Posts tagged science

jtotheizzoe:

Carl Sagan: Chorale

What’s not to love about a choral suite inspired by and set to the words of the great Carl Sagan? Kenley Kristofferson penned this beautiful work using the late Sagan’s inspiring writings as his lyric. You can see more details about the three movements here, but here’s Kristofferson’s take on Sagan’s influence:

“Carl Sagan has taught me how beautiful science and the universe can be, and that understanding something enriches the experience, but doesn’t take away from the mystery that draws us to the big questions of life. He taught me that the sciences are beautiful; the natural world is elegant; and for such small creatures as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.”

I couldn’t agree more :) This is music to travel through the cosmos by, if, perhaps, only in our minds.

SoundCloud / Kenley Kristofferson

The Most Astounding Fact - Neil deGrasse Tyson (by MaxSchlick)

I love this soundbite from the incredible Neil deGrasse Tyson, and The Cinematic Orchestra’s “To Build a Home” is one of the most beautiful songs ever. Perfect.

scishow:

Some interesting studies for your consideration: one on homophobia, one on consumerism.

Here’s another intriguing video from Hank Green, this time from his web series SciShow. You should follow SciShow on Tumblr! It’s 100% quality, I promise.

I constantly joke about the subject of the homophobia study (although I probably shouldn’t), so it’s good to know that now I’m backed by science!

good: What if buying that large-format print of a gorgeous Pacific Ocean sunset actually helped to preserve that gorgeous Pacific Ocean sunset? The G2 Gallery in Venice, California, not only chooses the artists it features based on their affinity for science and nature, it donates 100 percent of proceeds from every sale to environmental charities like Conservation International and NRDC. Photo by Giovanna LaRussa A Gallery Where Every Piece of Art Celebrates and Supports the Environment - Business - GOOD

good:

What if buying that large-format print of a gorgeous Pacific Ocean sunset actually helped to preserve that gorgeous Pacific Ocean sunset? The G2 Gallery in Venice, California, not only chooses the artists it features based on their affinity for science and nature, it donates 100 percent of proceeds from every sale to environmental charities like Conservation International and NRDC.

Photo by Giovanna LaRussa

A Gallery Where Every Piece of Art Celebrates and Supports the Environment - Business - GOOD

GOOD

christiannightmares: Kirk Cameron slams Stephen Hawking and John Lennon over anti-Christian attitudes toward Heaven (To read the story, click image or here; For a related video, click here.) “Professor Hawking is heralded as ‘the genius of Britain,’ yet he believes in the scientific impossibility that nothing created everything and that life sprang from non-life.” The former teen heartthrob steamed to TMZ. “Why should anyone believe Mr. Hawking’s writings if he cannot provide evidence for his unscientific belief that out of nothing, everything came?” Yes, because as we all know, “former teen heartthrob” Kirk Cameron is far more qualified to comment on what is or is not “scientific” than that hack Stephen Hawking. Also, I love how Kirk Cameron’s argument is ‘why should you believe it if you can’t prove it?’ … … …

christiannightmares:

Kirk Cameron slams Stephen Hawking and John Lennon over anti-Christian attitudes toward Heaven (To read the story, click image or here; For a related video, click here.)

“Professor Hawking is heralded as ‘the genius of Britain,’ yet he believes in the scientific impossibility that nothing created everything and that life sprang from non-life.” The former teen heartthrob steamed to TMZ. “Why should anyone believe Mr. Hawking’s writings if he cannot provide evidence for his unscientific belief that out of nothing, everything came?”

Yes, because as we all know, “former teen heartthrob” Kirk Cameron is far more qualified to comment on what is or is not “scientific” than that hack Stephen Hawking. Also, I love how Kirk Cameron’s argument is ‘why should you believe it if you can’t prove it?’ … … …

Top 10 Signs of Evolution: Day 1

Goose Bumps
Cutis Anserina

Humans get goose bumps when they are cold, frightened, angry, or in awe. Many other creatures get goose bumps for the same reason, for example this is why a cat or dog’s hair stands on end and the cause behind a porcupine’s quills raising. In cold situations, the rising hair traps air between the hairs and skin, creating insulation and warmth. In response to fear, goose bumps make an animal appear larger – hopefully scaring away the enemy.

Humans no longer benefit from goose bumps and they are simply left over from our past when we were not clothed and needed to scare our own natural enemies. Natural selection removed the thick hair but left behind the mechanism for controlling it.

Check out helvetebrann’s awesome blog as she’ll be posting the Top 10 Signs of Evolution day by day. 

helvetebrann: “If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.” - Bertrand Russell

helvetebrann:

“If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes.

But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense.

If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.”

- Bertrand Russell

xkcd: Sickness helvetebrann: Science; it works bitches.

xkcd: Sickness

helvetebrann:

Science; it works bitches.

The Problem with Religion - Thunderf00t

AKA, why science is to rock as religion is to scissors.