You weigh 1% less at the equator than at the poles. Earth’s spin is trying to fling you off like being on the outer edge of a merry-go-round. How would you quantify the effect, and differentiate between the poles and equator? I’m sometimes thinking of ways to help flat earthers re-embrace science and this came […]
Continue ReadingI was reading about this cool Russian X-Ray orbiting observatory when it dawned on me that I couldn’t even have a conversation about it with flat earthers. Besides believing in a flat earth, they don’t believe we have satellites. Think about that. It requires the increasing number of companies, in an increasing number of space-faring […]
Continue ReadingScience is merely the collection of tools that lead to our most reliable knowledge. Different tools work in different situations but they all require taking careful, methodical measurements. Quality tools work when wielded properly by people who know how to use them while sincerely trying to learn. An underpinning of science is the realization that […]
Continue ReadingWe now know that most stars have planets, meaning there are 100+ BILLION planets in our own galaxy, the Milky Way. If even one-in-a-million planets has life, there should be MILLIONS of planets with life in them! Where are all the aliens? This question is called the Fermi Paradox. The drake equation merely lists those […]
Continue ReadingAll knowledge comes in degrees of certainty or reliability. Reliability is merely an expression of certainty. We’re MORE certain of knowledge if it: Comes from sound evidence. Makes sense with how the universe works. Is not based on less reliable knowledge. We build stuff that works by basing it on reliable knowledge. How will gasoline […]
Continue ReadingLike many of us, many interests have expressed themselves over the years–compartments of life that consume time and provide enjoyment. While flying has been the most powerful , others have held sway as described below. And now, if there’s one thing I would love to be, it would be a missionary of rationality: basing our […]
Continue ReadingBy 2010 it was clear that peanut allergies were a growing problem. And it wasn’t just doctors diagnosing them more often — more kids were presenting at emergency rooms with serious symptoms, and occasionally dying. Not surprisingly, the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) came out with advice to not feed peanut containing foods to babies. […]
Continue ReadingIf you can test something yourself, that’s the best source. You can believe yourself *BUT*, realize the power of bias. We are the easiest to fool if we are trying to validate our own understanding rather than really test it. Test a claim using methods that others will use who question the claim. Otherwise they’ll […]
Continue ReadingIn spite of easily replicated evidence, there are people who still believe the earth is flat. Given how I marvel at how this could be true, I found this National Geographic video helps understand it. Go here to see my suggestion to a flat-earth believer on how to test it for himself with me. Mostly […]
Continue ReadingWe read about distances to stars but how do we know? What’s cool is how simple most of the techniques are–requiring little more than the willingness to look at the stars at different times of the year. After those curious humans figured out how fast light travels, and how reliably it travels that fast, they […]
Continue ReadingI’d just gotten hired at my first employer as a flight instructor. I was determined to be good at it–to teach safely, effectively, and to let the students fly the plane without excessive interference. I remembered instructors who were too handsy on the controls, making it difficult to get the feel. Was it him or […]
Continue ReadingI marvel at how some remarkably bad designs persist. Do these people test their stuff in something resembling a real world? Do they use normal humans with normal fingers? How about the restaurant owners: do they expect people to tease out the finer details of operation while a line forms behind them, and their food […]
Continue ReadingI get it, vision deteriorates with age. But we don’t put braille in cockpits, and in fact, airline pilots must demonstrate 20/20 vision at least every year. So it was with some amusement that I noticed the N-Number on this particular 737. Notice how BIG it is! Admittedly, I’m not fond of having to search […]
Continue ReadingAmidst a Caribbean cruise I got to do the coolest shore excursion. Tim made the detailed plans, so I had but a vague idea on stops. On day 3 I found out we would be stopping in San Juan, Puerto Rico and it hit me: Luis Ruiz of the “Kamikazes!” He is a paramotor instructor […]
Continue ReadingIndividuals have billions of settings and specifications–all set at birth then tweaked through environment. Specifications (Specs) are the physical and mental capabilities that can frequently be changed through deliberate action like exercise. Physical dimensions are mostly set through genetic programming, but even height can be adjusted through a small range using an inversion table. Other […]
Continue ReadingWhat a way to have a wedding. The story of Aaron and Louis is fascinating on its own, but this only touches the bit where they marry and set sail on the world’s largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas. The ceremony, vows, and proceeding were touching, tearful, comical and fun. For the men of […]
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