Writing Diary: December 20, 2004

I think that I can safely say I’ve done my writing for the day. Sorry, I normally try to stay away from rhyming couplets, but that one came out without trying. In any event…today was a CBC science column day (I’m about to head across the street to the studio), so I did that this …

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One step closer to artificial life

They’re just vesicle bioreactors–but they resemble a crude biological cell, right down to the ability to express genes.

Dione (not Celine) and Saturn (not the car) together!

I love this latest Cassini photo of Saturn’s moon Dione in front of the giant planet itself.

Space elevator blog

Here’s a space elevator blog that’s worth your time if you’re interested in this exciting proposal.

Bad science is its own reward…

… but The Guardian is handing out Bad Science Awards just the same.

Writing Diary: December 16, 2004

I’m not sure how I got away from writing my daily writing diary, but since only about 10 people a day visit this blog, I don’t suppose anyone was overly concerned. Still, the writing diary isn’t really for my supposed readers, but for myself: a reminder to neither tear myself down for not doing enough …

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Physicists photograph electron!

OK, that’s not actually possible. But they’ve done the next-best thing, photographing the electron cloud around a nitrogen molecule–which should allow them to watch how molecular bonds change during chemical reactions.

Well, duh!

This seems like a no-brainer.

Earthsea in Clorox

I didn’t see the TV adaptation of Earthsea. Based on Ursula K. Le Guin’s reaction, I think I’m glad.

Okay, now this is news!

Man bites dog!

Deadline pressure raises health risk!

I think I’ll tell my various editors this.

Take two Christmas trees and call me in the morning

My wife and I just spent an inordinate amount of money on a genuine Christmas tree. This, naturally, sent me to the Internet in search of scientific proof that genuine Christmas trees are superior to artificial trees–and guess what? I found it! Well, sort of. It seems that researchers in Finland have discovered that that …

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