"Music should be fun", Sir Roger Norrington once said, "it should entertain – and never, ever, be pompous." Farewell to a fearless conductor with a singular and always thrilling approach to music, from every era. Sir Roger Norrington, who was a leading figure in the

Tom Lehrer, Influential Satirist Whose Topical Songs Poked and Prodded America in the '50s and '60s, Dies at 97 variety.com/2025/music/obi…

A beautifully detailed version of an old pie chart joke.

Dave Wilson's photographs of the Saturn V rocket, in service between 1967 and 1973

Photos I shot in Prague

We are saddened by the passing of Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and a four-time spaceflight veteran. Lovell's life and work inspired millions. His courage under pressure helped forge our path to the Moon and beyond—a journey that continues today. go.nasa.gov/41tbrpq

We are saddened by the passing of Gemini and Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. With the crew of Apollo 8, Lovell became one of the first to leave Earth and journey to another world and on Apollo 13 his cool head helped turn a near-disaster into NASA’s finest hour. Lovell was a great

August 7, 2025 Today we have lost a quiet giant. Jim Lovell carried courage and hope into the darkness – and taught us that even the longest journey is possible with a heart full of light. His star will never fade. contactlight.de forallmankind.de

Word of the day is 'umbriphilous': shade-loving. Typically used of plants but readily transferable to humans and animals.

This⬇️

20 August 1977 - launch date for Voyager 2. I was launched 48 years ago today.

Lunar Orbiter 1 captured the first image of Earth from lunar orbit on this day in history in 1966. Pictured here are the original image (left) and a digitally reprocessed version (right).

Voyager 2 made its closest approach of Neptune #OTD in 1989, flying by 4,950 km (3,080 miles) above its cloud tops. It is still the only spacecraft to have visited the planet! Voyager 2 revealed 6 new moons, rings, the "Great Dark Spot" and geysers erupting on Triton! 📷

Fan Ho's rare colour photographs of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 60s

"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." President John F. Kennedy gave his famous "We Choose to Go to the Moon" speech at Rice University #OTD in 1962.

nytimes.com/2025/09/13/wel…

Sentiment we might usefully see more widely adopted (from Frank Marryat’s journal of the California gold rush).

The Right Reverend Dr David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, has issued this statement in response to the attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue this morning. “I am deeply shocked and saddened by the violent incident that has taken place this morning at the Heaton Park

I teach adults seeking their high school diploma. The first question I ask them, is if they like to read. Their answer to that one question is usually the biggest indicator to me as to whether they will succeed or fail. Today, I had a young man come in to take a placement test

75 years ago, my friend Ronald McNair was born. Denied books as a child at his segregated South Carolina library, he later became the second Black American in space. And today, that library bears his name. Happy Birthday, Ron. Your legacy continues to inspire us.