Humans have accomplished some pretty amazing things, from putting men on the Moon (with old technology!) to sequencing their own heredity. But stubborn problems that look much easier persist.
One of our consultants has begun tutoring, which has brought him into contact with the world of standardized tests after many years away.
An enormous apparatus for scientific research is finding only what was expected. This bothers scientists.
As things go in the universe, the Moon is a small thing, insignificant compared to a distant star. Yet our astronomer found that it can have a definite influence on measures of the latter.
It’s vital not to confuse an illuminating explanation of science with the science itself.
Our consultants encounter a type of writing that seems terribly strange, until they realize what it’s for.
Tomorrow is a lot like today, but not always. Beware the law of unintended consequences.
Scientists, especially astronomers, use several incompatible theories in their calculations. How? And why?
You have many tasks, large and small, difficult and otherwise. For each one you have to choose a way to get it done. A problem arises when you find such a wonderful means that you forget the end.
As we mentioned last week, our navigator was out of the office teaching a professor how to use his sextant. Having decades of experience in both the observations and the calculations involved, he certainly has a firm grasp of the subject. But that’s not always the quality you need in a teacher.