I started a new GIS (Geographic Information Systems) class from ESRI today: Learning ArcGIS Spatial Analyst. I am taking courses like this to expand and update my GIS skills. Plus, it is cool stuff to work with. I've done some of this before, such as generating shaded relief and contours: Other things will be new …
Month: January 2009
The Earth has a future
This item was originally posted in June 2006. I have added it to my blog recycling program. Because I have new readers of The GeoChristian, I will occasionally go back and re-use some of my favorite blog entries (with some editing). Additionally, this is being submitted to the January 2009 Accretionary Wedge Geoscience Blog Carnival, …
Reading – January 2009
Here are the books I've been working on in January: The Bible, Rocks, and Time, by Young and Stearley The Oceans, by Prager The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, by Noll Living the Cross Centered Life, by Mahaney I didn't finish any books.
Geology humor
Some good humor from Looking for Detachment: Geologists and Engineers. I got some good laughs.
All truth is God’s truth
Does the Bible take priority over science, or are science and scripture complementary? Here's the approach I take: All truth is God's truth. I'm not the first to use this phrase by any means, but I think it is a good summary of how I view the relationship between science and my Christian faith. Sometimes …
Darwin, evolution, and God
This may be new to some of you, but Charles Darwin did not reject God because of evolution, but because of other factors, such as anger over the death of his 10-year old daughter. Darwin was more of an agnostic than an atheist, and he certainly was no anti-God crusader like Richard Dawkins is today. …
Perseverance
As you know, this is a difficult time to find a job. I just sent off application #212. I spent a good portion of the day writing essays on four federal job applications that were due by midnight Eastern time; I sent the last one off at 11:58. I've been very well qualified for most …
Chaiten Volcano, Chile
After 9000 years of dormancy, Chaiten Volcano, in a remote part of southern Chile, has been in an eruptive phase since May 2008. NASA's Earth Observatory posted these images of the 1/19/09 dome collapse yesterday: These images above don't do justice to the high resolution versions available at Earth Observatory: In these false color images, …
Mapping the harvest
From NASA's Earth Observatory this week: Poor harvest in Kenya From NASA's description: Ten million people could face hunger in Kenya after a poor harvest, Kenya’s government warned on January 9, 2009. According to the Associated Press, the government declared a state of emergency to free up funds for food aid. This image, which shows …
Planet of the Apes musical
For your cultural enrichment: Planet of the Apes, the Musical Grace and Peace
Uber space nerd
According to NerdTests.com, I can now add the title of Master of Uber Space Nerd's Mentor to my resume. HT: GeoTripper Grace and Peace
Climate change survey
From CNN: Surveyed scientists agree global warming is real. The results of a University of Illinois survey of scientists include the following: 90% of the scientists surveyed agreed that global temperatures have risen compared to levels from before 1800. 82% agreed that human activity been a significant factor in this increase of mean global temperatures. 97% of …
Moon rover
NASA's Image of the Day Gallery has a concept of what the next lunar rover will look like: Here's the description from NASA: NASA's Next Generation Moon Rover In the year 2020, NASA will be back on the moon. This time NASA will explore thousands of miles of the moon's surface with individual missions lasting …
Dr. Dino still in prison
Welcome to The GeoChristian. Out of over 1000 posts on my blog, this one on Dr. Dino is visited by more people than any other. The primary objective of The GeoChristian is to increase science literacy among Evangelical Christians, especially in the areas of the Earth and environmental sciences. I aim to discuss controversial topics …
More Martian gas
Yesterday I wrote briefly about the ongoing release of methane from the crust of Mars. This is the topic of today's Astronomy Picture of the Day: Here's the description from APOD: Why is there methane on Mars? No one is sure. An important confirmation that methane exists in the atmosphere of Mars occurred last week, …
Letter from Birmingham Jail
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day here in the United States, a day to honor the slain civil rights leader, to celebrate how far we have come, and to reflect on how far we still have to go as a nation. Here's some suggested reading: "Letter from Birmingham jail." It is a succinct overview …
Martian methane
From LiveScience.com: Mars Methane: Geology or Biology? Plumes of methane gas detected over certain locations on Mars in 2003 could point to active geological processes on the red planet, or perhaps even to methane-burping microbes deep below the Martian surface, a new study reports. There is no firm evidence for life on the red planet, …
Google Earth – improved ocean floor
The ocean floor on Google Earth has always been a little fuzzy, but the good folks at Google have recently improved the resolution: HT: Clastic Detritus Grace and Peace
The Evangelical Ecologist
After a hiatus of a few months, The Evangelical Ecologist (The world isn't ours to mess up - Psalm 24:1) is back into blogging. Here are a couple of recent posts: Protecting your health and the environment at the same time Wolves out of the woods -- what happens when the Endangered Species Act works? …
Day-age time chart
One of the most prominent old-Earth creation organizations is Reasons to Believe, headed by astronomer Hugh Ross. Ross is an advocate of what is known as the day-age interpretation of Genesis 1-2. In the day-age theory, the days of Genesis 1 are not literal 24-hour days, but represent vastly longer periods of time. Ross advocates …
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