Marshall Shepherd

Senior Contributor at Forbes

Personal page. 3x FSU Alum, Professor, Scientist, Weather Geeks Host, Alpha, Author, fmr NASA, Forbes Contrib,Tweets mine. RT not supportive of any position

Articles

A Rare Virga Bomb Produces Damaging Winds In Texas - What Is That?

13 hours ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

What happened? Earlier this week the Midland, Texas region experienced 111 mph winds and associated damage. According to the National Weather Service, these high winds were not associated with an EF tornado. NWS meteorologists say they were caused by a relatively rare weather phenomenon called a virga bomb. What’s that? In a statement issued by the NWS, forecasters wrote, “This gust occurred from a dry microburst associated virga bomb.
Do You Take The Planet For Granted? - 3 Reflections On Earth Day

2 days ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

Recently, there were reports that astronomers detected possible signs of life on some distant planet. While certainly an exciting scientific discovery, significantly more research is required to confirm the finding, and oh by the way, it is 700 trillion miles (124 light years) from us. Earth is still the only confirmed planetary body with life. I often wonder if people understand this uniqueness and take Earth for granted. Here are three reflections on the 55th anniversary of Earth Day.
4 Ways To Broaden Societal Impact Of Scholarly Research

5 days ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

Scholarly research is critical for generating knowledge, advancing society, and training the next generation of critical, curious thinkers. Unlike Las Vegas, what goes on in the Ivory Tower does not have to stay there. In fact, if it does, we have failed. Here are four ways that scholars can broaden the impact of scholarly research at this particularly moment in time.
How High Did Blue Origin New Shepard Really Go?

1 week ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

Blue Origin launched its New Shepard suborbital rocket system into space on April 14th carrying a famous group of passengers into space. In the aftermath of the flight, there has been celebration, criticism and everything in between. As a former NASA scientist, I will leave that banter for other formats and stick to a science question that some of you may be curious about. How high did the Blue Origin NS-31 mission actually go, and did they really make it to space?
Passion or Pragmatism - Advice For Aspiring Scientists Right Now

1 week ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

I spent much of my childhood catching bees and other insects. After being stung by a bee, I learned the hard way about having a bee sting allergy. I pivoted my sixth-grade science project from entomology to meteorology. The rest is history. There are a couple of lessons in that story for students and aspiring scientists as the landscape shifts.
Lessons In Hubris And Humility Can Help Science Serve The Public

2 weeks ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

Scientific research and related advances are cornerstones for our way of life. Virtually every convenience, medication, or technology emerged from basic science research, technological developments, and even surprises along the way. However, many people do not fully appreciate how academic inquiry, research, and scholarship are embedded within their daily lives. In some cases, there is skepticism of science itself.
3 Things To Watch For As Another Active Hurricane Season Looms

2 weeks ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

Earlier this week, forecasters at Colorado State University issued its first forecast for the 2025 hurricane season. They call for another above-average season. This prediction comes at a time when the nation is still recovering from devastating hurricanes in 2024 and adjusting to sweeping federal changes. Here are three things to keep an eye on as the June 1st start date for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season approaches.
A Pesquisa Científica Torna a Vida Melhor, Mesmo Que Você Não Entenda

3 weeks ago | forbes.com.br | Marshall Shepherd

A ciência é como fazer um molho de pimenta. Primeiro há o plantio das pimentas. Depois, vem o molho, que precisa envelhecer por um ano em um local sem iluminação. Podemos não compreender os porquês, termos, experimentos e temas, mas a pesquisa científica básica simplesmente melhora a vida. Mas há quem diga que a pesquisa científica é aplicada ou essencial, então não teria valor.
How Does A Cloud Stay In The Sky?

1 month ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

Have you ever wondered how a cloud stays in the sky? In a recent conversation with my friend and colleague Alan Sealls, the AMS President-Elect told me that he pondered this very question, and it sparked his interest in becoming a meteorologist. Since I have been writing about important but heavy topics in recent weeks, let’s “lighten” it up and explore a little meteorology 101. Further reading, however, will reveal that clouds are not as “light” as you may have thought. What is a cloud anyhow?
Scientific Research Makes Life Better Even You Don’t Understand It

1 month ago | forbes.com | Marshall Shepherd

For the past few years, I have grown a variety of peppers in my garden. I use them to make a pepper sauce. The sauce has to age for one year in the dark corner of our pantry. I don’t necessarily understand it, and it may seem trivial. However, it’s just better when it comes time to shower them over a batch of collard greens. Science is like that too. We may not understand all of the motivation, words, experiments, and topics, but basic scientific research just makes life better.