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Some Tidbits To Ponder
By Jon Menaster | April 10, 2007
Here are two quick things for you to think about until I get my next big post up. The first is a news release by JPL. The release explains
Astronomers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have observed that planetary systems – dusty disks of asteroids, comets and possibly planets – are at least as abundant in twin-star systems as they are in those, like our own, with only one star. Since more than half of all stars are twins, or binaries, the finding suggests the universe is packed with planets that have two suns. Sunsets on some of those worlds would resemble the ones on Luke Skywalker’s planet, Tatooine, where two fiery balls dip below the horizon one by one.
Now obviously the people over there at NASA have somewhat of an infatuation with Star Wars, as the press release is replete with pictures from the movie and references to the planet of Tatooine and its twin star system. That is a pretty amazing thing to contemplate - that a scene from a science fiction movie that was conceived specifically because of its impossibility in our world may actually turn out to be true. I wonder how many other things that have been depicted in science fiction movies as fiction are in fact closer to science. I also wonder how many scientists at NASA grew up watching Star Wars and Star Trek, and were influenced by the various films and tv shows. A documentary that appeared on the History channel entitled How William Shatner Changed The World featured a discussion with Martin Cooper, inventor of the cell phone, who said the design of Star Trek’s communicator was his inspiration for the cell phone.
The second is an post over at Mind hacks entitled Violence linked to price of beer, believe it or not. The post states
A research report published in Applied Economics has found that the number of patients with violence-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms is related to the price of beer.
Here is a direct link to the study for you to read yourself, if you don’t believe me (And I wouldn’t blame you). This is a very interesting thought, as I’m sure we are all aware that alcohol consumption can lead towards violence, but who would have thought that cheaper prices for beer can be directly linked to increased violence. The study concludes that a major policy consideration should be raising the price of alcohol to lower violence. Now of course this is done in England, but I’m sure that things aren’t too different here. Californians recently voted against Proposition 86 in last November’s election, which would have added a $2.60 tax increase to the price of cigarettes. Jennifer Friedman, a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C. nonprofit Tobacco-Free Kids, stated “For every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes, youth smoking is reduced by 7 percent. And overall cigarette consumption is reduced by 4 percent” (Link). Should we raise prices of alcohol and tobacco to keep people from being able to afford them? Is that a moral thing to do?
Topics: Education, Philosophical Musings |