Sunspots 837

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others:

Health: (and politics) An NPR graphic (with accompanying text) indicates that people living in Red states are considerably less likely to have been vaccinated for COVID than those living in Blue states.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight discusses QAnon beliefs, and points out that some of them have been around for decades, before QAnon was identified.

Science: The Scientist, and other outlets, report that rotifers, frozen in Siberian ice for 24,000 years, are still alive, and even able to reproduce.

NPR reports that a fossil dinosaur as long as a basketball court has been found in Australia.

NPR also reports that several varieties of apple, thought to have disappeared, still exist.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 832

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others:

The Arts: (and Christianity) A Relevant writer analyzes the theology of Star Wars.

Christianity: (and Politics) A Christianity Today writer presents data, comparing most of the countries of the world, indicating that the more Christianity becomes entangled with the government, the weaker it becomes.

A Relevant writer says that, too often, we assume that the woman described in Proverbs 31 is what a woman should be like. The writer points out that none of the women in the Bible seem to have held up that ideal.

Environment: Gizmodo has yet another warning about rising temperatures and Antarctica.

Health: The Scientist reports that COVID vaccination does protect against the most common variant strains.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight finds that our political views largely determine how we think the economy is doing, rather than the reverse.

Science: A Gizmodo report indicates that cats like to sit in squares, even illusory squares.

NPR reports on a fish, seven feet long, and probably 100 years old or more, that was caught and released by scientists.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

Thanks for looking!

 

Sunspots 824

 Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else: 

It's St. Patricks' Day. See this article from the History Channel.

The Arts: Listverse shows us beautiful, or interesting, photos of abandoned structures.

Christianity: (and politics) an insightful review of a book on Christian nationalism, by Tim Keller.

Christianity Today has an article about Henrietta Mears, who, in many ways, founded the 20th-century evangelical movement, and was a positive force for Christ. Billy Graham probably would never have come to prominence without her influence. (I'd never heard of her.)

Relevant reports on a survey that indicates that pastors are leaving churches because a significant portion of their attendees have become QAnon believers.

Christianity Today has an article urging redress of sentencing guidelines that have been unfair to African-Americans.

Computing: (and Education) Gizmodo reports that lots of children (and adults) still don't have internet access.

Health: Gizmodo reports that diphtheria infections are on the rise, because of mutated bacteria.

NPR reports that the frequency of alcohol-caused liver disease in young women has risen sharply.

Politics: (and Health, and Race) FiveThirtyEight examines the reasons why African-Americans are getting vaccinated against COVID less. It's not because they don't trust the shots, but because many of them lack internet access for signing up, and because distribution centers are less likely to be close to where they live.

Science: Gizmodo reports that some deep-sea bacteria are "invisible" to human immune systems. That is, they are not recognized as foreign, and attacked. This could be dangerous.

Gizmodo also reports that rainbows look different in Hawaii, and tells us why. (The article also explains rainbows, wherever they are.)

A mosquito, which carries human infectious diseases, has entered Florida from elsewhere, according to NPR.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 816

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

Christianity: Russell Moore, a Southern Baptist official, on the insurrection at the Capitol last week.

He Lives says that Uzzah, Ananias and Sapphira were not punished. An interesting idea.

Christianity Today on the bible used in incoming President Biden's inauguration.

Computing: (And politics) Gizmodo reports on "industrialized information," in other words, pumping out what's usually false or misleading stuff  as a business, or using such entities. It's growing. One of the worst offenders: Michael Bloomberg's unsuccessful run for President.

Environment: The Trump administration has enacted a rule that makes it easier for fossil fuel companies to pollute, according to Gizmodo.

And they have rolled back regulations that expected more efficiency in water heaters and gas furnaces.

And they have given a green light to a company that wants to mine on land considered sacred by the Apaches.

On the good news side, Gizmodo reports that a wolverine was photographed in Yellowstone National Park, and wolverines have also been seen at Mount Rainier National Park, for the first time in 100 years.

Ethics: Christianity Today considers three ethical questions related to COVID vaccines, and concludes that these should be taken.

Politics: Politico has a thorough article on 30 things that the Trump administration accomplished. My view is that some of them were for the good, some not. Yours probably would be the same, although perhaps we might differ on specifics.

Science: LiveScience on why it's so hard to swat a fly.

Gizmodo reports on the discovery of electric eels hunting in groups, something like wolves.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

Thanks for looking!