Hey Doc,
I love that Bette Midler song, ‘The Wind Beneath my Wings’, but I really don’t get it. What does she mean when she uses that expression?
Signed,
Puzzled Pilot
Hey Puz,
Good question. As best the Wiz can tell, The Divine Miss M. is making two statements:
1. ‘You are a good friend, and I can always count on you.’
2. ‘I don’t know squat about aerodynamics.’
While we appreciate what she is trying to say—and love that gal to pieces—we feel compelled to help out with the science. As Bernoulli’s principle clearly states, it is the wind above the wings that provides the lift. To the extent that wind beneath the wings has any effect at all, it is to bring down the flying object (bird, plane or Superman) and—aerodynamically at least—to be a drag. We feel certain that this was not the message she meant to convey.
We encourage La Midler to continue her exemplary work entertaining us – occasionally moving us to tears of joy or laughter, but to leave science to the professionals… like Doctor Wizard.
Signed,
Your Well-grounded Doctor
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Darkest Before Dawn?
Dear Doctor Wizard,
Hi! Thanks for taking my question. I think you're really cool, and read your blog all the time.
Okay, here goes:
Is it really always darkest before the dawn?
Signed, Nightowl
Dear Nighty,
First of all, don't be so damned obsequious. Nobody likes a suck-up, and readers will assume you're a plant, tossing up slow pitches for me to hit out of the park. Besides, you couldn't have read my blog before, since yours is the first question.
That being said ... good question! My advice, never say 'never', and rarely say 'always'. As comforting as the thought may be that it's always darkest before the dawn, reality doesn't need to conform to our comfort. In the most literal sense, it is darkest before the dawn. But one should not infer from this that it's darkest immediately before the dawn. In the absence of artificial light (nearby cities, campfires, etc), and normalizing for the stage of the moon, it's actually darkest about midway from dusk and dawn, when the sun is directly opposite one's position on the surface of the Earth - midnight ... way before dawn.
If you still want to find words of assurance for a friend in need, it is (normalizing once again for transient phenomena such as weather fronts, etc.) generally coldest before the dawn ... or soon thereafter.
I hope that helps.
Cheerfully,
Dr. Wizard
Hi! Thanks for taking my question. I think you're really cool, and read your blog all the time.
Okay, here goes:
Is it really always darkest before the dawn?
Signed, Nightowl
Dear Nighty,
First of all, don't be so damned obsequious. Nobody likes a suck-up, and readers will assume you're a plant, tossing up slow pitches for me to hit out of the park. Besides, you couldn't have read my blog before, since yours is the first question.
That being said ... good question! My advice, never say 'never', and rarely say 'always'. As comforting as the thought may be that it's always darkest before the dawn, reality doesn't need to conform to our comfort. In the most literal sense, it is darkest before the dawn. But one should not infer from this that it's darkest immediately before the dawn. In the absence of artificial light (nearby cities, campfires, etc), and normalizing for the stage of the moon, it's actually darkest about midway from dusk and dawn, when the sun is directly opposite one's position on the surface of the Earth - midnight ... way before dawn.
If you still want to find words of assurance for a friend in need, it is (normalizing once again for transient phenomena such as weather fronts, etc.) generally coldest before the dawn ... or soon thereafter.
I hope that helps.
Cheerfully,
Dr. Wizard
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