October 14 – 18
This week. Oh cripes, this week.
We’ve been told that the US government shutdown cost more than the NASA budget, and had all kinds of knock-on effects on everything from basic science to public health. But what’s it like on the ground when a city shuts down? Helen gave us the inside scoop.
Guest poster Meg Urry explained gravitational lenses — nature’s telescopes — and how she might have inadvertently discovered the first one.
Erik dissected the abortion question according to the following lines: Am I, at my core, a collection of thoughts or a collection of genes?
How will you feel when recording every detail of your life for the hive mind is as essential to polite society as showering and brushing your teeth? Roberta put Dave Eggers’ novel The Circle into the context of our self-quantifying life-logging society. Warning: read her review, and you’ll probably be compelled to shell out for the book.