CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-21 17:37:58 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

[+] I am going to make it through this year if it kills me [+] 

The Mountain Goats, Coffee, & New Projects

I woke up this morning with this song in my head, reminding myself that no matter how hard things seem to be getting, I have the ability to overcome the obstacles that are in my way. Not only make it through, but to succeed, excel and thrive. 

I have a few articles to write today, one including the atmosphere on Saturn's moon, Titan. Hope to have that out to you all by tonight or tomorrow. Also, I'm still going through the fantastic submissions to the +Virtual Star Party Astrophotography Contest. Take a look at the gorgeous images! http://goo.gl/UICKB

Then there's my super-secret project that I'm getting rolling. The main logistics of it has been taken care of, now polishing the scaffolding and getting it to where I want it tobe ... more »

2013-05-21 00:22:43 (5 comments, 4 reshares, 20 +1s)

[+] Webb Space Telescope in Motion [+]

So I took a lot of photos of the model of the +NASA Webb Telescope while at #sxsw2013  a few months back. Now with the new ability to use Motion with +Google+ photos, I'm uploading a lot of the random photos I had in order to make some really neat animations from my time there!

The James Webb Space Telescope is the successor to the Hubble Space telescope, and is slated to launch in 2018. This full-scale model is 4 stories tall and has the area of a tennis court. It'll be collecting light in the infrared, which is why the hexagonal mirrors will have an extremely thin coating of gold, which is highly reflective of infrared light. This amazing telescope will be positioned at the Lagrangian 2 point in space, far further than we'll be able to send any astronauts to do repairs on it. For this reason, so muchst... more »

2013-05-20 04:40:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Fraser Cain is hanging out with 6 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-05-20 03:33:21 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

It's Sunday, which means it's time to join your favorite co-hosts: +Fraser Cain and +Scott Lewis for the +Virtual Star Party! They'll be gathering up their phenomenal group of citizen astronomers from across the globe in order to share their view of the universe from their telescopes in a Google+ Hangout on Air!

In addition to Fraser, Scott, and the astronomers are PhD astronomers discussing and explaining the amazing space science and astronomy that's being viewed in the telescopes. We'll even take requests and answer questions left in the comments.

To make a suggestion, ask a question or just say "hi" to the team, please leave your comments below in the Google+ event, through any of the shares of the live show, or on Twitter using the hashtag #StarParty      

  
#VSP20130519   #ScienceSunday   #ScienceEveryday   #Astronomy  #Space   #... more »

2013-05-20 01:12:21 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Russell Bateman is hanging out in a live Hangout On Air. #hangoutsonair

2013-05-20 00:34:48 (24 comments, 0 reshares, 31 +1s)

[+] Another reason I love Google+ [+]

For some reason, which I am not complaining about, Google+ thinks I'm Patrick Stewart. I can't tell you how much it makes me grin when Google notifies me that someone posted a picture and to confirm if it's me... only to have it be Jen-Luc Picard. 

Thank you Google, you've made my day!

#MakeItSo   #IAmPicard   #CaptainScottLewis   #BaldIsBeautiful   #USSChromeDome   #TeaEarlGreyHot   #ThereAreFourLights   #StarTrekTNG   #STTNG  

2013-05-16 17:56:21 (1 comments, 4 reshares, 13 +1s)

Stellar Evolution Infographic
http://chandra.si.edu/resources/illustrations/infographics.html (for full size)

The rate of evolution and the ultimate fate of a star depends on its mass. 
(Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)

More on stellar evolution: http://chandra.si.edu/xray_sources/stellar_evolution.html

2013-05-16 17:43:18 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Tomorrow, the White House is kicking off "We the Geeks," a new series of Google+ Hangouts to highlight the future of science, technology, and innovation here in the U.S.

Our first hangout includes an extraordinary panel of innovators from around the country who will discuss the elements of an "all hands on deck" effort to pursue Grand Challenges.

Tune in tomorrow at 2pm ET: http://at.wh.gov/l4lUD

#hangoutsonair   #WeTheGeeks  

2013-05-16 16:51:28 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

It's Sunday, which means it's time to join your favorite co-hosts: +Fraser Cain and +Scott Lewis for the +Virtual Star Party! They'll be gathering up their phenomenal group of citizen astronomers from across the globe in order to share their view of the universe from their telescopes in a Google+ Hangout on Air!

In addition to Fraser, Scott, and the astronomers are PhD astronomers discussing and explaining the amazing space science and astronomy that's being viewed in the telescopes. We'll even take requests and answer questions left in the comments.

To make a suggestion, ask a question or just say "hi" to the team, please leave your comments below in the Google+ event, through any of the shares of the live show, or on Twitter using the hashtag #StarParty      

  
#VSP20130519   #ScienceSunday   #ScienceEveryday   #Astronomy  #Space   #... more »

2013-05-16 16:15:09 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

NASA is hanging out with 5 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-05-15 21:29:01 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

Uh so hi there Google+... Nice to meet you. Did you get some work done? I feel like I don't know you anymore... I think I need to get some wine and spend some quality time together in order to get to know one another. 

#GooglePlus   #IO13   #NewHotness  

2013-05-15 03:58:19 (29 comments, 19 reshares, 99 +1s)

[+] This is my Earth, and it's fine... It's not perfect, but it's mine. [+] 

There have been quite a few changes going on in my life as of late. And with all of these changes, it could be extremely easy to get sucked into the undertow of stress and frustration... However with the support of some really fantastic friends (the majority of which I met here on Google+), I've been able to keep my chin up above water until this wave moves back out to sea.

The past year or so that I've been really involved here on Google+, I've had the fantastic opportunity to engage with countless of you. Whether it be from posts on each other's stream, the multitude of Hangouts on Air I've hosted or been a guest on, or even in the largest community on G+, the Space community... Not to mention actually meeting many of you in person! This is a reminder to... more »

2013-05-14 19:12:44 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

[+] The VSP is branching out! [+] 

+Scott Lewis and +Fraser Cain realize that not everyone is on +Google+ *yet*. So, we've decided to create a Facebook page for all of you to like. We'll be creating the same events over there, linking to what's happening here on Google+ and YouTube. Please give us a like and share it about. Could you imagine the +Virtual Star Party spreading out across the internet? We certainly can!


https://www.facebook.com/VirtualStarParty

#The_VSP   #StarParty   #Facebook   #GooglePlus   #SocialMedia  

2013-05-14 18:21:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

Cory Schmitz is hanging out with 1 person right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-05-13 04:09:42 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Fraser Cain is hanging out with 8 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-05-12 21:51:46 (19 comments, 58 reshares, 67 +1s)

[+] Ground Control to Commander Hadfield [+] 

I think I love +Chris Hadfield right now... 

You know you're an amazing person when you're singing David Bowie's Space Oddity from the International Space Station. I don't have any words to express how amazing this is. 

Edited to Add: Oh and a HUGE Tip of the hat to +Liz Krane, for her stream is where I first saw this. Thanks Liz!

#ISSserenade   #ScienceSunday   #Space  

2013-05-12 20:54:08 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

*Did you know that we have a Twitter Account?*

If you did, then you must have a TARDIS, since we've just got it up and running. Make sure to give us a follow on Twitter as well to keep up with future events, favorite audience submission photos, and more!

https://twitter.com/The_VSP

#StarParty   #ScienceSunday   #ScienceEveryday   #Astronomy   #VirtualStarParty   #The_VSP   #Twitter  

2013-05-12 17:10:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

After having seen so many fantastic images submitted to the +Virtual Star Party episode event pages, +Scott Lewis & +Fraser Cain have decided to have an Astrophotography Contest to celebrate all of you, your participation, and your engagement every week in the Virtual Star Party. 

The winners of the submissions will have their photos featured in the front-page banner, future event banners and even VSP icons! 

There aren't many rules, but here they are to ensure everything is fair.

1. Image must be taken by you.-- This is a contest to feature your astrophotography. Unless you own the telescope that's being remotely accessed, submissions from commercial iTelescope, Slooh, etc (Though we definitely support their endeavors!) won't be accepted for this contest. 

2. Detailed description of image-- Please when making your submission,leave... more »

2013-05-12 21:19:47 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Added photos to + The VSP Photo Contest +.

2013-05-11 19:00:19 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

[+] And now for something completely different [+] 

I have the sudden urge to be really silly... So let me ask you a question:

Why Won't Ryan Gosling Eat His Cereal?

h/t to my friend Erin Marquis for showing me this. Original source: http://imgur.com/a/HT5CA 

#SillySaturday   #CerealSaturday   #RyanGosling  

2013-05-10 21:36:41 (13 comments, 21 reshares, 50 +1s)

[+] Should non-scientists make decisions on importance of science? [+] 

As most, if not all of you have seen here on Google+, let alone in the news, the sequestration has decimated not only Science Education & Public Outreach, but slashed actual scientific funding for the future. 

Many people, including (and maybe especially) politicians question the importance of the scientific research being done now, let alone the return on research being done in the future. When we're playing the numbers game, it's so incredibly easy to be short-sided and focus on the quickest return on an investment. So let me make this exceedingly clear:

*Science research is not a lottery scratch-ticket!*

You don't go into your local market, put down $5, scratch the card and hope you recover your costs or even make a bit of a profit. Scientific research hasl... more »

2013-05-06 19:22:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Fraser Cain is hanging out with 1 person right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-05-05 18:49:42 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

[+] Science Sunday Hangout On AIr [+]

"Ferreting out the Truth": Panel Discussion on H5N1 Influenza Virus || Event Page: http://goo.gl/MjFCB 

Later today, +Buddhini Samarasinghe and I are hosting the +ScienceSunday Hangout On Air. This week's topic is on the research being done on the H5N1 Influenza Virus. We'll be discussing not only the research that's been done, but also why there's been so much controversy about it in the news and social media. Is there something we should be concerned about?


Our discussion panel consists of:

+Tommy Leung of University of New England. Tommy is a lecturer and research on parasitology and evolutionary biology. You can find more about Tommy on the web: http://www.une.edu.au/ers/research/eepl/ | http://the-episiarch.deviantart.com/

+William McEwan: Post-doctoralresear... more »

2013-05-05 18:29:36 (1 comments, 4 reshares, 12 +1s)

[+] Science Sunday Hangout On AIr [+]

"Ferreting out the Truth": Panel Discussion on H5N1 Influenza Virus || Event Page: http://goo.gl/MjFCB 

Later today, +Buddhini Samarasinghe and I are hosting the +ScienceSunday Hangout On Air. This week's topic is on the research being done on the H5N1 Influenza Virus. We'll be discussing not only the research that's been done, but also why there's been so much controversy about it in the news and social media. Is there something we should be concerned about?


Our discussion panel consists of:

+Tommy Leung of University of New England. Tommy is a lecturer and research on parasitology and evolutionary biology. You can find more about Tommy on the web: http://www.une.edu.au/ers/research/eepl/ | http://the-episiarch.deviantart.com/

+William McEwan: Post-doctoralresear... more »

2013-05-05 03:33:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

In 2011, Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier carried out an experiment on the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus. He bred the virus by passing it through infected ferrets, repeating the process 10 times. The virus was now capable of airborne transmission between ferrets.

In the following weeks, the news was full of fear-mongering headlines about ‘deadly mutant bird flu’, which resulted in a moratorium to halt all research on H5N1 viruses, not just the modified ferret-flu version. The publication of Fouchier’s data was halted, because there were fears that terrorists may use the data to create a bioweapon.

Join hosts +Buddhini Samarasinghe and +Scott Lewis as we host a panel discussion with virologists +Vincent Racaniello and +William McEwan and Evolutionary Biologist +Tommy Leung about this story, the ethics of accurate science reporting and the dangers of mass media hype andthe e... more »

2013-05-04 22:58:06 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

Here's some more music that's been playing in my office and in my head. Another addition of mine for my #SingingSaturday  

Nine Inch Nails - Even Deeper

I woke up today
To find myself in the other place
With a trail of footprints
From where I ran away
It seems everything I've heard
Just might be true
And you know me
(well you think you do)
Sometimes, I have everything - yet I wish I felt something

Do you know how far this has gone?
Just how damaged have I become?
When I think I can overcome
It runs even deeper

And in a dream I'm a different me
With a perfect you
We fit perfectly
And for once in my life I feel complete
And I still want to ruin it
Afraid to look
As clear as day
This plan has long been underway

I hear them call
I cannot... more »

2013-05-04 22:08:05 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

This song won't get out of my head, so perhaps putting it out on here will help. Can only sing it so many times before I sound like the worst broken record ever. :) Apologies about the poor video/audio quality, but this is my favorite version of it. 

Unwritten Law - Rest of My Life

Am I the only one that feels alone?
Though all is home
Emotions flow

Am I the only one that hears the tears
Run down my face?
Would anybody recognize at all?

'cause I know
I'm so slow
But I'm trying
And I'm still dying to know
Say you won't leave for the rest of my

Life's the only thing that deals the pain
Like pouring rain now
Breeding hate

And I don't want to do no wrong
My God, it's been so long
Please comfort me before I go insane

'cause I... more »

2013-05-04 20:14:07 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 16 +1s)

[+] Time to Record a Podcast Episode!! [+]

So I'm getting a lot of work done today, and realized that I'm scheduled to record an episode of +365 Days of Astronomy for this Tuesday. There are quite a few things I'd like to speak on, but I also remembered that there are topics that all of you enjoy hearing about. 

So I open up the comments to you today for this: What would you like to hear me speak on for my episode of 365DOA? Time really isn't too much of a concern, as they can be anywhere from 5-minutes long to a full-hour from our Hangouts On Air. I'm really excited to see what sort of questions and topics you are interested in hearing me speak on in the podcast. If your question/topic is chosen, I'll give you a shoutout in the episode too!

#365DOA   #Podcasting   #Podcast   #Astronomy   #ScienceEveryday   #Space   #Recording  

2013-04-30 18:58:28 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

Apologies to all who just received an invite to the event I just shared. We're still trying to figure out the best way to raise awareness of Google+ Hangouts On Air without being spammy. Did not intend to spam your notification button. :)

Here are the events coming up for this week's #ScienceSunday :

"Ferreting out the Truth: Panel Discussion on H5N1 Virus"
Event Page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/c32cne6328lh5tlopidrs8a7iec
HashTag: #SciSunHOA  

"Virtual Star Party - 05 May, 2013"
Event Page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/crvvgi1970uqr6epb58ca1jmr8c
HashTag: #StarParty  

Thank you all for your understanding. We're actively seeking better ways to engage with everyone about science. Looking forward to seeing you all around for future shows.

Oh, and remember...
<... more »

2013-04-30 18:51:28 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

In 2011, Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier carried out an experiment on the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus. He bred the virus by passing it through infected ferrets, repeating the process 10 times. The virus was now capable of airborne transmission between ferrets.

In the following weeks, the news was full of fear-mongering headlines about ‘deadly mutant bird flu’, which resulted in a moratorium to halt all research on H5N1 viruses, not just the modified ferret-flu version. The publication of Fouchier’s data was halted, because there were fears that terrorists may use the data to create a bioweapon.

Join hosts +Buddhini Samarasinghe and +Scott Lewis as we host a panel discussion with virologists +Vincent Racaniello and +William McEwan and Evolutionary Biologist +Tommy Leung about this story, the ethics of accurate science reporting and the dangers of mass media hype andthe e... more »

2013-04-29 06:19:12 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 5 +1s)

[+] "Going Viral" with +Vincent Racaniello [+]

Did you miss the +ScienceSunday Hangout On Air that +Buddhini Samarasinghe and I hosted earlier today? Have no fear! After some editing and processing, the final version is now up on YouTube! Vincent shares with us his insight into the fascinating world of virology, how he became interested in these obligate intracellular parasites, what current and potential students can do to become successful in science, as well sharing some of the phenomenal work that's been done over the decades in this field. 

Next week, Vincent will be returning to the show as we hold a panel discussion on the H5N1 "Ferret Flu" virus that has caused such a controversy in the news. Is this some killer strain that's going to wipe out a large chunk of the human population, or do we need to take a deeper look into the databef... more »

2013-04-29 03:36:16 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Fraser Cain is hanging out with 5 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-04-28 23:13:27 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Added photos to Going Viral: #SciSun Hangout on Air featuring Vincent Racaniello.

2013-04-28 22:01:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Buddhini Samarasinghe is hanging out with 3 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-04-28 20:08:31 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

[+] "Going Viral" -- SciSun HOA in 2 hours!! [+]

At 3PM PDT, 6PM EDT, 11PM UTC, +Buddhini Samarasinghe and I will be hosting a Live Google+ Hangout On Air with +Vincent Racaniello to talk about his passion and career in virology. This +ScienceSunday Hangout On Air can be attended at the event page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cnmc6k9gheikf9nu94p7m9cu5us

If you would like to ask Professor Racaniello any questions about his work or virology in general, please leave comments in the event page, on the various shares, or on YouTube once we go live. Looking forward to sharing the amazing world of viruses with all of you!

#ScienceSunday   #ScienceEveryday   #STEM   #Science   #Virology   #Microbiology   #HangoutsOnAir   #SciSunHOA  

2013-04-28 09:32:27 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Join hosts +Buddhini Samarasinghe and +Scott Lewis for another “SciSunHOA”, a live Google+ Hangout On Air broadcast, brought to you by +ScienceSunday. This episode, Professor +Vincent Racaniello joins Buddhini and Scott to discuss his work in virology. Vincent is a professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University. His research includes the study of poliovirus (Polio), rhinovirus (Common Cold), and other RNA viruses. His work focuses on how our immune systems interact with these viruses, how they cause disease, while also discovering new viruses in wild animals.

Outside of the lab, Vincent is involved in many science outreach efforts, including hosting the excellent podcast series This Week in Virology (TWiV). You can read more on his website here (http://www.virology.ws/) We’re all very excited for this episode of “SciSunHOA” as Vincent is not only a brilliant scientist,but also ... more »

2013-04-27 08:22:33 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

[+] Weekly Space Hangout Wrap-Up [+]

Didn't get a chance to watch today's episode of the Weekly Space Hangout? Here's a summarized version of the hour-long episode in just under 3 minutes! Get an idea about what was up in space science and astronomy news this week. 

Contributors this week: +Alan Boyle, +Fraser Cain, +Jason Major, +Matthew Francis, +Nancy Atkinson, +Nicole Gugliucci, and myself! 

#SpaceHangout   #ScienceEveryday   #HangoutsOnAir   #WSHWrapUp  

2013-04-26 22:02:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Super Science Circle - April 2013 Edition

It's time for another sharing of my Super Science Circle. This is a collection of 400+ active people on Google+ who often post about science. If anyone tells you G+ is a ghost town (not that anyone does any more), get them to import this circle. 

PLEASE SHARE THIS CIRCLE... FOR SCIENCE!

I have personally reviewed each and every person on this list, to make sure that they:

1. Are active and engaged on Google+
2. Regularly post science-related stories on Google+

In this list you'll find scientists, journalists, researchers, professors, astronauts and general science enthusiasts. 

Not everyone in this list is going to be to your personal liking. So what you'll want to do is import the list into a temporary circle. Then move people over one by one into more permanentl... more »

2013-04-26 19:00:42 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Nicole Gugliucci is hanging out with 5 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-04-26 18:28:15 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Join us as our rowdy bunch of space journalists and aficionados round up a week's worth of space and astronomy news.

This week we're covering a pulsar test of general relativity  Mars One astronaut selection, a meteor in Saturn's rings, and more!

Time Zones: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=WSH&iso=20130426T14&p1=605&ah=1

#spacehangout  

2013-04-26 10:02:23 (0 comments, 19 reshares, 13 +1s)

[+] "Going Viral: Science Sunday HOA [+] 

Join +Buddhini Samarasinghe and I this Sunday afternoon as we have another +ScienceSunday Hangout On Air with guest +Vincent Racaniello, Professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University. 

The broadcast will go live at 3PM PDT, 6PM EDT, 11PM UTC here on Google+! You can RSVP at the event link below. Hope to see you there!

https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cnmc6k9gheikf9nu94p7m9cu5us

#ScienceSunday   #ScienceEveryday   #HangoutsOnAir   #Science   #Virology   #virus   #Immunology   #biology   #MicroBiology   #STEM  

2013-04-26 04:41:03 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

Virtual Star Party in 60 Seconds

+Scott Lewis boiled down the April 21st Virtual Star Party into 60 seconds. It was surprising to see just how many different objects we were able to see. Check it out. 

2013-04-24 20:21:48 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 9 +1s)

Happy National Physic Day :D!

If you have taken a physics course, you've probably heard your teacher regurgitate the fact: When two objects with different masses are dropped from the same height, they will both hit ground at the same time, assuming that there is no air resistance acting upon the object. Do you guys remember why that is so? If you would like to know how two objects can have different gravitational forces acting upon them, but still hit the ground at the same time, I recommend watching this quick and informative video :-).

Hint: Inertia

2013-04-22 03:36:24 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Fraser Cain is hanging out with 7 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

2013-04-21 21:44:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Join +Fraser Cain and +Scott Lewis as they gather up a group of amazing citizen astronomers from across the globe to share their view of the universe through their telescopes in a live Google+ Hangout on Air! 

Joining our cohosts and astronomers will be commentary by PhD astronomers to help discuss and explain the amazing space science and astronomy that's being viewed in the telescopes. We'll even take requests and answer questions left in the comments.

To make a suggestion, ask a question or just say "hi" to the team, please leave your comments below in the Google+ event, through any of the shares of the live show, or on Twitter using the hashtag #StarParty  

#VSP20130421  

2013-04-21 00:35:39 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Dinner at casa del noisy is served!

With +Nicole Gugliucci and +Timothy LeGower

2013-04-19 19:42:17 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 13 +1s)

Added photos to Weekly Space Hangout - 19 April 2013.