Lucid Storm Blog Name Change

LucidStorm is now Humbleplanet. I don't think anyone reads this anyway, but if you do, all the archived posts and any new posts will appear at :

humbleplanet.blogspot.com

Pictures of Now Extinct Animals

Many factors can be responsible for the obliteration of a species. Even subtle ones. While we, as humans, haven't been resposible for the extinction of even several decimals of a percent of all the past species, I would say that even one extinction is enough. Overhunting is the chief factor in many of these extinctions.

At worst it should have us evaluate our effect on the environment in both biotic and abiotic realms. At best it should prompt action now when the will and education neccessary to avert such tragedies is missing.

I still have some hope that a few Tasmanian Tigers have escaped the peril of extinction. But maybe I've been watching too much MonsterQuest.

http://ecoworldly.com/2009/04/02/11-extinct-animals-that-have-been-photographed-alive/

Roger Ebert: Quantum Mechanics & Reincarnation

Roger Ebert on quantum mechanics. Yes, that Robert Ebert. And not just quantum mechanics, but the idea of reincarnation as well. A thought experiment if you will. Because as strange as things get in the purple haze of subatomic behavior you may find yourself neither here nor there, but BOTH here and there, ... and then entirely nowhere.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/07/everymans_guide_to_quantum_the.html

Robert Anton Wilson on Quantum Mechanics (linked to in Ebert's blog)

Photo of the Day - Shuttle

One of the Space Photos of the Week from National Geographic.

Twitter: Asteroid Watch

I'm not a fan of Twitter really for the mere fact that "tweeting" isn't something I want to admit being involved with. It just seems, well, ... I don't know. That word, .. "TWEET!!". I guess I just need to get over it. Either way Twitter is terribly popular and is for the most part the ultimate time-waster. But it has room for some items of interest.

Lately I've come across a new Twitter feed from JPL:

AsteroidWatch

It gives a sigh, .. "tweet" about any space rock within 750,000 miles of Earth. So if you want to keep close tabs on neighborhood, so to speak, you might follow this. I'll keep it posted on the sidebar and add any other Twitter feeds I find relevant. Let me know if you have any you follow.

Lasers, Aluminum, and New States of Matter

How many states of matter are there??

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/scientistsclaimnewstateofmattercreated

By using lasers focusing on atoms of Aluminum scientists have made the atoms of the metal transparent. While we won't be at the helm of invisible starships any time soon, the research seems to open avenues that may lead us to better energy sources. And while we have a "we know it all" mentality sometimes concerning scientific discovery, this is just one more story that says "No, we don't know it all". Perhaps we are just at the cusp of a new practical scientific revelation.

"Transparent aluminum is just the start," Wark said. "The physical properties of the matter we are creating are relevant to the conditions inside large planets, and we also hope that by studying it we can gain a greater understanding of what is going on during the creation of 'miniature stars' created by high-power laser implosions, which may one day allow the power of nuclear fusion to be harnessed here on Earth."

Who Owns the Moon, .. we had better decide

Who owns it?? Nobody, .... and everybody. It seems the "law" concerning the moon is a bit complicated. The US has plans to go back and establish a base. Other countries have plans as well. When we drew up the Moon Treaty there were only two space faring nations, the US and Russia. But now there are more. And sooner than later these nations want to go to the moon. And do what?? I don't know.

We also have people that say the own the moon and so forth selling one acre plots of land. ASnd by the looks of it, people have made some money in the process. You can buy moon property right now at a cost of $18.95 to $37.50 an acre depending where you are. Check it out here.

But now I see this: http://moonpublicity.com/mp/


If I look up someday and see a Walmart sign in the half moon phase, I'll know that human beings have gone completely mad. Are we really about to scrape the moon in an effort of global marketing. Sigh....