Greetings, earthlings–we mean Corelings. This week we’re ushering in the new year with a star-studded link round-up.
- Today (1/6) is the Epiphany, by the way–the day that commemorates the visit of the three Magi to the child Jesus. As Core scholars may recall, the three kings, or wise men as they are sometimes called, followed a star that led them to the manger in the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.
Rembrandt, Adoration of the Magi, 1632.
- Despite 2016 being “a year of dark matter disappointments” (among other things), scientists are hopeful that 2017 will prove fruitful in proving the existence of dark matter…or perhaps not, according to theoretical physicist and Harvard professor Lisa Randall.
- Speaking of dark matter, astronomer and dark matter pioneer Vera Rubin passed away Christmas night at the age of 88. Read about her contributions to the field of science here.
- Off switches? Cosmic vanishing acts? These are just a couple ways of describing two recently discovered pulsars. Astronomers observed that one of the pulsars was “on” only part of the time, and when it was “off,” its rotational slow-down rate is significantly slower. The reasons for this phenomena are still unknown.
- Just for fun: What does William Blake have to do with space travel? We’ll let this caption explain: “In his 1793 engraving [I Want! I Want!], the poet and artist finds a novel solution to getting to the moon: a really big ladder.” This engraving and other works by over sixty artists are on view in exhibition Towards Night in the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne, England. Closes January 22nd.
Next CC111 lab? William Blake, I Want! I Want!, 1793. (Photo via The Fitzwilliam Museum)
There you have it, folks! We hope you continue to enjoy break, whether you’re in Boston or a far-off galaxy (believe us, scholars come from all over)!
