Backlogging and not blogging what others have already covered

So far, everyday posting has been easier than I thought. In fact the hardest part has been deciding what not to post. There’s just so much that’s interesting right now and that I want to take note of, comment on and learn more about. So much so that I’ve a massive backlog of posts that I want to think and read more about. To break through the backlog, and in attempt to encourage the loggerheads in my head to relax, I’m bunching some things that everyone else has already discussed, but that I can’t stop thinking about. 

1. A timeline of Earth’s average temperature by XKCD. This is genius. Such a funny and educational infographic. I’d love to go through it with a climate change denier and discuss how we differ in our interpretation. 

2. SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System. This is amazing. Unbelievable. If it is actually some big joke that I’ve not gotten yet, then please don’t tell me. Check out the cool and casually name mars_presentation.pdf on the SpaceX website and when you have a good deal of spare time (which I’m waiting for myself) have a read of the brilliant looking SpaceX’s Big Fucking Rocket – The Full Story post on WaitButWhy. 

3. Red Mars (Book). Not something that’s been recently covered, but something I recently read and really enjoyed, for the detailed and practical spin that it put on the classic ‘humans go to Mars’ sci-fi genre. Thanks to this book, I have even more interest and intrigue in point 2 above. Like, how the hell are they going to deal with the radiation up there? Will the Outer Space Treaty or some form of it stand up? And ‘how on earth’ will they do good enough psychological profiling on everyone so as not to send up a bunch of mad people? 

4. Trekonomics (Book). Again, not exactly being covered that much, but a more recent book, and once again shedding interesting parallels and perspectives on the economy of getting off the earth and becoming a spacefaring race. Also, in its own right, this book is a really fun and enlightening read if you’re into allegorical socioeconomic thought experiments. And Star Trek. OK, that’s a fairly small nichem but I’m in it and it was spot on!