Sunspots 969

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

Phys.org reports on a study of the interaction between Supreme Court justices. It's not just  "conservative" vs. "liberal."

Phys.org also reports on research that indicates that dogs can think about objects, not just people.

The Tri-State Livestock News reports on feeding algae to bees to fight bee viruses.

Newsweek reports on why cheetahs are so fast.

Phys.Org reports that some crab spiders work together to mimic flowers. Amazing.

A Conversation writer tells us that the so-called Deep State is a good thing.

ScienceAlert reports that coral reefs have a soundscape, and that this changes when the moon rises.

Sunspots 960

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

Environment: NPR discusses the decline in the axolotl population.

Health: (or something:) A Conversation writer discusses bullying.

NPR reports that there are no effective remedies for the common cold.

Politics: NPR reports that reporting on climate change can lead to harassment, even death threats, to government scientists and TV weather personnel.

A Conversation writer tells us about the different ethnic groups among Jews in Israel.

Science: ScienceAlert reports that we have not understood how bees keep warm enough in winter.

Gizmodo reports on research indicating that chinstrap penguins take thousands of very short naps every day, apparently a behavior that helps keep them safer.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunspots 927

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

Environment: The Bradford, or Callery pear (it has other names), though attractive, is an invasive pest, according to a discussion in The Conversation.

Sargasso weed mats are growing quickly in the Atlantic Ocean, and it's not clear what should be done, according to The Guardian.

Health: NPR reports that changing our clocks, as most of us probably did a few days ago, may harm our health.

Science: A mathematician suggests that, in addition to pi day (March 14) we celebrate e day, the golden ration day, and perhaps other useful mathematical concepts and constants.

A writer for The Conversation discusses how bees learn the dancing language that points other bees to external resources.

The Scientist reports that a wiring diagram for the brain of a larval fruit fly has been developed. It's complicated.

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunspots 918

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

Computing: Gizmodo reports on an app that is designed to differentiate between human-written and ChatGPT output.

Gizmodo also reports that a company is trying to find lawyers who will let their artificial intelligence entity argue a case before the Supreme Court.

Politics: (and Sports, and Health) Anti-vaxxers are blaming COVID vaccination for Damar Hamlin's collapse, during an NFL game, and claiming other problems experienced by athletes, according to Gizmodo.

The Conversation has an article on Netanyahu's attack on democracy in Israel and the West Bank.

Science: The Scientist reports that some animals are changing their shape in response to climate change.

The Scientist also discusses microgenes -- tiny sections of DNA that are, in some cases, unique to humans.

Gizmodo reports that an organism that consumes viruses has been found.

Gizmodo also reports that the US Department of Agriculture has approved vaccinating bees. (Bee populations have declined in recent years, partly due to an infectious disease.)

And Gizmodo reports that stars which are at the edge of our galaxy have been identified.

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading. 

Sunspots 861

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

Christianity: Relevant tells us that Christmas was not largely stolen from pagan celebrations.

Computing: Gizmodo reports that Microsoft is making progress on storing information in DNA, rather than on tape or in other ways usually used in computers.

Environment: The Biden administration is approving fossil fuel leases at a higher rate than the Trump administration did, according to Gizmodo.

Health: (and Politics) NPR reports that counties that were strongly pro-Trump in the last election have "far higher death rates. [from COVID]"

Politics: FiveThirtyEight tells us what Americans really think about abortion.

Science: Gizmodo reports on a study that indicates that dog breeds are highly inbred.

Gizmodo reports that four states experienced record high temperatures for December.

Gizmodo also reports on bees that survived a volcanic eruption.

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

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 852

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

Christianity "Resurrecting Orthodoxy" explains what the Bible says about demons. It's complicated.

(and Computing) Relevant reports that the most-viewed Christian Facebook feeds, so-called, are almost all run by troll farms in Eastern Europe. (For what it's worth, I'd never seen or heard of any of them, except the Guideposts feed, which is apparently not run by such a troll farm.)

Relevant also has an article examining the idea of modesty. It's complicated, and many of us have been operating as if it's simple.

Environment: Gizmodo reports that a bee swarm killed over 60 endangered penguins in South Africa.

Gizmodo also reports that summer 2021 wildfires, mostly in the US and Siberia, emitted more carbon dioxide than the country of India did.:

Politics: An audit of Arizona's fall Presidential election ballots, by a firm picked by the GOP legislators, found that, is anything, President Biden got more votes than were reported in November, according to Fox News and other outlets.

FiveThirtyEight on why bipartisanship in the Senate is so rare.

Science: Gizmodo tells us about tiny parasitic, nearly transparent fish found in the Amazon.

NPR reports that Mars may have been too small to hold its water from gradually escaping Martian gravity.

Gizmodo reports on the creation of new languages -- there have been some such, recently.

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

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 811

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

Christianity: A Christianity Today article indicates that, although many people are cautious about altering our genes, evangelical Christians are more skeptical than the general public.

A Relevant article considers the question of whether God may have created (or allowed) intelligent beings on other worlds. (There are about 2 trillion galaxies, and it is supposed that there are many possibly habitable planets in most or all of these.

Relevant also reports that Beth Moore, an evangelical leader, has spoken out against "Trumpism." (And "Bidenism.")

(And politics) Relevant also has an article discussing Christian Nationalism.

Environment: According to a USA Today article, the total mass of all human-produced objects on earth is now greater than the total mass of living things.

(and politics) Gizmodo reports that Ryan Zinke, formerly Secretary of Interior, who facilitated removing over a million acres from Bears Ears national monument, has had an official portrait, featuring him on a horse in that monument.

(and politics) NPR reports that contractors are pushing to get as much of the border wall erected as possible, before Donald Trump leaves office. Environmental groups, and others, are against this.

(and politics) President Trump has done less to protect endangered species than any President since Johnson, according to Gizmodo.

Health: A tool to let you see how full your local hospitals are, and how many COVID patients there are.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight provides a thorough discussion of Presidential pardons.

Science: Some bees have been found to add to their colony defenses by spreading animal feces near the opening. Scientists aren't sure why this works, or if it would repel so-called murder hornets.

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

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 786

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

Christianity: A Sojourners writer is not happy with Franklin Graham's actions on racial justice. The same writer commends the record of Franklin's father, Billy Graham.

A Christianity Today writer says that the recent LBGT Supreme Court ruling was not a death knell for church and state relations.

Christianity Today also has a good article on simple things you can do to enhance your Bible-reading.

Ken Schenck offers thoughts on the Prodigal Parent, on Father's Day.

Computing: An article that says that the real bias of social media platforms isn't against conservatives, but is for extreme views of all stripes.

ListVerse suggests 10 alternatives to commonly used web applications and web sites. The claim is that these alternatives do a better job of protecting your privacy.
 
Environment: Another report, from Gizmodo/Earther, that honeybees are threatened.


Finance: FiveThirtyEight on how the stock market has stayed pretty healthy, while the economy, by most measures, has been hit pretty hard by the COVID pandemic.

NPR reports that banks, and other businesses, are running low on coins -- like pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters.

Health: Gizmodo tells us that Anthony Fauci downplayed the effect of COVID-19 early on, and says that he actually lied about the effectiveness of masks, so that they would be available for health workers.

Gizmodo also tells us that we should shut the toilet lid before flushing.


Politics: A writer for Sojourners is not impressed by the Trump administration's record on religious freedom.

The fourth of a series of posts by Joel Edmund Anderson, taking an in-depth look at the racial situation in the US.

FiveThirtyEight says that the firing of the head attorney for the Southern District of New York was wrong, for four important reasons.

So far, President Trump's poll numbers show that white evangelicals are not nearly as solidly for him as they have been, according to a Fox News poll, reported by Relevant.

Science: Gizmodo reports that astronomers may have discovered a new category of object, larger than our sun, but not much larger.


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

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 756

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

The Arts: The Scientist has posted photos of art made by placing microorganisms on a culture dish. 

Christianity: (and politics) Christianity Today reports on the favorite verses of the Democratic candidates for President.

Christianity Today also reviews a book on Christianity being compatible with socialism.

Relevant reports on an interview with Pete Buttigieg, about the Bible.

Relevant also has a tribute to Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
Computing: (And politics) Rolling Stone has an article about how Russians really operate in the social media universe. (It's probably not the way you think.)

Politics: Five Thirty Eight analyzes the reaction to the November 20th debate between Democratic candidates for President.

(or something) A Utah woman has been charged with a crime because she took her shirt off in her own home, according to NPR.

Science: Gizmodo tells us how bees escape when they fall into water.

Mosquitoes are being infected with bacteria, then released, as a way to combat some mosquito-borne virus diseases, according to NPR.

Gizmodo reports on research on brain function in persons who have had half of their brains removed. Function was remarkably good.


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

Sunspots 685

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

The Arts: (Or Philosophy, or something) David Brooks, of the New York Times, tells us that there has been a cultural contest between Athens and Jerusalem, or myths versus parables, for a long time. He describes the characteristics of each, and the virtues that they celebrate. One amazing statistic: three times as many people watched a video gaming event than watched the recent Super Bowl. I thank one of my brothers for pointing me to this article.

Christianity: Christianity Today reports on a study that indicates that people are more likely to change churches because of changes in doctrine in the church than because of pastoral change, or music change.

(and politics) A number of Christian leaders, including the President of the National Association of Evangelicals, an official of the Southern Baptist Convention, and a spokeswoman for The Wesleyan Church, and others, issued a statement on immigration on July 3. "America can be great only if we are good." And, being "good" includes treating immigrants in a Christ-like manner. 
Food: ListVerse tells us how 10 popular foods, including potato chips and ice cream cones, were invented by accident.

Health: Gizmodo suggests that we not use spray sunscreen.

Gizmodo also reports that a government study says most of us don't wash our hands properly.

Humor: (And Food) NPR reports on a mostly friendly Twitter war between the Departments of Agriculture of South Carolina and Georgia over which state grows the most, and best, peaches.


Politics: National Public Radio and many other sources report that Scott Pruitt has resigned as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency. His acting replacement is an energy lobbyist. Sigh. Pruitt did several questionable things, and seemed determined to tear down environmental protections. See also Gizmodo. FiveThirtyEight says that President Trump's cabinet has had more changes than any President's in 40 years. Scientific American reports on Andrew Wheeler, the acting head of the EPA, who must be approved by the Senate to take that office.

FiveThirtyEight analyzes the politics of abortion. Not all Republicans are anti-abortion, and not all Democrats are pro-abortion.

Science: NPR reports on how some farmers are creating places for bees, other than honeybees, to live. They pollinate alfalfa, an important food for cows. There are signs up, in certain areas of Washington State, requiring drivers to slow to 20 mph, so as not to kill bees crossing roads.

Sports: Steve Hartman, of CBS News, reports on a high school athlete who was put on the swimming team, even though he couldn't swim, and how the young man fared, and what he thinks of failure.

Thanks for looking!

Image source (public domain)

Sunspots 537

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

The Arts: (or something) Lego-like blocks have been produced, only they are large enough to build real furniture and buildings.

Christianity: Relevant on "How Worry Warps Your View of God," and how to get the right view back.

Benjamin L. Corey gives 12 signs that you got your "Biblical" Worldview from Fox News (not the Bible).

Computing: Gizmo's Freeware reviews free Virtual Private Networks.

Finance: From the New York Times, an interactive web site that helps you decide whether to rent or purchase a home, based on your own data.

Health: Relevant wants to know "Why Don't Churches Ever Talk About Physical Health."

Politics: Benjamin L. Corey also thinks that some people go way too far in their defense of gun rights.

Science: In a report published this week in Nature, we learn that there are about three trillion trees on the earth.

Wired reports that royal jelly doesn't result in queen bees in the way we have thought it did.



Image source (public domain)

Sunspots 520

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


Christianity: (and politics) Christianity Today has an essay on the Indiana so-called religious freedom law, The essay points out some serious exaggerations by at least two sides in the argument over the law, and gives some good advice to Christians on the future of same-sex relationships in the US.

The 22 questions that John Wesley wanted Christians to ask themselves every day. (Public domain, and available from several other sites.)
Computing: Gizmo's Freeware recommends a web site that compares anti-virus software.
Ethics: A New York Times columnist writes about a "Moral Bucket List." He says that there are two kinds of virtues, "the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues," and we reward the first kind, but they really don't matter as much as the "eulogy virtues."
Politics: An essay on "taking the county back." The author says that Jesus didn't, and Israel, at that time, had really been taken from the Jews, in many senses.
Science: Wired tells us that honeybees aren't going to go away, but about 4,000 other species of bees are in danger.
Wired also reports on a creature known as the disco clam -- it produces flashes of light. The report has a couple of brief videos.
Sports: FiveThirtyEight presents an argument that Women's NCAA basketball is better than men's basketball.

Image source (public domain)

Sunspots 486

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to

someone else:
Computing: Slate reports on what happens to the e-books, music, and other digital assets you have paid for, when you die. It is entirely possible that your relatives would have no rights to them, it turns out.
Fox News reports that we may have microchips implanted in us, in the near future.
If you have several thousand dollars to spend, Wired says that a new generation of TVs is about to be released.
Science:  Wired reports on beautiful blue bees, which make their living by stealing from other bees.
Wired also reports on our fingernails, which grow much faster than our toenails.


Image source (public domain)

The Bible and protecting the environment

This blog didn't have any Earth Day post this year. Sorry. The above graphic is an attempt to make up for that failure. But, just as Christ is risen every day of the year, the earth should be cared for every day of the year.

For an essay on what the Bible says about caring for the environment, and it says a lot, see here.

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 348

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

Science: Fox News reports that hybrid sharks have been found near Australia, and briefly discusses the implications.

NPR reports that a parasitic fly may be responsible for much of the die-off in bees in recent years.

The Arts: Rebecca Luella Miller, of the Speculative Faith blog, concludes (I think) a series about J. R. R. Tolkien's Christianity.

Image source (public domain)

Sunspots 243

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

Science:
Wired reports on an analysis that indicates that the decline of bee colonies has several causes, rather than a single one.

Wired also reports (with a photograph) on a newly discovered, very large species of spider.

A small asteroid will come pretty close to the earth today, according to Wired.

Christianity:
Henry Neufeld objects to the notion that Christianity is a "deal."



Image source (public domain)

Sunspots 106

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

On May 6, it will be 02:03:04 on 05/06/07, or, if you don't like that, it will also be 12:03:04 on 05/06/07.

Science: The National Geographic says that the early English colonists caused some big changes to the ecology of the Eastern part of North America, by bringing in new species, including earthworms and honeybees, and by practices such as the intensive cultivation of tobacco (which is a New World plant).

A visual of all the known objects in the solar system that are more than 200 miles in diameter. (Two versions, one small and one large)

Semi-identical twins have been identified.

CNN reports that honeybee populations are declining, due to some unknown "Colony Collapse Disorder." This is a huge threat to the food supply.

Politics: (or something) Web presentation on the victims of gang violence in Oakland.

Sports: Slate on why basketball, especially NBA playoff basketball, is hard to watch on TV.

Computing: The NET Bible, when its new copyright policy is implemented, can be used in blogs. The ESV Bible has a copyright policy such that it can be quoted in blogs, without obtaining permission.

Someone saw fit to artificially enhance (digitally) Emma Watson, who plays Hermione in the Harry Potter movies. Shame.

Literature: E. Stephen Burnett on fantastic literature as escapist: "Instead, I contend, it is precisely because it is Escapist that we should read it."

Christianity: Arevanye has posted a poem by C. S. Lewis, on the seven deadly sins.

Thanks for reading! Keep clicking away.

Image source (public domain)