Author Archives: Alex R. Howe

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About Alex R. Howe

I'm a full-time astrophysicist and a part-time science fiction writer.

I’m Starting a Podcast!

Posted on April 12, 2020 by Alex R. Howe

A long time ago–around the time I started this blog, actually–I decided I was going toread all the classic novels of science fiction. It was a long list, so it’s taken me eight years to get through it, but I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Science Fiction | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Cosmos Season 3 Starts Tomorrow!

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Alex R. Howe

Correction: as of March 10, Cosmos is NOT available on Disney Plus. As far as I can tell, you can currently get it only on cable services like Hulu Live TV or YouTube TV. (Ugh. If I wanted to pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Current events, Science, TV Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Alex R. Howe

One of the top science fiction books of 2019, even reaching the summer reading list of former President Barack Obama, was Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang. This collection compiles nine recent short stories by the author of “Story of Your … Continue reading →

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Help Name the Mars 2020 Rover!

Posted on January 25, 2020 by Alex R. Howe

If you remember the summer of 2012, you might recall the landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars. (As a hint, it was right at the end of the London Olympics.) It was a pretty big deal because this was … Continue reading →

Posted in Space exploration | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

TV Review: Star Trek: Picard

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Alex R. Howe

The wait is over. Star Trek: Picard is here. Yes, the newest Star Trek series, available exclusively on CBS All Access, brings the long-awaited return of Jean-Luc Picard, the favorite Star Trek captain of many fans, including myself. I just … Continue reading →

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A New Potentially Habitable Planet from TESS

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Alex R. Howe

This week is what many call the “Super Bowl of Astronomy”: the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), held this year in Honolulu. I am not there, sadly, but I am involved in one of the big press … Continue reading →

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How to Make New Year’s Resolutions that Work

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Alex R. Howe

Okay, I can’t really justify writing a headline like that. My new year’s resolutions for 2019 only sort of worked…But considering most new year’s resolutions fail by mid-February, I guess I’m doing better than most. So what’s my secret? It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Personal, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

What’s coming in Astronomy in the 2020s

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Alex R. Howe

At this time of year, many news sites, blogs, and others like to post a year in review…I’m not going to do that. It’s been a long, crazy year, much like the four-ish years before that. The news cycle has … Continue reading →

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Two New Bible Reading Plans

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Alex R. Howe

This is just a quick follow-up to my post from five years ago when I read the Bible in one year and posted my customized reading plan, and from earlier this year when I re-posted it as an essay. Long … Continue reading →

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A Challenge to Flat Earthers

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Alex R. Howe

Is the Earth round? Most people say yes, obviously. But a growing (or at least growing in loudness) number on the internet say no. Flat Earthers are (or seem to be) real, and they seem to have an answer to … Continue reading →

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