Very engaging post.I do remember reading about the real life story of boys stranded on an island, but thought it happened more recently. Very interesting stuff. Also, Lord of the Flies was truly scary reading for a h.s. kid. And loved the photo of the Mars moon and little Earth as a mere dot next to it.
Thank you! And hmm - maybe there's another castaway story? (Quite possible - I can't believe this is the only one.) If you remember and it's different, please let me know, Jeanine!
I’ll noodle around. I’m sure I read about boys being stranded on an island and a different outcome than the one we’re all familiar with, but it could have well been from this source. Seems I read about a year ago. Will take a look around. But I thought they too were UK schoolboys not local islanders.
Just checked—nope, only one story. I either read the same Guardian story you mention, dated May 2020, about the Tongan boys, or saw a video-doc of the captain, Peter Warner, on YouTube from Docastaway 2020.
Thank you Mike. Oh wow. Mind truly boggled by that image.
I had a kind of “big bang” hallucination when I was feverish with flu once when I was a child (about six), and the feeling of space’s vastness stuck with me. Just astonishing.
On a side note, I was so bummed in grade school when I found out that Animal Farm was an allegory and not just a story about some animals taking over a farm.
So, Mike, I guess I’ll stop eating sweet potatoes 🍠 and vegetables…
Many years ago I saw the moon through a very powerful telescope. It’s one one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Similar to the image from your article minus the colours.
Very engaging post.I do remember reading about the real life story of boys stranded on an island, but thought it happened more recently. Very interesting stuff. Also, Lord of the Flies was truly scary reading for a h.s. kid. And loved the photo of the Mars moon and little Earth as a mere dot next to it.
Thank you! And hmm - maybe there's another castaway story? (Quite possible - I can't believe this is the only one.) If you remember and it's different, please let me know, Jeanine!
I’ll noodle around. I’m sure I read about boys being stranded on an island and a different outcome than the one we’re all familiar with, but it could have well been from this source. Seems I read about a year ago. Will take a look around. But I thought they too were UK schoolboys not local islanders.
Just checked—nope, only one story. I either read the same Guardian story you mention, dated May 2020, about the Tongan boys, or saw a video-doc of the captain, Peter Warner, on YouTube from Docastaway 2020.
Getting a kind of vertigo looking at those jaw-dropping space photos. How teeny we are, from Mars.
So very, very teeny! And check out this picture too, from nearly 9 times the distance away: https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/cassini-earth-saturn-day-earth-smiled/
SPACE IS SO VERY BIG.
Thank you Mike. Oh wow. Mind truly boggled by that image.
I had a kind of “big bang” hallucination when I was feverish with flu once when I was a child (about six), and the feeling of space’s vastness stuck with me. Just astonishing.
Wow, that last photo!!! Amazing.
Indeed! He takes some fantastic shots - he did a lunar occlusion featuring Mars at the end of 2022 and I thought that one couldn't be topped: https://www.space.com/mars-lunar-occultation-image-december-2022 But nope, he did it even better here.
I’m so utterly thrilled to bits that a real life Lord of the flies happened and somehow human nature showed its good side!
Same! I also read the novel in middle school and thought that it was terribly dark.
As usual, your links have links that have links. And I enjoy every one of them. Thank-you!
On a side note, I was so bummed in grade school when I found out that Animal Farm was an allegory and not just a story about some animals taking over a farm.
Those Ig prizes! And I thought my research was off the wall…nope! 😀
So, Mike, I guess I’ll stop eating sweet potatoes 🍠 and vegetables…
Many years ago I saw the moon through a very powerful telescope. It’s one one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Similar to the image from your article minus the colours.
Yes I never liked "Lord of the Flies", it is such a demeaning title too- how dare he call children flies! I would like to swat him!!
Long live tiresome optimism! We are what we believe ourselves to be.
We are also impossibly insignificant in the context of the whole galaxy, and beyond. (Cue Buzz Lightyear.)