How to Manage Death in a World of Social Networks
A good friend of mine passed away in June. John had cancer. Before you offer condolences, you should know he did not want to be mourned. It’s been a hard request to follow, but he felt he had lived a full life.
Essential Social Media Sites for Science Illustrators
During my recent talk at the AMI conference about social media and illustration, I skimmed this slide near the end. Talks were intended to be 20 minutes long and I don’t like to rehearse too much: I don’t read off of my slides so I tend to remind myself of the critical points and fret [...]
Math Twitter Bots, Reviewed and Rated
In the course of being a math person on Twitter, I have run across some math-related Twitter bots and feeds. It would just be mean to grade my human tweeps, but I have no qualms about rating the bots!
No, Earth Wasn't Nearly Destroyed By a 2012 Solar Storm
Yes, a large glob of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun did just miss us two years ago, as news organizations have feverishly reported over the past few days, following a NASA press release.
12 Delightful Resources for Word Nerds Everywhere
My recent post about specialized dictionaries got me thinking about the fun books and sites I have encountered about words and language. I thought I would share a slightly off-topic post about my geeky love for words and language.
Switches, Hubs, Bridges, and Routers Explained
Computers talk to each other and the web in a variety of ways. This communication is facilitated by routers, bridges, switches, and other hardware. Tech Talker explains what these devices are, what they do, and which are best for your home's computer network
Transistor Successor Set to Bring on "The Machine" Age Soon
A successor to an essential part in today’s computers may arrive in just a few years
3 Projects Prove Privacy Is Not Dead
Web and mobile phone users willingly share personal data in exchange for free stuff, but not everyone is ready to throw in the towel on privacy
When Was the Last Time You Used a Print Dictionary?
I used to keep a small dictionary in my bedside table, another in the end table near the couch, one on my home office desk and another on my desk at work.
How to Fix the NSA
A three-step plan for using data right in an age of government overreach
Net Loss: Is the Internet Killing Solitude and Downtime?
In his new book, The End of Absence, journalist Michael Harris explains why we should save room for “nothingness”
Technology Historian Crushes Internet Myths
As readers of this blog know, since 2005 I’ve been teaching at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. One of the best parts of being an academic is hanging out with cool (compared to me), young (compared to me), up-and-coming scholars, some of whom know far more about the history of science and [...]