Big Picture: Fire and Ice

For today's entry, an exercise in contrasts: Fire and Ice. Fire can be a life-sustaining, constructive element, or, at worst, a powerfully destructive force - something we humans continue to use, play with, and struggle to control. Ice is closer to the natural state of the universe, cold, still and lifeless. Earth's orbit lies in a "Goldilocks zone" where we may seasonally experience icy environments, but never freeze completely. Collected here are several recent alternating photographs from around the world of both Fire and Ice. (40 photos total)

Click the image to see the full collection.

Definitely Something to Think About

Update: The Manhattan Declaration

On November 25th I created a blog post regarding the Manhattan Declaration. Earlier today I received a note indicating that there are now over 385,000 people that have signed this document.

If you have not already done so, please click on the image above to learn more about the Manhattan Declaration and then add your signature.

Thanks.

Ten deadliest natural disasters since 1900

From the Houston Chronicle Science Blog

To put the tragedy in Haiti into context, I have attempted to make a list of the deadliest natural disasters since 1900, an arbitrary point but one that largely represents the beginning of the modern era.

Such lists are invariably difficult due to often sketchy or conflicting information. I
have chosen only to rely on the best sources, including the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I have excluded famines, droughts and disease outbreaks in favor of discrete events such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

Finally, I chose to exclude partially manmade disasters, such as the 1938 floods in China, which were self-inflicted by China's Nationalist Government in an attempt to halt the rapid advance of the Japanese forces.

Click the image above to read the blogpost.