Topic: Mcdonald Observatory

Adam Curry recounts receiving news of the November 2015 Paris attacks via an old-school ham radio while descending from the McDonald Observatory in Texas. Due to a lack of cell service and internet at 7,000 feet, the information arrived through the "freewheelers net" on the 80-meter band. The hosts contrast this analog information gathering with the surreal experience of being off the grid during a major international crisis.

Adam Curry provides details of his private tour of the McDonald Observatory, facilitated by the development director of the Giant Magellan Telescope. He describes the various telescopes, including the 10-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope, and the ongoing research into pulsars and dark energy. Curry notes the high number of female astronomers and the international "vibe" of the facility despite the cloudy weather preventing visual observation.

The hosts discuss the "tiny house" movement, linking it to Agenda 21 and digital asset trends among younger generations. Plans are announced for a trip to Marfa, Texas, to visit the McDonald Observatory for a private telescope viewing. The segment concludes with a humorous anecdote about riding a hoverboard while intoxicated.

A social gathering in Austin featured David Stuart, a University of Texas professor and MacArthur Fellow known for decoding Mayan hieroglyphics. The discussion details his background and his wife Carolyn's role in development for major astronomical observatories.

The conversation shifts to the technical capabilities of the McDonald Observatory and the use of "corner cubes" to align telescopes. Personal anecdotes about viewing Saturn's moons through homemade telescopes are shared.

Adam Curry describes an invitation to a new "ObamaBot" dinner hosted by artists Lori and Mark following a falling out with the previous "brain professor." The guest list includes scientist Dave Stewart, known for cracking the Mayan code, and his wife Carolyn Porter of the McDonald Observatory. The hosts speculate on Stewart's politics and the intersection of science and religion.