Quote of the Day

I saw this on a bumper sticker and it made me smile. It said:

If you're doing it right, heaven is right here.
It's so true!

Now That's Power!

I was just looking through my notes on particle physics and came a cross a paragraph I'd highlighted, and thought it was interesting enough to re-type here. It is addressing the reason why (remember we are talking about physics here) antimatter is so interesting not only to science, but also to science fiction writers. (If you recall the U.S.S. Enterprise is powered by antimatter;) The last bit is the most interesting. I had no idea how almost totally inefficient all our methods of producing energy are...

"The glamorous nature of antimatter has given rise to the science fiction notion that it may solve the energy crisis. Indeed, a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of antimatter would provide enough energy to keep the United States going for a day. This is because the entire mass of the antiproton (plus the proton it takes with it to total anihilation) is converted to energy via E=mc2. In the burning of coal or oil only one billionth of the mass is converted to energy. In fission reactors this number is 0.1 percent, and the long -awaited fusion energy supply (don't hold your breath!) it is about0.5 percent."

Taken form The God Particle by Leon Lederman.

You have Beautiful...Eye.

Water flea
http://discovermagazine.com/2012/mar/30-heres-looking-at-you-kid

I saw this photo in the most recent edition of Discover Magazine at the local library, and then I searched it out on their website (which by the was is fantastic,and totally one of my favorite Internet haunts). The image is of a water flea. Yep. Can you believe that? I sat there for at least five minutes trying to figure out if it was some kind of joke or something, but it's not. It's the real deal. And I think this little guy/gal...whatever, is pretty awesome (and I'm invoking the original sense of the word here, not the modern day meaning). The article is short, but definitely worth the one minute it will take to read it. The other highlight the author points out is that these transparent little specks have about 5,000 more genes than we do! I don't know how that's possible, but there you have it. I swear that every single day I am more amazed by what life is, and how life does. It reminds me of that quote by the late Carl Sagan. "I find it elevating and exhilarating to discover that we live in a Universe which permits the evolution of molecular machines as intricate and subtle as we." Although just for today I might replace the "we" with "a water flea".

On a slightly more humorous note for some reason the water flea photo instantly reminded me of this seedy plankton character that I saw on Sponge Bob. I looked it up and his name is Sheldon J. Plankton...LOL...

The second thing I thought of was Mike Wazowski. 

Quote of the Day

"The very act of understanding is a celebration of joining, merging, even if on a very modest scale, with the magnificence of the cosmos." Carl Sagan - The Demon Haunted World

My "Littlest" Brother

 I made these months ago as a Christmas gift for my little brother, to commemorate and celebrate his unique and adventuresome decision to spend a portion of his life in the Arctic. (I had to wait to post them, otherwise I would have ruined the surprise!) All photos by me.

Quote of the Day

"Errors of opinion may be tolerated  where reason is left free to combat it." Thomas Jefferson

Quote of the Day

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.

Mark Twain 1835-1910

Quote of the Day

"A broken clock is right two times a day." -Sam Harris

Quote of the Day

"Not only are we in the universe, but the universe is within us. I don't know any deeper spiritual feeling than what that brings upon me." Neil deGrasse Tyson

Quote of the Day

"Sometimes the only reason to move forward is because you can't go back."
-Unknown

Quote of the Day

"It is the tension between creativity and skepticism that has produced the stunning and unexpected findings of science.

-Carl Sagan

Quote of the Day

"The biggest cause of trouble in the world today is that stupid people are so sure about things and the intelligent folks are so full of doubts."  
-Bertrand Russel

Quote of the Day

"Instead I would have to rely on myself if I wanted to prove my IQ was higher than a turnip's."

-Jean-Dominique Bauby

Quote of the Day

"The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." -Delo McKown