In the past half decade or more, I’ve covered a lot of science fights–related to vaccines, the environment, evolution, reproductive health, and many other topics. They all have a lot of parallels, things in common. One of thoses is that, at a certain point, due to political or cultural rather than scientific events, they tend to escalate.

At that point, like an intensification of artillery fire, the “scientific” claims really start flying fast and furious.

Right now, that’s happening with the issue of “fracking,” or hydraulic fracturing. The precipitating event is clear: Josh Fox’s documentary Gasland, which is up for an Oscar tomorrow night.

As the film has risen in prominence, there have been a bevy of scientific counterclaims to it from industry, and scientific counter-counterclaims to those from Fox.

One central issue: Can all the complaints being made by homeowners living near drilling sites, that suddenly they have contaminated water (which sometimes even catches on fire), be explained away somehow? Can these occurrences be natural? Coincidental? Or does this anecdotal evidence already count as something stronger–even if it is pretty hard to document in many cases precisely what is in the water, or to prove that industry is responsible for it being there?

It seems to me that what’s missing, amid this furious science squabbling, is an attempt to step back and put it all in context so that one can judge where the burden of proof lies, how much we can reasonably believe at the current point in time, and how much th e remaining uncertainty cuts in critics’ favor, rather than industry’s. Huh. Maybe we have to wait for the EPA to release its comprehensive study on fracking and drinking water contamination–expected in 2014, if the agency still has a budget by then. Or, maybe we don’t.

What do readers think?

UPDATE:  SOLVED by George at 1:15 CDT

We’re deep into personalities today, I’m telling you.  I have a riddle for you about a person, and I KNOW you’ve heard of this one!

If you haven’t solved a riddle yet this cycle, you better hop on it ’cause Tom and I are getting ready to run another bonus riddle.  We already have a cool prize ready to send to your house, so get your name on the list if it isn’t there already.  You know who you are…

Okay, let’s riddle:

This cool image by Andrew Dunn, 110504. http://www.andrewdunnphoto.com - copyright, all rights reserved

Today’s answer was a living person in the real world.

He (yes, it’s a “he”) and Harry Potter have something interesting in common.

As he was frustrated with contemporary writers predicting the End Of The World As We Know It (sound familiar?), he did a study of the Bible and concluded that the world could end no sooner than 2060 AD.  This was a published work.

Image by David Bleasdale

Do you believe in Biblical prophesy?  This person did.  In fact, he considered himself to be specially chosen by God to interpret scripture.

He spent a lot of time working on something which would have resulted in his public execution, by hanging, had it been known.

He enjoyed a very high social status during his lifetime.

Another excellent image by Andrew Dunn, http://www.andrewdunnphoto.com, copyright

This fellow is claimed to be a member in good standing of a well-known ludibrium.  Yes, you’ve heard of it.

The most popular, well-known anecdote about this person – the thing everybody “knows” about him -  is more than likely not true.

He is considered by many to be one of the most influential persons who ever lived.  History holds him in very high esteem.

A famous work by Canaletto, 1749. You recognize it, don't you?

I think that wraps it up.  Now, all you people who have been keeping quiet because “you never get these things” need to jump right in and play.  Who cares if you get the answer wrong?  Nobody is going to ridicule you.  Besides, you’ll probably get the answer right!  All you riddle champions who just like to solve the riddle, but you’re already on the list, can email your guess to me.  I’ll post in the comments if you solve it (like Rob and Roger do a lot).

No spiders today, just a snicker for you.

When Discovery thundered into space on Thursday afternoon, I was in an airplane heading to Florida to visit family. I was hoping I might be able to see it, but my timing was off and it was already in orbit before I was close enough to see it.

But not everyone was so unfortunate! YouTube user NeilMonday got a fantastic view:

Set the resolution to 720p for the best view of it. Wow. I’m not sure how far away the plane was from the launch, but I’m guessing it was over 100 km (60 miles). There’s usually a 65 km (40 mile) no-fly zone around the launch area, and I imagine planes keep well back even from that*.

If you want to see a Shuttle go up, you have two more chances; Endeavour in April and Atlantis in June. I’ve seen a launch and it’s amazing, but you can also read what my pal Nicole Garvanarflaguten said about seeing this launch.

If you get a chance to see one of the last two launches, take it.

Tip o’ the nose cone to Stuart at AstronomyBlog.

* I love the Captain’s announcement near the beginning: ...