I Heart Geology

A geologist, a geochemist and a geophysicist are sitting in their office when someone comes in and asks, "What's 2 + 2?"

The geologist responds, "Oh, around four."

The geochemist says, "Four plus or minus two."

The geophysicist says, "What number do you want?"

Get it? WHAT NUMBER DO YA WANT?! Hahahahahahahahahahaha! I love geology.

Done and Done

Something about stem cells was in the news this week. I kind of tuned in and out. What do you want from me? It was a holiday weekend.

Also, did you know that Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated in October? It's true.

The (Mesozoic) Cow Jumped Over the (Steroid-Soaked) Moon

Hey there, science fans! It was a week with some interesting news about and involving science.

First, to the world of sports: Barry Bonds was indicted on perjury charges this week. The perjury in question was about his use of steroids, so how about a basic refresher: What are steroids? And just what are the effects of steroids on the human body?

The late fall and winter months are the best for stargazers and lunar observers. I'm a Moon man myself, and so I hope you'll join me in getting out the ol' telescope and lunar charts and take advantage of tonight's half-moon. Here's a guide to get you started.

Scientists this week revealed the discovery of a dinosaur whose appetite resembles that of a modern cow--plants, grasses and the like. Its mouth had several rows of teeth, better to chew that stringy cellulose. Learn more from the Los Angeles Times.

Um...Some Science-Type Stuff

The debate over Intelligent Design in this country has been going on for years (though exactly why escapes me--it ain't science). The always-enlightening PBS series NOVA profiles the struggle between science and ID in one Pennsylvania town in "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial," airing Tuesday, November 13 at 8:00 p.m. CST.

Anyone else tried searching for Comet Holmes? I got out my telescope and set up in the back of my truck Monday night, searching for what was billed as this spectacular comet. When I finally found the darn thing, it was just a fuzzy gray blob. Booooooooo. Hisssssssss. Maybe you'll have better luck--Holmes will be visible for another few weeks.

Gratuitous mention of a nifty Wikipedia article: the rings of Jupiter.

Finally, and on a lighter note, the Times of London presents a list of the ten wackiest science experiments of all time.

Shake, Rattle and Die

So on Tuesday, there was this earthquake, right? It was near San Jose. It was moderate one--only a 5.6--but it could portend larger temblors for the San Francisco Bay Area in the near future. But not many residents are preparing for such an event. Read more in the San Jose Mercury News.

Other than that, there was surely science conducted somewhere in the world this week. But you'll have to go elsewhere to read about it. And his wife...a horse.

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Fire Science

Obviously, the California wildfires have been leading newscasts and newspaper front pages this week. Perhaps not-so-obviously, there is a scientific side to the story.

Time magazine gives us an idea of the basic science behind wildfires.

There's a geographic take on the fires over USA Today.com. It's an interactive map you can manipulate to show different landmarks and weather data in relation to the fires.

The National Weather Service forecast offices in Los Angeles and San Diego are keeping close tabs on the Santa Ana winds that fan the flames.

And just what are the Santa Ana winds, anyway? How do they form, and what makes them so dangerous? NPR's Morning Edition offers up some answers. If you want a more in-depth explanation, you can get it from UCLA.

Weather or Not

One of the great figures in biology is in trouble for remarks he made in a newspaper--and not for the first time. James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, told the London Sunday Times that he's worried about the future of Africa, because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says not really." The 1962 Nobel laureate has since apologized, saying he didn't mean to imply Africans are less intelligent than other people. Nevertheless, he was suspended from his post at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, and an upcoming British book tour has also been quashed.

Seismologists have known for a while that, famous though San Andreas may be, it's not the most dangerous fault in California. Another fault, the Hayward, poses a bigger risk to the San Francisco/Oakland area, largely because the public doesn't understand the threat. Geologist Andrew Alden takes us on a tour of the Hayward Fault, and tells us why we need to pay more attention to it.

Turning to local issues in science, Alabama is moving quickly toward the fall tornado season. Folks in west Alabama got a preview Thursday as two tornadoes touched down in Winston County. The National Weather Service's Birmingham office has more. NWS' Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, has great background information on the science behind tornadoes and severe storms.

Next week in the Chanticleer, look for my feature story about the present and future of Jacksonville's water system. The recent drought is making the headlines, but it's population growth that will shape the course of water supplies in Jacksonville. It depends on geology, climate, hydraulics, gravity, politics and many other factors that may give you pause next time you turn on the tap.