the science it was sent to do. But… The Mars Fleet has been doing amazing science for over 3000 Sols! That’s 3146 days!

Many organizations have really polished up their webcasting presentations. I encourage you to try some that you might skip, a good presenter can draw you in to learn new things you didn’t know you wanted to know! For instance… COVID-19 Vaccines – Livestream Mon @ 3:30; Hardcore Natural History: Connections between land and sea: What can we learn from our beaches – Livestream Thu @ 6:00; Solar Safe Water For All – Livestream Sat @ 11:00

It has been one of those weeks. Please take time to look at Murmurations over Lough Ennell

Now back to it. I hope that these two items make you at least ask WHAT?!?!? Dr.Oz Guest Hosting ‘Jeopardy!’ and Ear Acupuncture for Procedural Pain in Neonates

I have been fascinated for a long time by the Antikythera Mechanism which was discovered 120 years ago. I encourage you to check out some of the mystery that surrounds it. Even Lego has gotten in on it! Here are some other items that caught my attention in the last week… Beginner’s Guide to DNA Origami, It’s springtime but not everyone sees it like you, The Many Shades of Color Blindness

Have a great week. Speak up when you feel you need to, don’t wait until you have to.
herb masters

“Only from a long-range point of view, of a developing technology. Otherwise, it has to do with: Are we good painters, good sculptors, great poets? I mean all the things that we really venerate and honor in our country and are patriotic about. In that sense, this new knowledge has all to do with honor and country but it has nothing to do directly with defending our country, except to make it worth defending.” Robert Wilson

“A slave world is not worth preserving. Better be lifeless like the cold moon, or primitively vegetal like desolate Mars, than be a planet populated by social robots.” — Harlow Shapley

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