Monthly Archives: January 2012
Alien Life Series: Why the Silent Skies?
Now that we’ve had a nice cross section of where we might expect to find life within and without our solar system, I’m bringing this alien life series to a close with the consideration of a very pressing question: if … Continue reading
Statistics They Don’t Show You: Productivity, Employment, and Wages
Recently, there’s been some controversy over claims that the American worker is being “exploited.” Many members of the public have opposed movements like Occupy which appear to have a sense of “entitlement.” The perception is that the protesters want “free … Continue reading
Alien Life Series: Life Around Red Dwarfs
Thus far, we’ve dealt with the three most probably inhabited alien worlds in our own solar system. Being in our own solar system, they all have some things in common; the same Sun, for example. Now it’s time to move … Continue reading
Alien Life Series: Titan, and a Crash Course in Alien Biochemistry
So far, this alien life series has explored Europa and Mars–both planets we find appealing for their potential to host Earth-style life, the type of life we know to exist. But what about life “not as we know it?” Saturn’s … Continue reading
Alien Life Series: Mars
Since Schiaparelli’s 19th century description of “canals” on the Martian surface, Mars has been the most popular planet for speculation about life. Generations of astronomers and science fiction writers alike speculated about an advanced civilization struggling to save itself by … Continue reading
How’s America Doing at “Equality of Opportunity?”
On this eve of an election year, there’s a topic I’d like to bring to everyone’s attention. We’re going to hear a lot of argument in the coming months about what is the best way to fix the economy. More … Continue reading
Alien Life Series: Europa
Some of you may have heard that Jupiter’s moon, Europa, is a likely to find life in our Solar System. This may sound odd. Europa is, after all, terribly far from the Sun. How could it host liquid water, let … Continue reading
Perspective Check 