Weekend Reads 2/24/18

The Deep Space Eye in the Desert

The giant telescope will have 10 times the resolving power of the Hubble Space Telescope, revealing distant galaxies, the birth of stars, and the compositions of exoplanet atmospheres—a key field of research in the search for extraterrestrial life.

The beginning of telescope operations, known as first light, is planned for 2023 and will use just four mirrors. The first observations with all seven mirrors will follow in 2025. As for today: The pots are filled in Japan, the furnace is lit in Arizona, the ground is broken in Chile, and the Giant Magellan Telescope is under way.

The global crackdown on parents who refuse vaccines for their kids has begun

Australia and a number of countries in Europe are fed up enough with vaccine-refusing parents that they’re experimenting with punitive measures. We haven’t quite reached the level of child abuse charges, but moms and dads in these countries may face fines if they fail to give their kids the recommended shots.

Why Is This Olympic Sport Called 'Chess On Ice'?

Curling has been called "chess on ice," and the comparison is a good one. There are many fun similarities between our game of chess and curling, and once you start looking for them, you see them everywhere.

Gun Reform: Speaking Truth to Bullshit, Practicing Civility, and Affecting Change

When we engage in the “us versus them” argument, we lose. The only person who wins is the person who owns the framing of the argument.