The Milky Way Over Devil's Tower

A beautiful photograph titled "The Milky Way Over Devil's Tower" by Wally Pacholka, via NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Gone To Comic-Con

We'll be at Comic-Con for the rest of the week. Look for some pictures if we get a chance to upload them!

Biological Goo Moves Down Alaskan Coast

I think I saw this on SciFi... no wait, SyFy... the other day, didn't I? In a story sure to remind you of cult horror films of ages past, a mysterious biological goo-like substance is creeping down the Alaskan coast. First discovered last week, the goo could be over 15 miles long (they don't know yet). Coast guard officers describe it as dark with a distinct odor. They've also found dead some dead jellyfish and a dead goose in it.

io9 is also carrying some pictures:

Scary stuff! (Even though it's probably just a huge algae bloom.)

Science and the Public

Ars Technica is running a great article entitled "The public trusts scientists - but not their conclusions". Citing a Pew Research Center study, the article mentions that while scientists are admired by the public, not all of them agree with their conclusions.

For example, 84% of scientists believe in man-made climate change, but only about 50% of the public agrees with these perceptions, and only 21% of self-identified conservative republicans believe in it. As the article points out, there is a divide between the scientific community and the public on controversial issues: while 97% of the scientists surveyed believed in evolution, one-third of non-scientists didn't.