Category Archives: Space

a movie to watch for

Film, Science, Space

Strathairn in program for “Challenger”

David Strathairn, who received an Oscar nomination this year for his portrayal of newsman Edward R. Murrow in “Good Night, and Good Luck,” will play Richard Feynman. The noted physicist, whose probe was motivated in part by his participation in the Manhattan Project, sought to ensure that there was no institutional cover-up of the negligence that led to the Challenger tragedy.

One of my favorite actors playing one of my favorite physicists.  That can’t help but be good.  [Thanks, Patrick!]

you must read Red Lightning

Fun, Literature, Science fiction, Space

This weekend I read Red Lightning, John Varley’s latest page-turner. I stand by what I said about Red Thunder, its predecessor:

It’s a fantastic read, the kind of book that would be written by the mutant prodigy love-child of Varley, Robert Heinlein, Carl Hiaasen, Spider Robinson, Douglas Coupland, Neal Stephenson, and Carl Sagan.

You must read this book. If you won’t take my word for it, listen to Cory Doctorow:

There are few writers whose work I love more than John Varley’s, purely love — but now that I’ve finished Red Lightning, I love his stuff even more.

Go get it. Now. Why are you still here?  [Special thanks to Ted for lending me his copy before he read it himself.]

our active galaxy

Space

The galaxy is a more exciting place than you might think. From Space.com:

bq. A new “X-ray movie of the Milky Way Galaxy”:http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060119/sc_space/exclusivenewxraymovieshows10yearsofmilkywayactivity shows stars erupting and black holes pulsating over a full decade of time.

It’s strangely compelling, like signal lights from a distant shore… [Thanks to Bryan for the link.]