The BBC Microcomputer was one of the first home computers. Physicist Richard Hill explains how it inspired him.

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This video was filmed and edited by Brady Haran.

Computerphile is a sister project to Brady Haran’s Numberphile. See the full list of Brady’s video projects at:http://periodicvideos.blogspot.co.uk/…

electricspacekoolaid:

sagansense:

USS Sagan – NCC 75055

via invaderxan

The USS Sagan - was a Federation Intrepid-class cruiserstarship in service to Starfleet in the late 24th century, entering active service around the 2370s decade. Via Memory Beta Star Trek Wiki

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lemonsweetie:

Let me tell you a thing, about an amazing man named Patrick Stewart

I went to Comicpalooza this weekend and I was full of nervous energy as I was standing in line to ask Sir Patrick Stewart a question at his panel. I first had to thank him for a speech he had given at amnesty international about domestic violence towards women . I had only seen it a few months ago but I was still dealing with my own personal experience with a similar issue, and I didn’t know what to call it. After seeing Patrick talk so personally about it I finally was able to correctly call it abuse, in my case sexual abuse that was going to quickly turn into physical abuse as well. I didn’t feel guilty or disgusting anymore. I finally didn’t feel responsible for the abuse that was put upon me. I was finally able to start my healing process and to put that part of my life behind me.

After thanking him I asked him “Besides acting, what are you most proud of that you have done in you life (that you are willing to share with us)?”. Sir Patrick told us about how he couldn’t protect his mother from abuse in his household growing up and so in her name works with an organization called Refuge for safe houses for women and children to escape from abusive house holds. Sir Patrick Stewart learned only last year that his father had actually been suffering from PTSD after he returned from the military and was never properly treated. In his father’s name he works with an organization called Combat Stress to help those soldiers who are suffering from PTSD.

They were about to move onto the next question when Sir Patrick looked at me and asked me “My Dear, are you okay?” I said yes, and that I was finally able to move on from that part of my life. He then passionately said that it is never the woman’s fault in domestic violence, and how wrong to think that it ever is. That it is in the power of men to stop violence towards women. The moderator then asked “Do you want a hug?”

Sir Patrick didn’t even hesitate, he smiled, hopped off the stage and came over to embrace me in a hug. Which he held me there for a long while. He told me “You never have to go through that again, you’re safe now.” I couldn’t stop thanking him. His embrace was so warm and genuine. It was two people, two strangers, supporting and giving love. And when we pulled away he looked strait in my eyes, like he was promising that. He told me to take care. And I will.

Sir Patrick Stewart is an absolute roll model for men. He is an amazing man and was so kind and full of heart. I want to let everyone know to please find help if you are in a violent or abusive house hold or relationship. There are organizations and people ready to help. I had countless people after the panel thanking me for sharing the story and asking him those questions. Many said they went through similar things. You are not alone.

X

^ Here is the video of my question to Sir Patrick Stewart

Photos by Eugene Lee, Thank you

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winchesterslittletimelord:

So this happened.

I love these people

(via wilwheaton)

Temp Job: An Update

To recap (skip to “The update” if you already know the story): I’ve been working on contract as a web developer for a little over a month. I like the the people I work with, the work environment, the work itself — basically, I have no complaints. Last week the people in charge asked me if I would be interested in working full time for them as a regular employee (they have the option to buy out my contract and hire me). Of course I said I was interested, and they said they’d get back to me in about a week. Well, yesterday was a week, and I didn’t hear anything. So, having gotten my hopes up with numerous previous job prospects (thinking I had done well in an interview, for example) only to hear back that they decided to go with someone else, I started to worry that the same thing was happening all over again.

The update: They made me an offer, thank goodness. My worrying truly was in vain. I asked for some time to think about it just to be thorough, but I’ve looked it over and spoken with my advisers (read: parents), and I’m going to accept it. I am relieved.

Temp Job

For the last 5 weeks I’ve been working a temp job as a web developer. The position is 3 month contract-to-hire, and is set to run out just before my apartment lease does. If I don’t get more work, I’m going to move back in with my parents and continue the job search.

Last week my bosses at the temp position asked me if I was interested in continuing as a regular, full-time employee. I told them I was interested and they said they’d get back to me the following week. It’s only been exactly one week, and with the holiday and one of my bosses being out sick yesterday, they might not have had time to come to a decision, but I still haven’t heard anything. I’m starting to fear that, once again, I’ve gotten my hopes up and nothing will come of this. Plus I’m starting to worry that I did or said something wrong, or didn’t do something I was supposed to. When I met with them last week, they said they’d heard nothing but good things, yet still I worry. This is how my brain works.

Edit: For once, when it comes to employment matters anyway, I’d like for my fears to be unfounded rather than my early optimism.

jtotheizzoe:

The radar is malfunctioning. Repeat, the radar is malfunctioning.

Stop. Don’t reblog that helical solar system on the Tumblr Radar or if you find it on a friend’s blog. Don’t like it. Don’t put it on Twitter or tell your friends on Facebook. Don’t go on and on about how you never knew that the solar system traveled this way through space. Don’t make sounds with your mouth like an explosion and say “Mind Blown!” because you never considered that the planets are rotating as they fly through space like a vortex. How did no one ever notice this revolutionary theory before?!?

Because it’s B.S., that’s why. I eviscerated the science (along with Phil Plait) back in March, when it made the rounds the first time. It’s a nifty animation, but it’s just not at all realistic.

As of now it has 130K+ notes on Tumblr, which makes Carl Sagan’s stardust cry. Chances are we can’t get everyone to delete it, but maybe we can spread the word that it isn’t true? And maybe we can at least get it off the radar? Truth soldiers of science, roll out!

Using your imagination to imagine new possibilities is a cornerstone of scientific discovery, but using fancy graphics to fool people into believing bad science is just mean. Here’s why the helical model of the solar system is a toilet-like vortex of bad science.

we-are-star-stuff:

If Earth Had a Ring Like Saturn

Our planet is lucky enough to have a large moon orbiting not too far away, which makes for very pretty moonlit nights. But for spectacular skies it might almost be worth trading in our moon for a ring like Saturn’s.

In fact, the earth did once have a ring - as part of the formation of our moon, ironically enough. When the planet Thea crashed into the earth, a titanic amount of material was blown into space. This went into orbit around the earth, forming a ring until it all eventually coalesced into our present-day satellite. This only happened because the material was orbiting outside of earth’s Roche limit.

In 1848, the French mathematician Edouard Roche calculated that if a large satellite were to approach too closely to a planet, it would be torn apart by the planet’s gravitational forces. This happens because the gravitational attraction of a planet on a moon is not equal. The planet pulls more on the side of the moon closest to it and less on the side further away. If the moon gets too close, this unequal pull can become great enough to tear the moon apart. Every planet has what is called a Roche limit.

Some astronomers believe that Saturn’s rings are material that was unable to form into a moon because it lies within the planet’s Roche limit. The gravitational pull of Saturn prevents particles from clumping together to form a moon. Another idea popular among scientists suggests that during the time when Saturn was first forming, it had one or more moons just outside its Roche limit. The bigger a planet is, the more gravity it has. And the more gravity it has, the bigger its Roche limit is. So as Saturn grew larger, its Roche limit grew, too. The limit soon moved past the inner moons and these moons soon broke apart. The remnants of the destroyed moons eventually formed the magnificent rings we see today. There may still be large pieces of these ancient moons within the rings. They would be much smaller than their ancestors but a thousand times larger than a typical ring particle. Another theory suggests that a few hundred million years ago - at a time when the early ancestors of the dinosaurs were roaming Earth - Saturn may have had no rings at all. The rings formed when one or more small moons wandered too close to Saturn. When they got within the Roche limit, Saturn’s gravity ripped them apart. After millions of years of bumping against one another, the pieces of moon were ground into the tiny particles that form the rings today.

If we had rings in the same proportion to our planet that Saturn’s are to it, it is pretty easy to figure out what they would like like from different places on the earth. From the equator the rings would be passing directly overhead. Since you’d be looking in the same plane as the rings, all you would see is a bright line arching from horizon to horizon. Here is what the rings might look like from Quito, Ecuador:

If we travel just a little further north to Guatemala, the rings begin to spread across the sky. The earthlight illuminating the dark side of the moon is many times brighter than we are accustomed to, due to the increased sunlight being reflected from the rings.

From Washington, DC (at 38° latitude), the rings begin to sink below the horizon, though they would still be an awe-inspiring sight as they dominate the sky both day and night.

At the Arctic Circle, the rings barely reach above the horizon. Seen here from Nome, Alaska, the brilliant rings illuminate the barren landscape scarcely more than a full moon would. Unlike the sun or moon, however, the rings neither rise nor set… they are always visible, day or night, always in exactly the same place.

(via project-argus)

beeishappy:

Stephen Colbert salutes UVA’s Class of 2013 Followed by this.

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wilwheaton:

I really hope Yahoo doesn’t fuck up Tumblr like it’s fucked up … well, every single thing it’s ever touched in the history of the universe.

(via fishingboatproceeds)