[BLOG] Some Friday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Centauri Dreams looks at the exocomets of Beta Pictoris.


• The Dragon's Gaze links to a paper on the luminosity of cold brown dwarfs.


• The Dragon's Tales links to one paper suggesting that Polynesian migration up to the 14th century depended on a pleasant global climate and links to another describing the discovery of a Polynesian canoe from 1400 CE in New Zealand.


• Eastern Approaches notes that coal is facing serious pressure in central Europe, even in Poland.


• Far Outliers notes how the Chinese northeast is once again a promised land for North Koreans.


• Inkfish notes that at least one species of fish plays.


• Marginal Revolution suggests that Jewish sects see such fierce leadership because they have become so consolidated.


• Language Log reports that apparently it is harder to learn to read Arabic than it is to read Hebrew.


• Language Log comments on the decent nature of Mark Zuckerberg's Chinese.


• The Planetary Society Blog notes China's test of a moon mission.


• pollotenchegg maps the divisions of Luhansk in the east of Ukraine.


• Spacing Toronto's John Lorinc suggests we Torontonians can learn much from Calgary and its mayor Naheed Nenshi.