Constant Acceleration Versus Thermonuclear — Published in the EarthSphere Blog — Science Infused Fiction “Beware the Rods from God” The fallacy that each day is a lot like the next speaks more of our personal predilections than some sort of ultimate truth. …

Scienced-infused fiction published in the EarthSphere Blog Holy crap! 1700 earthquakes in 24 hours! They averaged more than one per minute — the not-so-solid ground below my feet churned and bubbled like a vat of fermenting beer. Whatever Mother Nature was planning, I didn’t like the feel of it. I…

Fatsia japonica and the ENSO — Published in the EarthSphere Blog The days before the rains return are filled with a certain bustle as we put the gardens to bed for the winter. Around me, the Pacific Northwest’s temperate climate breathes life into a vibrant ecosystem where shadows dance, and the sweet, musty scent of damp…

Pondering the MegaChurch A thin, poorly dressed stranger slips into the back row of a cavernous megachurch, sitting hidden in the shadows as the service begins, perhaps seeking respite from the outside world. He watches an electric wave of emotion surge through the congregation as music floods the sanctuary. Hands are raised high…

Lagrange Points — Published in the EarthSphere Blog Seven hundred and seventy-eight million kilometers from the Sun, two regions of space directly in Jupiter’s orbit contain thousands of stray asteroids, many of them believed to be as old as the solar system. Despite being in the direct path of Jupiter’s orbit, the planet…

Statutory Proselytizing — The percentage of Americans who identify as Christian was 90% in 1972. However, a 2022 report by the Pew Research Center predicted that, at its current rate of decline, Christianity could see its share of the American population shrink from just over 60% today to 35% by 2070; a precipitous…

Hiding in Plain Sight — We scurry about our daily lives tending to real and imagined schedules, not taking time to enjoy the wealth of artistic views in our own homes. Some people wander their hallways with faces buried in a phone screen, soaking up the latest news on the shape of Kardashian rear ends…

Change is in the Air — Published in the EarthSphere Blog We have been graced with the pleasurable company of La Niña for the past three years, helping to keep the Pacific NW moister and sparking increased hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean. The fact is, three consecutive years of La Niña conditions is quite unusual…

Greenhouse to Icehouse — Published in the EarthSphere Blog Earth’s normal condition is hot, much warmer than today’s world. The planet formed 4.5 billion years ago, and since then it has spent about 670 million years in glacial conditions. So, the planet has been cold for about 15% of its existence. …