Getting Spacey with the SciSchmooze

This image of a star was taken as part of the evaluation process as the James Webb Space Telescope’s mirror segments were carefully aligned. Credit: NASA/STScl

Hello again Science fans!

When I last wrote the SciSchmooze a month ago, the war in Ukraine had just started. Little did I expect things would go in the directions they have. From the attacks on civilians, health care facilities, and whole cities, to the resistance, ingenuity, and persistence of the Ukrainian people and army, this has been a month full of surprises. News r


Spectral Schmoozing on π Day

The Pi Edition

Greetings Science Advocates and Supporters,

There’s so much going on it’s hard to decide where to start. Until recently a lot of people had no idea what, where, or why about Ukraine. Like many things, the more you learn the more you realize that you probably forgot important parts of the story. Many people would say that this didn’t start a few weeks ago but started in 2014. It’s hard to keep how th


Ukrainian Sunflowers & the SciSchmooze

Sunflower field in Ukraine

Hello again, faithful follower of science,

It’s been a stressful week for the world. I made a small donation to UNICEF. I trust you are also doing what’s right.

Now for science:


CLIMATE CHANGE

The United Nations report, “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability,” was released last week by the Intergove


Is it SciArt or ArtSci?

SciSchmooze 2.21.22

from the desk of herb masters

Maria Mitchell, standing at telescope, with her students at Vassar
A picture from JWST

Hello Supporters of Science and Reason

Well this seems to be a dated week doesn’t it! There certainly seem to be more dates to celebrate than I notice normally. Science and history do seem like they should make good bedfellows


Breathing Well at the SciSchmooze

The Valentine Edition

from the desk of herb masters

Greetings Science Fans, Acceptors, and Believers, (Super bowl fans too!)

I’m not even sure where to begin this week. There has been such amazing progress in science and yet I have to admit that I am often caught by some of what I can only say is bizarre stuff. More about that later.

There have been many things that science has proved that


Your Cosmic Skeptic Eclectic SciSchmooze

The Big Dipper & HD 84406
HD 84406 circled in red

Hello again dear science aficionados,

Whew! The James Webb Space Telescope, JWST, folded open and made it to its destination orbit with no glitches. During the next few months, its 18 primary mirrors - each 1.3m across - will be wiggled and warped to become a single ‘perfect’ telescope mirror using 

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


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