Author Archives: Chompsky

Contrary to previously apocalyptic predictions, the world’s population is actually expected to balance out at around 11 billion by the end of the century. But the big picture hides at last one alarming detail. In another fascinating animated essay, German educational design studio Kurzgesagt, explains:

Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2019 it was home to a billion people living in 46 countries. Although its growth rate has slowed down in the last few decades, it is still much higher than in the rest of the world. While some projections expect around 2.6 billion people others reckon with up to 5 billion by 2100. Such growth would be a huge challenge for any society. But Sub-Saharan Africa is also the poorest region on earth. So is Sub-Saharan Africa doomed? And why do the projections vary by 2.4 billion people? 

Previously: An Antidote To Dissatisfaction

Behold: the Horsehead Nebula, just south of the easternmost star of Orion’s Belt, 1,500 light years distant. To wit:

About five light-years “tall”, the dark cloud is cataloged as Barnard 33 and is visible only because its obscuring dust is silhouetted against the glowing red emission nebula IC 434. Stars are forming within the dark cloud. Contrasting blue reflection nebula NGC 2023, surrounding a hot, young star, is at the lower left of the full image. The featured gorgeous colour image combines both narrowband and broadband images recorded using several different telescopes.

Previously: My Lovely Horse

(Image : Mark Hanson & Martin Pugh, SSRO, PROMPT, CTIO, NSF)

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Consider this moving shape created by game developer and artist Frank Force: winner of the 2019 contest for Best Illusion Of The Year.

Does it rotate around the vertical axis or the horizontal axis? Is it spinning clockwise or anticlockwise? What do you think?

No, you’re wrong. The answer, of course, is witchcraft. And that is why Frank must be burned at the stake without delay.

colossal

Behold: the 1948 Ford Super Deluxe – the ‘woodie’ station wagon forerunner to the modern SUV.

The Super Deluxe was a 4-wheel drive update of the 1941 Ford made at Ford’s Iron Mountain plant in Michigan’s Upper Penninsula, then converted at the Indianapolis plant of the Marmon-Herrington company where it was retrimmed, braced and fitted with a four speed transmission.

This one, restored to Concours condition in 2016, is currently up for auction.

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Pendulous mammatus clouds over Hastings, Nebraska in June 2004. To fwoaarr wit:

Normally, cloud bottoms are flat. This is because moist warm air that rises and cools will condense into water droplets at a specific temperature, which usually corresponds to a very specific height. As water droplets grow, an opaque cloud forms. Under some conditions, however, cloud pockets can develop that contain large droplets of water or ice that fall into clear air as they evaporate. Such pockets may occur in turbulent air near a thunderstorm. Resulting mammatus clouds can appear especially dramatic if sunlit from the side.

Side mammatus.

Oh grow up.

RELATED: Boob Clouds Over Michigan.

(Image: Jorn Olsen Photography)

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