Curiosity’s Panorama on Mars. 1.8 Billion Pixels.
March 6, 2020
This is a wow.
Nice to remember what science is for, and what it can do.
with Peter Sinclair
This is a wow.
Nice to remember what science is for, and what it can do.
"The sharpest climate denier debunker on YouTube."
- TreeHugger
"@PeterWSinclair is a national treasure." - Brad Johnson, Publisher Hill Heat
March 7, 2020 at 10:35 am
In this case, what science “can do” is distract us from things that really matter. It is a complete waste of money and talent to be exploring another planet when the one we live on is dying under our feet. People are starving, living things are going extinct by the millions, and the greedy rich, corporations, and vested interest scientists are pushing for even more “science”—back to the moon!—-to Mars! What BS!
What science should be “for” is working for the greater good here on Earth—-if anyone needs “space” entertainment, watch Star Trek reruns.
March 7, 2020 at 2:26 pm
We need a cage match between you and Neil deGrasse Tyson on the topic. Settle it once and for all.
March 7, 2020 at 6:32 pm
NdGT is one of those “vested interest scientists” that makes a living from the deluded thinking about space travel. There is nothing to “settle” because there is no argument to be made—-we haven’t explored the oceans much at all, and have no idea of how many species of living things there are on this planet, never mind how rapidly they are going extinct. YOU tell me what possible value there is in driving a rover around for years on Mars, a dead planet that is of NO use to the human species.
March 8, 2020 at 9:57 am
See, here you are, picking a fight with me instead of with NDT.
I think you are afraid to get into the cage with him. Just because he is bigger than you and he used to be a high-school wrestler. Plus, you’ve got about thirty years on him. But these are mere details.
I think you need to build up your confidence. Self-affirmation mantras several times a day can be very effective. 1000 push-ups and 1000 sit-ups a day wouldn’t hurt either. OK, they would hurt but only for the first week or so.
I’ll make arrangements with Dana White of the UFC. Eye of the Tiger, bro!
March 8, 2020 at 10:31 am
Ooooh! GB is talking hairy-chested man talk here, and not even for himself but for NdGT. He thinks I’m picking a fight with him rather than NdGT, and he’s 100% correct, since NdGT is busily making $$$ (he has a $5 million net worth) and being a smiling sciene celebrity rather than looking for a fight like GB.
Let’s oblige GB with a little chest-thumping here—-NdGT is not much bigger than me, and I was an all-conference 210 pound linebacker in HS. He is only about 20 years younger than me but the age difference may be significant—I haven’t hit anybody in anger since I was in my early 60’s—about his age now. Of course, he didn’t serve, and the dirty tricks the USMC taught me and the things I learned on the job wrestling with drunks and dope-crazed individuals might help erase that age advantage.
Yes, do set up that cage match, but make it between you and me—Vermont isn’t too far and I can stock up on that Maple Syrup Vodka while I’m up there.
March 8, 2020 at 11:48 am
Oh stop it – you know I’d kick your ***.
I also wrestled in high school, plus I am a rock drummer. We are all effing crazy, you know. Plus, everyone says I have the liquid feline grace of a big cat.
I’d much rather hear the story about the time you hit someone in anger in your early sixties. I’ll bet that’s a corker!
March 9, 2020 at 10:23 am
I think it’s wasteful to put humans in space when robots can do the job more cheaply, effectively and efficiently. I have no problem with unmanned missions.
The costs associated with launching and advertising the single product Oil of Olay many billions of dollars over the decades ($255m in 2018 alone).
The world spends billions on single movies.
The LEGO group makes billions every year.
Curiosity’s $2.5B price tag over 8 years doesn’t move the needle next to the frivolous things the world has spent money on.
March 9, 2020 at 10:31 am
Curiosity IS one of the “frivolous” things we waste $$$ on—-along with things like climbing Mount Everest and tourist excursions to Antarctica (50,000+ last year). We don’t need unmanned “space” exploration period— except for study of the Earth. it’s a boondoggle .
March 12, 2020 at 9:44 pm
From context, I think you’re talking about little-c “curiosity” in general.
I myself much prefer fulfilling scientific curiosity over Glorious Human Feats.
As for me, in lieu of climbing Mount Everest, I just arranged an overflight to drop empty oxygen tanks, food containers, human poop and some damaged climbing gear onto the side of the mountain, and claim I climbed it. ;-D
March 8, 2020 at 10:43 am
Watched most of an episode of Modern Marvels last night—-it was on how we are going to go back to the moon and make fortunes from mining and space tourism.
Lots of pics of rovers and mining equipment designed for use on the moon, all of them exceedingly complicated and expensive. It’s enough to make one puke.
Colonialism is over on Earth for the most part, but apparently will live on when we subjugate the moon men and put their children to work in the mines.
March 12, 2020 at 5:43 am
Well here is one good reason why all money should be funneled to Earth study (rather than out in our solar system). Meanwhile leave Mars to Jeff Wayne and H.G Wells.
“Greenland and Antarctica ice loss accelerating
Earth’s great ice sheets, Greenland and Antarctica, are now losing mass six times faster than they were in the 1990s thanks to warming conditions.
Prof Shepherd warns that future intercomparisons risk being of poorer quality because of the likely near-term demise of some dedicated polar satellites and the lack of clear and urgent plans to replace them.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51846468