Newt dumbs it down in presidential bid

Mother Jones has a quick article delving into New Gingrich's dark past... of supporting climate change science and global warming research!

Now, Gingrich is much less enthusiastic about science and the environment. And the explanation seems is fairly simple: Gingrich-the-professor likes grandiose ideas like earth-orbiting climate monitors, space honeymoons, a $40 billion investment in laptops for poor people, or bringing back the dinosaurs. But Gingrich-the-presidential hopeful is campaigning in an age where not just denying climate change but actively disdaining scientific research is the standard in the Republican Party.

Its disappointing to see someone who apparently knows and acknowledges the value of science and research choosing to put those opinions on the shelf. Going so far as to downplay those past episodes and putting a new spin on old quotes in an effort to appeal to the base of the party with the same anti-intellectual pronouncements as all the other relatively interchangeable candidates (no offense, Dr. Ron Paul).

Supercomputer successfully simulates Super String birth of universe

A group of researchers appears to have successfully modeled the birth of the universe on Super string theory. While the much-touted "theory of everything" has appeared to resolve a number of issues and inconsistencies between General Relativity and quantum mechanics, the calculations involved have been so complicated and interconnected that its actual effectiveness at describing the birth of the "3 + 1" universe that we inhabit today, has been up for some scrutiny.

More Evidence of Water on Mars

The Mars rover Opportunity has recently sent back data indicating that it has found gypsum on the planet. As it needs water in able to form, scientists see this as the definitive evidence that Mars at one time contained liquid water. Scientists are still looking for evidence that the planet ever contained life and are unsure of whether or not Val Kilmer needs to be sent on another mission.

TED Tuesday: How to Stop Asteroids from Killing Everything

In honor of our recent near miss, TED presents astronomy blogger Phil Plait and his plan to save the earth from impending doom. Apparently there are some subtle differences between us and the dinosaurs that we can use to our advantage. Take that sharp-toothed exstinct-asaurus!

Asteroid Nearing Earth, Aerosmith on Standby

This is it, the day President Morgan Freeman warned us about. Everyone gather your band of scruffy oil drillers and serenade your Liv Tylers. All military personel report to your tiny arrow shaped spaceships and prepare for take off. A huge asteroid is hurtling toward the planet and there's nothing we can do about it! Not that we need to, apparently this thing is going to completely miss us - but why waste time not reliving your favorite disaster scenes. "I'd still miss you babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing..."

(Source: Chicago Tribune)