Aurora Borealis

Did you know you can see the Aurora Borealis from space? I didn't! But you can, and here it is.


Check out the whole post for a beautiful time-lapsed video of the northern lights.

Bill O'Reilly Doesn't Understand Tides; Therefore, God Exists

Colbert Report Full Episodes Video Archive

I don't know how to post a video so it starts in the middle. I'm posting this for the bit on Bill O'Reilly who doesn't understand how tides work or where the moon came from (God!). The first part of the video is about Egypt and Anderson Cooper -- it's funny, but the O'Reilly part starts at 2:30.

And here, my favorite physicist that I don't know gives O'Reilly a quick lesson about the universe.

Play with the solar system

Here.

Time Wasting Fun!

The scale of the universe.

You Are Really Small

T minus 172 years

Stop having kids now. Otherwise, your great-great-great-great-great grandchildren might go kablooey in 2182, when this big ole asteroid has a .054% chance of slamming into Earth. (Although maybe it's not that big? I didn't read closely enough to note a size, but it's labeled "a potentially hazardous asteroid. I imagine that's big enough to make it really annoying.) Anyhoozles, have fun kids!

Scientists Can Be Funny

I was reading about some of the greatest astrophysics discoveries of the last 100 years. Winner of the 1930s was Fritz Zwicky, who first suggested the theory of dark matter. However, his other major contribution to humanity was to coin the term "spherical bastard," as in no matter what direction you look at him from, he's still a bastard.

Copernicus Gets a Funeral

The remains of Copernicus have been identified and were laid to rest again on Saturday--presumably with more pomp and circumstance this time. The heliocentric theory was labeled heresy by the church, but after the death of Copernicus, who died in relative obscurity. His book was taken off the banned books list about 200 years ago.

Asteroid!

A big ole asteroid went zooming by us recently. Who knew?