Solidarity!

One of my favorite bloggers over on ScienceBlogs is on strike; half the bloggers there are either on strike or have left because management has been jerking them around too long. They are supposed to get paid, and the checks haven't been coming. They might blog anyway, as these are dedicated communicators, but they also can't get tech support, management doesn't respond to their questions and concerns, and the final straw hit the camels' backs when Science Blogs sold a blog space to a large corporation, so that Pepsi could put their spin on nutritional science.

Anyhow, I've been thinking for a while about doing some posts on how science and crafting and art intersect. Things like why do colors fade in sunlight, what goes into a gemstone, how do fibers connect to each other, etc. But I'm in the middle of a research paper right at the moment, so I can't go into specialized topics like this. What I can do is link you to some interesting science stuff at least once a day. If you like science, you'll have something to read without the ScienceBlogs organization.

I'll start you off with an article on nuclear fusion. How does it relate to crafts? Well, if it can be developed to the point of being a major energy source, it could mean an era of more abundant, less polluting energy, and that means you can put together better lighting and tools for your studio. Also, the price of manufacturing and shipping would be far less vulnerable to fluctuating fuel prices, so you will probably not have to worry about price spikes for your supplies. Consumers would likely end up with more money to spend on fun things once their electricity bills go down. On the other hand, it's likely to be decades away, so don't gt your hopes too high.