[BLOG] Some Wednesday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Centauri Dreams reports that an astronomy project is set to begin to look for planets around Proxima Centauri, the third red dwarf component of the Alpha Centauri system, via eclipses of the star.


• The Dragon's Gaze reports on a bright superjovian in a distant orbit around young red dwarf GU Pisces.


• The Dragon's Tale links to a paper suggesting that Earth-like worlds can remain broadly habitable without stabilizing moons like ours.


• Geocurrents' Martin Lewis engages with Wikipedia maps of the world by religion.


• Language Log's Julie Sedivy engages with an interesting new app for speed reading.


• Marginal Revolution notes that apparently Cornwall and Wales are poorer than some new European Union member-states. Proof of European convergence as much as of British disparities?


• At the Planetary Society Blog, Marc Rayman explains how the Dawn probe will slowly decelerate into orbit about Ceres next year.


• Towleroad quotes from Monica Lewinsky's new Vanity Fair feature, explaining her empathy with victims of bullying like Tyler Clementi.


• The Volokh Conspiracy links to an apparent Russian government report claiming, contra public statements, that there was only 30% turnout in the referendum on attaching Crimea to Russia and only 15% supporting the notion.


• Window on Eurasia links to an author arguing that the Ukrainian crisis has destabilized Putin's schedule for Eurasian integration.