Tabletop Astronomy

Astronomy is one of those "Coffee-table Sciences", by which I mean: a science that manages to bridge the gap between academic research and popular culture. There are a few simple (but reliable) ways to determine whether a particular branch science falls into this category. Firstly, does Exclusive Books sell a book about it (especially if the book is too large to read in bed)? Secondly, has a Marvel or DC comic-book villain ever been a practitioner of it? And thirdly (and most importantly), how often does it spark heated arguments between individuals who have not even read the introductory paragraph on its associated Wikipedia entry?

Pieces of Eight

Seven is supposed to be the perfect number. It can be found throughout history in almost every religion and culture: the seven-day week of the Christian calendar, the seven heavens of Islam, the seven worlds and seas of Hinduism, the seven branches in a Menorah, the seven lucky Gods of Japanese mythology, and even the seven-fingered, seven-toed Irish hero, Cú Chulainn. For over 4000 years of recorded human history, seven's dominance has remained largely uncontested. That is until the dawning of the second half of the 20th century, when a new number gradually began gaining support from the most unlikely members of society. We call ourselves Computer Scientists; and our number is eight.

Whitespace

Have you ever looked at a blank page laid-out before you and thought, "This is better than anything that I could ever hope to add"? -- I have.

I think that this is going to be quite an unusual post. Firstly (and perhaps fore-mostly), I want to relate my experience of building an over-sized whiteboard for my bedroom (/lab). But secondly, I also wish to share some of my philosophical ideas regarding the concepts of white-space, emptiness, as well as their roles in the task of creation. In my eyes, these two disparate subjects are inseparably linked: the philosophical ideas were the protagonists that eventually convinced me to build my whiteboard, and in turn, the whiteboard exists as the only physical evidence of my mental struggle with these ideas over the past weeks. But unusual is good right? So let's see how this goes.

Dim Flickers of Progress

I think I have always been more of a 'thinker' than a 'do-er', and I would suspect that anyone who knows me well enough would say the same. Whether out of pure laziness, or perhaps just a general disinterest, many of the things that I dream-up never get to see the light of day.

On the Glowing of Bulbs

An incandescent light bulb is one of those rare examples of object that has an intrinsic gravity about it, far in excess of that which is expected of such an ordinary thing. More significant than its form, or function, or any other definable attribute belonging to it, this gravity has the ability to grab hold of my mind, and trap it deeply within the confines the globe's transparent hull. The effect remains whether the bulb is new or spent; and I must admit that throughout my life, many of the bulbs that should have been destined for the trash, managed to linger for far too long on the edge of a shelf, or the back of a draw.

The Interdisciplinary World of Specialization

I can remember, at the age of 5 or 6 years old, worrying about what I was going to 'be' when I grew up. Every child seems to ask themselves this question at some point, and their answer is usually so resolute, so devoid of hesitation, that we (young) adults cannot help but be envious of their conviction. I, on the other hand, was not one of those fortunate children. Try as I might, I could not settle on a decision. Each day was something new; a magician, a doctor, a lawyer, a scientist. And each time I managed to select something new, everything else instantly seemed so much more appealing.

Prologue to a Blog

How does one start a blog? It seems fashionable these days to start with a short, quirky greeting (which, as I have been lead to believe, is commonly referred to as a 'shout-out'). But this is my first post, and at the time of writing I have precisely zero readers. So then, to whom would such a greeting be directed?