To the editor: As a physicist, I never cease to be amazed by the miraculous insights about our physical world and universe that continue to be garnered via scientific exploration. ("High-resolution shocker: Pluto has Rocky Mountain-sized peaks, New Horizons reveals," July 15)

Gird yourself for Christmas dinner with Uncle Jasper, the family climate-change denier, with this talk by UNLV physics professor Michael G. Pravica

Meet UNLV Michael Pravica. The physics professor will spill on the spill, discussing what went down — rather, what came up — from a physicist’s perspective during the BP oil spill.