Mark Boslough

Mark Boslough is a physicist. He was a member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, an adjunct professor at University of New Mexico, and a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[1] He is an expert in the study of planetary impacts and global catastrophes. Due to his work in this field, Asteroid 73520 Boslough (2003 MB1) was named in his honor.[2]

Mark Boslough
Mark Boslough CSICon at 2018 Climate Literacy Workshop
Born
Iowa
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia Institute of Technology
Colorado State University
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics
Geophysics
InstitutionsSandia National Laboratories
University of New Mexico
Doctoral advisorThomas J. Ahrens
Websitewww.boslough.us

On March 13, 2018, Boslough announced he was a candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives and would be challenging the Republican incumbent William Rehm in the primary election."[3][4]

Background and education

Boslough grew up in Broomfield, Colorado. He holds a B.S. in physics at Colorado State University, and an MS and PhD in applied physics at the California Institute of Technology.

Scientific career
Asteroid impact fireball, from supercomputer simulation run by a Sandia team led by Mark Boslough

An expert on planetary impacts and global catastrophes, Boslough's work on airbursts challenged the conventional view of asteroid collision risk and is now widely accepted by the scientific community.[5] He was the first scientist to suggest that the Libyan Desert Glass was formed by melting due to overhead heating from an airburst.[6] His hypothesis was popularized by the documentaries "Tutunkhamun's Fireball" (BBC),[7][8] (recipient of Discover Magazine's Top 100 Science Stories of 2006)[9] and Ancient Asteroid National Geographic.[10] which provided inspiration for the unorthodox and controversial notion that a large airburst over North America caused an abrupt climate change mass extinction.[11] However, Boslough has been a leading critic of the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis, arguing among other things that the proponents have misinterpreted his airburst models.[12] He appeared as a skeptic on the "Last Extinction" Nova,[13] (recipient of AAAS Kavli award for best science documentary of 2009).[14]

In 2011, he presented a paper at the IAA Planetary Defense Conference in Bucharest, Romania, in which he stated, "It is virtually certain (probability > 99%) that the next destructive NEO event will be an airburst."[15] This prediction proved true less than two years later, on Feb. 15, 2013, when an airburst over Chelyabinsk, Russia injured more than 1000 people. Boslough was among the first western scientists to arrive in Chelyabinsk, where he did field research and accompanied a production crew filming Meteor Strike for Nova.[16] Most of the documentaries are focused on his impact and airburst modeling.[17]

In February 2011, it was announced that Boslough had been elected a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[1]

In 2014, Boslough delivered a major address on "death plunge" asteroids that can pose a sudden danger to Earth at the second Starmus Festival in the Canary Islands. Also in 2014 he talks about his interest in asteroids to Toni Feder of Physics Today: "In his childhood home in Colorado, says Boslough, "there was a left-brain right-brain thing going on, with fiction and nonfiction in the same household."[18]

In recognition of Boslough's work in the field of planetary impacts and global catastrophes, Asteroid 73520 Boslough (2003 MB1) was named in his honor.[2]

Scientific skepticism

Boslough is a vocal critic of pseudoscience and anti-science and has written about climate change denial in the Skeptical Inquirer in reference to "Climategate" conspiracy theories.[19] He is also active in uncovering scientific misconduct.[20][21]

Humor

An advocate of using humor to defend science,[22] he once published an essay as an April Fool's Day joke in the April, 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter to poke fun at New Mexico's legislature for attempting to require schools to teach creationism. He wrote that the Alabama state legislature had voted to change the value of the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the 'Biblical value' of 3.0. The article was posted on a newsgroup and passed around to people via email, causing an outrage. When people started calling the Alabama legislature to protest, the joke was revealed.[23] National Geographic News highlighted Boslough's story when it compiled a list of "some of the more memorable hoaxes in recent history."[24] It was elevated by the Museum of Hoaxes to number seven on its "Top 100 April Fools Hoaxes of All Time" list.[25] It eventually took on a new existence as an urban legend and has had to be debunked by Snopes.[26]

He also demonstrated that emailed lists of "Darwin Awards" include fake stories. After receiving an annual list of unfortunate deaths at the end of 1998, he fabricated his own over-the-top fictional Darwin Award recipient, appended it, and forwarded the list to his friends. That story also went viral, was printed as an actual event by the Denver Post, leading to another debunking by Snopes.[27]

Appearances in science films and TV shows
  • Nova - Day the Dinosaurs Died (2017)[28]
  • Science Channel - Mysteries of the Missing (2017)[29]
  • Nelly Benhaydun Studio - Disaster Playground (2015)[30]
  • Hubble - Mission Universum (2014)[31]
  • Smithsonian Channel - Sacred Sites:Ireland (2014)[32]
  • Smithsonian Channel - Doomsday in Tunguska (2013)[33]
  • Nova - Meteor Strike (2013)[34]
  • Meteor Strike Fireball from Space (2013)[35]
  • Fire in the Sky (2013)[36]
  • Nova - Asteroids, Doomsday or Payday (2013)[37]
  • The Truth About Meteors: A Horizon Special Part 1 (2013)[38]
  • Connect 105: Viewer Question (Asteroid Explosion) (2012)[39]
  • The Universe (TV Series): When Space Changed History" (2012), The History Channel, himself.
  • Espace Franco - Avoiding Apocalypse (2012)[40]
  • Asteroids: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (2010), BBC Horizon, as Dr. Mark Boslough.
  • Expedition Apocalypse (2010), National Geographic, himself.
  • Megabeasts' Sudden Death (2009), Nova (American TV series), himself.
  • Close Encounters in Siberia (2009)[41]
  • Animal Armageddon (2009), Animal Planet, himself.
  • Countdown to Impact (2009), National Geographic Channel, as Dr. Mark Boslough.
  • The Universe (TV Series): Deadly Comets and Meteors" (2008), The History Channel, himself.
  • Asteroid Trackers (2008), Discovery Channel (Canada), himself.
  • Siberian Apocalypse (2008), Discovery Channel, himself.
  • Big Bang in Tunguska (2008), German TV documentary, as Dr. Mark Boslough.
  • Dino Meteor (2007), National Geographic Channel, himself.
  • Ancient Asteroid (2006), National Geographic Channel, himself.
  • Tutankhamun's Fireball (2006), BBC Horizon, as Dr. Mark Boslough.
  • The Day the Earth Got Hit (1997), British TV documentary, himself.

Political career

In a tweet on March 13, 2018, Boslough announced he was a candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives, saying "I will be on the primary ballot on June 5, 2018. I am challenging the incumbent NRA-supported candidate, William Rehm, in NM district 31."[3] According to the New Mexico Political Report:

Republican Bill Rehm is in one of the most Republican districts in the state. So his biggest challenge could be Mark Boslough, a scientist from Sandia Labs, in the primary ... The winner of the primary will face a Libertarian opponent, William Arnold Wiley Jr.[4]

Private property rights

Boslough is an advocate of laws to reform the 19th-century law known as RS 2477 to prevent it from being used to take private property for public use.[42] His fight turned into a prolonged battle with off-road clubs pulling out boulders and seedlings that Boslough used to try and restore his property.[43] He also received verbal and physical threats before he successfully defended a lawsuit (Ramey v. Boslough) in which the ownership of a four-wheel-drive road across his Colorado property was challenged by a plaintiff who was backed by off-road recreation interests.[44] He used this experience to argue that the "right to radiate" is a prescriptive private property right, and that carbon polluters must compensate individuals for degrading their personal cooling capacity.[45]

See also

References
  1. "CSI | Press Releases". Csicop.org. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". NASA. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
  3. "I have officially declared my candidacy ..." Twitter. Twitter. 13 March 2018. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  4. Reichbach, Matthew (13 March 2018). "2018 House: The primaries". NMpoliticalreport.com. NM Political Report. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  5. "Forget Big Asteroids: It's the Smaller Rocks That Sneak In and Blow Up". Space.com. 2010-10-05. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  6. Crawford, D A; Boslough (18 July 1996). "Silica '96: Meeting on Libyan Desert Glass and related desert events". Bologna University, Italy. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2334005/
  8. "Science/Nature | Tut's gem hints at space impact". BBC News. 2006-07-19. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  9. "The Top 100 Science Stories of 2006". DISCOVER Magazine. 2007-01-08. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  10. "Ancient Asteroid Ancient Asteroid". National Geographic. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  11. "North American Comet Catastrophe 10,900 BC Part 2". Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  12. Boslough, Mark; K. Nicoll; V. Holliday; T. L. Daulton; D. Meltzer; N. Pinter; A. C. Scott; T. Surovell; P. Claeys; J. Gill; F. Paquay; J. Marlon; P. Bartlein; C. Whitlock; D. Grayson; A. J. T. Jull (2012). Arguments and Evidence Against a Younger Dryas Impact Event. GEOPHYSICAL MONOGRAPH SERIES 198. pp. 13–26.
  13. "NOVA | Megabeasts' Sudden Death". Pbs.org. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  14. "NOVA | Broadcast Awards Listed by Date". PBS. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  15. Boslough, Mark. "Airburst Warning and Response" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  16. Watch now: NOVA | Meteor Strike | PBS Video, retrieved 2015-07-13
  17. "NOVA | Modeling a Comet Airburst". Pbs.org. 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  18. Feder, Toni (2014-09-02). "A passion for asteroids". Physics Today. doi:10.1063/PT.5.9020. ISSN 0031-9228.
  19. Mark Boslough. "CSI | Mann Bites Dog: Why 'Climategate' Was Newsworthy". Csicop.org. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  20. "Misrepresentations Of Sargasso Sea Temperatures By Arthur B. Robinson Et Al". Gsa.confex.com. 2010-11-03. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  21. "Comet Theory Comes Crashing to Earth". Miller-mccune.com. 2011-05-14. Archived from the original on 2012-04-07. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  22. "Sandia labs prankster unleashed cyberstorm of laughs". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  23. "Alabama π!". Nmsr.org. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  24. "April Fools' Special: History's Hoaxes". News.nationalgeographic.com. 2010-10-28. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  25. "Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes Of All Time". Museumofhoaxes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  26. "Redefinition of Pi". snopes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  27. "Microwaved Workman". snopes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-24.
  28. "Day the Dinosaurs Died". KQED. NOVA. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  29. "Mysteries of the Missing". Science Channel. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  30. "Disaster Playground". Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  31. "Asteroiden". ServusTV. Retrieved 2015-07-20.
  32. "Sacred Sites: Ireland". Smithsonian Channel. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  33. "Doomsday in Tunguska". Smithsonian Channel. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  34. "Meteor Strike". Nova. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  35. "Meteor strike fireball from space". Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  36. "Fire in the Sky". Discovery Canada. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  37. "Asteroids, Doomsday or Payday". Nova. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  38. "The Truth About Meteors: A Horizon Special Part 1". Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  39. "Viewers Questions". Connect 105. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  40. "Avoiding Apocalypse". Filmoption. Espace Franco. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  41. "Close Encounters In Siberia". Channel 4. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  42. "ESR | February 23, 2004 | RS 2477 reform is needed to protect private property". www.enterstageright.com. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  43. Cart, Julie. "Rights (Page 2 of 2) Dust-Up Over Off-Roaders Roars Across Backcountry". LA Times. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  44. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (PDF). Citizens' Committee to Save Our Canyons. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  45. Boslough, Mark. "The Right to Radiate". Huff Post. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
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