Death By Probability is now in its (fanfare, please!) Second Edition. This blogpost tells how to recognize the edition you have, and what to do if you want the newer edition. You might say, what? The publisher’s modest printing of … Continue reading
Science Fact: Sea glass and beach glass are beautiful artifacts of mankind that have been smoothed and eroded by nature. Sea glass has spent much of its life in ocean water, where the salt of the water and vigorous wave … Continue reading
Science Fact: Humpback whales make a great companion to the Green Sea Turtles in Wednesday’s blog. Not because they are friends, or symbiotes, or even spend much time in the same part of the ocean. But because they share other … Continue reading
Green Sea Turtles, “honu” in Hawaiian, are denizens of the deep that may seem sleepy and lazy. However, a sea turtle shows quite a personality when you watch him engage in his “sea turtle” behavior. A Maui vacation offers many chances … Continue reading
Science Fact: Nerds have graduated in recent times from being a reviled social group to an exclusive club. Nerds are certainly not “hot” (except perhaps for BBT’s Sheldon). However, their role in creating iPhone apps and their earning potential have enhanced … Continue reading
Science Fact: Asteroids, or Asterix? If you’ve ever read the Asterix comics, you might say “By Toutatis!” at the latest news from the Asteroid Belt. This invented curse, invoking the name of a Celtic god, seems appropriate to invoke the … Continue reading
Science Fact: Pets are a big part of life in the United States. Most visible are the 96 million cats and 83 million dogs that live in our households. But many families have other animals that they consider to be … Continue reading
Science Fact: Superstition is a strong force in people’s lives today, despite the ubiquitous presence of science and technology. For example, professional athletes are superstitious about their warm-up rituals, their clothing, their accessories, even what they say and do. Sports … Continue reading
Science Fact: Personal preference is a lot more than “I know what I like.” It embraces a wide range of emotions and has even encouraged scientific study. The meaning of life embraces what we like as well as how others … Continue reading
Science Fact: Sensory Evaluation gives a scientifically sound way to measure almost indescribable sensations. Today the subject is what you hear in a concert hall with “acoustic,” that is, unamplified music, such as a singer with an acoustic guitar, a … Continue reading
Science Fact: Sensory Evaluation goes beyond tasting or smelling or hearing: it implies scoring, grading, in fact, measurement. The senses are inherently personal. For example, it’s been shown that different people taste foods and see colors quite differently. Therefore scientists have … Continue reading
My mystery novel Death By Probability by Urno Barthel (my fiction-writing pen name) has been published! In it, the peaceful life of a research scientist is disrupted by terror and murder. The mystery novel is currently available in five formats … Continue reading
Science Fact: The toy known as the Sqwish Ball may be taking a long long trip – to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Science fiction traditionally describes interplanetary and even intergalactic travel as commonplace. However back here on earth, … Continue reading
Science Fact: Time travel is a popular theme in fiction and more recently, in physics. Time travel has provided variations and complicated plot resolution in many stories. Leaving aside hard-core science fiction and the Dr Who TV series, in which time … Continue reading
Science Fact: Popular culture surrounds us today and in many ways shapes who we are, including how we think. It admits various definitions, but generally popular culture includes mass media as well as personal and family habits and traditions. Popular … Continue reading
Science Fact: Happiness is something that we all want, almost by definition. The U.S. Declaration of Independence even enshrines it as something without guarantees, but that we have the right to pursue. Happiness is so subjective and so personal that … Continue reading
Science Fact: Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is also the leading cause of disability in the United States, followed closely by back or spine problems. More than one in five U.S. adults suffer from disability, a number that … Continue reading
Science Fact: Fireworks! One of the few things every culture seems to agree on: they are a great way celebrate a holiday or a special occasion. And although calendars differ, the arrival of a new year is a frequent excuse for … Continue reading
Science Fact: Sleep deprivation is usually a bad thing, but it can actually make you happier! This surprising fact has been known for years by physicians who treat Major Depressive Disorder, commonly known as clinical depression. In the last few years, … Continue reading
Science Fact: Santa Claus traces his origins to Saint Nicholas, a third century bishop who left secret gifts for the needy. In 16th century England the celebration of Saint Nicholas was moved from December 6 to Christmas Day. Thus a … Continue reading