I thought astronaut was shorthand for physically fit scientist-- ultimate brains vs. ultimate survivalist. It seems unfair to allow him to hide in the space ship.

See edit drop small nickel-iron asteroid on caveman.

Run, edit, run.

ION, looks like Pluto will be demoted:

In June, we broke the news that astronomers might get the chance to vote in September on a new definition for the word “planet,” a wording that will be proposed by a panel that includes historians, educators and other non-astronomers.

Yesterday, NPR’s David Kestenbaum did some nifty digging into what that definition might be. Several of the panel members favor dividing round objects up as terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars), giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) and a third class that would include Pluto, NPR reported. “We’ll call them dwarf planets or something,” said Iwan Williams, an astronomer at the University of London who served on the panel, according to NPR.

That’s the perfect solution, and one I suggested back in April. While the NPR story does not reveal exactly what will happen, look for the presentation of the new definition to be somewhat sugarcoated, so that it sounds like Pluto is still a planet. In reality, as I explained in April, this will be a rightful demotion for the tiny, way-out and whacky world. Pluto will be lumped with the handful of other diminutive round objects on offbeat orbits out beyond Neptune.

If all goes as it should—meaning if astronomers can put aside their quibbles and vote “yes”—in 20 years Pluto will probably still be popular with children, but rather than being known as the 9th planet, it’ll be known as the first object ever discovered in that sea of dozens or maybe even hundreds of dwarf planets that will have been found by then.

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The physicists in my labs don't have military training, but they can build a railgun. Of course, the cavemen will have slaughtered them before they gathered the necessary materials for this.

I think the reasoning behind using astronaut and not modern human is the idea that the astronaut is a scientist and can employ logic in a way the caveman has not yet developed. I'm just adding military training because it's an assumption I have that astronauts are pilots, and they are often plucked from the military. It may have also been stuck in my head that El Al employs fighter pilots, who also have military combat experience.

But I'm unsure if I'm the Official Rulemaker.

It seems unfair to allow him to hide in the space ship.

The hiding thing worked against the red-coats.

edit: Though I suspect hiding would be more of a hunting skill.

Yay, Cabil!!!

ION, looks like Pluto will be demoted:

But, but, but.... Pluto's my favorite planet. Now it will be my, what? Favorite oversized snowball?

ION, looks like Pluto will be demoted

That is so wrong, that I don't even care whether it's right. It's one of the things I'll be muttering about when I get old(er) and cranky(er).

tommy, you are just trying to keep my rage-o-meter in the red zone today, aren't you?

tommy, you are just trying to keep my rage-o-meter in the red zone today, aren't you?

Heh. I mean, sorry. I mean, it's not my fault Pluto's so small....