Flying On The Fringe

I am a mother. Parenthood has been the greatest adventure of my life, and one that I (almost) never tire of. Through my sons I have discovered many interests I probably would never have noticed otherwise. I used to love horses—now I love dragons. I have learned about Pokemon and Yugi-oh, and now Cosplay.

In Cosplay adults (and sometimes the kids, too) get to dress up like their favorite, comic book, TV, movie, science fiction, or other character. Conventions that include Cosplay as part of their event are springing up all over the country, even in boring, conservative, Missouri.

My younger son Matthew and I had watched a series on the Syfy channel that tracked several costume artists who participated in Cosplay competitions. We both enjoyed the show, and in May we had the opportunity to attend our first “con” in Kansas City. I am hooked.

So, yesterday I spent a good part of the afternoon painstakingly coloring strands of an artificial wig with a permanent marker. Sounds insane, I know, and it probably is. I want a wig that looks like the female protagonist is my book. Unfortunately for me, I have written her to have predominately light blue hair with streaks of blonde, orange and deep red. Very difficult to duplicate.

I had already tried the spray-on temporary hair coloring that people use to give their hair bizarre shades of green, red, purple, what-have-you, to show support for their favorite sports team. It flaked and rubbed off on my shirt. Not a great option. The clerk at the store where I bought the wig says hair dye will not work on the synthetic fibers in the wig, and who knows a store that carries blue hair dye anyway.

So I am throwing this problem out there for any of my Cosplaying readers. If you know of a good way to dye or color a synthetic wig, please let me know.

Until next time, live long, play hard, and fly free.

As a science fiction writer I love to speculate about the possibility of open contact with another sentient species (I say open since a lot of people think there’s already been some secret contact). But how would we communicate? I’m sorry to say that I think it’s most likely we would be dependent upon the aliens to learn, or be able to translate, our language.

There is a significant body of evidence that indicates that dolphins and whales are capable of intelligent communication, yet their form of language is so different from ours that we still haven’t developed a “rosetta stone” for interpreting their communications. If we can’t figure out how to interpret the communications of another species from our own planet, how would we figure out what aliens were saying?

A study titled The study of acoustic signals and the supposed spoken language of the dolphins by Vyacheslav A. Ryabov, published last month in the St. Petersburg Polytechnical Institute Journal of Physics and Mathematics, reported strong evidence that dolphins really do “talk” to each other.

The study reports that two Black Sea Bottlenose dolphins emitted series of sounds that could be construed as sentences, and that they took turns sounding off to each other, similar to humans in a conversation. Scientists have identified approximately 200 unique sounds emitted by dolphins.

“Most species of dolphins produce two types of sounds, which possibly play the role of communication signals in their social relationships. These are packs of broadband pulses and ‘whistles’.….The presence and the function of these packs still remain unclear, even though the hypothesis that dolphins use them for communication has been discussed since the 1960s….This hypothesis is based on the fact that the…signals are recorded when the dolphins are engaged in high social activity and at short distances…, and the interpulse intervals of these signals have a shorter processing time typical for echolocation….”

Ryabov mentioned shortcomings inherent in previous studies, some of which studied only a limited frequency range, and some in situations where some dolphins were swimming freely and were beyond the recording range of the equipment in the studies, though not necessarily beyond the range that other dolphins could hear. Ryabov’s study used a two-channel recording system and two dolphins confined to a pool that made it possible to determine which dolphin made which sounds and verify that the two were taking turns communicating.

The full text of the paper is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405722316301177

Maybe some day we’ll be able to talk to the dolphins. I doubt they will say “thanks for all the fish.” If I were a dolphin I’d be asking why we humans feel the need to imprison other species and force them to perform for our entertainment.

The full moon falling later this week on September 16 offers several unique features. It’s the 2016 Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. The equinox falls on September 22.

It may also be a supermoon—a full moon that occurs at or close to perigee, the point at which the moons orbit is closest to earth. Not everyone agrees whether September 16’s moon will be a supermoon. An astrologer (not an astronomer), Richard Nolle, is credited with coining the term supermoon, and he does not include September 16 as one of the supermoons occurring in 2016. His list of supermoons includes full moons that fall at their closest perigee for the year.

However, Nolle’s original definition of a supermoon was “a new or full moon which occurs with the Moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.” Astronomer Fred Espenak therefore calculates the supermoon based on the perigee of each orbit, and includes September 16 as a supermoon. (Bruce McClure, earthsky.com/tonight) Either way, it’s bound to be big and beautiful, if clouds don’t get in the way.

In addition to being a harvest moon and possibly a supermoon, September 16 will also offer a subtle penumbral eclipse in earth’s eastern hemisphere—unfortunately not visible in the U.S.

For more details about this week’s moon show, follow the link: http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/harvest-moon-2

Is there alien life close enough for us to actually make contact some day? Most of the research I’ve done on interstellar travel, alien planets and the conditions necessary for complex life to develop have led me to believe that the chance of laying eyes on alien life was a very distant (as in light years distant) hope.

Never say never.

Scientists recently discovered a planet in Alpha Centauri, which includes the three stars nearest to earth. The newly discovered planet orbits the closest star, Alpha Proxima, a small red dwarf, in the “goldilocks zone.” That means it’s close enough to its star for the planet to have liquid water. Currently identified as Proxima b, the planet is 1.3 times the size of earth and orbits four million miles from its star every eleven days. By comparison earth is 93 million miles from the sun. But Proxima is much smaller than our sun—just a little larger than Jupiter. (For more details, check out earthsky.com at http://earthsky.org/space/next-nearest-star-has-a-planet)

Proxima is just four light years from our sun, so if we manage to achieve light speed travel at some point in the future—not an impossibility considering a Mexican scientist has already developed a mathematical model for a warp drive, that would be a realistic target.

Of course, besides speed, we have a myriad of other technical problems to solve before humans could traverse open space, among which are the long-term effects of weightlessness and cosmic radiation, for which we have no adequate shielding once we fly beyond the protection of earth’s magnetic field.

First we have to figure out how to get humans as far as Mars. One thing at a time. But we can all dream (and write great science fiction)!

TO: Hrkajan Science Central

I last contacted you less than a templas ago (June 16, 2016, local Earth date) regarding Earth’s discovery of the energy-collecting oculon we are constructing around our star. Earth Astronomer Tabetha Boyajian reported her studies in an online forum called Ted Talk in February, 2016, and speculated that the reduction in light from our star might be due to construction of a megastructure called a “Dyson sphere” (what we call an oculon). Astronomers thereafter dubbed Hrkajan “Tabby’s Star,” though its official Earth astronomical designation is KIC 8462852.

Boyajian’s report generated so much interest that astronomers pursued a private funding campaign to purchase time on one of Earth’s few high-powered telescopes. I understand such an endeavor seems like a pathetic and ridiculous approach to scientific inquiry, but that is how things frequently work on this planet.

I had hoped that the funding campaign would fail, and that would be the end of the focus on our development of the oculon. Unfortunately, the opposite has developed. The campaign has already generated more than $100,000 (a large but not amazing sum of “money” for this planet), but they aren’t done yet.

Earlier this year, Bradley Schaefer with Louisiana State University published studies of photographic plates that had captured Hrkajan going back to the 19th century. He reported a long-term dimming in the light from the star by nearly 20 percent over the past (Earth) century.

Most recently, On 65783.123.12 (Earth date August 3, 2016), Benjamin Montet with the California Institute of Technology and Joshua Simon with Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington released their study of the star that analyzed data from Earth’s Kepler space telescope over the past four years. They have discovered that our star has been decreasing in brightness at an unprecedented rate. (Deborah Byrd in Space, earthsky.com, August 13, 2016)

Following is a direct quote from the article:

“That result might suggest a megastructure in the process of being built, hiding more and more of the star’s light from our view.”

I can’t stress to you what a danger Earth’s interest might pose for our civilization at some time in the future. Earth is not yet capable of interstellar travel, but as I mentioned in my earlier communique, humans have a history of making major technological leaps when motivated to do so.

I recommend we take immediate steps to disguise the oculon. The scientific community on this planet is too dispersed and disorganized for me to mount an effective disinformation campaign on my own. While many noted astronomers do not accept the theory that an artificial structure is being built around “Tabby’s Star,” given enough time and mounting evidence, Earth scientists are bound to realize the truth at some point.

Once they do, I have no doubt they will expend great effort to contact us, to our great detriment. This is an illogical and violent species.

Respectfully,

Akij Zimth, Earth Observation Unit

This week sky-watchers are in for a retreat as the annual Perseid meteor shower returns. Peak viewing time will be the early morning hours of August 12, after 1:00 a.m. when the moon has set. Astronomers believe this year’s show will be even better than usual because Jupiter has nudged the debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle closer to Earth. They predict that those watching in dark areas away from artificial lights may be able to see as many as 150 meteors per hour.

If you think about it, that hardly constitutes a shower—that only amounts to a couple of meteors per minute. However, for those of us who have been excited by lesser “showers” of fifty to sixty meteors per hour, this is a gold mine.

For more information about this year’s Perseid meteor shower, visit the site: http://www.astronomy.com/news/observing/2016/08/perseid-meteor-shower-set-for-its-best-show-in-nearly-20-years

If you can’t watch on August 12, try one of the nights before or after that. They are supposed to peak on the 12th, but people are already spotting meteors out of that shower. Predictions of the peak are just that—predictions. And there frequently is plenty to see on the nights before and after the peak. The last shower I watched I went out the night before and saw several, then went out the night of the predicted peak and didn’t see any at all.

The most important element is a dark sky, so plan your location and time it after the moon is due to set.

For anyone who’s never watched for meteors before, here are some tips (most of these are just plain common sense):

• Find a place out in the country far from city lights
• For the Perseid shower, the best time will be after 1:00 a.m. (Central Standard Time), after the moon has set
• Look about two-thirds of the way from the horizon to the zenith (directly overhead), but look around from time to time. Meteors don’t all come from one direction or go one direction.
• Plan for comfort—take a blanket or reclining lawn chair. The easiest way to watch is flat on your back.
• Take a blanket, sweater or jacket. Even in warm weather, lying still in the damp night air can get chilly.
• Above all—be patient. You might not see any at all for several minutes, and then get a real show. You never know when they will strike.

Happy meteor watching, and good luck.

I saw Star Trek Beyond yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I spent a good part of the movie holding my breath. That’s all I will tell you about it. No spoilers here.

There were a few places in the movie where I also found inspiration for my next novel. Space fiction must be the most difficult genre of writing. Nothing can be assumed. Grass might not be green, the sun might rise in the west (or north or south), even the laws of physics can be challenged. The only sure thing about space fiction is that you have to stretch your own imagination beyond anything known to man, and then describe it in a way that brings it to life for your reader. No problem.

I am often chagrined to find that my own imagination is lacking, so lately I have been seeking inspiration from other sources. Fortunately, I have found some excellent ones. Star Trek Beyond offered a wealth of alien species as well as a very inventive space station, if not a particularly unique alien planet landscape. The WiiU video game Xenoblade has provided another great source of inspiration. Yasuyuki Honne and Tonny Waiman Koo are the chief artists for the utterly amazing art in the game. In addition to superb characters and alien creatures, the landscape forms are awe-inspiring. Honestly, it’s worth buying a WiiU just for this one game, assuming you’re a better player than I am and can actually keep your character alive long enough to enjoy it. Otherwise, the game comes with a beautiful book full of Xenoblade’s art.

I had finished a rough draft of my second novel, tentatively titled Man on the Fringe. With my imagination rejuvenated, I will be undertaking a major overhaul. I hope someday it will inspire someone else’s imagination.

Fly high and free.

A common annecdote states that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is put in cold water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to or be aware of threats that rise gradually.

While some 19th-century experiments suggested that the underlying premise is true if the heating is sufficiently gradual, according to contemporary biologists the premise is false: a submerged frog gradually heated will jump out. (Wikipedia)

Maybe the frogs are smarter than we humans. This past weekend Wikileaks released some 20,000 emails that had been hacked from the Democratic National Committee. The leaked emails revealed that the DNC had systematically undermined Bernie Sanders’ primary election campaign. The revelation forced the resignation of chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Notably, the FBI immediately announced it would investigate who hacked the DNC. There was no mention of investigating the DNC for violating democratic process.

Of course, Hilary Clinton could claim that she had no idea what her party was doing to benefit her. Bernie Sanders, not the insider that Clinton is, complained of the party’s bias more than once. How could he know, and Clinton not know? Like she didn’t know she was committing treason by allowing secret State Department emails on her private, un-secured private email account?

Of course she knew what was being done. How can we possible vote for someone who has such a blatant disregard for the democratic process, let alone such a blatant disregard for the law, and blatant disregard for the security of the United States when she is serving as Secretary of State?

So, our choices for President in this year’s election are a man who’s such a loose canon that his own party trembles in fear every time he opens his mouth, and a woman so determined to consolidate her own power that she recognizes no moral or legal constraints.

So are we frogs in the United States boiling yet? Maybe it’s time to jump.