Thank you for giving me a sense of wonder every time I looked up at the moon when I was growing up. Thank you for helping me to dream about what planets we might see people step foot on in the future, even if that wasn't your intent. And most of all, thank you for showing me that goodness, integrity, dignity and respect are earned by the actions over a lifetime, not just during a few fleeting moments on a... Read more

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There's a theory about the rise in popularity of televised poker; according to Marvin Ryder, a professor at McMaster University, it's all ice hockey's fault. In 2004, North America's National Hockey League was put on ice for a whole season (ice, geddit? ...nevermind) after a dispute over pay between the player's association and league officials. Television stations were left with a fairly gaping hole in their schedules that they needed to fill quickly. Enter Texas Hold'em poker. As a watchable... Read more

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  There's a visual illusion that's doing the rounds on twitter and elsewhere at the minute. Take a look at these two circles - how wonky are they?   The truth is, they're not wonky at all - they're two perfectly-shaped circles, made up of blocks containing high and low contrast patches. So why is it the case, even if we know that they're not wobbly, that we can't help but see them that way? Well, the illusion is a... Read more

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