on deadlines and priority: a physical analogue

Looking at my to-do list today, I noticed for the millionth time how two key attributes of a task seem to be either redundant or in conflict: its due date and its priority. It always seemed to me that you should only need to assign one or the other. If you have a deadline, then [...]

Let’s hear it for the invertebrates!

The Xerces Society has a new website. Yay, bugs! I mean, seriously, just because they lack endoskeletons and have more appendages than you do is no reason to get all squeamish. Here, we’ll start you off slowly with some really, really important bugs: native honeybees and bumble bees (one of my favorites). And they’ve got [...]

What Makes People Vote Republican?

or, What Democrats Don’t Understand About Morality This is really fascinating stuff, folks. Read this. Then watch this: And to quote from Jonathan Haidt’s article: Here’s my alternative definition: morality is any system of interlocking values, practices, institutions, and psychological mechanisms that work together to suppress or regulate selfishness and make social life possible. It [...]

dolphin bubble rings?

So wait, did anyone else know that dolphins make ring vortices of air and play with them like toys? If so, why didn’t you tell me? This video is the most amazing thing I saw all day. Makes me happy just thinking of it.

Welcome, Haumea

The Solar System’s planetary roll call just got longer. From today’s Astronomy Picture of the Day: One of the strangest objects in the outer Solar System was classified as a dwarf planet last week and given the name Haumea. This designation makes Haumea the fifth designated dwarf planet after Pluto, Ceres, Eris, and Makemake. Haumea’s [...]