tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post5526254623561004809..comments2024-02-07T22:52:15.919-07:00Comments on Partial Ellipsis of the Sun: A Blog for Scientists who like Words and Writers who like Science: Geological Mystery Feature: Alluvial Platinum from RussiaWord Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-77737701370997654992016-07-26T18:37:48.839-06:002016-07-26T18:37:48.839-06:00New post on "Hooked on Phononics: Spider Silk...New post on "Hooked on Phononics: Spider Silk Sound and Heat" is now up.Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-49309336943853759522016-07-26T08:36:49.046-06:002016-07-26T08:36:49.046-06:00Fascinating. I wonder if it will substantially aff...Fascinating. I wonder if it will substantially affect the petrichor after rains or wetting down. . .<br /><br />And they can't say it's the as phault any longer. . .Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-41112521553876099212016-07-26T08:30:45.551-06:002016-07-26T08:30:45.551-06:00Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic The Road wa...Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic <i>The Road</i> was depressing, <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/07/cash-strapped-towns-un-paving-roads-cant-afford-fix/" rel="nofollow">but at least it was paved</a>.<br /><br />(I'll bet these cash-strapped towns aren't figuring the cost of wetting down their dirt roads to avoid washboarding.)<br /><br />Here in NJ, our governor has shut down road maintenance to avoid raising the gas tax, which hasn't changed in decades.janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05927176621372532733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-1925173579781631272016-07-25T19:52:19.872-06:002016-07-25T19:52:19.872-06:00LUCA!!LUCA!!Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-8943864447938473072016-07-25T19:47:07.878-06:002016-07-25T19:47:07.878-06:00It's not surprising that the Last Universal Co...It's not surprising that the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/26/science/last-universal-ancestor.html" rel="nofollow">Last Universal Common Ancestor</a> lived deep under the sea. We've long known that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nyON_VDIhw" rel="nofollow">Luca sleeps with the fishes</a>.janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05927176621372532733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-34330601022926651752016-07-24T09:22:19.987-06:002016-07-24T09:22:19.987-06:00Atomic Abba Cuss?<a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/storing-digital-data-with-an-atomic-abacus/" rel="nofollow">Atomic Abba Cuss?</a>Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-44253581074677979062016-07-23T19:30:05.321-06:002016-07-23T19:30:05.321-06:00Some good ideas in case we get into politics over ...Some good ideas in case we get into <a href="http://scottberkun.com/2012/how-to-discuss-politics-with-friends-v2/" rel="nofollow">politics</a> over here. . Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-77136527008699339592016-07-21T16:31:00.235-06:002016-07-21T16:31:00.235-06:00Paul, do you mean maymo?Paul, do you mean maymo?Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-12358009390255708022016-07-21T16:22:27.159-06:002016-07-21T16:22:27.159-06:00I'm trying to figure out why I'm still swe...I'm trying to figure out why I'm still sweeping mayflies off the windowsills when it's nearly August. Somebody didn't get the memo?Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11114786604125384958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-68489320134109896142016-07-21T06:48:45.584-06:002016-07-21T06:48:45.584-06:00Yeah, but Will Shortz?Yeah, but Will Shortz?Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-20049822628201104492016-07-21T06:33:51.183-06:002016-07-21T06:33:51.183-06:00I may. I wonder if George Will?I may. I wonder if George Will?janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05927176621372532733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-11461515041109108042016-07-21T06:30:11.097-06:002016-07-21T06:30:11.097-06:00And I like the "atoms and bonds" structu...And I like the "atoms and bonds" structure in the background of The Cyrcles singing. That double guitar is cool. "Red rubber ball" imagery doesn't do it for me (why rubber?!), but the tune is always catchy. Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-43198193267375097762016-07-21T05:38:19.176-06:002016-07-21T05:38:19.176-06:00Great crop "circles," Lego. The Poly-gon...Great crop "circles," Lego. The Poly-gons are fun, too.<br /><br />Knew the song but not the group. . .Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-21065125272999724572016-07-21T05:29:34.258-06:002016-07-21T05:29:34.258-06:00Thank heavens for May; you're really going to ...Thank heavens for May; you're really going to have fun during her term, aren't you? Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-40215316038695618472016-07-21T04:13:20.535-06:002016-07-21T04:13:20.535-06:00My parser was done in once again by the new UK PM....My parser was done in once again by the new UK PM. The headline read something like "May Flies To Meet Merkel". I thought, "Why does the German leader want to meet insects?"<br /><br />In Britain has an equivalent to Air Force One, they should rename it "Ephemeroptera".janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05927176621372532733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-82343084710941264472016-07-20T21:47:46.582-06:002016-07-20T21:47:46.582-06:00Steph wrote:
" Any ideas? Guess now or read o...Steph wrote:<br />" Any ideas? Guess now or read on. . ."<br /><br />Before I "read on," my idea was aliens/extraterrestrials/<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI475z0gkMc" rel="nofollow">crop-circles</a>!<br /><br />Lego<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emx6dU7suvg" rel="nofollow">Cyrcling</a>TheWay-gons...AndThe<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNfBC2_3S8U" rel="nofollow">Poly-gons</a>legolambdahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18081014756741740081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-86772772980595596442016-07-20T19:55:06.191-06:002016-07-20T19:55:06.191-06:00Ya, kutsk for sure.
Hahaharpoon. . .Ya, kutsk for sure.<br /><br />Hahaharpoon. . .Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-17207465097337890892016-07-20T19:53:30.951-06:002016-07-20T19:53:30.951-06:00It's a wonderful pun, jan! Wish I'd gone t...It's a wonderful pun, jan! Wish I'd gone there first.<br /><br />Indeed, the Massif formation is similar to kimberlite pipes. It's the slowness of crystallization combined with the proximity to surrounding sedimentary rock with produces the platinum, diamonds and other precious materials.Word Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15491300694641304112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-89084870918654879182016-07-20T19:40:07.910-06:002016-07-20T19:40:07.910-06:00My other association with the illustrations above,...My other association with the illustrations above, of course, is: Yakutsk, sure, I've conquered that lots of times in Risk. Never noticed anything particularly interesting there.<br /><br />My son was in Bergen, Norway, last week, and cousins posted pictures to Facebook of their trip to Reykjavik, and all I could think of was, I wonder if they know how many times I saved them while playing Harpoon 25 years ago? janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05927176621372532733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915875085991225575.post-84565068285297706502016-07-20T19:31:01.703-06:002016-07-20T19:31:01.703-06:00When I looked up "Alluvial" on Wikipedia...When I looked up "Alluvial" on Wikipedia, I was given a link to follow if I was looking for the American Thoroughbred broodmare of that name. Odd, I thought: if you plan to raise a winner, why name it for a placer? (That pun won't get me showered with praise...)<br /><br />The diagrams above reminded me of ones I've seen describing Kimberlite pipes. How about a little illumination on why valuable ores and gems are often found with such structures, as opposed to the rest of the planet, which gives rise to the term "dirt poor"?janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05927176621372532733noreply@blogger.com