Statistical extrapolation say at least half of the systems have them. We can only detect the one percent of edge-on systems with transit method or the fat-fast ones with doppler. But we've barely started to look at the systems within a couple thousand light years. There are millions of starts within this distance.

I've worked in companies during both flush times and tight times. It was nice when they would pay for courses and conferences. But against my advice these items are often dropped first in cutbacks and I observe employee skills suffer. Maybe because I've earned my way through college and have a science background that I decide to still educate myself. Choose the more rewarding conferences, do fewer of them, stay local and cheaper etc. Online training and conference has become better in recent years. I have observed the complainers i.e. "i wont lft a finger to educate myself unless the company pays for it" tend to be let go first in the numerous layoffs I have observed.

These costs are tax deductable once they exceed 2% of your salary, but I havent gone that far yet.

They invented modern place-numerals, developed (and named) a lot of algebra, supplied names for many of the visible stars. They copied the old Greek philosophers writings and argued how their ideas fit in with The Revelation. I dont recall big conflicts between science and religion then.

I think nerds understand the deep structure of science play and geeks modulate its surface expression. Thee are nerd things that I would do, like take a vacation to watch a rocket launch, and geek things I would not do, like dress up as a superhero.

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In the past four decades.

Generally if you are proficient in a couple languagse, you really dont need to take a course to learn a new language.

Not to get a job. I lingered long, but managed to still save millions from a job.

Its pretty old hat to say every new media will revolutionize education: phograph, movies, radio, mail order, telvision, internet .... Good old human teacher contact is still major factor after 140 years.

I dont think it the reason is purely vocational (jobs). Young people know computers run the world and contribute to the human intellectual enterprise. Larry Summers tried to strengthen the S&E requirement for a Harvard degree (he was in my MIT class) and the faculty rebuffed him. MITs required six S&E courses for a degree makes them more liberal (broadly educated) in my opinion than Harvard.

P.S. Computing is NOT one of the six MIT S&E requirements yet. But it comes up everytime the requirments are reviewed.

Even though the charcters are awkward, they seem to have much more lively social lives than when I was in grad school. The students were almost all male then.

We need leaders who understand the geopolitical situation and can use tools of negotiation. These are social issues, not tech.

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After fracked shale gas runs out in the 2030s, there is a vast amount of methane in mehane-ice in the seafloor. Currently it is too pressurized to easily produce (e.g. Mocondo accident). But when other fossil fuels runlow, industry will try to mine it.

Methane is the thrid most important greenhouse gas after water and carbon dioxide, currently contributing about 10% of the effect. There are tremendous amounts of methane frozen in permafrost and continental shelf hydrates. The fear is ocean warming cold melt more hyrdrates, release more methane and make it still warmer.

The grueling two year primary & fund raising system for electing top US leaders need improvement. The past several winners have been barely OK.