jonathan butz » Science!

On Hydrogen

Jonathan — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:57:56 +0000

“Hydrogen is a colourless, odorless gas, which if left alone in large enough quantities, for long enough, will begin to think about itself.”

Personal Influence

Jonathan — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:23:36 +0000

Two men are seldom noted in popular culture, yet they each have made unequaled contributions.

Carl Sagan popularized science in a way that none else has before or since. His ‘Cosmos’ series contains the scientific understanding of our time.

David Attenborough has been making nature documentaries for forty years, setting the standards for natural filmography and commentary. His ‘Life’ series, a collection of documentaries are the best depictions of the natural world ever captured, covering the remotest areas of the earth.

xkcd

Jonathan — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:36:25 +0000

comics have successfully migrated to the web. xkcd is my favorite.

it is clever, whimsical, cynical, esoteric, educational with themes for any age.

(parental discretion is advised.)

One night of sky

Jonathan — Sat, 01 May 2010 02:10:41 +0000

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.

Statistics worth viewing

Jonathan — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:09:19 +0000

Bobby MeFerrin conducts an audience

Jonathan — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:44:05 +0000

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

‘Why’ is a complicated question

Jonathan — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:58:06 +0000

Protozoa in space

Jonathan — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:01:41 +0000

A phylum of protozoa known as Tardigrades (“water bears”) have eight legs with claws and can survive a tremendous variety of habitats and abuse.

It is not enough to merely expose them to harsh terrestrial conditions for study, so scientists shot a group into SPACE. The study of survivors is complete, and the results are here.

On Science!

Jonathan — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:33:48 +0000

The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos.
-Stephen Jay Gould

Domestication breaks evolution

Jonathan — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 18:25:24 +0000

In breeding domesticated animals to obtain desirable qualities (meat, strength, obedience, hunting skills, coats, etc.), sometimes odd consequences emerge. Behold the fainting goat, who is easily startled and collapses momentarily, not a great way to evade predators.