Recent Science Commentaries

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“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Last week’s poetic verse, “Freedom’s Speech,” was authored by an AI program. With the 4th of July approaching, I wanted something special, something resonant enough to revive a nation’s faith in itself. At the same time, I’ve been crafting a piece on AI. I decided to merge both themes to showcase how far AI has come and to highlight the...
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July 9, 2024
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We’re BACK!
Finally, something we can all be proud of. Intuitive Machines succeeded in the first moon landing in more than 50 years. In a posted message on X (formerly Twitter), Intuitive Machines writes, “Lunar Surface Day One Update (23FEB2024 0818 CST) Odysseus is alive and well. Flight controllers are communicating and commanding the vehicle to download science data. The lander has...
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February 25, 2024
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Climate Change
We are losing the battle against climate change. You don’t have to be a scientist to see that the planet is experiencing more intense weather than ever before. Fire, floods, unremitting storms—all are having an unprecedented impact on the planet. A report by the United States Geological Survey says it all. “With increasing global surface temperatures, the possibility of more...
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September 29, 2023
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Pandora’s Box
All the warnings about the poisonous side of artificial intelligence are no longer warnings. They’re here. “A fake image purporting to show an explosion near the Pentagon was shared by multiple verified Twitter accounts on Monday,” CNN reports. “This image shows typical signs of being AI-synthesized: there are structural mistakes on the building and fence that you would not see...
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May 23, 2023
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AI: Einstein or Machiavelli?
There is a little-known science fiction film where an American scientist and his team design and build a supercomputer—a colossus of such computational scale and skill that it can assess, calculate, and respond to situations in seconds. Colossus: The Forbin Project tells the story of a massive artificial intelligence-equipped computer the size of a mountain designed as the perfect system...
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February 21, 2023
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Let’s Talk About Football
Let me say at the outset that I’m not going to win friends or influence many people with this commentary. Football . . . is a beautiful game. With the unexpected death of Pittsburgh Steelers Franco Harris last month, the media refreshed all our memories of “The Immaculate Reception,” the play that not only defined Harris but remains one of...
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January 6, 2023
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What Was Good About 2022
Two Scientific Milestones – With the increasing threat of global warming the news that scientists were able to successfully create nuclear fusion that would produce more energy than it would cost is a remarkable breakthrough. “Scientists studying fusion energy at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California announced on Tuesday that they had crossed a long-awaited milestone in reproducing the power...
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January 3, 2023
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Let The Sun Shine In!
Thank GOD, this monumental piece of legislation has passed an all-important hurdle. I don’t know about you, but getting unanimous consent for a bill like this restores my faith in the two-party system where both sides can set aside their grudges, come together and pass the most meaningful legislation in  . . .  I don’t know how long. Officially known...
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March 18, 2022
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Waiting for a Miracle
The “vaccine might be a killer,” a broadcaster warned. It’s “unchristian,” a local clergyman said. When Jonas Salk, physician-scientist, first developed a vaccine for polio, influential radio broadcaster Walter Winchell told his listeners not to take the vaccine because it “might be a killer.” Salk tested the vaccine in secret. The March of Dimes approved the results and a virus...
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February 11, 2022
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Are Vaccination Mandates Ethical?
To mandate, or not to mandate, that is the question. For 18 months, Americans have tolerated masks, travel, and event restrictions, and virtual home hibernation. “Overall in the United States, 74.1 percent of Americans over five years old have at least one coronavirus shot, and 62.8 percent are fully vaccinated.” However, just when you thought it was safe to step...
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November 30, 2021