Crash Course: Scientists are studying whether Cold War-era photos of the night sky contain clues of alien life

A series of telescope photographs from the 1950s reveal unusually regular patterns of flickering lights in the sky Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Getty Images) Scientists are studying whether Cold War-era photos of the night sky contain clues of alien life On a single photographic plate from April 12, 1950, nine dots of light appear in a row in the night sky. To an uninformed eye, they appear unremarkable, perhaps nothing more than technical errors. Yet this particular photographic plate was produced as part of a larger project to photograph the night sky from California's Palomar Observatory Sky Survey. When lights appear and then disappear without explanation, they are known as [transients](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDIvMDEvaW4tZWFydGhzLWdhbGFjdGljLWJhY2t5YXJkLWEtbmV2ZXItYmVmb3JlLXNlZW4tc3BhY2UtYW5vbWFseS1ibGlua3Mtb24tYW5kLW9mZi9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), and astronomers seek explanations. [Read the rest from Matthew Rozsa.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0QyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvMTk1MHMtcGhvdG9zLXVmby9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic) Bethenny Frankel on success built on authenticity: "Not everybody likes me, but people trust me" Over eight seasons as one of ["The Real Housewives of New York City,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTUvMDcvMTIvd2F0Y2hpbmdfdGhlX3JlYWxfaG91c2V3aXZlc193aXRoX2RhdmlkX2Zvc3Rlcl93YWxsYWNlX3doeV9yZWFsaXR5X3R2X2lzX2dvb2RfZm9yX2FtZXJpY2FfYWZ0ZXJfYWxsL1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Bethenny Frankel built an empire out of being herself. Whether as the founder and CEO of the lifestyle brand Skinnygirl or the host of the podcast, ["Just B with Bethenny Frankel,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0QcaHR0cHM6Ly9iZXRoZW5ueS5jb20vcG9kY2FzdFcDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) she's always thrown herself wholeheartedly into everything she does. [Watch (and read) our Salon Talks hosted by Mary Elizabeth Williams.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvYmV0aGVubnktZnJhbmtlbC1idXNpbmVzcy1pcy1wZXJzb25hbC1zYWxvbi10YWxrcy9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - From chicken parmesan to chocolate cake, here's [what to cook and eat when you're in need of comfort](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvZnJvbS1jaGlja2VuLXBhcm1lc2FuLXRvLWNob2NvbGF0ZS1jYWtlLWhlcmVzLXdoYXQtdG8tY29vay1hbmQtZWF0LXdoZW4teW91cmUtaW4tbmVlZC1vZi1jb21mb3J0L1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "What can be scarier than death?": [Ukraine filmmaker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvYnV0dGVyZmx5LXZpc2lvbi11a3JhaW5lLW1ha3N5bS1uYWtvbmVjaG55aS1jYW5uZXMvVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) on making a war film during wartime - [Kevin Spacey](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYva2V2aW4tc3BhY2V5LWNoYXJnZWQtd2l0aC1mb3VyLWNvdW50cy1vZi1hZ2FpbnN0LXRocmVlLW1lbi9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men - "Goodfellas" star [Ray Liotta](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvZ29vZGZlbGxhcy1zdGFyLXJheS1saW90dGEtZGllcy1hdC02Ny9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) dies at 67 - [Ted Cruz](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvdGVkLWNydXotdGhpbmtzLWhlLWhhcy1hLWJldHRlci1zb2x1dGlvbi10by11dmFsZGUtc2Nob29sLXRoYW4tY29udHJvbC1kb29yLWNvbnRyb2wvVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) thinks he has a better solution to Uvalde school shooting than gun control: Door control - CNN host presses Texas Republican: "Use that same blueprint that you used for your [abortion law](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0R_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvY25uLWhvc3QtcHJlc3Nlcy10ZXhhcy1yZXB1YmxpY2FuLXVzZS10aGF0LXNhbWUtYmx1ZXByaW50LXRoYXQteW91LXVzZWQtZm9yLXlvdXItYWJvcnRpb24tbGF3L1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)" - Ted Cruz quits interview after foreign journalist asks "[Why does this only happen in your country](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0SCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvdGVkLWNydXotcXVpdHMtaW50ZXJ2aWV3LWFmdGVyLWZvcmVpZ24tam91cm5hbGlzdC1hc2tzLXdoeS1kb2VzLXRoaXMtb25seS1oYXBwZW4taW4teW91ci1jb3VudHJ5L1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)?" - Look like a professional baker with [Martha Stewart](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvbG9vay1saWtlLWEtcHJvZmVzc2lvbmFsLWJha2VyLXdpdGgtbWFydGhhLXN0ZXdhcnRzLW5vLWtuZWFkLWZvY2FjY2lhLWJyZWFkL1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)'s no-knead focaccia bread - “Go in there!”: [People begged police](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvZ28taW4tdGhlcmUtcGVvcGxlLWJlZ2dlZC1wb2xpY2UtdG8tZW50ZXItdXZhbGRlLXNjaG9vbC1hcy1ndW5tYW4tcmFtcGFnZWQtZm9yLXVwLXRvLWFuLWhvdXIvVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) to enter Uvalde school as gunman rampaged for up to an hour - I haven't gotten jaded or [cynical about mass shootings](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvaS1oYXZlbnQtZ290dGVuLWphZGVkLW9yLWN5bmljYWwtYWJvdXQtbWFzcy0tYnV0LWl0cy1nZXR0aW5nLWhhcmRlci9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) — but it's getting harder - [5 Supreme Court decisions](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvNS1kZWNpc2lvbnMtZnJvbS10aGlzLXRlcm0tdGhhdC1hcmUtdGVycmlmeWluZ2x5LXJhZGljYWwtLWFuZC1ub3QtYWJvdXQtYWJvcnRpb24vVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) from this term that are terrifyingly radical — and not about abortion - [A return to permanent war is here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvYS1yZXR1cm4tdG8tcGVybWFuZW50LWlzLWhlcmUtZmlyc3QtaXQtd2lsbC1iYW5rcnVwdC1hbWVyaWNhLXRoZW4tZGVzdHJveS1pdC9XA3NwY0IKYoZCr5Bijv1Z5VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo): First it will bankrupt America, then destroy it - [Ellen](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvZWxsZW4tZGVnZW5lcmVzLXNob3ctZW5kcy1nYXktdHJhbnNwaG9iaWEvVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) can say "gay" now: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" ends by taking a stand ... for celebrity Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republicans' "solutions" to mass shootings are meant to make you feel helpless After [the shooting in Uvalde, TX on Tuesday](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjQvYXQtbGVhc3QtMTUtaW4tdGV4YXMtc2Nob29sLXRoZXktZmtpbmctZmFpbGVkLW91ci1raWRzX3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), the Republican response has been so glib and cold-hearted that one has to wonder if they want people to hate them. [Read the rest from Amanda Marcotte](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtc29sdXRpb25zLXRvLW1hc3MtYXJlLWEtZGlzdHJhY3Rpb24vVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)[.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtc29sdXRpb25zLXRvLW1hc3MtYXJlLWEtZGlzdHJhY3Rpb24vVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Missing Pet Tortoise Found In Attic 30 Years Later — Still Alive And Well," [The Dodo](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZG9kby5jb20vZGFpbHktZG9kby9taXNzaW5nLXBldC10b3J0b2lzZS1mb3VuZC1pbi1hdHRpYy0zMC15ZWFycy1sYXRlci1zdGlsbC1hbGl2ZS1hbmQtd2VsbFcDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Jodie Foster to Star in ‘True Detective’ Season 4 for HBO," [The Hollywood Reporter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG9sbHl3b29kcmVwb3J0ZXIuY29tL3R2L3R2LW5ld3Mvam9kaWUtZm9zdGVyLXRydWUtZGV0ZWN0aXZlLXNlYXNvbi00LTEyMzUxNTQ5MTAvVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "We’ve All Failed Amber Heard," [VICE](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudmljZS5jb20vZW4vYXJ0aWNsZS9tN3ZtM2Ivd2V2ZS1hbGwtZmFpbGVkLWFtYmVyLWhlYXJkVwNzcGNCCmKGQq-QYo79WeVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Australia confiscated 650,000 guns. Murders and suicides plummeted," [VOX](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS8yMDE1LzgvMjcvOTIxMjcyNS9hdXN0cmFsaWEtYnV5YmFja1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Jagged Edge Productions) "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey" takes Pooh and Piglet to the bad place In a perfect example of the wrong that could come from a creative work slipping into public domain, A.A. Milne's beloved characters Winnie the Pooh and Piglet are going full horror in a Jagged Edge Productions slasher called "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey." [Read the rest from Kelly McClure](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkczRBP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjYvd2lubmllLXRoZS1wb29oLWJsb29kLWFuZC1ob25leS10YWtlcy1wb29oLWFuZC1waWdsZXQtdG8tdGhlLXBsYWNlL1cDc3BjQgpihkKvkGKO_VnlUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. 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