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2024-11-11

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PopSci doesn't understand difference between "far side" and "dark side" of the moon (www.popsci.com)

submitted 1 year ago by CeeBee to c/science

23 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I find it hard to believe that Popular Science would make such a mistake, but the author has reinforced the mistake by starting the article with "The dark side of the moon, despite its name, is a perfect vantage point for observing the universe."

But all the quotes from scientists correctly say "far side of the moon".

I know this isn't really "science news" but I couldn't find any other community to share this.

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[–] Windex007 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Relevant from the wiki:

The hemisphere has sometimes been called the "dark side of the Moon", where "dark" means "unknown" instead of "lacking sunlight"...

[–] CeeBee -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

And if you continue the quote:

until humans were able to send spacecraft around the Moon, this area had never been seen.

Which implies that in terms of it being "unknown" saying the dark side is no longer relevant.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Logically you are correct, but human vernacular language rarely confirms to logic.

[–] QuarterSwede 2 points 1 year ago

This is the correct answer. Language often evolves. I had never thought of the dark side as the side unexplored. It was always the side facing away from earth. That’s clearly what the author meant.

[–] Windex007 1 points 1 year ago

The complete quote:

The hemisphere has sometimes been called the "dark side of the Moon", where "dark" means "unknown" instead of "lacking sunlight" – each side of the Moon experiences two weeks of sunlight while the opposite side experiences two weeks of night.[1][2][3][4]