Category Archives: Science

How Many Seconds in Eternity?

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

There’s this wall of pure Azbantium. It’s 400 times harder than diamond and 20 feet thick. Once every few days*, the Doctor comes and punches it a few times. And when the Doctor punches his way all the way through … Continue reading →

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Science and Sociology in Archangel

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

I reviewed Archangel by Marguerite Reed last week. I enjoyed the book, but I felt that it wasn’t living up to its potential at a couple of points. Notably, it raised a number of social issues and questions that I … Continue reading →

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Planet or Not? How About “Planetoid”?

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

I’ve argued that Pluto shouldn’t be a planet, and I’ve also argued that we don’t know enough to rigorously define the word “planet”. Now, I want to take a closer look at how and why we divide our own Solar … Continue reading →

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How to “Define” the Word “Planet”

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

So the IAU has declared that Pluto is not a planet. I agree with this assessment, but I also think that the IAU’s definition is poorly written. So how should that word “planet” actually be defined? It’s not simple.

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Why Pluto Really Shouldn’t be a Planet

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

(But the IAU is Wrong, Too.) In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted that Pluto was not a planet, just months after the New Horizons spacecraft was launched with a mission to…visit the last planet that had never been … Continue reading →

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What If? Follow-up: Can a Wire Cut a Person in Half?

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

In my last post, I determined that it is not possible for a human being to be cut in half by running into a cheese-cutting wire that is stretched across a road. The wire will break long before the human … Continue reading →

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What If? Rejects #5.2: Cutting the Cheese

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

Previous post in this series: Balancing Act. Follow-up post. What If? bonus: How Many Seconds in Eternity? Next post in this series: A Well-Balanced Meal. Q: How fast would a human have to run in order to be cut in … Continue reading →

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What If? Rejects #5.1: Balancing Act

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Alex R. Howe

Previous post in this series: In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream. Next post in this series: Cutting the Cheese. Q: If global warming puts us in danger through temperature rise, and super-volcanos put us into danger of global … Continue reading →

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What If? Rejects #3.1: Stars

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

Start of series: Teeth Previous entry: Tears Next entry: Planet of the Apes Q: Given humanity’s current knowledge and capabilities, is it possible to build a new star? Randall’s response: A guy with a weapon labeled Sun Obliterator (Beta) says, … Continue reading →

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What If? Rejects #2.2: Tears

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Alex R. Howe

Previous post in this series: Antimatter. Next post in this series: Stars. Today’s question for What If? Rejects: Q: Is it possible to cry so much you dehydrate yourself? Randall’s response: “…Karl [submitter], is everything OK?” My response: Surprisingly yes…if … Continue reading →

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