Bell Laboratory in Holmdel, New Jersey, 1964 Arno Penzias clamped on his headphones and listened intently to the crackling sounds emanating from his radio, a device attached to a cryogenic microwave receiver used for astronomical observations. He turned to a colleague, Robert Woodrow Wilson. “Every day it is the same problem,” Arno complained. “That aggravating … Read moreHow Did the World Begin?
Watch that woman standing on the farmer’s porch. She pulls on her work jeans that still show patches of garden dirt. She sprays insect repellent on her work boots, arms, and neck. Next comes a mesh insect protection net that loops under her armpits and covers her entire head. With great precision, she dons her … Read moreThe Great Weed War
Death first smacked me one day as I was walking to school. Back in the olden days, neighborhood children walked to school with not a responsible adult in sight. In fall, I shuffled through dried leaves piled up on sidewalks, picking up horse chestnuts along the way. One spring day, I saw my first baby … Read moreSong of the Robin
One of the most famous relics the Church venerates today is the Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Imprinted on the 14-foot-long piece of linen is the image of a man who was beaten, scourged, and crucified. Yet how many people know about another shroud with a mysterious … Read moreThe Holy Veil of Manoppello
Years ago, filmmaker Stephen Spielberg made a big splash with his blockbuster hit E.T. – an abbreviation for the term extraterrestrial. It was about an endearing creature from a distant planet who finds its way into the life and heart of a boy. Spielberg’s romp into sci-fi land was all for fun and not to be … Read moreE.T. Go Home!
Perhaps you pondered this question as you watched children play with snarling dinosaur toys. Not until 1980 did scientists come up with an answer. Sixty-six million years ago an asteroid slammed into earth, destroying much of plant life and 75 per cent of animal life, including all dinosaurs. The asteroid was only seven miles in … Read moreWhat Happened to the Dinosaurs?
On the Solemnity of the Annunciation My dear husband can, at times, be a puzzling gentleman. Perhaps you can relate to this statement. I present to you a case in point. On the Solemnity of the Annunciation, he wished to celebrate the feast in a unique way. He conjured up the perplexing idea of having … Read moreMystic Lake
Spring has sprung even in the frozen tundra of Maine. I spotted people outside wearing T-shirts in 60-degree weather! Snow still melts in the woods behind our house. I have yet to hear the chirping of robins. Here and there I see green grass sprouting in sunny areas. That brings us to our next topic. Ready for … Read moreMore Wonders of Water!
Your teacher, Miss Peach, is at the chalk board again. Class, listen up. Watch as she sketches a water strider on the blackboard. It is walking across the surface of a pond. How is this possible? Water has a high surface tension and high viscosity thanks to the strong hydrogen bond in the H2O molecule. … Read moreThe Wonders of Water
In the last post, I described the strange nature of water. How peculiar to think ice (a solid) is lighter than liquid and yet an ice cube can float. What does that matter? Just shrug your shoulders and move on to other matters. Hold on a minute. Listen to this important message. Imagine that ice … Read moreNo Ice Fishing?