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I have now seen aurora two times. The first was when my folks and I were living at 818 in Moorhead, Minnesota.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Seeing the aurora display on November 11, 2025; remembering the other aurora I saw; and taking note of a Space Weather Prediction Center alert.)

My wife grew up in a very "Catholic" family. That doesn't mean what you might think it does: old-fashioned clothes, candles everywhere, too many children, and the girls brought up to be doormats. Okay, granted: my wife is the second of seven kids. But I can't think of one of the other six who's redundant. Then there's the matter of how my in-laws brought up their children. Take, for example, the time someone from the high school called my father-in-law with an grave concern regarding my wife's younger sister.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Growing up in a very Catholic family meant was counter-cultural, but not the way you might think.)

WISPIT 2 is a protostar, a very young star that's still growing. At the moment, it's roughly as massive as our Sun, and very roughly a third of the way to Kappa Aquila: a very bright, very hot, star that's about 11,000,000 years old. WISPIT 2 is also noteworthy because scientists got a photo of one of its planets: WISPIT 2B, a whacking great — no, I'll let someone with NASA explain it. 1 ... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (WISPIT 2b: a giant young planet at an unexpectedly large distance from its star. Excerpt from a NASA news release, infrared images, and my reaction.)

Now and then there’s something nice in my news feed. Like this: More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A very short note and excerpt from a Vatican News article about astronomy, the Vatican Observatory's Summer School Program.)

Growing up, my folks and I would go to Itasca State Park, north of Park Rapids, in Minnesota's lake country. The place has changed since then, a little. The place I remember as a parking area, a little north of the Mississippi headwaters, where the river officially starts, isn't there any more. It was about a thousand feet east of the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center. Google Maps says that spot is the "Headwaters Concession Ruins".... ...New buildings. A place I remember labeled as a ruins. Change happens.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Remembering the time my father found the perfect spot for taking a picture: the middle of a poison ivy patch.)

I'm a huge fan of science, but by training I'm an historian. Or a historian. Either way, as it turned out, the closest I came to being a professional historian was working as a researcher/reporter for a regional historical society in the 1970s. For a few months. And that's another topic. My background and interests help me appreciate the excitement experienced by a grad student who was focusing on the history of science.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A student found the first of two scrapbooks from the 1883 American Astronomical Society. My take on professionals, amateurs, and attitudes.)

A little over a week ago, scientist published a detailed analysis of Vega's surprisingly planet-free debris disc. Vega, one of the brightest stars in Earth's sky, may have planets: but the October 31 paper rules out any Saturn-size or larger worlds in wide orbits. That reminded me of a Sherlock Holmes quote: "'Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?' 'To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.' 'The dog did nothing in the night-time.' 'That was the curious incident,' remarked Sherlock Holmes." ("The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes", " Silver Blaze " , Arthur Conan Doyle (1894) Via Gutenberg.org) More to the point, not finding planets in Vega's debris disc should help scientists learn more about how stars and planets form. And gives me something to write about. Vega Debris Disc: "Smooth, Ridiculously Smooth" Dust, a Gap, and — the "Poynting-Robertson Effect...

"...All of us dwell under the same sky. All of us are moved by the beauty revealed in the cosmos and reflected in the study of the heavenly bodies and substances. In this sense, we are united by the desire to discover the truth about how this marvellous universe operates; and in this, we draw ever closer to the Creator...." ( Address to Participants in the Summer Course of the Vatican Observatory , Pope Francis (June 11, 2016)) My interest in science started as a fascination with dinosaurs. By the time I left high school, that fascination included astronomy, physics, cosmology, and more. My academic specialties were history and English, but I never lost my intense interest in pretty much everything else. That didn't change when I became a Catholic — partly because where my faith is involved, paying attention to the wonders and beauty surrounding us isn't a problem. The Enigmatic IRAS Ghost Nebula Impressions Stars in the Making: the HP Tau Triplet More...

We've known about “black hole jet systems” for some time, but never one as big as Porphyrion: a 23,000,000 light-year giant. I'll be talking about that today, along with how astronomers have been studying it, a plausible explanation for its extraordinary length, and a quick overview of how we've been thinking about this universe. Cosmology: From the Cosmic Ocean to the Cosmic Web Mesopotamian Musings William Herschel, “Our Sidereal System”, and Finding Galaxies Galaxies, Clusters, Superclusters, and the Cosmic Web Porphyrion and Cosmic Scale Backgrounder: Black Holes, Accretion Disks, and Relativistic Jets Radio Galaxies and Porphyrion's Position Black Hole Jets and the Scale of the Cosmic Web Radio Telescopes: LOFAR and — — GMRT — and DESI ?! Fanaroff-Riley Classification That's Odd: Porphyrion's Size, and an Explanation "...The Heavens ... Like a Tent to Dwell In" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A huge black hole ...

A long time ago, some folks were — apparently — living happily in the Rhône River Valley. Whether or not they were happy there, we've found evidence that they stayed near what we call the Grotte Mandrin for 50,000 years. And that they somehow managed to keep newcomers from disturbing their solitude: and isolation. Idyllic as that may seem, keeping themselves free from what my culture called miscegenation may explain why Neanderthals aren't part of today's world. Not as identifiable individuals, at any rate. Neanderthals: Finding a New Page From Their Story Recognizing the Homo Neanderthalensis Type Specimen: Eventually The Vanished Neanderthals: Still an Enigma Living Happily in the Middle Rhône River Valley Many Questions, Still Finding Answers Point, Counterpoint, Neanderthals, the Campbells, and Me European, Yes; Biased, Yes; "Anglo-Teutonic", No Familiarity, Forensic Reconstructions, and Another Piece of the Puzzle Muscles, Mammals, and Much...

I take commercial puffery with a grain of salt, but that 2,492 carat diamond from the Karowe mine does seem "epic". It's also what I'll be talking about this week: along with the Karowe mine, Botswana, what diamonds are and where they come from, and why I see Botswana's recent history as a success story. Of sorts. One-Pound Diamond: and a Quick Look at Botswana Comparing and Contrasting: Botswana and the United States Wealth, Fertility Rates, Statistics — — "Democracy", and Dan Backslide Diamonds Graphite and Diamond: Same Element, Different Crystal Form Formed in the Depths, Rushed to the Surface On the Shores of Arkansas To Be Continued Congo Chaos and Lebensraum for Mountain Gorillas Blood Diamonds, Mountain Gorillas: and Working With What We've Got More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Diamonds and how they are formed, comparing and contrasting Botswana and the United States. Blood diamonds, gorillas, and working w...

A paper published this month doesn't so much tell us what's inside a neutron star, as show what's not inside. Considering how little we know about these immensely-dense stellar objects, that's a significant step toward understanding the things. I'll take a look at that, but mostly I'll be talking about what we've been learning, and why I think paying attention to this wonder-packed universe is a good idea. Even if — maybe because — this Haldane quote, written a few years before we knew about neutron stars, still reflects how God's universe has been surprising us. "Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose…." (" Possible Worlds and Other Essays ", p. 286, J. B. S. Haldane (1927) via Wikiquote) Squishy (?) Stars, Strange States of Matter Supernova! Neutron Stars: Gravity, Math, and Weirdness "...Astronomers Still Don't Know...." New Vi...

Headlines about an "eyeball planet" got my attention last month. Then I got distracted by what I thought were more time-sensitive topics — and remembered what two scientists learned when they simulated ocean currents and winds on a tidally-locked exoplanet. That last item was from 2013. It's still the best discussion I've seen of what an "eyeball planet" might actually look like. Turns out that a patch of open ocean on a tidally locked exoplanet's ocean wouldn't necessarily be circular. But I'll admit that "eyeball planet" is a cool description. And may be easier to remember than terms like "lobster-like spatial pattern". So this week I'll be talking about LHS 1140 b, which may not be an "eyeball planet" after all, ocean planet simulations; and — briefly, for me — how I see extraterrestrial life. LHS 1140 b: Water, With Nitrogen in the Atmosphere — Maybe Tidally Locked Ocean Planets: Simple, and Not-So-Si...

I remember when many folks were getting used to the idea that space travel wasn't just science fiction. Some apparently still haven't gotten the memo, but others have been developing new technologies. Like inflatable space stations. I'll be talking about that, and how I see getting back on the road to the stars. Building Better Habitats: Basket-Weave, and Now: Isotensoids? "...strong, simple, and safe...." Expandable Habitats and Max Space New Technology Built on Old Ideas Perceived Impossibilities and Being Human New Ideas, Old Reactions What a Bishop Didn't Say, and the Wright Brothers' Mother "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." What's Next? More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (New Max Space inflatable space habitat technology may be strong, simple, safe: and less expensive. I look at that, and where we can be going.)

Folks living in the Caribbean, Yucatan Peninsula, and south Texas are cleaning up after Hurricane Beryl. Some are also mourning those who didn't survive the storm. I haven't been personally affected by Beryl, although my in-laws are in Louisiana, next state over. They seem to have been away from the worst weather, for which I'm grateful. This week I'll take a quick look at what happened, what the storm doesn't mean, and — as usual — whatever else comes to mind. Death, Destruction, and a Power Outage Disasters and Focused Wrath: No Noticeable Correlation The Siloam Reminder Perspectives It's a Changing World Days, Millennia, and Planning Ahead More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Beryl stopped being a hurricane July 8, 2024. By then it had broken several records. I look at Beryl, and what we are learning about tropical cyclones.)

I haven't researched it, but I'm guessing that 'animals are conscious' headlines peaked about two months back. " If Animals Are Conscious, What about Us? " Crawford Kilian, The Tyee (April 29, 2024) " Scientists push new paradigm of animal consciousness, saying even insects may be sentient " Evan Bush, NBC News (April 19, 2024) " It's 'irresponsible' to ignore widespread consciousness across animal world, dozens of scientists argue " Saul Elbein, The Hill (April 19, 2024) "Animal consciousness" makes more sense than some headlines suggest — so this week I'll be talking about new research, old ideas, and how I see being human. Science, Attitudes, and Conscious Animals "Unholy Trinity", "Heretics", Galileo — Folklore is Fine, But ... Conscious? A Better Term Would be "Sentient" Of Mice and Men and Little Albert Animals, People, and Paying Attention "Little Less T...

It's been 30 years since a Mexican theoretical physicist said that a warp drive was possible: hypothetically. And published math that backed up his claim. Last month, a team of scientists showed how we could build a warp drive: again, with math backing up their claim. This year's variation on the Alcubierre drive couldn't travel faster than light. But it can, they say, be built with materials we have today. This is a very big deal. And it's what I'm talking about this week. Along with whatever else comes to mind. Speed of Light, Math, and Approaching Infinity New "Warp Drive" Approach: This One is Testable Gravity, Newton's Law, Einstein's Math, and — Negative Mass? Math, My Father, and Me: A Digression "Exotic Solutions" Offering a "Novel Means of Transportation" A Testable Warp Solution: Exciting! The Day "Warp Field Mechanics 101" Disappeared History — — And Being Human More at A Catholic Citize...

This month's analysis of a piping hot Super-Earth's atmosphere is a big deal. But it's not the "first" detection of a terrestrial exoplanet's atmosphere, not by about eight years. 1 I'll be talking about how scientists sift through data, 55 Cancri e's atmosphere, its planetary system, why 55 Cancri e — the exoplanet was officially named Janssen in 2015 — and why calling Janssen a "diamond planet" may be appropriate. Scientists and 55 Cancri e: How They Know What They Know Bayesian Basics and Dealing With Incomplete Data Studying Starlight: Transits, Eclipses, and a Whole Lot of Math Welcome to the Copernicus Planetary System There's No Place Like Home: But the Copernicus System Comes Close Copernicus: Giant Planets and a Super-Earth Circling a Slightly Strange Star Janssen: 'Terrestrial', But Not Like Earth Like a Diamond in the Sky? Carbon Planets: Carbides and Maybe Diamonds More at A Catholic Citizen in...

UPDATE/FIX — The links in this post now take you to "Kamoʻoalewa: Breakaway Asteroid and Quasi-Moon" on A Catholic Citizen in America. I goofed when posting this preview - - - sorry about that: and have a good day/evening/weekend/afternoon.... :) The asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa isn't exactly Earth's second moon. But it's been circling our world for centuries: and near Earth's orbit for much longer. Now scientists say they've traced the asteroid back to Giordano Bruno crater on the Moon. I'll be taking a look at what I could find of their research, Earth's moons, and asteroids whose orbits keep them near Earth. Then I'll talk about one of the more colorful personalities of the Renaissance. Asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, Giordano Bruno Crater: Origins & Orbits Dust, Asteroids, Astrodynamics, Temporary Moons, and Lagrange points When Circling Isn't Orbiting: Quasi-Satellites In This Week's News: 469219 Kamoʻoalewa and a Lunar Crater ...

Scientists have found gene groups we have in common with nearly all animals: thousands of them, from code library that's more than half a billion years old. I'll be talking about that this week, plus why I see no problem with studying this vast and ancient universe. Still Learning Life's Long Story Bilateral Symmetry and Oh, Look! It's a — Thing Bilaterians: 700,000,000 Years of Building on the Basics Ancient Genes, Rewritten Gene Duplication: Let the Modding Begin! Faith and Reason, Science and Religion "Truth Cannot Contradict Truth" Four Centuries in Europe: the Black Death, Wars, and a Label A King, the Age of Enlightenment, and a Few Good Ideas English Politics and All-too-Familiar Attitudes Using my Brain, Admiring God's Universe More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Discovery: bilaterians, animals with right and left sides, get thousands of gene groups from our last common ancestor. Plus why science and faith get along.)