Comments on: Another one turns to the dark side… http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:36:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Robin Capper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70840 Robin Capper Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:20:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70840 Thanks for biting the link bait. I thought you'd like the video, I thought it was cool :-) Thanks for biting the link bait. I thought you’d like the video, I thought it was cool :-)

]]> By: Chris Lintott’s Universe » Carnival of Space #42 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70839 Chris Lintott’s Universe » Carnival of Space #42 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:12:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70839 [...] Entering the solar system, we pass an unremarkable point some 550 times as far from the Sun as the Earth is. Unremarkable, that is, apart from the fact that, as Centauri Dreams reports, it could be the destination for the FOCAL mission to create the world’s most powerful telescope. For basic navigation, Phil’s found someone to give him a hand. [...] [...] Entering the solar system, we pass an unremarkable point some 550 times as far from the Sun as the Earth is. Unremarkable, that is, apart from the fact that, as Centauri Dreams reports, it could be the destination for the FOCAL mission to create the world’s most powerful telescope. For basic navigation, Phil’s found someone to give him a hand. [...]

]]> By: Ken http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70838 Ken Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:37:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70838 Damn, that Lilly video was good. At first I was suspicious but at one point she definitely knew where the next country was and didn't turn around to look at anyone, and you couldn't shine a laser pointer or anything there. As for the kid..well, I dunno what the standard is for kids. I could name the planetary bodies and various compositions for them, types of stars etc by the time I was 6..but wow did that knowledge and interest evaporate when I learned that astronomy was maths instead of pictures and diagrams >_> Ah well, he's got a great head start. Damn, that Lilly video was good. At first I was suspicious but at one point she definitely knew where the next country was and didn’t turn around to look at anyone, and you couldn’t shine a laser pointer or anything there.

As for the kid..well, I dunno what the standard is for kids. I could name the planetary bodies and various compositions for them, types of stars etc by the time I was 6..but wow did that knowledge and interest evaporate when I learned that astronomy was maths instead of pictures and diagrams >_>
Ah well, he’s got a great head start.

]]> By: Buzz Parsec http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70837 Buzz Parsec Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:38:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70837 Well, top 10 anyway, but you should see my niece holding forth about cephalopods. And mollusks in general. The only person I've ever seen voluntarily pet a slug[1]. Talk about the *dark side*. (She's going to be 6 next week.) [1] Me: Isn't it slimy? Her: Of course. It's a slug. Well, top 10 anyway, but you should see my niece holding forth about cephalopods. And mollusks in general. The only person I’ve ever seen voluntarily pet a slug[1]. Talk about the *dark side*. (She’s going to be 6 next week.)

[1] Me: Isn’t it slimy?
Her: Of course. It’s a slug.

]]> By: Flounder http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70836 Flounder Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:10:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70836 Yipes! Dawkins calls it child abuse to call a kid a Muslim or a Catholic. But an astronomer! That's got to be super-duper child abuse! And such a cute kid, too. Kidding aside, I wish there where a lot more great parents like that in the world. Well done. Yipes! Dawkins calls it child abuse to call a kid a Muslim or a Catholic. But an astronomer! That’s got to be super-duper child abuse! And such a cute kid, too. Kidding aside, I wish there where a lot more great parents like that in the world. Well done.

]]> By: Seamyst http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70835 Seamyst Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:31:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70835 Awwww, he's adorable! Awwww, he’s adorable!

]]> By: Max Fagin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/comment-page-1/#comment-70834 Max Fagin Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:54:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/02/17/another-one-turns-to-the-dark-side/#comment-70834 Doctor: Well madam, I have some bad news for you. The test results for your son came back, and I'm afraid your son has what we call "The Knack." Mother: *GASP* What is "The Knack?" Doctor: Well, in technical terms, it's a mastery of all things scientific and technical, but a complete lack of anything resembling social skills. Mother: Oh no! Will he be able to live a normal life? Doctor: No, he'll have to be an engineer. Mother: Oh god! NO!! *sobs* Doctor: Well madam, I have some bad news for you. The test results for your son came back, and I’m afraid your son has what we call “The Knack.”

Mother: *GASP* What is “The Knack?”

Doctor: Well, in technical terms, it’s a mastery of all things scientific and technical, but a complete lack of anything resembling social skills.

Mother: Oh no! Will he be able to live a normal life?

Doctor: No, he’ll have to be an engineer.

Mother: Oh god! NO!! *sobs*

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