The Universe: Bigger and Deffer

One of my favorite YouTube series, Minute Physics, ​just released a fascinating video on the size of the universe.  It boils down to this: we can observe a certain amount of the universe from Earth. When we observe stuff  that's really far away, the light takes so long to travel to our eyes that by the time we see it, it's already moved far, far away.  Earth within this huge observable universe (95 billion light years) is about the same scale as a teeny tiny virus is within our solar system. We are a TINY part of the universe.

If you can't see the video below, click here.

​Also, you know what Bigger and Deffer is right? B.A.D.? As in I'm Bad? Maybe this video below will remind you - if you can't see it, click here.

The Challenges of Science on the Web

Get it? Spider .. web? Yeah ...

Source: Quickmeme

The Science Online conference was held this weekend in Maryland.   I wasn't able to attend, but NPR held a fascinating Science Friday show on the state of science in this world of blogging, social media, and traditional websites. 

I created my blog to deal with two problems that I've seen with science reporting online: 1) it's too jargon heavy and doesn't focus on the common user and 2) it's grossly inaccurate. The following exchange between host Ira Flatow and Bora Zivkovic, blog editor at Scientific American deals with this:

ZIVKOVIC:  When you're straight-out science reporting, there's really no need to include or allow inclusion of opinions that are completely unscientific.

FLATOW, Host: But we live in an age, at least in the United States, where some people, now, in the last few years, possibly politically oriented, say that, you know, science is just another matter of opinion, you know.

ZIVKOVIC: Yeah, that's their opinion. That doesn't mean that opinion is correct, either. Because unlike other opinions, scientific opinion has to be backed up by empirical information, by empirical data, and it's a self-correcting - at least long-term - self-correcting endeavor. So an individual scientist may have biases or opinions, but science as a whole is a way of knowledge that actually is trying to represent nature as it really is.

You can stream the show on NPR or download it here.

For more about Science Online, check out their Flickr album, #scio13 Twitter hashtag, and overall website.

Programming Can Help You More Than You Know

Nowadays there are more ways than ever to learn the basics behind programming, most of which I listed in a previous post. No matter what kind of work that you can do, learning the basics of programming can help you learn how to break a problem into logical, modular steps.  Programming is a language, and it's a good tool to have in your toolbelt.

I'll leave it up to one of the masters, Adria Richards of But You're A Girl, to explain the benefits.

I Love The Internet, But ...

Editor's note: I've been profiled in the Charlotte Observer - check it out!

Mashable is reporting that the United Nations Human Right council has declared the internet a human right. From the article:

The resolution says that all people should be allowed to connect to and express themselves freely on the Internet. All 47 members of the Human Rights Council, including notoriously censorship-prone countries such as China and Cuba, signed the resolution.

The internet has changed the world as I wrote about earlier, but I wouldn't equate it to a human right. These rights tend to be intangibles such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I view the internet as a utility, like electricity, gas, and water - very important things that a civilized society needs, but not a right.

If the internet stopped operating tomorrow, I'd have a tough time.  But I could also live like - oh, I don't know, how I did the first 14 years of my life before I discovered the web in high school.  I can still read, play video games, program, and enjoy life. I couldn't say that if I lost access to freedom.

Thank You, Internet

The internet has changed my life. I've been able to easily keep up with old friends, find new friends that share my interests, and keep myself educated on everything from history to electronics. And of course, this blog would be nothing more than a personal journal if I couldn't share it online.

The flag shown above was created by Google and is comprised of several quotes about what makes the internet awesome. Check out some of the quotes in detail in the video embedded below, and add your quote at Google's site.