Preposterous Universe

 
Is that an expanding universe in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Everyone was (justifiably) jealous sometime back when I revealed that I had received a WMAP beach ball in the mail. WMAP, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, is a NASA satellite that has taken the most precise images yet of the leftover thermal radiation from the early universe. Who wouldn't want to have a beach ball with a snapshot of the whole universe on it?

Well, I can't help you with the beach ball, but here's something almost as good: a CafePress store selling all sorts of WMAP merchandise, including the boxer shorts shown at right. (Found linked from Licia Verde's home page.) There's something for everyone -- T-shirts, teddy bears, thongs, more than you would ever want, really.

Someday I will follow through on the idea of setting up a store for Preposterous Universe merchandise. (In the meantime, just go buy my book!) Maybe I'll stick with coffee cups, though.

~ posted by Sean Carroll at 11:02 AM ~ link ~ ~ ~