Revolution in our solar system
A recent science news item has caught the imagination of public: astronomers hypothesize the existence of a hitherto unseen planet that might be lurking in the vast space beyond Neptune. There are thousands of small icy bodies that stretch out beyond the orbit of Neptune from a distance of 30 AU all the way to 500 AU. They are known as the Kuiper Belt Objects (KPO). In recent years, astronomers have found that a few of these KPOs are clustered in a particular part of the solar system in a way that has a low probability of occurrence.
Maths or strings?
On December 12, the publishing house fri tanke with its CEO Christer Sturmark organized, together with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the so called "Pi symposium". This 2015 edition of a series of events got the title "Nyfikenhet & Förundran" ("Curiosity & Wonder").
Murderous Attacks on Bangladeshi Science Writers and Publishers
This year to date, six people in Bangladesh who have promoted a natural and observation-based view of humanity's place in history have been hacked to death by those who seek to impose a particular supernatural view of humanity's origins and destiny. Other "free thinkers" in that country have been severely injured and threatened. Previously confined to authors and translators, last weekend witnessed the same method of execution applied to publishers of science-based books. These targeted killings have generated both fear and bravery among the community of rationalist advocates in the country. During the same period, two foreigners not associated with science education have also been killed in the south Asian nation, but by a different method of execution: drive-by shooting. While there is debate about whether all these killings were linked, death by hacking has been exclusive to the former group.
Rafida Ahmed Bonya on the UN panel "Ending Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
The panel was organized on the 2nd International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, and just 2 days after the attacks on Avijit's publishers Faisal Arefin Dipon and Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, the attack that killed Dipon. https://www.unesco.org/new/en/EndImpunity
Reuters Exclusive - Widow of slain U.S.-Bangladeshi blogger lashes out at Dhaka
[caption id="attachment_4452" align="aligncenter" width="532"]
Rafida Ahmed, who is recovering from injuries including the loss of her thumb suffered during a hacking attack by jihadi assailants, speaks during an interview with Reuters near Washington April 23, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer[/caption]
Bangladesh vs. Religious Extremists
Nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism are the four fundamental principles of the Bangladesh Constitution. Ironically we are living in a country where the constitution speaks for secularism, but society does not.
Avijit Roy and His Legacy
Published in the Free Inquiry magazine, a publication of the Center for Free Inquiry (CFI), USA. Please read and leave a comment. (I would suggest to leave a comment on the CFI website so that those more Americans can see it.)