#research highlight

The author usually spends the opening chapters just bashing and complaining about fellow academics in their tiny field that they have some unknowable beef with ☕️

Just on page 1:

"culpably misunderstood and neglected"

"it appears to have been read with strange absence of care and intelligence"

"It seems hardly credible that any person of average intelligence could, even in carelessness, so misapprehended this expression"

Upon the tear water layer on the human eye lays a thin lipid layer, which prevents water evaporation, protects the eye from dust in the air, and has antibacterial properties.

Patients with Dry Eye Disease have the composition of the outer lipid layer altered, so it is not stable. The lipid film breaks up, there are pores formed in this layer, and the tears excessively evaporate. The patients have to use eye-drops to humidify their eyes.

In our previous research ( https://www.modeling-ophthalmology.com/index.php/JMO/article/view/54 ) we have shown that molecules CKC improve stability of the lipid layer. They incorporate into the lipid layer as puzzle pieces and significantly help with the symptoms of Dry Eye Disease. Now we focused on BAK molecules, which are slightly smaller than CKC, and traditionally used to preserve eye-drops as they effectively kill bacteria. ( https://www.modeling-ophthalmology.com/index.php/JMO/article/view/92 ) The BAK molecules also incorporate into the lipid layer, however, their short length allow them to significantly reorient in the lipid layer and further destabilize it (Figure from the linked article): 

A star system, located 3,000 light-years away from Earth, is predicted to become visible to the unaided eye soon. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity as the nova outburst only occurs about every 80 years. T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, last exploded in 1946 and astronomers believe it will do so again between February and September 2024.

While working on research for a project, I stumbled across a pile of free ebooks that NASA offers (these and more!)

Not a true island, but Null Island represents where on a map 0° latitude and 0° longitude intersect

Null Island is the location at zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude (0°N 0°E), i.e., where the prime meridian and the equator intersect

There actually used to be a buoy at "Null Island" labeled "Station 13010 - Soul", put in back in the late 1990's and operated by PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic), but it was recently decommissioned in 2021

But the National Data Buoy Center operated by NOAA still has the buoy's historical data if anyone is interested though

Sometimes also called a Pillar Dial or a Shepard Dial

This strange looking device is actually a portal sundial! The metal arm is the “gnomon” (the part of the sundial that casts a shadow) and the body is carved with different curved horizontal lines for times and vertical columns for months

This sundial is set for the 37th parallel north (37.3 degrees North latitude) which includes places like the island of Sicily, Greece, as well as places in Syria, Iran, China, and through the center of the United States. This kind of information can make it possible to determine where this device was originally made or at least where it was intended to be used 🔎

Helpfully, it also just so happens it is “inscribed on the dial corresponds with that of Catania in Sicily” so this device was likely made to operate in Sicily

(A very simple) Mystery solved!

Helluva Boss (2021)

Don’t worry: no plot spoilers

The demons in Helluva Boss are inspired by the demons from the goetic grimoire Ars Goetia. In particular:

Stolas (also known as Stolos, Stoppas and Solas) is "a Great Prince of Hell, commands twenty-six legions of demons. He teaches astronomy and is knowledgeable about herbs, plants, and precious stones. He is often depicted as a raven or a crowned owl with long legs.

Sound familiar?

The decorations in Stolas’ manor are particularly beautifully done and are often clearly inspired by a combination of astronomy and plants.

The chandelier(? Lamp? Dining room decoration?) in the dining room appears to be a beautifully crafted brass/gold armillary sphere that even rotates on its axis

Armillary spheres are a common decoration for astronomy-inspired decorations, but a nice touch to this armillary sphere is the distinct angle it rotates at. In armillary spheres on Earth, this angle is the result of the tit of the planet (which on Earth is 23.5 degrees) and the surrounding arc represents the path that the sun travels around the Earth

In Stolas’ mansion, this armillary sphere sits at around 40 degrees. From an artistic perspective, I suspect this is to make the silhouette of the decoration read better to an audience. But it could also imply that hell is at a 40 degree tilt to its sun

This view appears in Season 1 Episode 7 “Ozzie’s” (3:27)

Ptolemaic armillary sphere from the Science Museum Group

There is a closer view in Season 2 Episode 1 “The Circus” (18:19)

The entire mansion is filled with astronomical devices and decorations

In the same episode (12:42) in Octavia’s room there is what appears to be an orrery on the ceiling of her bedroom. An orrery is a model to illustrate the relative positions/motions of the planets of moons in a solar system. Turns out hell has a lot of planets!

Since the orrery is on the ceiling it is hard to get a full view of it

The best view is probably in n Season 1 Episode 2 “Loo Loo Land” (2:48) where the center star is more visible

Orrery planetary model from the Science Museum Group

Finally, there is a device in this same episode that is easy to miss (I only noticed it while reviewing clips for more angles of the orrery). At 2:30, blink and you’ll miss it. Hard to see it fully but it appears similar to celestial and terrestrial globes with arcs for the path of the moon or sun

English terrestrial globe with Moon arm from the Science Museum Group

And yes, everyone should watch this show. All episodes are on Youtube