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Bad Astronomy Blog [Phil Plait's blog]

I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog.

CNN catches the stupidYesterday

For some reason beyond my ken, CNN is shutting down its science/space/tech division and absorbing it into their general editorial unit. This means less science coverage for sure, since it has to compete with the lowest common denominator of news (if it bleeds…). I’d love to see CNN’s reasoning for this; most polls show people want more science news, not less. Maybe they’re making more room for psychics on the Larry King show.

The other bad news about this is that science journalist Miles O’Brien will be leaving CNN. I like the guy; I met him a long time ago at an astronomy meeting where we chatted for like one minute, but I was struck with how engaging he was. I now follow him on Twitter, and he actually sends out tweets while on the air (though off-camera). How cool is that? We recently reconnected because of Twitter, and talking with him once again reminded me that when it comes to science (and especially the Shuttle) reporting, he’s a solid guy.

He’s really good, and knows his stuff, and I’m sure he’ll land on his feet.

CNN though, maybe not so much. Despite the level-headed

NASA chiefs to talk MSLYesterday

The Mars Science Lab is NASA’s next big Mars mission, with a big rover and a fleet of scientific instruments to explore the planet. It’s hugely ambitious, but has suffered a series of massive budget overruns (see my previous MSL post for details). The blooming budget problem has impacted other Mars missions, and is causing a lot of stress and grief at NASA.

Tomorrow (Thursday), NASA will hold a press conference to discuss MSL. That’s interesting in and of itself, but the people giving the conference are even more interesting: NASA’s top guy Mike Griffin for one, Ed Weiler, who runs the Science Mission Directorate (after Alan Stern left, primarily due to MSL cost issues), Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA HQ, and Charles Elachi, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where MSL is being built.

These are heavy hitters, and not your usual scientists who participate in such events. Obviously, they are bringing out the big guns because whatever they have to say, it’s important. I doubt they are canceling the mission, since it’s well under way and canceling it now would be wasting the money already spent. I suspect they will be making statements about the cost overruns, the impact on other missions, and trying to assuage fears that NASA has run amok with this mission. I cannot

Chemical romanceYesterday

One thing that bugs me is the appropriation of scientific words by people who twist them for their own ends. One that really gets me is "natural", as in, "This product is all natural!". They imply that means it’s good for you, somehow, but I counter that arsenic is an element. You can’t get more natural than that!

Another is the word "chemical". People use it like it’s bad. Chemicals kill! We associate them with toxic and noxious substances, cleansers, nasty things added to our food that makes us sick.

But the word means nothing of the sort. Water is a chemical. So is the air we breathe (the components are, at least, including diatomic oxygen and nitrogen).

It’s time to take the word back! Neville Reed, a director of Britain’s Royal Society of Chemistry, has said he would happily give one million pounds to anyone who can produce a substance that is 100% chemical-free.

This is impossible, of course, and he said it to publicize misleading advertising like I pointed out above. He got fed up when the advertising standards in the UK defended a ridiculous ad saying Miracle Gro, a chemical fertilizer, was “100 per cent chemical-free”.

That would mean it’s not made of matter. Of course, the company says there is a colloquial meaning to the word "chemical", which is true, but they’re being weasels. Obviously there are chemi

Roger Ebert slams Ben SteinYesterday

Roger Ebert is best known as a movie critic on TV, but he has been writing movie reviews for far longer. I’ve read a great number of his columns and his writing is in general excellent, with an obvious and profound depth of understanding of movies.

Ebert has a fierce intellect backing up his writing, and that is on display very well in his review of the execrable "eXpelled: No Intelligence Allowed", the creationist "documentary" that is so chock full of lies that the creators’ pants will be on fire for centuries. Ben Stein was the host of this steaming pile of celluloid, and Ebert aims his keyboard directly at him.

Ebert’s review is dead on target, and I recommend reading it. "eXpelled" was a major flop and will most likely sink beneath the waves of history, but don’t think for a moment that the people out there trying to promote creationism won’t use the same slimy tactics again and again. Being aware of them is half the battle.

Spacewriter writes about spaceYesterday

… in this case, death from it. Carolyn Collins Petersen is the aforementioned Space Writer, BABlog commenter, planetarium show creator, and also a friend. I’m sure that last bit in no way influenced her review of my book, which is stunningly accurate in its portrayal of my book being really good.

C2P, your check is in the mail.

Also, there is a review on The Melbury Gentlemen’s Club site. It’s a polite review, fitting for "a blog of manners". The previous post is a guide to cigars, which personally interests me as well. Hey, if the world’s gonna end, then a nice cigar is probably your best bet.