The Sun... It's Hot

So, let's say you're working on your nice little story about the team of scientists on a mission to the sun. Never fear, they'd go at night, to avoid burning up - but you just wish you had a primer of some sort to ground you in some of the things you might want to know.

Well, infographic weekend continues with this beauty below:

by Column Five Media.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

A Handy Tip For Looking Your Best When Time Traveling

I wonder if the Doctor has this hanging up in his Tardis. And yes, the weekend of infographic porn continues.

I'd be thrilled if I were able to go back to ancient Rome and complain that my Urine mouthwash wasn't genuine Portuguese Urine. I mean, they'd never suspect I was a time traveller then.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

We All Know the Sun is Big... But HOW Big?

I am an unapologetic sucker for any size comparison chart. I found this one, which isn't quite as powerful as some of the videos I've seen on the same topic. But it's still pretty cool.

Check out this link for a more interactive view of how big things are> --> CLICK ME

So remember, when you send the characters in your space opera to Mu Cephi, don't forget that it's pretty big. It might make for a complicated calendar for folks living there.

by nihokrauss.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

It's An Infographic Party!

I posted an infographic here a few weekends ago about the future of the cosmos (assuming what we think we know about chemistry, physics, etc, is correct). Needless to say, it was amazing.

Well, for this weekend's infographic pornfest, below is a look at, well, time. I hope you can see this in its intended glory (clicking on it may help), it's marvelous.

by mayra.artes.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Finally, I Now Can See All the Places Homer Simpson Has Visited!

Outside of Star Trek, I spent the 90's watching three shows on television. Seinfeld, Friends, and The Simpsons. Now, I may have seen other shows. But I have to stop and think about things. Was Farscape on in the 90's? I don't know, I loved it, but I don't associate it with that decade.

Hmmm... I guess the X-Files was a show of the 90's too.

Well, before I start thinking about this too much, I figured I'd share the infographic below, which I stumbled upon this past week. It's every place that the Simpsons traveled to across the globe.

I would point out, that the marks on the maps are only approximate locations. I live in Knoxville, and when the episode of the Simpsons aired, it did make a story in our paper. And our local historian wrote a story about the real references to the city the writers (probably) made.

But, it is about 300 miles east of where it's represented on the map.

I'm just sayin.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Japanese Fart Scrolls... It's a Thing.

I don't have a lot of words to explain this. Please follow the link and... er, enjoy.

Japanese Fart Scrolls

Taken from the article linked to above...

"The whole scroll, which is called He-Gassen (“The Fart Battle”) is just about people farting. Farting at other people, farting at cats, farting off of horses, farting into bags; just farting everywhere."

Lucky for us, there was also a video produced discussing these infamous 'fart scrolls.' [Edited to add that while the video is somewhat of a joke, the actual scrolls, best I can tell, are legitimate artifacts]

Hope this weekend has been good for you.

How to Experience the World Like an Alien!

As a writer, one of the most fascinating people I've come across on the internet, not someone I know, but someone I've seen, is Tommy Edison.

I've always wanted to write a story told from a truly alien perspective. Tommy shows me how by just being blind, that he thinks about the world in a radically different way than I do. If I can't see things from a different angle then I can never hope to write my alien story.

Tommy has been blind since birth, and has been putting up YouTube videos forever about what it's like to live this way. I've found them endlessly fascinating because each time I watch one, I learn some new thing I take for granted.

Unfortunately, I can't embed some of my favorites of his, but his perspective on the world is so radically shaped by how he's experienced it. I love this guy.




I love it, "How do you lose stuff? Can't you SEE?"

Neil DeGrasse Tyson: I Love That Man

I don't actually know that man, but I have a lot of love in my heart, and am willing to share it, from afar, until I feel it's been misplaced. So, I currently love Neil, who gave an interview that I also love.

This is the backbone of Science Fiction. This is why I write. I may not be able to instill the sense of wonder in others that this sort of thing evokes in me. But that is the reason I try.

The first SF book I read that wasn't Star Trek related, as an adult, was Ring, by Stephen Baxter. It took a real scientific mystery (discussed in the video below) and made it the central item the novel's heroes had to uncover if they hope to save the world from disaster.

I tip my hat to Neil. It's a long interview, so grab a bag of chips, sit back, an enjoy.

Once You Die, You Still Have Choices to Make

Attentive followers might note that last weekend Sandra posted a great short video that gave an admirable explanation for Fermi's Paradox.

Well, from the same creator is an even shorter video on what life will finally be like once we can upload our consciousness and live forever.

Enjoy