Staring at the Sun

I'm not the only one
starin' at the sun
Afraid of what you'd find
if you took a look inside
Not just deaf and dumb
I'm staring at the sun
Not the only one
who's happy to go blind
- 'Staring at the Sun' lyrics U2

Staring at the sun is not a bright idea because it can damage your eyes or even destroy your eyesight completely - "No one is immune to sunlight-related eye disorders. Every person, regardless of their background is susceptible to ocular damage from UV radiation that may lead to impaired vision." Source

But, if you still want to have a closer look at the sun, I can offer you a good alternative that is safe, cheap and 100% up-to-date. Just click here and see for yourself. And if you want to listen to U2 too... Be my guest and watch this eyeblinding (not really) video clip!

How fast is the earth moving through space?

I never thought of this before, but just read in a newspaper that the earth is moving with an orbital speed of 67,000 mph / approx 19 miles per second (108,000 km/h or 30 km/s).

Wow!

Are you still with me? Fasten your safety belts!

The Privileged Planet: How our place in the cosmos is designed for discovery

This is the first part of a documentary entitled The Privileged Planet. You can watch all six parts on YouTube now (if you have some time left, it is certainly worth your while.) "It’s a remarkable coincidence that the kind of atmosphere that’s needed for complex life like ourselves does not preclude that life from observing the distant universe. It’s something that you wouldn’t expect just chance to produce. Why would the universe be such that those places that are most habitable also offer the best opportunity for scientific discovery?" Guillermo Gonzalez, author of The Privileged Planet (Please also check out the website)

“The most incomprehendable thing about the Universe is that it is comprehendable.” – Albert Einstein

“I have deep faith that the principles of the Universe will be both beautiful and simple.” – Albert Einstein

“If the whole Universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning.” – C.S. Lewis