I’ve been off the map for a bit because I’m eclipse chasing. #TotalityOrBust as they say. The whole family has been converging on zone of totality, and now we’re there. Obviously I’m excited.
There are lots of things going on in the world. One thing though that I’m beginning to think is that people would benefit reading more cognition science. I know I certainly did years ago. The main issue is that we’re not rational in the way we think we’re rational, and that leads to a lot of confusions why other people behave the way they do. Check out Enigma of Reason (I came upon a lot of this literature through the study of the cognition of religion).
Complex Patterns of Admixture across the Indonesian Archipelago. Someone who knows archaeology should read this….
The genetic history of Ice Age Europe. This was published last year. But it should be re-read. Closely.
The eclipse* reminded me to dig out from storage and watch a guilty pleasure classic: “Ladyhawke.” Wow, Michelle Pfeiffer was unbelievably beautiful in it.
*”A day without night. A night without day.”
Back in Oregon for the eclipse? I’m in Newport. Supposedly OR coast will have just about the best weather to see it anywhere it’ll be.
I’m so jealous. We’re not in totality, but we’re close enough to get over 90% partial eclipse at its peak. I just wish this wasn’t an extremely busy time at work, otherwise I would have driven to see it in full (guess there’s the next one in 2023-24).
When that genetic history says that the small founder population that swept over Europe 35,000 years ago were then displaced until they showed up again in southwest Europe, does that mean a third wave in that period absorbed/wiped them out, or that they mostly died and disappeared aside from southwest Europe (such as with the 45,000 years ago folks)?
That’s so wild that Europe had such sweeping changes in population even before agriculture and its accordant population growth.
Hope you get nice clear skies. We’re well outside of the path of totality here, but the 2024 eclipse will pass about 75 km away from us. Looking forward to it.
Independence, MO. Cleared up for totality. Then clouds
Independence, MO, where the righteous will gather to greet the second coming of Jesus Christ. There is hope for Razib yet.
Despite dire warnings of end-of-the world traffic jams my son and I snuck out of the city the back way around 8:30 AM and took forest service roads to a spot in the band of totality which lasted for about a minute. Easy peasy and not a cloud in the sky except for a couple of contrails one of which was obviously a jet tracking the eclipse.
The sun was about 80% obscured in my area. It was… disappointing. Just seemed like partially cloud-covered for a bit. No cool ring of fire on a dark circle.
the righteous will gather to greet the second coming of Jesus Christ
Keep mocking. It’s going to happen one day when no one is expecting.
@Twinkie, didn’t mean to come across as mocking. It’s just that when Razib said he was watching a celestial event from Independence, it made me imagine he was watching from the temple lot:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Lot
PD Shaw,
My apologies for jumping to the wrong conclusion.
Apparently, high school algebra is too much to ask for a college graduation requirement. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-cal-state-math-algebra-requirement-20170824-story.html
More than a little worrying: https://theconversation.com/australians-can-be-denied-life-insurance-based-on-genetic-test-results-and-there-is-little-protection-81335
Australians are now being reported to be avoiding getting genotyped to avoid the problem with life insurance companies there.