The First Computer Programmer, Dissociation, and Sci-fi brought to life
So I just started a new job. But wanted to continue writing Licence Revoked, so it’s ready in time for an April release. And at some point, I wanted sleep. Which is why I haven’t been updating. Sorry!
It’s also been a crazy few weeks getting excited about DIVISION (it got to #1 in Free Science Fiction Anthlogies! And Metaphysical & Visionary! And #38 Free overall! And then top #50 in Paid Anthologies & Short Stories! THANK YOU!)
While that’s been a fun, giddy ride, it’s been good to be shoved back to reality and remember some of the reasons why I write. Like discovering things I never knew about, exploring the human mind in its infinite horror and wonder, and sharing cool things.
So I thought I’d do that briefly today with three excellent articles I read this week.
1. How Ada Lovelace, Lord Byron’s daughter, became the world’s first computer programmer
I’m ashamed to say that I’d never heard of Ada Lovelace. This article was fascinating. Brainpickings always has really, really interesting articles, so if you haven’t heard of the site, head on over and enjoy:
In her 1843 supplement to Babbage’s Analytical Engine, simply titled Notes, she outlined four essential concepts that would shape the birth of modern computing a century later. First, she envisioned a general-purpose machine capable not only of performing preprogrammed tasks but also of being reprogrammed to execute a practically unlimited range of operations — in other words, as Isaacson points out, she envisioned the modern computer.
Her second concept would become a cornerstone of the digital age — the idea that such a machine could handle far more than mathematical calculations; that it could be a Symbolic Medea capable of processing musical and artistic notations.
2. The Night My Girlfriend Dissociated and Forgot Who I Was
I like to think that the more we understand about mental illness, the more compassion we have for those who suffer from it. Including ourselves, if that’s the case. Not to mention, the more we know about brain dysfunctions, the more we realise how little we know about the mysterious, all powerful organ that is driving all of us.
This is a short, powerful piece that is exactly what it says on the tin. A close, human look at a frightening mental illness that also, I like to think, gives a bit of hope as well.
The situation, as it stood, couldn’t have looked much worse. A man had cornered a tearful, terrified woman in the lobby of an apartment building and wouldn’t let her leave. If another person entered at that moment, the woman would say the man was a complete stranger. She’d say she had no recollection of how she’d got here.
3. 8 Real NASA Projects Straight out of Science Fiction
Let me get this out of the way – I absolutely love CRACKED. Even though they’ve been the fuel of many procrastination nights, the seamless blend of humour, thought, learning, and more is like a drug to me. And this article on what’s happening in our world today that looks like sci-fi is a whole lot of fun. As you can see above, the Starshade is probably my favourite.
The starshade is a combination of a spaceship, a sunflower-telescope, and one scientist laughing his ass off that someone actually approved his proposal of a flower spaceship. Not that any of this is a joke — one of the biggest hurdles to finding new exoplanets is seeing through the light of the stars that illuminate them. The starshade places itself between the telescope and the star, then through a process known as “science space magic,” it blocks the starlight before it reaches the telescope’s mirrors, allowing us to see exoplanets before the starlight blocks them out. The shape of the petals further makes it easier for the telescope to take pictures of distant planets.
Hope you enjoy the good reads. And let me know – which one was your favourite?