Colliding Galaxies at Your Fingertips
When we look at a few Hubble photos of distant galaxies we may get the impression the universe is a static place. Other than the occasional supernova brightening, the galaxies we see haven’t changed much [...]
When we look at a few Hubble photos of distant galaxies we may get the impression the universe is a static place. Other than the occasional supernova brightening, the galaxies we see haven’t changed much [...]
On Thursdays, April 8, 2010, Bill Parkhurst of Cisco Systems, presented a talk on the Smart Grid at the Kansas City section of the IEEE in Overland Park, KS. Fundamentally, Bill said, the Smart Grid [...]
I don’t usually write pieces in this blog that are not directly related to signal integrity, but I recently saw a TED talk on battery storage technology that I think should get more visibility. Prof [...]
Jim Williams in his lab at Linear Tech, with his beloved Tek scopes and assorted breadboards. I was saddened to learn last year of the passing of Jim Williams. He died on June 10, 2011 [...]
I’ve been writing technical books, feature articles and columns for more than 40 years. Based on the old guideline, “An expert is someone who’s made all the mistakes possible,” I am well along my way [...]
Millions around the world counted down the “seven minutes of terror” as we all followed each step of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), named “Curiosity”, execute the final steps of its landing on Mars. The [...]
Astronomy is the study of what you see in the sky and the dynamics of objects in space. I think of it as about what you can see when you observe the sky with your [...]
If you missed out on summer camp as a kid, as I did, it’s not too late. But this time, you don’t have to rough it. For the last few years, I’ve attended various star [...]
“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house… ” is the way the classic poem by Major Henry Livingston Jr. 1748 – 1828, begins. Over the years, 849 variations have been created each [...]
Looking for an astronomy class a little beyond the basics, but not requiring a PhD and taught by the experts? Here are four recommendations that are “out of this world.” […]
I’ve never given up my thirst for learning more about what interests me in the world. I went to school in Cambridge, MA, where there are 30 large universities in the area, each with weekly [...]
I am tired of listening to political debate in the media today. Both the politicians and the media interviewing and reporting on them have it all wrong. The fundamental problem is that the discussions are [...]
In a horizontal wine tasting, you sample different types of wines from different grapes, possibly from different wineries and from different years. You are sampling a shotgun variety of sometimes wildly varying textures, aromas and [...]
Now that you have discovered how much you love astronomy, do you regret not paying attention in your college classes, or kick yourself for not even taking an Astronomy class when you had the chance? [...]
The signature line of Curt Hillfon, Swedish artist, 1943- “Whatever you do, do it well,” Curt Hillfon told me. “If you are a bird, fly high. If you are a fish, swim deep.” […]
I was invited to talk to a group of six-graders on what influenced me when I was their age, to launch me on the path I followed through life. This gave me an excuse to [...]
Workout cycle from PlugOut, a supplier of exercise equipment that turns your sweat into electricity. The last time I was at the gym walking on the treadmill, I looked around and saw dozens of people [...]
Thomas Greenslade wrote a very simple article for the Physics Teacher in March 2011 sharing a beautiful, wooded model from the L E Knott Apparatus Company which illustrates, at a glance, the principle that the [...]
Sometimes it doesn’t matter if an urban legend is true or not if it sounds cute. This possibly made up story was reported here, and has made its way around the web multiple times. If [...]
Somewhere along my travels, I heard the following story that captures the essence of what drives a writer. […]