It only takes the rational discipline of the scientific method to look beyond the filters of romanticism that the whimsical belief of human intuition so inconveniently sets upon our views of the natural world. The natural world operates not according to our prejudices of sense and subjective value but rather to the logical consequences of […]
Read more "Remembering Charles Darwin"Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction masterpiece Rendezvous with Rama opens up with the words: “Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. …In those days, there was nothing that men could do to protect themselves against the last random shots in the cosmic bombardment that had once scarred the face of the Moon. The meteorites […]
Read more "The Threat of Asteroids"The mere happenstance of a coincidental sequence of events, put together by the blind works of nature, has serendipitously manifested itself in this fascinating complexity around us today, that only appears to bear the illusion of an orderly calibration of deliberate design. This happenstance of undirected natural processes has led to self-directed sentient beings, pondering […]
Read more "The Happenstance of Existence"Jupiter’s spectacular surface is further embellished by a vast cosmic wonder, a signature feature that wonderfully complements the planet’s majestically colourful layers. The largest known storm in the Solar System, Jupiter’s Giant Red Spot has always been exceedingly fascinating since its discovery in 1655 by Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini. Located below Jupiter’s southern equatorial belt, it […]
Read more "The Raging Cosmic Superstorm"Ever since the Cassini spacecraft uncovered water plumes venting from its south poles, Enceladus has always been the subject of intriguing speculation concerning life in the solar system. Now, NASA scientists have presented remarkable evidence that this Saturnine wonder hides a global liquid ocean encircling it, between its rocky core and icy crust. The Subsurface Ocean: A […]
Read more "An Extraterrestrial Ocean Unearthed (or Unsaturned)"A very remarkable mission has finally been brought to pass by the European Space Agency! Set to be launched in 2022, the JUICE (JUpiter ICEy moons Explorer) will venture into the Jovian system, with planned flybys at Jupiter’s moons Europa, Callisto, and finally Ganymede! A very ambitious project to reconnoiter the basic lay of these […]
Read more "An Intrepid Jovian Explorer"Quite wonderfully, I had the chance to visit the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto a few weeks ago. The amazing museum boasts more than 6 million artifacts and about 40 galleries of art, archaeology, and natural science. Being the science enthusiast that I am, I went straight to the dinosaur exhibit (half real, half produced). […]
Read more "Dinosaurs & Mars Rocks!"