One Giant Leap for Truthiness?

“‘I certainly hope NASA does the right thing,’ Colbert said in a news release from the space agency. ‘Just kidding, I hope they name it after me.’” The inimitable Stephen Colbert awaits word from NASA today on whether the new ISS wing will be christened after him, or whether (as probably more likely) NASA will tip their hat to the runner-up browncoats and dub the new Node 3 “Serenity.” “Colbert demanded NASA allow ‘democracy in orbit’ on his show two weeks ago. ‘Either name that node after me or I, too, will reject democracy and seize power as space’s evil tyrant overlord.’” Don’t say we weren’t warned.

Update: That’s no moon, that’s a…treadmill. (The “Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill,” to be exact.) As for Node 3, it’s called Tranquility.

Nearscape.

Buffy and Angel fans, look to the stars: The trailer for Joss Whedon’s Serenity breaks online. I never watched the TV show, so I don’t really know what’s going on here, but I could see myself catching this, if for nothing else than for Chiwetel Ejiofor as the villain. Still, that “define interesting” exchange near the end, among others in this clip, just about sets my teeth on edge.