She's such a girl

Yesterday, the temperature in Mitribah, Kuwait got up to 129.2 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Weather Underground (https://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/eastern-hemispheres-alltime-temperature-record-kuwait-fries-in-54), that's a record for Earth's Eastern hemisphere.

Fans of various science fiction shows and movies have long argued jokingly (or not) about which genre show has had the most effect on this country's real-world space program. Although I once saw a post where someone seriously suggested Lost in Space as the one that had most inspired future scientists and engineers, most people seem to favor either Star Trek or Star Wars. I'm not sure, but I think the quote below may hold our answer, at least for one guy at NASA.

"Voyager has boldly gone where no probe has gone before, marking one of the most significant technological achievements in the annals of the history of science, and adding a new chapter in human scientific dreams and endeavors," said NASA’s Associate Administrator for Science John Grunsfeld. "Perhaps some future deep space explorers will catch up with Voyager, our first interstellar envoy, and reflect on how this intrepid spacecraft helped enable their journey." (Quote from the io9 article on Voyager’s status.)

So Voyager is out there in interstellar space. Now we just have to sit back and wait for those aliens to pick it up. ;)

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter caught a photo of Curiosity as it was landing.



Yes, I am in Nerd Heaven. :)

... has landed!

ETA: I have finally joined the 21st century. This is the first time I've watched a landing, not on TV, but on my computer. Let's hear it for NASA TV!!

ETA2: I love watching nerds celebrate. :)

And if you don't know who he was, what did you do in high school? ;)

Hint: http://www.google.com

http://cms.web.cern.ch/cms/News/2010/MicroBlackHoleSignatures15122010/index.html

Dr. Cooper is not happy.

Thirty-seven tornadoes in one day a couple of weeks ago, thirty in one day yesterday. I wonder if there could be some sort of over-arching climatological reason for this?

Nah, it's just God testing us.

An excellent illustration of why science education is so critically important:

http://chronicle.com/article/What-Darwins-Doubters-Get/64457/