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The physicalness of the internet has been all up-in-our-faces these last couple days: a nation, it turns out, can just unplug itself , and corporate citizens of the world's great democracies help out. [See, however, Vodafone's current explanation .] The Atlantic has a fascinating piece on the infrastructure of the internet . All that data travels through relatively few nodes, it seems. Why some nodes and not others? Undoubtedly the answer is history. I can't help but think of that first trans-atlantic cable .

Many of you may know the previous incarnation (in-Web-nation?) of Clark Elliot's extraordinary database on the history and historiography of American science. It has just received a face-lift and is better than ever. Check it out here . I am particularly impressed by the 19th century chronologies, which are even complete enough to note the foundation of the US's first permanent agricultural society. See for yourself .

Strap on your rocket pack! The Secret Science Club is heading for the edge of time and space. Astrophysicist Charles Liu of the Hayden Planetarium and CUNY discusses the evolution of galaxies, supermassive black holes , star birth, and the large-scale structure of the cosmos. Don't miss one nanosecond of this far-out talk! Before & After --Groove to celestial tunes --Stick around for the cosmic Q&A --Try our quantum cocktail of the night. (It'll knock you into another orbit . . .) This Secret Science Club meets Wednesday, January 19 @ the Bell House , 149 7 th St. (between 2 nd and 3 rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn, p: 718.643.6510   Subway: F to 4th Ave; R to 9 th St; F or G to Smith/9 th . Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. Free! Note: This event was originally slated for January 12, 2011, and rescheduled for the 19th due to dastardly weather.

Sorry, folks! Due to the snow forecast, we're cancelling the Secret Science Club for Wednesday, January 12, and rescheduling for Wednesday, January 19, 8 PM @ the Bell House. Stay warm! And see you on the 19th with astrophysicist Charles Liu . . . Meanwhile, enjoy this massive new video from science rapper Zach Charlop-Powers.

A couple resources of note have crossed my desk recently. First, I happened upon the University of Wisconsin's digitized collection of Aldo Leopold's papers . They have done a marvelous job, based on a quick look. I enjoyed just piecing through the collection, watching practical ecology evolve. Second, the Agricultural History Society has announced a new award for the best article on the history of agriculture or environment of the South. It's named for Jack Temple Kirby, whose Rural Worlds Lost is a personal favorite. Third, the Friends of the Princeton University Libraries announced their annual Library Research Grants of up to $3,500 to use the libraries and special collections. PUL has many fine collections for the historian of American science, including some interesting archival collections for individuals like the biogeographer Robert MacArthur and the mathematical biologist Alfred Lotka.

UPDATE: Due to the snow forecast for Wednesday, January 12, this edition of the Secret Science Club has been rescheduled for Wednesday, January 19. Strap on your rocket pack! The Secret Science Club is heading for the edge of time and space with astrophysicist Charles Liu . Don't miss one nanosecond of this far-out talk!   Before & After --Groove to celestial tunes --Stick around for the cosmic Q&A --Try our quantum cocktail of the night. (It'll knock you into another orbit . . .) The Secret Science Club meets Wednesday, January 12 @ the Bell House , 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn, p: 718.643.6510 Subway: F to 4th Ave; R to 9th St; F or G to Smith/9th. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Please bring ID: 21+. Free!