We interview Phil Plait, Bad Astronomy blogger, new president of the James Randi Educational Foundation, booster for the International Year of Astronomy, and author of the pop-science book Death from the Skies. Yes, he is busy. [Late-breaking news: Bad Astronomy was just named as one of the Top 25 blogs in the world by Time magazine!]
You can read our review of Death from the Skies here. You can buy your very own copy at Amazon.com or (if you live in the United Kingdom) at Amazon.co.uk.
Also discussed:
DARWIN DAY 2009 - Metro Atlanta’s DD celebration at Decatur’s Thinking Man Tavern saw a much larger than expected turn-out, with as many as 60 science buffs turning out to wish Charles Darwin a Happy 200th Birthday.
EVOLUTION WEEKEND 2009 – Believe it or not, a number of churches and synagogues nationwide contributed to the discussion of the relationship between science and faith. It’s an encouraging development, but… good luck on that one.
HAPPY (BELATED) VALENTINE’S DAY – Except in India, where Hindu hardliners called the Sri Rama Sena do battle with the Consortium of Pubgoing, Loose and Forward Women. We kid you not.
For astronomy lovers, David recommends the podcast lectures by Ohio State University’s Professor Richard Pogge, as well as George Hrab’s new video for the song “Far,” which is the theme song for the International Year of Astronomy’s 365 Days of Astronomy podcast.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Visit our CafePress store! Buy cool American Freethought swag, including t-shirts and mugs.
A reminder that we post new material (news, commentary, links of interest) several times a week at AmericanFreethought.com.
If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve heard on our podcast (or anything related to freethought in general) join us at the American Freethought Yahoo Group. And don’t forget our Facebook page.
If you pick us up via iTunes please take a moment to leave feedback on our iTunes page.
David is podcasting new episodes of Secular Nation. AtheistAlliance.org/podcast.
Interested in science fiction? Then check out John’s SciFiDimensions Podcast. SciFiDimensions.com.
Send feedback to contact@americanfreethought.com – attach voicemail in mp3 or wav format.
Theme music by Body Found.
Recorded February 16, 2009. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.
Tags: bad astronomer, death from the skies, international year of astronomy, iya, james randi educational foundation, jref, phil plait
Its always fun to listen to Phil being interviewed.
[...] was interviewed a little while ago by the American Freethought Podcast, and it’s now online (here’s the direct link to the MP3). As usual, I ramble on about topics skeptical, the IYA, [...]
[...] Dr. Phil Plait to the rescue, if by “rescue” you mean telling us with geeky glee all the different ways the earth could be cooked, vaporized or shattered. That’s the opening premise of Death from the Skies, the follow-up to his first book, the urban-legend-debunking Bad Astronomy (an extension of his urban-legend-debunking site BadAstronomy.com). Plait is a professional astronomer who parlayed his love for blogging and explication to the masses into a paying gig as a pop-science writer and skeptical advocate. While Death from the Skies has a cheesy title, and while most of the chapters open with detailed, hair-raising descriptions of, for example, exactly how you’d die from a massive meteor strike, he also describes, using words that everyday people can understand, the science behind it all. What’s more, Plait points out when he’s indulging in extrapolation where the science is less solid or more controversial. [...]