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Friday, August 18, 2017

Friday links

The Polish Doctors Who Used Science to Outwit the Nazis.

Today is the anniversary of the death of Genghis Khan: founder of the Mongolian Empire, prolific spreader of DNA, and climate change hero. Related: Why Genghis Khan’s tomb can’t be found.


ICYMI, Thursday's links are here, and include a still-updating set of solar eclipse links and resources, a brief history of mooning, Davy Crockett's birthday, and a bunch of recipe videos in the styles of famous directors.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Friday links


ICYMI, last Friday's links are here, and include an online version of Leonardo da Vinci’s 570-page notebook, a map of the Roman roads of Britain, plane crashes that changed aviation, and Erwin Schrödinger's (he of the famous half-dead cat) birthday.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Solar eclipse links and resources

These links are for the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. I'll be updating (at the bottom of the post) as I find interesting stuff - if you have anything you think should be included, leave it in the comments. 

On Monday, Agust 21, the moon will completely eclipse the sun, and people all over the U.S. will be able to watch. NASA has put together an impressive collection of resources and data.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon, the sun and the Earth all line up such that the moon completely obscures the sun to viewers on part of Earth's surface.
The path and timing of Monday's eclipse:


NASA on how a solar eclipse works:



How to make a pinhole projector out of a cereal box:



Smithsonian Air and Space will have a Solar Eclipse Special: Live From the Path of Totality.

Planning To Watch The Eclipse? Here's What You Need To Protect Your Eyes, and here's an interactive map of libraries giving away glasses for free (until they're gone).

Watching an eclipse - Paris, 1911



585 B. C.: Was the First Eclipse Prediction an Act of Genius, a Brilliant Mistake, or Dumb Luck?


A Century of Eclipse Watching, in Photos

Cool app, just enter your zip code: Here's what you'll see where you live.

5 Tips from NASA for Photographing the Total Solar Eclipse on August 21. The secret is preparing ahead of time.

A history of solar eclipses and bizarre responses to them.

A Total Solar Eclipse Feels Really, Really Weird.

5 Mythic Eclipse Monsters Who Mess With the Sun and Moon

The Last Solar Eclipse. There will come a time when the moon is too far away to produce a solar eclipse.



Throughout most of human history, an eclipse was something to fear. The gods were angry, and who knew what would happen next?

Chasing the Total Solar Eclipse From NASA's WB-57F Jets.