SCIENTIFIC METAPHORS
ADVANCEMENTS IN SCIENCE PROFIT from explanatory metaphors. For instance, hydrogen’s promiscuity explains why its universal abundance doesn’t promote its being the slam-dunk of energy production. There’s lots of hydrogen, but … Continue reading
APPRECIATING MATERIALS
LEARNING THAT NOTRE DAME RESTORATION was featuring medieval craftsmanship prompted pal and regular reader Bob Storck to share a similar tale from a classic barn raising: “I learned,” he wrote, … Continue reading
A.I. GIGO
IT’S A TIME-HONORED TRADITION of computer programming: Garbage In/Garbage Out. And, all its hallucinations included, modern Artificial Intelligence is nothing more than high-falutin computer programming. Here are tidbits on recent … Continue reading
ROCKING WALLS MAY SURVIVE THE BIG ONE
AS REPORTED IN The San Diego Union-Tribune, May 9, 2023, Gary Robbins writes, “10-story Tower Survives Fake Earthquake in Possible Boon for Tall Wood Structures.” UCSD’s Large-scale Shaker Table. The … Continue reading
OL’ BLUE-EYES, JACK BENNY, ME, AND THOSE SIMILARLY ENDOWED
GEE, I NEVER REALIZED how rare blue eyes are. We make up only eight percent of the world’s population, according to AucklandEye. Here are other tidbits gleaned from this source, … Continue reading
CAN IT! BUT KEEP THE OPENER
I RECENTLY CAME UPON an interesting item, coincidentally enough at the Interesting Facts website: “Canned Food Was Invented Before the Can Opener.” This, in turn, led me into follow up … Continue reading
WIND AND THE U.K.
ESME STALLARD WRITES in BBC NEWS, May 11, 2023, “Wind is Main Source of UK Electricity for the First Time.” This is part of a trend noted in our country: … Continue reading
FORMULA 1 PROPULSION EXPERTISE
MODERN FORMULA 1 is anything but traditional Formula Libre. In 1934–1937, for instance, regulations did little more than limit car weight to a maximum 750 kg (roughly 1650 lb). By … Continue reading
ON PURE SCIENCE
WE USTA JOKE, SORTA, that applied mathematics was done only behind a locked office door. Pure mathematics reigned. Two recent findings suggest that pure science is still alive and well. … Continue reading
BALTO AND KENWOOD—HERO OF NOME, GODDOG OF INNES IRELAND, RESPECTIVELY
“IN 1925,” ELIZABETH PENNISI RECOUNTS IN AAAS Science, April 27, 2023, “a sled dog named Balto made headlines around the world when he braved fierce winds, a raging blizzard, and … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 