Latest Attempt to Explain Homochirality Underscores the Problem
April 23, 2013
Finding that some stars emit circularly polarized light will not help explain why life uses only left-handed amino acids.
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SETI, Said He, Isn't Ready, Said She
April 22, 2013
The search for extra-terrestrial intelligence is like a detective story without a body. All those new planets, but no signal—at least not one that most scientists will accept.
What's New in the Primordial Soup?
April 19, 2013
The bubbling froth percolates with ideas about how life "emerged," each new notion trying to outdo the last in vacuity.
Using Finagle's Rules in Cosmology
April 10, 2013
Fudging and finagling often underlie the confident-sounding claims of cosmologists.
Bimbo Eruptions in the Solar System
April 6, 2013
Planetary origin theories come across as popular and charismatic, till some little moon pops off and says, "Yoo-hoo! Remember me?"
Targeted SETI Search Hears Nothing
February 8, 2013
For this search, a team targeted 104 stars with planets discovered by the Kepler Telescope. Still nothing.
Was Charlemagne Protected from a Cosmic Disaster? A Carbon-14 Mystery
January 22, 2013
Tree ring data from the 8th century hint that a cosmic catastrophe was averted on the "privileged planet."
Cosmology's Lumpiness Problem "Defies Theory"
January 12, 2013
A record-breaking structure in the universe "defies theory," the news said, ignoring that theory has been defied for decades since smaller large structures were found (the lumpiness problem).
A Brain Wouldn't Survive Star Travel
January 6, 2013
Don't take a star trek unless you want to arrive demented.
Astronomy Grab Bag
December 29, 2012
For year's end, here's a clean-out of astronomy articles—from planetary science to cosmology—to motivate further inquiry.
Globular Clusters Look Young and Old: Is This Scientific Explanation?
December 19, 2012
Globular clusters supposedly all formed at the same time long ago, but some look young. How do astronomers rescue the belief that they are ancient groupings of stars?
Flaky Cosmic Notion Gets Good Press
November 26, 2012
Does the universe grow like a giant brain? If anyone but a scientist said that, it would be in the cartoons.
The Missing Zinc: Moon Rocks Still Tell Tales
October 18, 2012
Apollo ended 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong is dead, but lunar geologists are still using the moon rocks they brought home to construct a story of the moon's "evolution".
More Evidence Our Solar System Is Uniquely Suited for Life
October 16, 2012
With over 2,000 extrasolar planets found around nearly as many stars, there's still no place like home.
Weekend Grab Bag
October 14, 2012
Here are links to recent science findings and claims sure to stimulate thinking and further research.