JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).

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Statistics
Like Skylab: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-05-08/kosmos-482-tracking-data-soviet-venus-space-probe-atmosphere/105269940
Will these soon become an annual or more frequent event? – night skies v. full these days…
30
Under international space law, space debris is the property of the original launcher.
However the Soviet Union no longer exists.
The Venera probes were launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (where Borat comes from and whose children have a higher level of educational achievement than Australia’s), now an independent country.
It poses an interesting legal question who owns any debris which lands.
60
David, sister and hubby recently returned from Kazakhstan. Their observations versus what people think about these far away places, where simply chalk and cheese.
Some points they mentioned.
1/ A muslim country that does NOT teach religion in schools. If parents want their kids educated in religion they do it at their own expense after school hours.
2/ This country is tolerant of other religious beliefs
3/ Crime is comparatively low.
4/ As geriatric travellers they did not feel unsafe or threatened at any time.
5/ It appears that there is also a very efficient public health system
All up they thought it a fascinating place, happy and courteous people, progressive in the old way, you know keen to improve all aspects of their lives and certainly very different to other “Stan” countries they had visited over the years.
50
Sambar,
looking at 80 to do https://www.tripadeal.com.au/deals/4416-best-of-the-stans
Best of The Stans 2025
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan & more
00
Interesting comment in the narrative. The exact time and place of reentry will be determined by the sun. Apparently a solar storm can cause earths atmosphere to “fluff. up” and therefore reach further into space affecting the the crafts speed.
Wow, who would have thunk that the sun could cause the whole of earths atmosphere to expand and in the space of a couple of days. This same sun couldn’t possibly affect our weather could it?
60
It all comes down to the point I keep making about the Left and that is that they have an Aristotlean world view, that is they believe in a static earth theory in which the world never changes.
It is incomprehensible to them that there could be variations in the climate or the world in general due to variations in solar activity from the sun, a variable star, Milankovich cycles, plate tectonics, cosmic ray variations leading to variations in cloud formation, volcanic activity, continental drift causing changes in ocean circulation (long term), meteorite impacts (rare) etc..
All these effects are well known and I remember learning about them in school, back in the day.
Now they call a hot day “catastrophic global warming” and panic.
Scientific ignorance is an appalling thing.
70
Waiting for updates.
Every Australian capital city seems to be threatened!
00
If the satellite still had communications AND propulsion…..
We could post addresses, like Spring St. The most popular, or needy wins.
AFAF
00
Jordan Peterson
Joe Rogan Experience episode #2308 @ 1:17:30
150
India shot down a Pakistani JF-17 fighter, as things continue to escalate. The pilot was killed.
India claims at least two have been shot down so far.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/operation-sindoor-pakistan-admits-india-shot-down-2-of-its-fighter-jets/articleshow/121004497.cms
30
And in news just at hand, the newly re-elected Australian government has agreed to purchase 172 of these latest and greatest, invincible aircraft. The government spokesman said that with their reported flying range and being based in central Oz, they were very unlikely to ever be shot down over India.
The spokesman confirmed that the funding for these stealthy craft will come from the treasury. Money will be printed as required to cover the cost. They should be delivered just after the last submarine arrives in 2123.
/s IF you hadn’t picked it.
00
(Bumped.)
Why do 7 out of 15 Greens in Federal Parliament have hyphenated surnames?
https://greens.org.au/mps
30
I treat anyone with a hyphenated surname with suspicion…they could be a Green. I think it was designed this way so we can spot them.
80
They should texhnically include the indistinguishable “teal independents” on that list.
Now with Adam Badnt gone, someone like Sarah Hanson young might become leader. Someone that unhinged will surely deimate the party vote, like Kamala harris dedimated the democrat vote.
50
I don’t understand how the Teals are allowed to keep calling themselves “independents” and thus exempt from laws governing political parties, including funding disclosure, when they are obviously a party with the same branding and beliefs etc..
70
They all should be called Dunning-Kruger.
30
What’s wrong with “Sea Food Sarah” or is that “Sea Patrol Sarah”. Hope she wins the Leadership role, it should condemn the greens to irrelevance for decades!
30
It’s all, simply pasturing . .
00
Probably because they are generally the sort of people who would think a lady taking a man’s name on marriage is a hideous outdated sexist tradition.
60
So they keep their father’s name but not take their husband’s? Yet to see the three surname child though.
70
Yes, I was very concerned for years what will happen the progeny of parents with 2 surnames each. Would they take a quadruple surname?
Also, is Hanson Young one and the same person as Young Hanson ?
It is a fact that white, middle-age men always put themselves in front of promising ladies, the glass ceiling must be broken !
20
FWIW
“How media often gets it wrong on livestock emissions”
https://www.beefcentral.com/news/how-media-often-gets-it-wrong-on-livestock-emissions/
30
Two points of interest on Methane and livestock:
1. I believe that the amount of methane from livestock is calculated not by estimating the numbers of livestock, but by the acreage that COULD support livestock grazing. Is this correct? If yes, surely this would always result in an over-estimation, as not all grazing land is used.
2. If the grazing land grass is not eaten by livestock, then surely it would eventually decompose, still emitting methane.
00
FWIW
“US STATE DEPARTMENT CALLS OUT AUSTRALIA FOR ONLINE CENSORSHIP”
https://richardsonpost.com/staff-writer-cauldron-pool/39538/us-state-department-calls-out-australia-for-online-censorship/
10
FWIW – a caustic look at the medical/legal system in USA
“What Is This C a r p?
Opens with
“Oh, children have the right to direct their own health care — but force their parents to pay for it, including the harms from it?”
And much more
https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=253246
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