We can barely make out our own planet from the edge of our own solar system. Do you think we can see man-made structures from the center of our galaxies? Of course not. Does that mean they’re not visible from space?

Astrologers claim that the positions of the planets and “Zodiac” signs (constellations of stars) at the moment of our birth – and generally throughout our lives – affect our personality, mood and affairs.
We are going to test this hypothesis.

I thought it will be interesting to share this essay with you, as it was an exercise in critical thinking, one that I enjoyed researching. It raises some important issues about the scientific method and how important it is for scientists to constantly make sure they follow it.

Richard Saunders (Australian Skeptics, Skeptic Zone podcast, and more) brings the astrologer back to Earth and away from fantasy.

The “losing weight” trend is one of the better outcomes of reality TV, and it encourages people to take charge of their lives and live a healthier life. But there’s one thing that bugs me about this trend: The terminology.

Ramon’s personal diary fell close to 37 miles (almost 60 km) through the extreme conditions of re-entry. Unlike its human owner, it has survived the process and is now being restored and presented to the public in the Israeli Museum in Jerusalem.

A few months ago I released an experiment video explaining how Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth using the shadow of sticks. The method was performed almost two millenia ago, and produced quite accurate results (considering the ‘equipment’ used). But it was far from being the only (or first) method to understand our planet’s [...]

The Olympics Games are here (well, in Beijing) and everyone’s watching and trying to guess who will win a medal. But, apparently, even the Olympics is a source of scientific inquiry, and not just for geeks. The “Speedo” controversy raises some interesting points about the effect of a swimsuit on the swimmer, and the effect [...]

Awesome news came out yesterday about the JREF (James Randi Educational Foundation, that is responsible for The Amazing Meeting, among other things): Phil Plait (“The Bad Astronomer“) is the new President of the JREF! How awesome is that?
Check out the announcement on the Bad Astronomy blog!
Okay, beyond the fact that I have met Phil in [...]

So CNN was its usual alarmist-self yesterday, and published a full-blown story about a weird-looking animal that washed ashore in Montauk, Long Island. The alarmist-tone they shared wasn’t surprising – CNN tends to go to the extreme whenever a bee flatulates in the far east. What could have been amusing (if only people wouldn’t be [...]