Head-dibs

"Watch the CBS broadcast of the moon landing, old school commercials and all" (ht: Boing Boing)

"Come sleep, O Sleep, the certain knot of peace." (Sir Philip Sydney, 1580s) .  Eight hours is eight hours, yet why does eight hours of sleep pass at a much different rate than eight hours of work or eight hours of play? How does the time seem to pass at such a different rate? We don't want to close our eyes, lest we miss a thing; yet, we would die without sleep. Our survival depends on it. At risk of sounding like a "stoner thought" (perhaps "shower thought" would be better said), isn't it interesting that over the course of our lives, such a significant portion is passed while we are unconscious? We close our eyes and wake up having traveled with the orbit of the planet through space. Today I learned that the Beatle's famous song, "Golden Slumbers" was an adaptation of a song found in a play by Thomas Dekker popular in the early 1600's: Golden slumbers kiss your eyes, Smiles awake you when you rise; Sleep, pretty wanto...

The Online Etymology Dictionary explains how the term "circadian" was "coined 1959 by German-born biologist Franz Halberg, from Latin circa "about" (alternative form of circum "round about;" see circum-) + diem , accusative singular of dies "day" (from PIE root *dyeu-"to shine"). The original use is in circadian rhythm." ( source ) Think of the circadian rhythm as a pre-installed, ready-made clock for every living creature, found in that part of the brain that controls pretty much everything we can't control: body temperature, fluids, hormone production, organ function. Interestingly, that part of the brain is connected to the eye, the sensor that detects light. Our chemistry changes when it gets dark or light, which means artificial light at night does not help the clock. Our circadian rhythm also changes with the seasons, which may explain why we "slow down" and are inclined to stay under the covers j...

I was in my third mile the other day, had just come around the curve heading back to the house when in the break of trees, saw this marvelous site. This beautiful cloud bank had been creeping up from behind and did not see it until I made the turn. The pic just doesn't do it justice. But its' still breath-taking. The reason things such like clouds fascinate me is rooted in the science (think of it: a million pounds of water floating over your head) and delight of exploration. I've learned to: 1. Always be looking 2. Consider everything alive 3. Look closer--everything is interesting 4. Alter my course often 5. Observe for long durations (and short ones) 6. Notice the stories going on as things change 7. Notice patterns, make connections 8. Document findings in a variety of ways (like pics) 9. Marvel at the unknown 10. Observe movement, change 11. "Talk to" the environment--especially the wildlife 12. Consider the origin of all th...

"He who does not know what the world is, does not know where he is. And he who does not know for what purpose the world exists, does not know who he is, nor what the world is. But he who has failed in any one of these things could not even say for what purpose he exists himself. What then do you think of him who [avoids or] seeks the praise of those who applaud, of men who know not either where they are or who they are?"   (Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations," VIII: 52) We become so "specialized" (for lack of a better word) in how we live and work that we give no thought to the world around us. We are so locked into being in a certain place to meet certain people at a certain time for a certain duration to accomplish a certain purpose that we have no reason to look around. We don't hunt or farm because we have no reason to--we just pick up meat and potatoes from the store. We have no reason to get in the dirt, to note the flora and fauna. The payoff?...

Theodore Roosevelt best remembered as the 26th president of the United States was born this day (Oct. 27) 1858. But he was so much more than the President. He shaped this country in ways that many will never know, for he was a man who studied life. Early in his own life, though times of personal fragility when life expectancy was not very high, Roosevelt's fascination with the world in which he lived laid a foundation of what grew to be an uncanny strength. It might be argued there are four kinds of hunters, the first being the kind that hunt for food. The second kind of hunter are those that hunt for sport, for the challenge of acquiring a trophy. The third kind of hunter is the kind that sought to understand the world. The fourth and final kind of hunter are those that  that don't know what they are doing . Period.  Roosevelt was very much the first three, but the third (The Naturalist) was the core of his being. He hunted to understand, foremost. He collected. He r...

Orionid Meteor Shower 2017: When, Where & How to See It This Weekend Bundle Up!

The most amazing event I've ever witnessed in my life. Breathtaking. Left me speechless with my heart pounding in my chest. Clouds threatened the view but the timing could not have been more perfect. Things heard on the field--not sure which was better: 1) "Why are they passing out 3D glasses?" Ok . . . 2) "I can't see a thing through these sun glasses" Well, yeah. Sometimes there are just no words for such an event as this. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and i...

The cool stuff starts at the :55 mark

Hard to stop watching . . . (ht: BoingBoing)

"If atheism is true, what is 'thinking'? What is 'reason'? Well the answer has to be that it's merely a chemical process. If atheism is true and there is no God, what's going on between my ears right now are just chemical fizzing, atoms knocking together. But if that's true, how can I trust my thinking?"

“If moral statements are about something, then the universe is not quite as science suggests it is, since physical theories, having said nothing about God, say nothing about right or wrong, good or bad. To admit this would force philosophers to confront the possibility that the physical sciences offer a grossly inadequate view of reality. And since philosophers very much wish to think of themselves as scientists, this would offer them an unattractive choice between changing their allegiances or accepting their irrelevance.” “Has anyone provided proof of God’s inexistence? Not even close. Has quantum cosmology explained the emergence of the universe or why it is here? Not even close. Have our sciences explained why our universe seems to be fine-tuned to allow for the existence of life? Not even close. Are physicists and biologists willing to believe in anything so long as it is not religious thought? Close enough. Has rationalism and moral thought provided us with an understanding of w...

Must we choose between God or Science? What if there is another option? Where does "love" reside ( "Interstellar" fans should find that question compelling )? There must be another option.  26 minute video here Again, what scientific theory defines "love?" Also, what scientific imperatives demand that one be honest in one's scientific findings? Is science able to explain everything? Ravi Zacharias answers these and more of the Biggest Objections to Christianity in this Q & A. 90 minute video here .

It was like viewing ocean waves from beneath.

According to  this article , the Slow Loris "kills by either biting with its mouth full of poison, or slicking its fur up with the toxin and waiting to be attacked. To be fair to the critter, its venom was probably developed for self-defense. Although it occasionally uses the venom to kill its prey, it is happiest just being left alone." I have some questions.  If the tenant of evolution is "survival of the fittest," then how long did it take for the Loris overcome its weaknesses and survive in order to figure out how to "probably" develop to be a venomous (or is it a poisonous ) primate?  What took place in evolution for the Loris not to be allergic to it's own spit?  Why can't scientists precisely identify the biological function of the secretion?  Science (Latin for "know) will confirm what is known, without speculating to probabilities, which are unknown. 

Question: Exodus records the incident of the parting of the Red Sea by a wind that blew all night. How is this possible? Answer:  We can get an idea by observing this phenomenon recorded in England, where a 98 foot waterfall is reversed by high winds .

I was a small when I first learned about Kon-Tiki and read the book of the experiment/adventure a couple of times. This movie came out two years ago, limited release in America. When I saw it on Netflix Instant View, it was instantly added to my queue. This film hits the high points of the experiment/adventure with one graphic scene (I don't remember in the book, most likely added for the film) involving angry fishermen and one shark. Beautifully photographed, not burdensome in story but (as always) the book is always better.

“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” [2 Cor 4:6 NASB] “Science” comes from mid-14th Century Latin word (scire) meaning “to know” or “acquire by study.” One reason science is so enjoyable is that human knowledge is always playing catch-up to what God has already said and done. Take for example the surprising results of exploring light. Science found that light consists of three rays, or groups of wavelengths, and each ray is distinct from the other. There would be no light if any one of these rays or wavelengths were missing as each ray has its own separate function that affects the whole: The first ray, “invisible light” is neither seen nor felt yet this first ray is the origin of light. The third ray or wavelength is also invisible, but is felt as heat. The second ray makes light both seen and felt. Again, science discovers nothing new. S...

“One of the world's premier sperm-whale experts, Hal Whitehead, began observing whales in [the Galapagos] in 1985 . . . . He has found that the typical pod of whales, which ranges between three and twenty or so individuals, is comprised almost exclusively of interrelated adult females and immature whales . . . . The females work cooperatively in taking care of their young . . . . Young males leave the family unit at around six years of age and make their way to cooler waters of the high latitudes. Here they live singly or with other males, not returning to the warm waters of their birth until their late twenties . . . . The sperm whale’s network of female-based family unites resembled, to a remarkable extent, the community the whalemen had left back home in Nantucket. In both societies the males were itinerants. In their dedication to killing sperm whales the Nantucketers had developed a system of social relationships that mimicked those of their prey.” Philbrick, Nathani...

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