Contrary Brin
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2K followers
3 stories per week
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Marching for Science... and then some tech marvels
My science postings used to be free of politics -- and this one will
be, in a bit. But how can they be detached, when the central political
issue of our time is whether evidence, fact-based argument and truth
discovery can survive? I know that on Earth Day (named after my novel, I
presume) April 22, I'll join my fellow scientists in the street. See
more information about the March for Science , a
Space Marvels for 2017
Oh, let's (please) take a break from pondering our current crisis of
civilization, and the now explicit war on science. Instead, this time,
let us turn our heads to ponder the wonderful cosmos that our children
will explore... if we manage to keep a great and brave and thoughtful
civilization. My own space news can be found at the bottom. A dinner
gathering with cool topics. But first... Fantasti
Choosing sides -- fighting autarchy
Okay, this one will be reflective, if a little bit fierce. And see
below how some folks are citing my novel The Postman as (alas) prescient
about our current messes. But let's start with news that could be
important: l et's pray this is the beginning of the end of an utter-evil
insanity called gerrymandering. See where I analyzed gerrymandering ,
for years. There are countless ways to fix this vi
Mar 24
Economic Inequality: opportunity vs outcomes
Our last posting -- extensively shared by thousands -- offered long,
verbatim quotations from epic science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein,
revealing his amazing prophecy of an America falling into perilous
failure mode. Now let's back off from our immediate crisis and try some
perspective. == The Equality Problem == This article - Is Inequality
Inevitable? — asks a fair enough question, whose
Mar 18
Looking back at Heinlein's Future History - coming true before our eyes.
This one is so pertinent and important, I tried to find a more public
venue for it. But one of the tragic consequences of the Trump Era is the
decay of op-ed journalism -- everyone recycling the same whines. I'll
speak more of this, at the end. But now -- this just can't be put off,
any longer. Prepare to go wide-eyed! == A chilling forecast: accurate
down to the last detail == You can sway a tho
Mar 16
Shifting views on immigration
In 1939, the infamous ship St. Louis limped around the Atlantic and
Caribbean with over 900 German Jews on board. Arm-twisted by the Nazis,
but also shamefully, the United States and Cuba both refused sanctuary
to the refugees. Eventually the ship returned to Germany and most of the
passengers on board were eventually killed during the Holocaust. Bard
College professor an director of the Hannah A
Mar 14
Science Fiction: Into the future
Let's take a pause to envision how science fiction makes a difference.
First by pointing at the rocks that lie in wait, downstream, that might
yet be avoided. Second, by shining light upon the possible -- on things
that we might want, or the people we choose to become. And finally...
... the category of I told you so. Rubbing our Cassandra warnings in the
faces of those who just didn't listen! Ve
Mar 10
Inconvenient facts: The future of news.. and "otherness" has been stolen!
I recently spoke (via Beam robot) at a conference on “The Future of
News Media” hosted by the Institute For The Future (IFTF), in San
Francisco. An erudite gathering of concerned men and women from around
the world discussed problems of Fake News, declining advertising
revenues, state interference, self-censorship, and the web’s tendency to
corral individuals into self-isolated pocket universes t
Mar 06
Which crisis will we face next?
All right, here is the danger I fear most right now. The heads of four
world powers desperately fear democracy in their own nations. All four
want to trigger war between the United States and Iran. A while back, I
did a round-up regarding international affairs and their calamitous
bungling, in recent weeks. But I left you with the impression that war
with Iran might happen because of “stumbling,”
Mar 04
Facing a future of technologic wonders: Artificial Intelligence Don't be demoralized; we've faced waves of anti-science mania before. Today, let's assume we decide to resume being a boldly confident, ever-ambitious, scientific and technological civilization, in which children believe they can be better than their parents... but parents make that goal hard to achieve, in the best way, because we're improving too! Okay then, consider some innovationsScience Friday
Yesterday
Hr2: Engineering New Ideas, Bionic Arm, Robotic Prospecting
If humans someday colonize the moon and Mars, robotic prospectors and
miners will be among the first to arrive, manufacturing fuel, water, and
other essentials. Plus technology like 3D printing is expanding what
prosthetic limbs can do, and who can wear them.
Hr1: News Roundup, Dino Family Tree, What-If Physics, Impact Glass
Geologist Peter Schultz uses a high-velocity gun to test his hypothesis
that asteroid impacts could preserve signs of ancient life. Plus, what
would happen if you stuck your hand in a particle accelerator or jumped
off of the Space Station?
Mar 25
Hr2: Wildflowers and Bees, Infinity and Beyond
The wildflower explosion in the southern California desert provides
plentiful food to wild bees. In this springtime special, we talk about
which wildflowers—and pollinators—to spot this season, and how to log
your observations at www.inaturalist.org. Plus, mathematician Eugenia
Cheng explores infinity.
Hr1: News Roundup, Residents Hours, BP Oil Spill, Gerrymandering
A play explores the loss of human and animal life after the Deepwater
Horizon exploded in 2010. Plus, can the shape of a congressional
district tell us everything we need to know about its fairness?
Mar 17
Hr2: Vibrato Physics, Satellite Repair, Charting Physics History
Physicist Lawrence Krauss on the substance of the universe, the Higgs
Boson, and how we know what we know. Plus, researchers use the tools of
quantum physics to quantify the vibration of sound. And a robotic
spacecraft could improve weather forecasting by fixing satellites in
geosynchronous orbit.
Hr1: News Roundup, Autonomous Ambulances, New York 2140, Climate and Food
In his new novel, New York 2140, author Kim Stanley Robinson tackles
how a drowning city might adapt and thrive after disastrous sea level
rise. Plus, as the globe warms, maple syrup, tea, and other specialty
foods could suffer from lower quality and lower nutritional value.
Mar 10
Hr2: Atmospheric Microbiome, Content Moderation, Scraps for Dinner
In their book Scraps, Wilt & Weeds, Mads Refslund and Tama Matsuoka
Wong describe creative ways to use the parts of produce that we usually
toss away. Plus, a look at how content moderators work behind the
scenes to keep graphic content off your feed. And why certain types of
bacteria in the atmosphere can play a role in rain and snow.
Hr1: News Roundup, Gamifying Communication, Trump and the EPA, Tuvan Throat Singing
How the president and Congress have been quietly and successfully
tearing down U.S environmental and climate change policy. Plus, Tuvan
throat singers have developed a technique that allows them to produce
two notes at one time.
Mar 03
Hr2: Ancient Earth Crust, Farmers and Conservation, California Water Supply
Some farmers are using techniques like no-till and dry irrigation that
conserve natural resources as a way to cultivate crops according to the
biology of the soil and land. Plus, predicting rain, snow, and water
supply in the warming west.
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