Here’s an interesting article about the real Luddites. The modern use of the word refers to people who are anti-technology. Actually, the original Luddites were against the wholesale replacing of people (in particular, themselves) with technology and other cost-cutting methods in the “new economy” of early 19th century England.
A long hiatus, but a short recap of some recent science topics: Giant plumes aren’t what you make, crashing on the moon… but LCROSS still got the data (congratulations, Rick!). Using bacteria to render radioactive materials inert and to recover usable uranium from contaminated water. Finally, two words: mouse levitation.
More music-related things: Translations of lyrics from foreign artists. Speculation, and in some cases actual answers, as to the meanings of songs. And what seems to be every American TV theme song known to man.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA__bM7abhg
“Goye Kur” by Ali Farka Touré, at the 2003 Festival in the Desert in Mali. You may wish to pick up the DVD and CD of the festival, which has helped raise international awarenes of Tuareg culture.
A lot of attention has been paid to today’s 40th anniversary of the moon landing. There are the unsung heroes, the rocket scientists who actually built the Saturn V. There’s the talk of the future, with the Apollo 11 astronauts urging that we aim for a manned mission to Mars instead of a return to the moon. There’s the 10-year-old boy who helped NASA maintain radio contact with the returning capsule before it splashed down. There’s the late Walter Cronkite’s iconic coverage of the mission. There’s the interesting historical journey from Gil Scott-Heron to the new NASA Administrator. There are the mirrors that were left on the surface, and the end of one research project that has been using one all this time. And there’s Google Earth, which now lets you experience the moon landing up close.
NY Times