Did you know?

[R2D2]

The Muffin Man?

 

[Friesiansam]

@12th Monkey This popped up on my TwittX feed, via Prof Brian Cox:

L1527 (MIRI image)

L1527 (MIRI image)

esawebb.org

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

@12th Monkey This popped up on my TwittX feed, via Prof Brian Cox:

L1527 (MIRI image)

L1527 (MIRI image)

esawebb.org

Hell of a picture!

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The world's tallest aqueduct is near Llangollen, and stands at 126ft tall:



You can canoe over it - and this is what it looks like:

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Reading a book about the extremes in nature/physics etc. The one on loudness is interesting. The French Horn is the loudest unamplified instrument, and a third of players under 40 have some related hearing loss. Something like Saturn V taking off is around 200dB, whereas Krakatoa or Tunguska were reckoned to be between 300-315dB*. Above 160dB at close range is apparently 'probably not survivable'.

*Being near anything like this would not only blow your eardrums, but also pulverise organs and shatter bones.

 

[Friesiansam]

Reading a book about the extremes in nature/physics etc. The one on loudness is interesting. The French Horn is the loudest unamplified instrument, and a third of players under 40 have some related hearing loss. Something like Saturn V taking off is around 200dB, whereas Krakatoa or Tunguska were reckoned to be between 300-315dB*. Above 160dB at close range is apparently 'probably not survivable'.

*Being near anything like this would not only blow your eardrums, but also pulverise organs and shatter bones.

I read somewhere, a very long time ago, that the low frequency vibrations generated by the Saturn V at lift-off, would cause internal rupturing in large animals, up to around a kilometre away.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I read somewhere, a very long time ago, that the low frequency vibrations generated by the Saturn V at lift-off, would cause internal rupturing in large animals, up to around a kilometre away.

It also described how sound changes above 194dB, because the acoustic energy is so high that it overcomes atmospheric pressure - which is why rocket sound is a sort of crackle.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

From the same book, about density.

A cricket ball weighs roughly 160g.
One made of lead would weigh 2.2kg.
One made of gold would weigh 3.8kg.
One made of osmium would weigh 4.4kg.
One made of plasma from the centre of the sun would weigh 31kg.
One made of neutron star material would weigh 200,000,000,000 tonnes - about the same as Mount Everest.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

From the same book:

If you had the visual acuity of an Eagle, you'd be able to spot an ant on the pavement from the top of a ten-storey building.

Rather than keep quoting from it, I'll give it a plug - author is nothing to do with me for clarity. And ignore the rubbish title...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ka-boom-Science-Extremes-David-Darling/dp/0861548035/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1K4JQQL5K710D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uQiuu683XK53KrGyKlrlDg.wdbnFh37HI1ZSn6yHBCam_Lnqq6FsJ5PvYP3Ri-xs7g&dib_tag=se&keywords=kaboom+david+darling&qid=1721553979&sprefix=kaboom+david+darling%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1

 

[Gray]

....that reminds me of my last plane trip.
I said
"look at all those people down there, they look like ants".
Bloke next to me said
"They are ants....we haven't taken off yet".

 

[Friesiansam]

....that reminds me of my last plane trip.
I said
"look at all those people down there, they look like ants".
Bloke next to me said
"They are ants....we haven't taken off yet".

Did you brush off all the dust and cobwebs, before posting that?

 

[Gray]

Did you brush off all the dust and cobwebs, before posting that?

That's what you get for being in your 7th decade of life 😏

 

[Friesiansam]

That's what you get for being in your 7th decade of life 😏

I joined you there recently...

 

[Gray]

I joined you there recently...

I know.......I was talking about you, you silly cow 🤣

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

From The Sky at Night this month - Jupiter's Great Red Spot is almost certainly not the one originally spotted in the 1660s.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The clapperboard seen at the start of filming is for synchronising sound and vision in the editing room, as these were often on separate reels - seems blindingly obvious now I have read it in Ade Edmondson's autobiography, but I'd never thought about it.

 

[Friesiansam]

The clapperboard seen at the start of filming is for synchronising sound and vision in the editing room, as these were often on separate reels - seems blindingly obvious now I have read it in Ade Edmondson's autobiography, but I'd never thought about it.

A bit slow on the uptake there…

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

A bit slow on the uptake there…

Wouldn't be the first time!

 

[Friesiansam]

Tommy Two Moons

From the 29th of this month, Earth will temporarily have two moons, as we gain an orbiting asteroid for two months.

'Mini Moon' to orbit Earth for two months

Earth is about to get a second moon for a couple of months, but it won't be visible for most people.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I think the fact that they describe it as a 'moon' tells you all you need to know!

I love looking at the moon.

 

[Friesiansam]

I think the fact that they describe it as a 'moon' tells you all you need to know!

I love looking at the moon.

Apparently, Emo Phillips tweeted, “What a wonderful time to be a werewolf.”

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Always liked him.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

From Delayed Gratification's book Misc:

Between 2016 and 2023, the Electoral Commission approved the following political party names:

The Rubbish Party.
The Church of the Militant Elvis Party.
The Beer, Baccy & Scatchings Party.
The Children of the Atom Party.

Alas the rejected The Dog for Prime Minister Party.

 

[Jasonovich]

From Delayed Gratification's book Misc:

Between 2016 and 2023, the Electoral Commission approved the following political party names:

The Rubbish Party.
The Church of the Militant Elvis Party.
The Beer, Baccy & Scatchings Party.
The Children of the Atom Party.

Alas the rejected The Dog for Prime Minister Party.

The Monster Raving Party by comparison, sounds pretty tame !

 

[Friesiansam]

From Delayed Gratification's book Misc:

Between 2016 and 2023, the Electoral Commission approved the following political party names:

The Rubbish Party.
The Church of the Militant Elvis Party.
The Beer, Baccy & Scatchings Party.
The Children of the Atom Party.

Alas the rejected The Dog for Prime Minister Party.

There's some good ones in other countries too:

List of frivolous political parties - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Hungarian Two Tailed Dog Party, is a good one...