M.J. Rose

“…Legion readers may still find Beatrix Potter rosy and twee: she had no such compromising intent…”

So, lest we remember her merely for the familiar artwork and characters flocking the aisles at children’s stores, we shall now learn more of how Ms. Potter herself was put together —

The Tale of Beatrix Potter

(The Public Domain Review)

This year, the works of one of the most successful and universal writers of all time came into the public domain in many countries around the world. The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck – in all, thirty-three books bearing the name “Beatrix Potter” have sold close to 200 million copies. Frank Delaney enquires into the more complex woman behind the safe and warm-hearted stories.

Her appeal is so powerful that museums hold her in permanent exhibition – and some of them even commemorate her solely. Hollywood has trawled through her life, if somewhat on tiptoe. The great and the good have acknowledged her influence and the affection she inspires. Pottery, apparel, wallpaper – all kinds of domestic accoutrements bear her quaint, unthreatening drawings; her inescapably fluffy image has driven a licensing industry that has been worth millions. Yet Beatrix Potter was a sharp-edged, and reclusive woman, serious and complex, and her “nursery” reputation does her scant justice; she was much more than a “mere” children’s writer…”

For the rest, click here.

How long will it be before we find an earth-like planet with actual signs of life? At the rate we’re going, if there is life out there at all, we are going to find it soon…possibly in our lifetime.

Scientists: We’re ‘very close’ to finding another Earth

By Suzanne Presto, CNN

(CNN) — Scientists looking for signs of life in the universe — as well as another planet like our own — are a lot closer to their goal than people realize.

That was the consensus of a panel on the search for life in the universe held at NASA headquarters Monday in Washington. The discussion focused not only on the philosophical question of whether we’re alone in the universe but also on the technological advances made in an effort to answer that question.

“We believe we’re very, very close in terms of technology and science to actually finding the other Earth and our chance to find signs of life on another world,” said Sara Seager, a MacArthur Fellow and professor of planetary science and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“Finding Earth’s twin, that’s kind of the holy grail,” said John Grunsfeld, an astronaut who helped repair the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009 and is now an associate administrator at NASA….”

For the rest, and some spectacular images, click here.

Isaac Asimov was a true futurist —

For example, he predicted this:

“Communications will become sight-sound and you will see as well as hear the person you telephone. The screen can be used not only to see the people you call but also for studying documents and photographs and reading passages from books. Synchronous satellites, hovering in space will make it possible for you to direct-dial any spot on earth…”

We Live in the Future Nobody Predicted

(Mysterious Universe blog)

“Flash back to the 1964 World’s Fair. One of the greatest science fiction writers of your generation, someone who is also a well-respected science writer with a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Columbia University, makes a series of relatively modest predictions about the year 2014. If there were, say, a Mysterious Universe radio show covering the fair, Isaac Asimov’s predictions would be among the top stories, and for good reason.

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we look back on the article…and most of us agree that Isaac Asimov did incredibly well, because we’ve gotten so accustomed to off-the-wall predictions that Asimov’s stand out as reasonable…”

Read the rest here, at Mysterious Universe.

What do you think the world will be like in another fifty years? Please share your predictions below in the comments section. M.J. and The Museum of Mysteries would like to hear your ideas…