I’m curious about the hitchhikers that will make the trip to Mars with humans. Each human who goes on the trip is a complete ecosystem consisting of millions of species of single-cell and multi-cell organisms. The success of these hitchhikers, which colonize both the inside and outside of our bodies, just may become the real …
Charlie Peterson looked at his watch and then at the departure board of Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. Another 45 minutes he thought as the Christmas Muzak and flight information droned over the loudspeaker. He adjusted his thick, wire-frame glasses and tried to get comfortable in the plastic chair. He peeked at his wife. She was …
The End There are as many lessons and stories that came out of Vietnam as there are soldiers who went there. It remains a signature moment for my life. Until 9/11, America declined to send troops all over the world for insignificant political reasons. Now that lesson seems to have been forgotten. But I learned …
Shattered For the Romans, death required crossing the River Styx. It is as good a metaphor as any. I can say that dying isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It is just one more river to cross. I had worried for the entire year I was in Vietnam about dying. Then I went and …
I Wanna Take You Higher The plane kept dropping into the darkness. I strained to see some sign of San Francisco. Runway lights, the bridge, any sign that we were landing safely instead of plunging into the Bay. Nothing but black. I looked around the cabin. Everyone was awake and trying to see out of …
All Along the Watchtower I stood at the urinal, penis in one hand, specimen cup in the other. It was hot, but I was hotter from the embarrassment. The PFC who literally had a ringside seat to my dilemma finally spoke up. “Can’t go?” “I need to,” I answered. I really did. I had downed …
