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U=(N/T)M*G

U=(N/T)M*G: TOY

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Science finds stuff in weird places all the time. The nightmare creatures in the depths of the ocean. Sand rivers on Mars. Probable diamond storms on Neptune and Uranus. Living creatures in thermal vents, as well as the freezing vacuum of space. I have to say, this one made me giggle. Time crystals have been found in those rock-growing kits for children. Yes, I know what that sounds like. A material that has proven difficult to create in a lab setting is something that kids make on the regular to learn about crystals. Wild, right? It’s also presented some real … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: CAT

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Ah, another holy grail of science fiction and science has once again caught my eye and imagination in a interesting fashion. The culprit, this time, is time-travel. Sort of. Allow me to explain. It all starts with quantum physics. You know, that branch of science guilty of giving people headaches since it went mainstream with Schrödinger’s infamous half alive, half dead cat. Schrödinger thought it would be a grand idea to theorize about quantum entanglement with the great Einstein, even if it left him with a sour taste in his mouth. Well, some enterprising scientists went in another direction with … Read more

U+(N/T)M*G: Edge

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Out in a lonely spot, somewhere around the vast Australian desert, there sits a little machine one might mistake for a shiny table. And that machine did something our most powerful telescopes couldn’t do. It found the first stars. The EDGES is a highly sensitive radio telescope with only one job, to find the faint frequency signal from the one-hit wonders at the beginning of stellar formation. The blue ones which burned hot and died young in glorious nova, and seeded the Universe with heavier atoms. The deaths of those first cosmic pioneers gave rise to what we needed for … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Found

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Sometimes, in the course of innocuous browsing for a topic, one comes across a cool bit of science and an unexpected tidbit pops up that really gets the muse going. This happened to me today. Almost two decades ago, NASA launched a little satellite whose mission was to study our magnetosphere. The neat little guy, IMAGE, sent us back a lot of real photographic gems of our little mudball and information that added to our scientific understanding of our world. It showed us the unique qualities of the protective, living shield our core generates, and how it interacts with our … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Switch

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The Y chromosome, which about half the planet’s population carries, is an interesting little thing. In humans, and most other species, it’s one of many traits to identify a male. Of course, this is not always the case. A lot of people put stock in that unique little Y. Its presence, and the corresponding genitalia, have dominated history and culture and power for most of humanity’s stint on our little mudball. While it may take another 4 million years, that little chromosome appears to be on the way out. The problem looming for Y is a common trait found in … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Spy

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The white blood cell, staunch ally in the fight for our bodies, is well known and revered for its heroic attempts in battle. This minuscule part of our blood is near mythical in its abilities. A few days ago, scientists gave us another piece of their methods in ensuring our well-being. Like spies just waiting for their target to appear, these cells burst into action once a foreign body infiltrates and gives on the ground information as the tides of battle shift in a constant state of chaos. Memory cells work in concert with the average foot soldiers to defend … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Vanished

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For all the spy fans, all the tech geeks, all the science fiction aficionados, I bring this humble offering on one of the Holy Grails of fiction. Invisibility. Yes, you read that right. We, as a species, have been chasing that lofty ability since we understood what it was. We’ve blended into the scenery with clever disguises of mud and leaves, hoping our prey didn’t see us. There are reams of accounts of Native cultures on their seeming mystic ability to disappear from their enemies’ sights. Our myths are chock full of Gods that unveil themselves from some dark space … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Shadow

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It’s no secret we know more about the stars above us, than the Earth below our feet. However, we’re making strides to resolve our ignorance now that we’re paying closer attention. Case in point, scientists have found something a little weird in the water. I’m talking about the Pacific Ocean. It has my creative Muse tingling in glee over possibilities. There is a shadow zone, it’s been discover. A deep, huge pool of water that hasn’t seen the light of day in about 2,000 years. You read that right. The water trapped in that area was last on the surface … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Moriarty

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See that pretty dragon-scale Betta I set as the feature image? That’s the infamous Moriarty. He sits on my desk, my evil co-writer. Moriarty, while a great co-writer, is an evil asshole. I’m not kidding. He’s mean, flashy, and loves to fluff up every time I come close. He’s also an attempted murderer. The poor gold snail that shared his tank for a week had to be moved. I also have Mycroft, an aloof and beautiful Betta that sits on my nightstand, as well as the Baker Street tiger barbs, Watson and Holmes and Lestrade. They’re feisty, curious and love … Read more

U=(N/T)M*G: Occluded

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As if the tales and exploits of Vikings weren’t enough to prove their badass nature, I’ve got something that will prove it for all time: sólarsteinn and it’s companion sun board. In the history of the ancient world, those civilizations capable of seafaring were considered the top of pyramid. The oceans, seas and great rivers presented a lot of a society’s resources and wealth, and the ability to harvest that wealth was paramount to a success society. Of course, some were more daring than others when it came to the oceans. Vikings, of course, got crazy with it. There’s even … Read more