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Category Archives: Skepticism
Back to the Future
This week, NASA launched the Orion spacecraft on a test flight. I have a conflicted viewpoint about this event. To me, Orion is both exciting and deeply disappointing. On the one hand, Orion is NASA’s first entirely new spacecraft for … Continue reading
Posted in Concepts, NASA, Skepticism, Space
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Despite tactical errors, Bill Nye is right
Tuesday night, Bill Nye (the Science Guy) had a webcast debate with Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum. In many respects, this was a silly idea. Nye wasn’t going to change any minds, and I think he fell into … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Skepticism, Social commentary
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The Most Important Issue
I’ve seen some political surveys recently that ask respondents to pick the most important issue to them from a predefined list, and I’ve never had any of these lists include what I think is the most important issue facing our … Continue reading
Posted in Politics, Science, Skepticism, Social commentary
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Why to be Skeptical of Mars One
Dutch company Mars One offers a plan to start colonizing the Red Planet by, ostensibly, 2023 – starting with a “colony” of four and growing the base every year. There are a lot of reasons to be skeptical of this plan. … Continue reading
Posted in Skepticism, Space
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Planetary Resources: Prospects and Challenges
A number of well-funded and well-connected entrepreneurs are kicking off Planetary Resources, a company devoted to harvesting materials from near-Earth asteroids. Now before you go scoffing (or wondering how to “greatly enable” things) – this is by no means a … Continue reading
Posted in Skepticism, Space
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Antitechnocracy
A reporter from This American Life did something interesting for today’s broadcast: she brought together a ninth-grade global warming skeptic and the executive director of the National Earth Science Teachers Association together in the show studio for a discussion. (Audio available here.) … Continue reading
Posted in People, Science, Skepticism, Social commentary
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The Science is Real
It worries me when I see public figures, or aspiring public figures, disparaging scientific work because it is not compatible with their personal positions. The public gets to hear phrases like, “that’s only a theory,” or “that scientific theory has … Continue reading
Posted in Politics, Science, Skepticism, Social commentary
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The Drive
Imagine, if you will, that a US government agency invented the automobile. And for forty-five years, nobody else but the National Automobile Sales Agency produces any cars in this country. Not because of any particular regulation, you see – but … Continue reading
Posted in NASA, Politics, Skepticism, Space
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To the Moon, Again?
During a quick lunch break today, I read about H.R. 1641 on Bad Astronomy: To direct the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to plan to return to the Moon and develop a sustained human presence on the Moon. (Hilariously, this … Continue reading
Posted in NASA, Politics, Science, Skepticism, Space
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Scientists Should March
Scientists are planning a “March for Science” in Washington, DC and many other cities on 22 April 2017. Some commentators seem to think this is a bad idea, because it would politicize science. Before I continue, let me suggest the … Continue reading →