Monthly Archives: January 2014

Book review: Iron Winter by Stephen Baxter

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

The year is 1315 A.D. The Wall of Northland has stood firm for over 8,000 years, keep the ocean out of what we know as the North Sea. Now, at the dawn of an early industrial era, Northland stands with … Continue reading →

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In the sky: supernova in M82!

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

The little arrow in the picture is pointing to SN 2014J, a new supernova in the M82 galaxy. It may not look like much in this picture, but it’s getting brighter. Here’s a more recent photo, as of January 25. … Continue reading →

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Happy National Squirrel Appreciation Day

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

And now for something completely different! If you’re like me and facing impending wintry doom here in the Northeast, you could probably use a break. If you’re somewhere else in the world, here’s a highly random diversion for you anyway. … Continue reading →

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The Magic Spreadsheet at one year

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

Nearly a year ago, I posted about the Magic Spreadsheet, which is a method to write at a steady pace by demanding you write a minimum of 250 words per day. In my case, it wasn’t the spreadsheet or the … Continue reading →

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Of mice and men and monkeys

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

Caloric restriction is a diet in which humans or animals eat fewer calories than they normally would–anywhere from 20% to 50% less. It has become a fad diet for some, not just for losing weight (which is the obvious result), … Continue reading →

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GPI: a new way of planet-hunting

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

We’ve had the capability to find planets by taking pictures of them directly for a while now, usually in the infrared, but sometimes in visible light. But now we have the capability to do a whole lot more of it. … Continue reading →

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