On 9/30/2014 6:20 AM, John B. Slocomb wrote:
On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:45:02 -0400, Ed Huntress
wrote:

On Mon, 29 Sep 2014 22:28:57 -0500, Martin Eastburn
wrote:

On 9/28/2014 10:15 PM, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Sun, 28 Sep 2014 21:35:40 -0500, Martin Eastburn
wrote:

On 9/27/2014 9:10 PM, Martin Eastburn wrote:
On 9/26/2014 9:31 PM, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Fri, 26 Sep 2014 21:27:29 -0500, Martin Eastburn
wrote:

On 9/26/2014 1:31 PM, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Fri, 26 Sep 2014 07:15:22 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 Sep 2014 22:15:02 -0400, Tom Gardner
wrote:


Science by consensus. The majority *IS* always right!

When it comes to science, it's mostly true. And it's so seldom *not*
true, that those rare cases become legends.

--
Ed Huntress

Then you must know the legend of geology, which was completely wrong
by universal consensus until an untainted grad student "discovered"
continental drift, which had been Alfred Wegener's theory that the
scientific community shunned because the Nazis championed him as an
example of Aryan superiority.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/wegener.html
"Wegener's theory found more scattered support after his death, but
the majority of geologists continued to believe in static continents
and land bridges."

I studied Earth Science in high school and could plainly see that the
then-current theory of mountain formation was utter bull****, the
weight of sediment in a deep ocean trench couldn't possibly have
raised an adjacent ridge on land, but it was what all geologists who
wanted a job had to pretend to believe.

The history of Continental Drift is an excellent example of how
political correctness can stifle an entire field of science.

-jsw

Oh, yeah, that was a big one -- one of the modern legends.

For the non-scientist, it's discussed in a fascinating way, as part of
a larger story about geology, in John McPhee's _Annals of the Former
World_. I read his two earlier books, _In Suspect Terrain_ and _Basin
and Range_, which have now been consolidated into _Annals_.

Highly recommended. He has a unique skill to make geology interesting
for the non-specialist.

Interesting that was. I have a minor in Geology and fully believed in
and sold on continental drift in 66. I had several good professors who
were former oil explorers. I enjoy some of the science shows on how the
N.E. was created or the mid west... I was a Gulf Coast / inland
stratification 'student'. It went well with Physics and Math majors.

Martin

Then you'd probably enjoy _Annals of the Former World_.

McPhee also happens to be one of the best non-fiction writers in the
English language. And he's a good shad fisherman. g

Thanks, always interested in various sciences. And enjoy a good Geology
book.

Martin
Hardback should be here Tuesday.
Martin

I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.

Have you heard - three volcanoes are blowing their tops - latest is
Japan. Philippines and then Ice Land. North American, Pacific, mid
Trench Atlantic.

The Magma Gods are angry, for sure...


I can't wait for the three sisters in Oregon or some others in the
region. Been a while since some of the dozen or so in the Pacific NW
and the ones in Texas, 5 in Austin, TX, .... Been sleeping a long time
now.

Martin

That's some excitement I can do without. g I think the reason I find
volcanoes exciting is that I've never actually seen one. It's like
20-foot white sharks. They both look so cool on TV or in the pages of
National Geographic.

I wonder how many years production of CO2 the volcanoes are spitting
out. Global warming this year for sure.
--
Cheers,

John B.

It will be a chilling effect - more rain (particles set out rain) and
a haze will be cast world wide.

Martin