Apps
Contact
Seminars
RSS FeedOctober 31st, 2008
Learnt something new today – "Gravitational Lensing"
This is such a spectacular image! We are able to see the same quasar twice due to bending of the light rays around large galaxy. This is the “double quasar”, also known as 0957+561.
You can read an expert’s (Dr. William Keel, over at University of Alabama) description of this here.
Let me see if I can draw this for you:
Ok, ok, I am no artist, but isn’t this still awesome!
October 31st, 2008
Shock over attack on Syria
What is the new power structure in the world today, that a country can attack another country, kill 8 people, and not have to respond at all? On Sunday, October 26th, 2008, US allegedly carried out a raid on the Syrian territory some 8 km from the border. A week later, the officials have still not accepted or denied it. The only comment has come from a military official in Iraq, who said that “the area has been used to move insurgents”. Syria has since released pictures and significant media coverage seems to convey beyond doubt that the 8 people were civilians.
It is especially concerning that no explanation seems to be necessary anymore – no denial or admission is necessary. The incident in general has received scant media coverage in the US.
Apparently, I am not alone in my shock at the raid on Syria. Michael from Glasgow, Scotland wrote to BBC: “Whether they could justify a raid or not is irrelevant. They killed eight people in an unannounced attack on an uninvolved country.”