Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
by Grania
Those in the eastern hemisphere are already in 2018, the rest of us are soon to be there. However your 2017 went, and there most likely highs and lows, here’s to a better 2018.
As 2017 draws to a close, we revisit some of the most important words ever written about our planet. pic.twitter.com/ogvgZic4DW
— Planetary Society (@exploreplanets) December 31, 2017
by Grania
While we are on the subject of social media, GooglePlus is one of the least popular. It’s never really been able to compete with Facebook; despite being moreorless the same, at least in its original intentions.
One of the things I like about it is that as a result of its unpopularity there are fewer posts about What I ate with my two-shot half-caff double-froth soy latte in this trendy little coffee shop and a lot more interest groups. I often check in on the Science Sunday hashtag which is where posts about all sorts of science-related subjects get aggregated. The hashtag will range from deep space to sharks to environmental issues to robots to bees to silly science-based cartoons and jokes. It’s always worth a browse.
This mesmerizing jellyfish gif (pronounced however you like it) has sparked an interesting conversation.
Do you have any less-visited sites you go to?
Reader Amy reports the death of her beloved cat, “Kitten”, but also sent some pictures of his long and happy life. This post is Amy’s memorial to Kitten. Her words are indented, and do read and pay attention to Amy’s final remark:
I seem recall a recent post where a WEIT reader’s cat died of a saddle thrombosis. This was the recent fate of our dear Kitten in late November. Fortunately, we were home at the time and quickly bundled him in the car at 3 a.m. for a very long 30’ drive to a 24 hour vet clinic for euthanasia. He was featured in an October 2014 WEIT post “spot the orange cat”. He was very proud of this, his only publication (reproduced below).
Kitten was 18 and ruled our house and lives for 16 years (he was 2 years old when he adopted us). He was a very special cat; as they all are.
Here are some photos of him enjoying a few of his favorite things. It was hard to select just a few photos out of hundreds.
** Smelling stinky shoes.
What is it about cats and boxes?
Of, course…sleeping.
Surveying his kingdom from on high.
Here he is exploring the vet exam room. The picture on the wall says “We humans are indeed fortunate if we happen to be chosen to be owned by a cat.”
Looking for potential prey.
He loved to pose for the camera. You have to agree he was most handsome.
Here’s to all those cats out there. Humans, give your cat(s) a special scratch and treat in honor of Kitten!!
by Grania
Welcome to the last day of the year. I hope you have an obligatory bottle of something bubbly to celebrate with.
Twitter round-up for the day includes a beautiful photograph of space from earth. The photographer adds that it was taken with “A Nikon D800 with Nikkor 14-24mm, f/2.8. It’s a 4 panel panorama all shot at f/2.8, ISO 2500, 30 seconds.”
This is probably my favorite shot of 2017. 🙂 The Milky Way stretching across the sky, Venus shining bright, the Andromeda galaxy, Pleiades, weak aurora, airglow and the snowy frozen river. ❤ @VirtualAstro @SPACEdotcom @ProfBrianCox pic.twitter.com/7xPB5ZbcUx
— Mia Stålnacke (@AngryTheInch) December 30, 2017
There’s an interesting conversation about language over on Twitter and the meaning of names.
And a fascinating short video of the freezing surface of the Great Lakes
Pancakes aren't just for the griddle! Have you witnessed pancake ice roll in on the Great Lakes? 📸: Insta fan the_life_of_lunabear in Luna Pier #PureMichiganWinter pic.twitter.com/zNZwLidzwR
— Pure Michigan (@PureMichigan) December 30, 2017
Finally, Princess Hili shows her gratitude with all level of graciousness we have come to expect.
Andrzej: Happy New Year.
Hili: Thanks, come with such treats for the whole year.
Andrzej: Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku.
Hili: Dziękuję, przynoś takie przysmaki przez cały rok.
Just to let you know what’s up, I fly from Trivandrum to Delhi today—the entire length of India—and it’ll take 3.5 hours. In Delhi, some good friends at Jawaharlal Nehru University are giving me a birthday dinner, and then I’ll go to my digs for the rest of my stay: the guest house of the Indian National Science Academy. I’ll do some shopping and sightseeing, and give one public talk on January 4th. Then I fly back home, with my flight leaving at 2 am (!) on the morning of January 5th. There’s nothing like the loneliness of Indira Gandhi Airport in the middle of the night!
Happy New Year to all, and may you have plenty of noms in 2018!
by Grania
Every so often I wonder whether Twitter has become a victim of its own success, that the sheer volume of people on the platform have made it difficult to navigate for people who are new to it.
But then you get threads like this one that makes you realise that it is still a powerful and wonderful tool for connecting all the most useful people instantly and communicating ideas.
I highly doubt that the experts weighing in on this issue made much difference to the surly and unimpressed “skeptic”, but they managed to reach a lot of other people.
by Matthew Cobb
From top left: a group of bharal (or Himalayan blue sheep), a Himalayan ibex, snow leopard 1, snow leopard 2. There is also a blob at about 4 o’clock of snow leopard 1 that is probably a rock, but if you squint, looks like a third cat…
