Homely Scientist

Well not today, but it will on Sept 2 at 10:40 PM PDT (ish).  That’s when a European Space Agency ion-drive satellite will crash into the moon, on purpose.  From Mens news daily (and my friend Jim) comes the bit that the ESA’s moon orbiting and ion-drive testing satellite will do it’s last bit for science by smashing into the moon.  Scientists will learn about what the moon is made of as the satellite smashes into it and parts of the moon are thrown into space glowing with the friction and general oomph of the impact.  I know I’ll be …read more

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Stars have a lifespan.  Sure it’s generally millions or billions of years, but still eventually its time to come to an end.  Now when stars meet their maker, as it where, the results can be very impressive, they can explode (a supernova).   Usually astronomers aren’t lucky enough to watch an explosion as it happens though.  Too much out there to catch it.  Well not this time.  Wired reports that NASA just won the astro-lotto.  Scientists were looking in the right spot in the right moment to catch a star exploding and were able to move a satellite into position to …read more

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From Real Tech News and Fast Company I found a great list of reasons why you should use compact fluorescent bulbs (CFCs).  Personally just about every light in my place has a CFC.  Only exceptions are a couple ones I can’t reach without a tall ladder and a light that has a dimmer switch on it (CFCs don’t work with dimmers).  And if you think you can’t put a CFC in an enclosed light, you can!  You do have to look for bulbs that allow it (read the fine print) and it will shorten the life of the bulb (so …read more

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To quote from the omnipresent Staples commercial running right now … "… The most wonderful time of the year …".  Yep time for kids to start school again and that means science class too.  Now my kids don’t have any problem getting help in math or science.  We’ve pretty much all the bases covered, but what if you’re not a scientist?  What if you still bear the scars of chem class of years past?  Here are some tips for you.
First, relax.  Yeah I know, but really the less trepidation you show to your kids the less trepidation they will have …read more

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If the picture on the left here doesn’t scare you … okay well it worried the folks at NASA enough to delay the shuttle launch yesterday.  NASA has until Sept 13th to get the bird in the air, but is shooting for the 7th.  So, what’s cool about this mission?  Canadarm I and II man!  This is a big mission for the International Space Station (ISS).  Several key modules are getting installed and the Canadarms are going to play a major role in getting it all together.
Commencing count down, engines on …
Tags: Space Shuttle, Canadarm, International Space Station, ISS, STS-115, …read more

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 This item, believe it or not, was the lead story this morning on many news networks.  Yep, just last week I was talking about the solar system expanding to 12 planets, well now it’s down to 8.  Pluto, an odd-ball planet if there ever was one, has been declassified as a planet.  It’s now in a class called “Plutons” and is one of many objects in it’s general neighborhood.  Beyond the fact that Pluto isn’t as unique as it was once thought (something required, I guess for planetary status), it’s orbit overlaps Neptune and that was the last straw (Neptune …read more

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 I saw on UNEASYsilence yesterday a post on making water “magnetic”.  Water, of course, isn’t magnetic because it doesn’t have any magnetic materials in it.  The post linked to a couple folks who claimed to be able to infuse enough iron into the water using lemon or lime juice and spinach leaves (spinach is has a lot of iron).  There was even a YouTube video about it (which is no longer available).  Hey I was interested in this.  I though, hmm I could try this.  Sounds fun.  Last night I went back to the post to look at the video …read more

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Ever wonder what to do with a foam take-out container?  I think I have the answer, via LifeHacker.  On team droid there are some pretty easy plans for taking a foam container and turning it into a nice glider.  Sure paper airplanes are fun, but think about the fun after a lunch with the kids and then making some cool gliders?  Yes, you need to wash them first.  Supplies?  Well if you have a marker and a pocket knife you should be good to go.
Hmm … I’m thinking McD’s hotcakes are in my future.
Tags: foam gliders

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From Chris Pirillo … Not work safe, or for sensitive ears, but listen to this … Holy sh*t! It’s a dinosaur! 
That’s about what I’d say too.
Thanks Chris!
Tags: Dinosaurs, humour, Chris Pirillo

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Oh boy somebody is going to be kicked around the block and put on space shuttle toilet cleaning duty after the burritos in space mission.  From various sources (AP/Seattle Times, Science Blogs…first and update) it seems that the original (read clear, not grainy, etc) tapes of the first moon landing are, um, missing.  NASA says, not lost, just they don’t know where they are right now.  Maybe at the Goddard Space Center, maybe with all those socks that go missing from the dryer, maybe with Jimmy Hoffa, or all the remotes lost in the world.  Who knows, but, man oh …read more

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