Cool Science

[procopius]

In this thread, links to cool science stuff.

Glow-in-the-dark spiders. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/12/great_glowing_spiders.php)

[procopius]

Glow-in-the-dark cloned kitten. (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2007/12/123_15447.html)

[procopius]

The Two-forks-and-a-toothpick trick (http://www.break.com/index/awesome-toothpick-fork-trick.html)

[procopius]

Project Orion, the spaceship powered by nuclear weapons. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion))

(Which would have worked handily, until someone pointed out that detonating fission bombs in your only functioning biosphere is a Bad Idea.)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

In this thread, links to cool science stuff.

Glow-in-the-dark spiders. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/12/great_glowing_spiders.php)

I want to look but I'm Arachnaphobic.Is it a big, hairy ugly spider?

The cats look good though. Reminds me of stuff they showed on the Channel 4 series about genetic research. Think it was called The Farm? Absolutely brilliant. Some of it looks cruel but all really valuable.

I want to go into Genetic Research, stem cells specifically.

[procopius]

I want to look but I'm Arachnaphobic.Is it a big, hairy ugly spider?

The cats look good though. Reminds me of stuff they showed on the Channel 4 series about genetic research. Think it was called The Farm? Absolutely brilliant. Some of it looks cruel but all really valuable.

I want to go into Genetic Research, stem cells specifically.

No pictures of spiders, although both they and scorpions are mentioned.

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

The Two-forks-and-a-toothpick trick (http://www.break.com/index/awesome-toothpick-fork-trick.html)

Whoah! Cool.

[procopius]

We hear different music depending on how we dance to it. (http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2007/12/we_hear_different_music_depend.php)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

There's talk of farming spider silk to make a really tough fabric. I'm glad they're genetically engineering the silk and not giant spiders to produce it.

[procopius]

There's talk of farming spider silk to make a really tough fabric. I'm glad they're genetically engineering the silk and not giant spiders to produce it.

Nope. Genetically engineered spider-goats. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/889951.stm)

They do whatever a spider-goat does.

[procopius]

Bad Astronomy. (http://www.badastronomy.com/intro.html)

A site full of win and stars.

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Nope. Genetically engineered spider-goats. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/889951.stm)

They do whatever a spider-goat does.

I'm not too keen on the idea of using this Biosteel as bone replacements. That could become assimilated into the human genome. Uurgh. I'm reminded of The Fly.

Good news for TIE FIGHTERS though (Dwarf 777)

[procopius]

The Boltzmann Brain paradox. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boltzmann_brain)

Which will make your brain run out of your ears.

[procopius]

Ion Engines, a basic primer. (http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/ion_engine_interactive/index.html)

[procopius]

The Alcubierre warp drive. (http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/A/Alcubdrive.html)

A long way off as a practical engineering proposition, but the numbers stack up in the opinion of serious physicists.

[procopius]

Monster glowing squid. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070214-giant-squid.html)

Only time for a couple more, my lemsip-and-fag break is nearly over.

[procopius]

Giant Antarctican Dinosaur discovery. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071212-antarctica-dino.html)

[procopius]

The Gamma Ray Burst Threat. (http://www.jrmooneyham.com/ctctgam.html)

He misses the obvious: We ALL TURN INTO THE HULK.

[procopius]

Early development of the Mecha. (http://www.sakakibara-kikai.co.jp/products/other/LW.htm)

Video of it in slightly disappointing action. (http://igargoyle.com/archives/2006/08/land_walker_jap.html)

[Gandalf]

Must....not.....link....Rick

....Astley.

*gasp*

[procopius]

A rather better walking robot. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33a33XEVHKE)

[procopius]

Aaaaand I'm spent for now.

MOAR COOL SCIENCE PLOX.

[Samuel]

I'm sure i know lots of cool science but i'm not entirely sure what other people would find interesting compared to what i find interesting. So i'll have a think.

[Samuel]

The Boltzmann Brain paradox. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boltzmann_brain)

Which will make your brain run out of your ears.

Boltzman brains are cool. I'd like to meet one some day. Maybe that's where God comes from :)

[procopius]

I'm sure i know lots of cool science but i'm not entirely sure what other people would find interesting compared to what i find interesting. So i'll have a think.

If it glows, blows up, has tentacles, goes really fast or produces a full-on SQUICK you have a ready audience here, my man.

[Samuel]

If it glows, blows up, has tentacles, goes really fast or produces a full-on SQUICK you have a ready audience here, my man.

Hmm, there's the fastest moving body part in any animal. Some little insect's jaws. I'll have to look that one up later.

There's also a type of shrimp that shoots superheated bubbles at it's prey using a specially modified claw. I think that one was on the blue planet.

Erm, i wrote an essay a couple of years ago on why red wine makes you live longer. Also wrote one about how humans are evolved for endurance running and can chase down most other animals. That's including gazelle and ponies and things. I thought that was pretty interesting.

[procopius]

Spider Sex. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/03/spider_kama_sutra.php)

Including Spider 69s and Spider rope bondage. Not safe for spider-squick.

And a footnote as to what a spider sex-shop might sell. PZ is brilliant, you should read his blog lots.

the prelude to spider mating is for the male to charge his face up with sperm. This can actually take quite a while, a half hour to several hours, so it's an important part of the process.

[procopius]

And here's PZ on Octopus Sex. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/02/octopus_sex.php)

Bisexual Octopus rape, in fact. With cannibalism for the one poor octopus who turned out to be a crap shag.

[Samuel]

Spiders web variations with drugs.

http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/cms/mg14619750.500/mg14619750.500-1_465.jpg

SPIDERS on marijuana are so laid back, they weave just so much of their webs and then ... well, it just doesn't seem to matter any more. On the soporific drug chloral hydrate, they drop off before they even get started.

A spider's skill at spinning its web is so obviously affected by the ups and downs of different drugs that scientists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama think spiders could replace other animals in testing the toxicity of chemicals.

Different drugs have varying effects on the average arachnid addict. On benzedrine, a well-known upper, the house spider spins its web with great gusto, but apparently without much planning, leaving large holes. On caffeine it seems unable to do more than string a few threads together at random.

The more toxic the chemical, the more deformed the web. NASA researchers think that with help from a computer program they can quantify this effect to produce an accurate test for toxicity (see Diagram).

[Samuel]

Spider Sex. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/03/spider_kama_sutra.php)

Including Spider 69s and Spider rope bondage. Not safe for spider-squick.

And a footnote as to what a spider sex-shop might sell. PZ is brilliant, you should read his blog lots.

A lot of creatures don't actually have a copulatory organ as we'd have. Instead they put the sperm in using, in the case of spiders, their pedipalps or legs.

[procopius]

The Vought SLAM, or, PROJECT PLUTO. (http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/slam.html)

Stross fans will be familiar with this one. Basically it's a cruise missile with a nuclear reactor for an engine and multiple warheads. It cruises close to the ground at Mach 4, leaving a trail of sonic-boom destruction and radioactive exhaust, tossing out nuclear bombs as it goes. When it hits, it hits hard enough to knock the shit out of whatever it impacts on and the debris in the crater is also radioactive. Every part of it was destructive. Shame they never built one. Not.

[procopius]

Zombie Cockroaches again. (http://www.boingboing.net/2006/02/03/wasp-performs-roachb.html)

[procopius]

Polymorphic Smart Material, or Utility Fog. (http://www.nanotech-now.com/utility-fog.htm)

If I was going to make a T-1000 Terminator, that's what I'd start with.

[godonlyknows]

http://www.break.com/index/more_epic_pong_shots.html

[procopius]

Coffee Science! (http://www.coffeescience.org/)

Thread cross-fertilisation for the win.

[procopius]

http://www.break.com/index/more_epic_pong_shots.html

GENIUS!

[godonlyknows]

http://www.break.com/index/kicking-footballs-into-cars.html

[Internets]

That's from Jackass, isn't it? That, or CKY.

[Punkage]

The Vought SLAM, or, PROJECT PLUTO. (http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/slam.html)

Stross fans will be familiar with this one. Basically it's a cruise missile with a nuclear reactor for an engine and multiple warheads. It cruises close to the ground at Mach 4, leaving a trail of sonic-boom destruction and radioactive exhaust, tossing out nuclear bombs as it goes. When it hits, it hits hard enough to knock the shit out of whatever it impacts on and the debris in the crater is also radioactive. Every part of it was destructive. Shame they never built one. Not.

And after millions of dollars going into such a project they scrapped it because a test flight sounded like a bad idea.

Another great use of money

[procopius]

And after millions of dollars going into such a project they scrapped it because a test flight sounded like a bad idea.

Another great use of money

Well, the engine has a lot going for it; there are less messy radiothermal generators that could be used. And it could make a damned good surface-to-orbit booster - Project Nerva (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA) was an early, not-very-well-designed example, but NASA dusted off the original work and there were some good RTG designs out of Project Prometheus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Prometheus) before it got its budget slashed, apparently because the Bible-Bashers in the White House don't like the idea of deep-space exploration.

[Pod]

Bad Astronomy. (http://www.badastronomy.com/intro.html)

A site full of win and stars.


Haven't been on here in a year! Hopefully lots of new stuff to read, yay.

PS:

http://tesladownunder.com/ -- guy zapping himself with Telsa coils.

[procopius]

Why do I sometimes feel like I'm falling when I go to sleep? (http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/2007/12/why_do_i_sometimes_feel_like_i.php)

[procopius]

Insect of the Year - Official! (Is also very pretty, and if even I can say that about a bug, well... (http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/12/insect_of_the_year.php)

[Ziv]

The cats look good though. Reminds me of stuff they showed on the Channel 4 series about genetic research. Think it was called The Farm?

LOL wasn't that the reality TV show where Rebecca Loos wanked off a pig?


Anyway, cool thread. Can we all argue about the Lunar Landings again?

[procopius]

Anyway, cool thread. Can we all argue about the Lunar Landings again?

Why? Until the lunar landing deniers explain who put the laser ranging retroreflectors on the moon that they use for measuring its orbital distance (and thus predicting tides and eclipses and astronavigation data with increased accuracy, among other benefits) they are clearly blithering idiots who can safely be ignored as the drooling morons they are.

Who else could have put those things up there? Marvin the ****ing Martian?

[Pod]

But Goat, the moon is white! It doesn't need any reflectors, it can reflect already. DO YOU SEE?!!?1

[procopius]

But Goat, the moon is white! It doesn't need any reflectors, it can reflect already. DO YOU SEE?!!?1

I think there's a radio transponder up there as well, I just can't seem to put my hand on a link for it right now.

[procopius]

The real reason they delayed the last shuttle launch. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI1rYWI_zL0)

(NSF SPIDER-SQUICK)

[Ziv]

Why? Until the lunar landing deniers explain who put the laser ranging retroreflectors on the moon that they use for measuring its orbital distance (and thus predicting tides and eclipses and astronavigation data with increased accuracy, among other benefits) they are clearly blithering idiots who can safely be ignored as the drooling morons they are.

Who else could have put those things up there? Marvin the ****ing Martian?

Because it was hilarious?

[procopius]

Just in case anyone thought I was just making shit up, turtles that breathe through their arses. (http://www.straightdope.com/columns/011116.html)

[procopius]

Haughty Octopus. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/12/friday_cephalopod_haughty_octo.php)

An image that BEGS for a macro.

[procopius]

Loadbearing adaptation of women's spines. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/12/loadbearing_adaptation_of_wome.php)
Evolution leaves its fingerprints everywhere.

[Wishfairy]

remote control brains (http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg19526131.400-remote-control-brains-a-neuroscience-revolution.html;jsessionid=OAOHKCKHELEI)

[procopius]

You can even make medicine out of squid. And still people ask me why I think squid are cool. (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=255&objectid=10476541)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

You can even make medicine out of squid. And still people ask me why I think squid are cool. (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=255&objectid=10476541)

I was in a band called Squid. Fact.

[procopius]

I was in a band called Squid. Fact.

I was in a band called Squid.

a band called Squid.

called Squid.

Squid.

Marry me.

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Marry me.

I would but, being a female Squidette, I would have to eat you after mating.

Did you know that they commit suicide when kept in captivity? They eat their own tentacles apparently.

[procopius]

I would but, being a female Squidette, I would have to eat you after mating.

What a way to check out! (Actually squid mating doesn't involve the male getting eaten, but in the confusion they frequently accidentally inseminate themselves and other males. It's octopi where the females occasionally kill and eat the males before mating.)


Did you know that they commit suicide when kept in captivity? They eat their own tentacles apparently.

Yep. You can keep cuttlefish, but not squid. Apparently cuttlefish make very entertaining pets, they're quite bright.

Although obviously not as cool as squid.

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Yep. You can keep cuttlefish, but not squid. Apparently cuttlefish make very entertaining pets, they're quite bright.



...and crunchy. Budgies love 'em.

Best aquatic pet I've had was a fire-mouthed eel. Stunning!

Would love an octopus. They had a purple one called Ollie at The Sealife Centre for a while. I had to be dragged away from it.
They're escape artists though. They've been filmed climbing out of their tank, squidging across the floor and into another tank for a fishy feast. It even went back to its own tank afterwards.

Incredible creatures.

[procopius]

...and crunchy. Budgies love 'em.

Best aquatic pet I've had was a fire-mouthed eel. Stunning!

Would love an octopus. They had a purple one called Ollie at The Sealife Centre for a while. I had to be dragged away from it.
They're escape artists though. They've been filmed climbing out of their tank, squidging across the floor and into another tank for a fishy feast. It even went back to its own tank afterwards.

Incredible creatures.

Pretty AND keen on cephalopods! Where have you been all my life?

[Ziv]

...and crunchy. Budgies love 'em.

Best aquatic pet I've had was a fire-mouthed eel. Stunning!

Would love an octopus. They had a purple one called Ollie at The Sealife Centre for a while. I had to be dragged away from it.
They're escape artists though. They've been filmed climbing out of their tank, squidging across the floor and into another tank for a fishy feast. It even went back to its own tank afterwards.

Incredible creatures.

I'VE SEEN THAT FILM.



TERRIFYING.

[procopius]

I'VE SEEN THAT FILM.



TERRIFYING.

No, cool. And you've got no reason to be scared, because octupuses like girls and like to do fun and rude things to them. Here's pictorial evidence. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_of_the_Fisherman's_Wife)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

;)Pretty AND keen on cephalopods! Where have you been all my life?

[Ziv]

No, cool. And you've got no reason to be scared, because octupuses like girls and like to do fun and rude things to them. Here's pictorial evidence. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_of_the_Fisherman's_Wife)

oh right, cool then!


















GROSS!

[procopius]

;)

Oh god. If you're being like that it probably means I've drunkenly and offensively hit on you at some point in the distant past, doesn't it?

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Oh god. If you're being like that it probably means I've drunkenly and offensively hit on you at some point in the distant past, doesn't it?

Sir, I am offended that you do not recall the said event.

[procopius]

Sir, I am offended that you do not recall the said event.

I did mention 'drunkenly' didn't I?

(I can't believe I'm getting through this exchange without cracking tool jokes, really I can't.)

[procopius]

Anyway, here's an electric-eel-powered christmas tree. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9wktSQdyaE)

[procopius]

WHAT HAS SCIENCE DONE? POO TRANSPLANTS, YET? (http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/12/fecal_transplants_to_cure_clos.php)

Read down to the method for this, got to be the most unusual use of a household blender ever. Bet you never see THAT one on 'Will it Blend'.

[Hex]

WHAT HAS SCIENCE DONE? POO TRANSPLANTS, YET? (http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/12/fecal_transplants_to_cure_clos.php)

Read down to the method for this, got to be the most unusual use of a household blender ever. Bet you never see THAT one on 'Will it Blend'.



WHAT HAS SCIENCE DONE??? WHAT HAS IT DONE!???

[procopius]

Now that's what I call FIREPOWER. (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/photos07-139.html)

All the energy of a supermassive galactic black hole focussed into a gigantic beam of destruction. And it's actually destroying another galaxy.

Basically, as matter swirls down into the maw of the hole, it forms a flattened disk called an accretion disk. Friction, magnetism, and other forces heat the disk up. A lot. At the poles of the disk, all this heat and force can focus twin beams of fury, jets of matter and energy of unbelievable violence.

Every galaxy has a supermassive black hole in its core, and if these black holes are actively feeding, they can emit these beams. They can be so energetic that these galaxies, called Active Galaxies, are among the brightest objects in the entire Universe!

As you can imagine, it sucks to be in the path of that beam. All that high-energy radiation pelting you, even from thousands of light years away, can be enough to do some serious hurt.

[procopius]

Nanotech improvements to batteries. (http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/january9/nanowire-010908.html)

they're talking about a tenfold improvement in laptop & phone battery life there. Which is nice.

[procopius]

Meteors tonight. (http://meteorshowersonline.com/showers/ursids.html) Between 9 and 10. Peak time for the Ursid meteor shower.

[procopius]

Alternative Medicine Blues. (http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2007/12/colloidal_silver_the_real_blue_man_group.php)

[procopius]

A guy interested in the debate as to whether waterboarding counts as torture tried it on himself. FOR SCIENCE. (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=448717)

[procopius]

Drunk Science. (http://scienceblogs.com/terrasig/2007/12/binge_drinking_brain_damage_an.php)

Apparently exercise can reverse the effects of brain damage due to alcohol.

[procopius]

We just had drinking, here comes gambling: Nature vs. Nurture in racehorse breeding. (http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/12/racehorses_nature_of_nurture.php)

[procopius]

The HARDEST JOB IN SCIENCE. (http://malfunctionjunction.net/?p=176)

[Edinburgh]

The HARDEST JOB IN SCIENCE. (http://malfunctionjunction.net/?p=176)

:bow: briloliant

[procopius]

NOT cool at all. Clipboard-ticking health-and-safety-ethical-standards MORONS decide to kill 30,000 people over a point of rules-lawyering. (http://scienceblogs.com/mikethemadbiologist/2008/01/the_office_for_human_research.php)

[Hex]

ZOMBIE DOGS (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15739502-13762,00.html)

[procopius]

Quite close to home for me, this one but Gene-mapping of autistic spectrum conditions. (http://scienceblogs.com/digitalbio/2008/01/mapping_new_autism_genes_to_ch.php)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Quite close to home for me, this one but Gene-mapping of autistic spectrum conditions. (http://scienceblogs.com/digitalbio/2008/01/mapping_new_autism_genes_to_ch.php)

It's fascinating stuff.

I find it gobsmackingly brilliant that most of the time, all the jigsaw pieces fit together perfectly.

You can read up on my 'close to my heart' genetic stuff here.

http://www.lissencephaly.org.uk/aboutliss/index.htm

My Leon is actually missing the protein called WD40! It's true.

[procopius]

My Leon is actually missing the protein called WD40! It's true.

Yeah, but the Bloke Node in his brain is fully formed, allowing him to appreciate cars and football and songs with dirty lyrics.

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Yeah, but the Bloke Node in his brain is fully formed, allowing him to appreciate cars and football and songs with dirty lyrics.

Well he gets that from me so that's REALLY confusing.

[Andrew]

Early development of the Mecha. (http://www.sakakibara-kikai.co.jp/products/other/LW.htm)

Video of it in slightly disappointing action. (http://igargoyle.com/archives/2006/08/land_walker_jap.html)

I would simply love to bazooka that thing whilst it's slowly ambling across the countryside in all it's jumped up, pseudofuturistic and ultimately pointless technology:D

[Andrew]

Ps. This thread is composed of 20% zombie, 30% octopi, 28% nanotechnology, 22% insect porn and 100% win. I was especially impressed by the electric eel powered tree. Perhaps when all our natural resources run out, the world will be powered by genetically modified zombie eels living in tanks made from spider web.

[procopius]

Squid attack! (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/07/squid_attack.php)

They really are the most elegant and baroque predators imaginable.

[procopius]

Les machines de Nantes. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34163385@N00/sets/72157600586168207/)

Some of the best kinetic sculpture I've seen in a long, long time. Check out the mechanical detail on the squid. If anyone can find video of any of these fine machines in action, I will be suitably grateful in the shape of drinks bought on our next meeting.

[Samuel]

I'm trying to think of a topic to write a dissertation on this semester. I'm thinking maybe Altruism in mammals. Perhaps something more specific in that if it is too much (it's only a short dissertation). What do we think?

[procopius]

I'm trying to think of a topic to write a dissertation on this semester. I'm thinking maybe Altruism in mammals. Perhaps something more specific in that if it is too much (it's only a short dissertation). What do we think?

Oh lord yes. Kin-selection versus group-selection is hella live topic right now. You could probably score a fairly hefty chunk of marks with a plain vanilla literature overview on that one.

[Samuel]

Oh lord yes. Kin-selection versus group-selection is hella live topic right now. You could probably score a fairly hefty chunk of marks with a plain vanilla literature overview on that one.

That was my thinking. It pops up regularly in new scientist and from another perspective, people always find animal psychology interesting because it helps them anthropomorphise (proud use of big word) them. So even though my tutor works on cancer cells and extra cellular matrices (plural of matrix?), he should still enjoy reading it.

[procopius]

That was my thinking. It pops up regularly in new scientist and from another perspective, people always find animal psychology interesting because it helps them anthropomorphise (proud use of big word) them. So even though my tutor works on cancer cells and extra cellular matrices (plural of matrix?), he should still enjoy reading it.

Out of mild curiosity, which university are you at? Only my little sister is currently working with a cancer research group and does some teaching in between her clinical duties.

[procopius]

Also, one of my blogfeeds recently turned up a nice review of the current state of the argument - quite a polite one as scientific bunfights go - and I will be damned if I can find it again. It wasn't the obvious suspect, that I have determined.

[Samuel]

Manchester. My tutor's name is Christoph Ballesrem if your sister is here. He's nice. :)

[procopius]

Manchester. My tutor's name is Christoph Ballesrem if your sister is here. He's nice. :)

No, my sis is currently migrating between Leeds and Bradford hospitals. Leeds for geriatrics and emergency and Bradford for oncology. She keeps a syringe loaded with saline in her pocket and pulls it out and threatens to euthanise students for being too stupid. That's our kid.

[procopius]

Deaths by FISTING. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2929548?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

[procopius]

Cases of penile strangulation. (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00601.x) CAREFUL with those cock rings and arab straps, guys.

[Samuel]

No, my sis is currently migrating between Leeds and Bradford hospitals. Leeds for geriatrics and emergency and Bradford for oncology. She keeps a syringe loaded with saline in her pocket and pulls it out and threatens to euthanise students for being too stupid. That's our kid.

Hehe, that's ace. I might do that next time i'm doing group work. I have a coupld of syringes knocking about, just no needles. Might work without. My tutor group are for the most part, really stupid.

[procopius]

Hehe, that's ace. I might do that next time i'm doing group work. I have a coupld of syringes knocking about, just no needles. Might work without. My tutor group are for the most part, really stupid.

The other one - she's not tried this yet, it was one we came up with in drunken conversation - is a latex glove to pull on with a sigh and "Well, let's see if we can get that head out of your arse, shall we?"

[Samuel]

Cases of penile strangulation. (http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00601.x) CAREFUL with those cock rings and arab straps, guys.

From the "users who read this also read...." section,

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00603.x

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Deaths by FISTING. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2929548?ordinalpos=4&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

Things that size are meant to come out, after months of hormone preparation and then about 14 hours of labour.

If they're into that, they should just give birth once.

[procopius]

From the "users who read this also read...." section,

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00603.x

And - speaking from personal experience here - the yoga option doubtless doesn't result in you requiring about four hours of hardcore ****ing to come at all.

[procopius]

Things that size are meant to come out, after months of hormone preparation and then about 14 hours of labour.

If they're into that, they should just give birth once.

Like a lot of such practices, there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. If the receiver is dying of it, you're DEFINITELY doing it wrong.

[Samuel]

Like a lot of such practices, there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. If the receiver is dying of it, you're DEFINITELY doing it wrong.

That's just crying out for a lolpic. Curses to my lack of photoshop skills.

[procopius]

Tissue Engineering creates a beating heart in the lab. (http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Researchers_create_a_new_heart_in_the_lab.html)

Explanatory video. (http://www.startribune.com/video/13711842.html) Some of the process involves dissection, so you may be squicked.

[procopius]

Stem Cell Treatments for Injured Horses. (http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/01/stem_cell_treatments_offer_hop.php)

[procopius]

Brain-eating botflies and the four runners up for most horrifying insect in the world. (http://scienceblogs.com/retrospectacle/2008/01/of_the_5_most_horrifying_insec.php)

[Baby SOLD]

The Vought SLAM, or, PROJECT PLUTO. (http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/slam.html)

Stross fans will be familiar with this one. Basically it's a cruise missile with a nuclear reactor for an engine and multiple warheads. It cruises close to the ground at Mach 4, leaving a trail of sonic-boom destruction and radioactive exhaust, tossing out nuclear bombs as it goes. When it hits, it hits hard enough to knock the shit out of whatever it impacts on and the debris in the crater is also radioactive. Every part of it was destructive. Shame they never built one. Not.


Thats ****ing Terrifying.

[procopius]

Thats ****ing Terrifying.

Yeah, it's what you get when you get a bunch of weapons engineers together and give them the design brief of 'If you really, really, really wanted to kill a whole bunch of mother****ers and light their shit on fire, what would you build to do it with, money no object and screw international treaties.'

[procopius]

Medical Journal Paper of the WEEK. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=12296624&ordinalpos=17&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

[Fugazi]

Medical Journal Paper of the WEEK. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=12296624&ordinalpos=17&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

I think you'll find that rectal impaction with self-administered masonry epoxy (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15862274?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus) is a clear winner.

[Rutherford]

Yeah, it's what you get when you get a bunch of weapons engineers together and give them the design brief of 'If you really, really, really wanted to kill a whole bunch of mother****ers and light their shit on fire, what would you build to do it with, money no object and screw international treaties.'

Pfft, typical... Blame the engineers...

*Scuttles back to volcano powered layer of impending doom...*

[Rutherford]

I think you'll find that rectal impaction with self-administered masonry epoxy (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15862274?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus) is a clear winner.

Massive FAIL...

"but it didn't say don't stick it up your arse on the tube..."

That's a non quote, but you can imagine it...

[procopius]

Last year's "Cyberwar" in Estonia turns out to be a pissed off overgrown teenager making a political point. (http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/01/the_estonia_cyb.html) He got fined $1600 and change.

[procopius]

Basic Concepts in Science. (http://scienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts/2008/01/basic_concepts_in_science_a_li.php)

This is one I actually bookmarked. I reckon if you read all of the linked posts you'd end up able to at least ask intelligent questions about pretty much the whole of science.

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Basic Concepts in Science. (http://scienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts/2008/01/basic_concepts_in_science_a_li.php)

This is one I actually bookmarked. I reckon if you read all of the linked posts you'd end up able to at least ask intelligent questions about pretty much the whole of science.

That should be called 'Everything you ever wanted to know about science but didn't know where to look'.

Bookmarked it!

[procopius]

How Things Break. (http://chaos.ph.utexas.edu/~marder/fracture/phystoday/how_things_break/how_things_break.html)

[procopius]

One for the grownups. They might have a breakthrough on the cause of Alzheimers, and so some good means of treating it. (http://www.nationalreviewofmedicine.com/issue/2005/12_15/2_advances_medicine01_21.html)

[procopius]

About Intelligent Design. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcrq5OOkQdk)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

About Intelligent Design. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcrq5OOkQdk)

"Cool video"

[procopius]

Intermediate Concepts in Science. (http://scienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts/2008/02/intermediate_concepts_in_scien.php) Like the basic concepts one I posted a bit back, only less basic and more intermediate.

[procopius]

Try some Skepticism. (http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/dont-be-put-off-skepticism-by-the-people/)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Try some Skepticism. (http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/dont-be-put-off-skepticism-by-the-people/)

I'm in that gang already.

[procopius]

Oh, shit. Deep sea ecosystems aren't immune to climate shifts after all. (http://scienceblogs.com/deepseanews/2008/02/climate_induced_collapse_of_de.php)

[procopius]

Useful nuclear reactor design. (http://depletedcranium.com/?p=384)

[procopius]

House of Commons debate on funding for homeopathy. Rob Marris MP makes a SUPERB poo joke. (http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-02-05a.777.4#g778.1)

[procopius]

Nifty cartoon about energy sources. (http://depletedcranium.com/?p=393)

Also, any chance of a shout from anyone who reads this? I'm going to keep doing it regardless, but it'd be nice to hear some feedback and take requests for particular areas. My science newsfeeds are huge, and so far I've just been cherry-picking the stuff I like, but I'm perfectly happy to cover other areas of interest.

[procopius]

Heh, Depleted Cranium's good today.

The numbers on using revolving doors to generate electricity. (http://depletedcranium.com/?p=391)

I made a lol.

[Samuel]

Heh, Depleted Cranium's good today.

The numbers on using revolving doors to generate electricity. (http://depletedcranium.com/?p=391)

I made a lol.

Lol, that is good. I have seen the power of eco nonesense.

What i wonder is why we can't have more rooftops with solr pannels on them. Seems like a cracking idea to just have one.

[procopius]

Honking big space telescope ready for launch. (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM88OPR4CF_index_1.html)

Twice as much mirror area as Hubble, so we should be getting some cool pictures off this puppy.

[Rutherford]

Honking big space telescope ready for launch. (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM88OPR4CF_index_1.html)

Twice as much mirror area as Hubble, so we should be getting some cool pictures off this puppy.

Is it me, or is that mirror covered in streaks!

Dude, get the Windolene...

It must suck designing for space, knowing that you could make stuff **** lighter if you could make it up there and it wouldn't have to support it's own weight...

[procopius]

Maya Holiday. (http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=249)

A lovely demolition of the imbeciles who think the world will end in 2012 because the Mayan calendar changes over then.

And a rather nice swipe at the twunt in the comments who thinks scientific research is a waste of money, and uses the internet - created for the purposes of scientific research - to tell everyone about it.

[Samuel]

Maya Holiday. (http://www.giagia.co.uk/?p=249)

A lovely demolition of the imbeciles who think the world will end in 2012 because the Mayan calendar changes over then.

And a rather nice swipe at the twunt in the comments who thinks scientific research is a waste of money, and uses the internet - created for the purposes of scientific research - to tell everyone about it.

LOL! OMG CERN iz gunna distroy teh wurld!! Run run run for your life! I hurd teh onli saif plaice iz rite in da middle of the LHC.

[procopius]

LOL! OMG CERN iz gunna distroy teh wurld!! Run run run for your life! I hurd teh onli saif plaice iz rite in da middle of the LHC.

This would be considerably funnier if there wasn't a sizeable body of opinion that believes exactly that.

[Samuel]

This would be considerably funnier if there wasn't a sizeable body of opinion that believes exactly that.

Well granted i know little about that body of opinion. I was guessing the argument was summed up rather reasonably by those two. The one arguing that it'll probably destroy the world certainly came off as a tool. Are there some reasonable people who think we're doomed?

[procopius]

Well granted i know little about that body of opinion. I was guessing the argument was summed up rather reasonably by those two. The one arguing that it'll probably destroy the world certainly came off as a tool. Are there some reasonable people who think we're doomed?

Yes, but no reasonable well-informed person thinks this. There are some reasonable-sounding people trying to make the case, but I suspect there's a certain degree of cynical manipulation behind the doom-mongering.

[Samuel]

Yes, but no reasonable well-informed person thinks this. There are some reasonable-sounding people trying to make the case, but I suspect there's a certain degree of cynical manipulation behind the doom-mongering.

I feel vindicated in my sceptisim about any end of the world theories, be it Mayan calendar predictions or the "oh shit they're gonna cause the big bang again" ones.

The Mayan thing is funny because if they could see the end of the world, they'd have predicted it a couple of hundred years ago when they all got served.

[procopius]

I feel vindicated in my sceptisim about any end of the world theories, be it Mayan calendar predictions or the "oh shit they're gonna cause the big bang again" ones.

The Mayan thing is funny because if they could see the end of the world, they'd have predicted it a couple of hundred years ago when they all got served.

The thing is, the Maya didn't predict the end of the world at the end of their current Long Count, they just saw it as another date on which one of the counts of their dating system would roll over. They divided time up into periods as short as five days and as long as thirteen thousand years.

What might be interesting about the Maya Long Count is that the current one is, if I understand the mythology aright, supposed to be the age of Worshipful Man, who respects the gods. If that age is coming to an end, maybe the next Long Count is the age of Man Who Doesn't Believe In Sodding Fairies Any More.

We can but hope.

[Samuel]

The thing is, the Maya didn't predict the end of the world at the end of their current Long Count, they just saw it as another date on which one of the counts of their dating system would roll over. They divided time up into periods as short as five days and as long as thirteen thousand years.

What might be interesting about the Maya Long Count is that the current one is, if I understand the mythology aright, supposed to be the age of Worshipful Man, who respects the gods. If that age is coming to an end, maybe the next Long Count is the age of Man Who Doesn't Believe In Sodding Fairies Any More.

We can but hope.

That would be jolly, though i doubt that 4 years is enough time for the world of science to reach most of the US. I did spot an interesting thing in the replies to that blog which said that on a day in March in 2012 the sun will rise from the exact direction of the centre of the galaxy or something like that. I'd like to think that's what they were basing their change of age on.

[procopius]

Sail making a comeback - pictures here. (http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/26/26996/1.html)

And here's some text in english. The german's in more detail, but the grauniad article's better than the one you can't read if you don't have any german. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/02/travelandtransport.energyefficiency/print)

[Samuel]

Sail making a comeback - pictures here. (http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/26/26996/1.html)

And here's some text in english. The german's in more detail, but the grauniad article's better than the one you can't read if you don't have any german. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/02/travelandtransport.energyefficiency/print)

Ooh that's top news. I'm a little surprised at myself for it never having crossed my mind before but it's a good idea.

[Samuel]

Just e-mailed my tutor with the title of my short dissertation.

"To what extent does altruism exist in animals?"

The plan is to take some examples of what appears to be altruism and apply some other models to see if there are any other explanations for the bahaviour. Fun eh?

[Casey]

Just e-mailed my tutor with the title of my short dissertation.

"To what extent does altruism exist in animals?"

The plan is to take some examples of what appears to be altruism and apply some other models to see if there are any other explanations for the bahaviour. Fun eh?

Maybe for you :p. I think i'm going to do my dissertation on something to do with the German school system. If i'm going to spend a year over there as a language assistant I might as well use the time for research.

[Samuel]

Maybe for you :p. I think i'm going to do my dissertation on something to do with the German school system. If i'm going to spend a year over there as a language assistant I might as well use the time for research.

Good plan. Not sure what my proper 3rd year dissertation will be on but this is just like a shorter one we do in the second year. Good practice i hope. I just don't want ot have to design an experiment or work in a lab. I hate lab work.

[Hmm]

LOL! OMG CERN iz gunna distroy teh wurld!! Run run run for your life! I hurd teh onli saif plaice iz rite in da middle of the LHC.

That reminds me, there's just been some crazy Russian types (Aref'eva and Volovich) who've coem up with some equations that show the LHC could create a Wormhole and all people to travel into the future (or from the future) if it gets big enough. A 'Year Zero' according to New Scientist.

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/fundamentals/mg19726421.700-2008-does-time-travel-start-here.html

Don't buy it myself but it makes an interesting read.

[procopius]

Tyrannosaur Cock. And if you need more than that there's something very wrong with you. (http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/2008/02/did_t_rex_have_a_phallus.php)

[Samuel]

Tyrannosaur Cock. And if you need more than that there's something very wrong with you. (http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/2008/02/did_t_rex_have_a_phallus.php)

What i don't get si why they don't just check the footage from jurrassic park. Or was that one a female?

[procopius]

How to make a twat of yourself with statistical criticism. (http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2008/02/spagat_goes_off_the_deep_end.php)

Like cherrypicking your data isn't blatantly obvious when you've got only three points and they produce an r-squared only a smidgeon off 1.

[procopius]

The stupid, it BUUUURRRNNNS. (http://www.badscience.net/?p=613)

[Keiran]

Science-based tattoos? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlzimmer/sets/72157601351535771/detail/)

[procopius]

Science-based tattoos? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlzimmer/sets/72157601351535771/detail/)

Cool! I know a guy who has Anomolocaris on his back. And when the paleonerds finally figure out which way up it goes, I want Hallucigenia somewhere it's easy to show off.

[procopius]

Gorilla Porn (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212134818.htm)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Science-based tattoos? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlzimmer/sets/72157601351535771/detail/)

I've never been that keen on tattoos but some of those are fantastic.

I like the Bohr model of the atom and the double helix ones best.

[Keiran]

Makes me want a tattoo, actually!

Top 5 ways to hack the surface of Earth (http://io9.com/356862/top-5-ways-to-hack-the-surface-of-the-earth)

[Samuel]

Looking at those scientific tattoos has significantly increased the chances of me getting one f my own. It's made me think what image or symbol from science i'd have.

I reckon maybe DNA but how about you guys? Thems of you that haven't already said that is.

[Pod]

I've always wanted a little geezer made out of RTL logic blocks (ALU for a head, MUX for a heart, etc) with a set of "angel" wings that are PCB tracks, kinda like the Eagle symbol you see lots -- y'know, the one like on Starship Troopers

[procopius]

Traumatic Anal Intercourse with a Pig. (http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/02/he_loved_pigs_too_much.php) SFW, honest.

And of course, if you don't click on that there's clearly something wrong with you.

Free pdf of the medical paper his doctors wrote after repairing his arse available here. (http://www.katallaxi.se/grejer/scarystuff.pdf)

[procopius]

Basic Concepts In Science Updated (http://scienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts/2008/02/basic_concepts_in_science_a_li.php). I've posted this before, it's got new material in it now.

[procopius]

HOLY SHIT! (http://www.physorg.com/news122819670.html) An implanted mobile phone that works like a tattoo.

[procopius]

Ladies of the Bone Devouring Worm. (http://scienceblogs.com/deepseanews/2008/03/ladies_of_the_bonedevouring_wo.php)

There are many (up to 114 in Osedax rubiplumus) males fruiting around inside of a female in what is akin to an internal bukkake-fest with the female enthralled in her detestable orgy, covered in the love ooze of her harem.

[Samuel]

God is against sex before marriage and yet he creates freaky shit like this. Truly he is a wonder.

[Samuel]

I just found out what a female orgasm is for.

Apparently in macaques, the likelihood of a female having an orgasm is much much higher when the copulation is between a high ranking male and a low ranking female. Now i've also seen a video of what happens on the inside of a female when she has an orgasm. I won't describe it here but let's just say that if the male has already had his, then the female has one, it vastly increases that male's chances in sperm competition in polyandrous mating.

So the long and the short of it is, women have orgasms with better men to give that man a better chance of being the one to father her offspring.

[procopius]

http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2008/03/03/breaking-martian-avalanche-caught-in-the-act/ -

martian avalanche caught on camera.

[procopius]

http://www.badscience.net/?p=622

Coolest Science Toy Ever.

Downloadable for Free.

[Samuel]

http://www.badscience.net/?p=622

Coolest Science Toy Ever.

Downloadable for Free.

F*ck me that's good. My laptop would probably melt trying to run it but if i ever get an upgrade, i'll be right on that thing. Do you have it?

Also, is the badscience podcast any good?

[procopius]

F*ck me that's good. My laptop would probably melt trying to run it but if i ever get an upgrade, i'll be right on that thing. Do you have it?

Also, is the badscience podcast any good?

I've not given it more than a basic try yet, my primary machine is a Mac.

I've also not actually done any podcast-y stuff at all yet, but I should imagine he' quite worth listening to.

[procopius]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805087702/livingthescie-20/ -

How to Fossilize Your Hamster. It's getting good reviews, not read it myself, I just loved the title.

[Samuel]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805087702/livingthescie-20/ -

How to Fossilize Your Hamster. It's getting good reviews, not read it myself, I just loved the title.

I've got "Why don't penguins' feet freeze?" and i've considered getting "Does anything eat wasps?" Cos the penguin one was good. :)

[procopius]

I've got "Why don't penguins' feet freeze?" and i've considered getting "Does anything eat wasps?" Cos the penguin one was good. :)

Oooh, the wasps one is definitely worth buying.

[Samuel]

Only problem with them two books is that i already know or could make a damn good guess at most of them. But still, i didn't know you could make a PH indicator with red cabbage. Use it to make green eggs :)

[procopius]

Only problem with them two books is that i already know or could make a damn good guess at most of them. But still, i didn't know you could make a PH indicator with red cabbage. Use it to make green eggs :)

Your chemistry teacher never told you that one? It's where the dye in litmus paper comes from! Er, I think it's litmus paper, there's another one for PH testing isn't there.

[Samuel]

Your chemistry teacher never told you that one? It's where the dye in litmus paper comes from! Er, I think it's litmus paper, there's another one for PH testing isn't there.

Nope, wasn't ever mentioned. Though of course we were taught about indicators, they obviously didn't think to add any interesting sidenotes to it, like how to make your own.

[procopius]

Nope, wasn't ever mentioned. Though of course we were taught about indicators, they obviously didn't think to add any interesting sidenotes to it, like how to make your own.

Ours was full of interesting little tidbits like that, usually framed in some story about how he once nearly blew up his house/burnt off half his skin/gassed half a neighbourhood due to a cavalier attitude to safety. He'd been an industrial chemist before he took to teaching and I suspect he left his former profession under peer pressure to not, eg. kill everyone in three counties by 'seeing what would happen'.

[Samuel]

Ours was full of interesting little tidbits like that, usually framed in some story about how he once nearly blew up his house/burnt off half his skin/gassed half a neighbourhood due to a cavalier attitude to safety. He'd been an industrial chemist before he took to teaching and I suspect he left his former profession under peer pressure to not, eg. kill everyone in three counties by 'seeing what would happen'.

That does sound like fun. I have to say that the science teacher i had through most of high school was really good. Funny and interesting and always kept in mind that people have different learning styles. He was a physicist though so we did get some interesting stuff about that but i don't think he'd go too far into interesting things like that because a lot of his time was taken up by explaining things to idiots a hundred times over.

[procopius]

http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2008/03/05/the-universe-is-1373-12-billion-years-old/#results

Age of the universe getting considerably better nailed down, there.

[procopius]

Geologists on reality TV. (http://physics309.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/geologists-reality/)

[Samuel]

Geologists on reality TV. (http://physics309.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/geologists-reality/)

Wow, that's unusual because it's commonly known that geologists are of extra special interest to people outside the sicentific community and scientists in general are often revered as the most exciting and interpersonal individuals one could possibly put on telly. [/sarcasm] :)

[procopius]

Bring me a God Helmet, and bring it NOW. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/jun/17/badscience.uknews)

[procopius]

Gamma Raty Burster visible with the naked eye. (http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2008/03/20/naked-eye-visible-grb/)

Let me put this in perspective for you. Imagine a one megaton nuclear weapon detonating. That’s roughly 50 times the explosive yield of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Devastating.

The Sun, every second of every day of every year, gives off 100 billion times this much energy. That’s every second. A star is a terrifying object.

In the few seconds that a gamma-ray burst lasts, it packs a million million million times that much energy into its beams. In other words, for those few ticks of a clock the GRB is sending out more energy than the Sun will in its entire lifetime.

There is, quite simply, no way to exaggerate the devastation of a gamma-ray burst.

Yet for all that, they are optically faint due to their terrible distance. At billions of light years away, even the Universe’s second biggest bangs are difficult to see.

So that’s what makes GRB 080319B (the second GRB seen on 2008 March 19) so incredible: distance measurements put it at 7.5 billion light years away, yet it was visible to the unaided eye had you just happened to be looking up at the sky at that moment.

[procopius]

Intelligent dinosaurs. (http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/03/dinosauroids_2008.php)

[procopius]

Atheist challenges sorceror to kill him with black magic. Survives experience. (http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html)

[Hex]

Atheist challenges sorceror to kill him with black magic. Survives experience. (http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html)



Proof that the power of "magic" lies in the victim's ability to believe that it's real.

[Samuel]

Atheist challenges sorceror to kill him with black magic. Survives experience. (http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html)

That is pretty LOLtastic.

[Samuel]

All of Charles Darwin's work online (http://darwin-online.org.uk/).

[procopius]

Astonishingly beautiful biomedical animation show reel. (http://www.hybridmedicalanimation.com/demoReel.html)

[procopius]

Magnetic movie - the secret lives of magnetic fields (http://www.vimeo.com/1166968?pg=embed&sec=1166968)

[procopius]

Oil 2.0 - renewable carbon-positive synthetic hydrocarbons. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4133668.ece)

[stellarforher]

i love this thread. i never thought i would say them words.

[procopius]

i love this thread. i never thought i would say them words.

We aim to please, young lady.

[procopius]

Video of moon transiting earth. How cool is that? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqyAO8u227o)

[Wishfairy]

that's gorgeous!

[procopius]

that's gorgeous!

Yup. It's quite lifted my spirits after an hour rewiring Harbls so the counter isn't a giant capacitor.

[Wishfairy]

Yup. It's quite lifted my spirits after an hour rewiring Harbls so the counter isn't a giant capacitor.

Don't tell me that now, i just finished writing up the risk assessment!

[procopius]

Don't tell me that now, i just finished writing up the risk assessment!

It was perfectly safe. Just a little ... shocky. I mean, as static charges go, 1700 volts is bugger all.

[procopius]

Giant Squid Public Dissection Video. (http://museumvictoria.com.au/About/MV-News/2008/Giant-squid-public-dissection-at-Melbourne-Museum/)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Giant Squid Public Dissection Video. (http://museumvictoria.com.au/About/MV-News/2008/Giant-squid-public-dissection-at-Melbourne-Museum/)

Garghhh. I give up.

This video is fascinating but the blooming slow buffering of it is driving me mad.
Will try again tonight when I'm not needing to do other things.

The bit about the sperm being stored in the skin was cool and swallowing food through the centre of the brain too. They're like an alien species or something.

Fascinating.

[piercedmilo]

Yup. It's quite lifted my spirits after an hour rewiring Harbls so the counter isn't a giant capacitor.

speaking of which, any idea why I'm the only one who didn't get a single lecky shock?

[Casey]

speaking of which, any idea why I'm the only one who didn't get a single lecky shock?

Scouse power.

[procopius]

speaking of which, any idea why I'm the only one who didn't get a single lecky shock?

Naturally insulated.

[piercedmilo]

Naturally insulated.

you mean rather than naturally conductive, like this guy?:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/images/2006/09/11/gallery_conductor_450_450x350.jpg

[procopius]

you mean rather than naturally conductive, like this guy?:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/images/2006/09/11/gallery_conductor_450_450x350.jpg

I've had lifeforms disintegrated for better puns than that, earth-human.

[thehuk]

I've had lifeforms disintegrated for better puns than that, earth-human.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3092/zilt3kc3.jpg

[procopius]

3D Tour of Tycho Crater based on data gathered by the japanese lunar orbiter. (http://wms.selene.jaxa.jp/data/jpn/tc/012/tycho_20mbps.html)

Note: FOGB download, might take a while on slow connections.

[procopius]

The Sex Lives of the Giant Squids. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/03/2263456.htm)

Giants have very strange sexual behaviour where the male has a metre-long muscular penis that he uses a bit like a nail gun and shoots cords of sperm under the skin of the female's arms and she carries the sperm around with her until she is ready to lay her big jelly mass of a million eggs.

I can't help feeling that this presents squid fetishists with something of a practical problem.

[procopius]

Interesting little digression on epigenetics. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/07/epigenetics.php)

[procopius]

96-tentacled octopus. (http://www.pinktentacle.com/2008/07/monster-octopi-with-scores-of-extra-tentacles/)

One theory is that it had a faulty regeneration mechanism and grew new tentacles from every minor injury site.

[procopius]

Basic Concepts in Science has been updated. (http://scienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts/2008/07/basic_concepts_in_science_a_li.php)

[procopius]

How cool is the LHC? This page tells you to within a couple of Kelvin. (http://lhc.web.cern.ch/lhc/)

Yes, they've got most of it down to below 4.5K, and the warmest bits are below 60K.

I think this may be the post most literally in keeping with the thread title so far.

Time to start smashing particles into each other.

[procopius]

Physics theories described as if they were women. (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/physical.html)

[procopius]

Snake Segmentation. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/07/snake_segmentation.php)

The blog that link points to is one of the better biological blogs on the interbuts. He's a seriously excellent science communicator.

Also, he's currently getting death threats from members of the Catholic League of America, so he's clearly a fine individual.

[procopius]

Some notes on recent evolution. (http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/a-natural-selection/)

Evolution happens.

[Tarnishedglitter]

Atheist challenges sorceror to kill him with black magic. Survives experience. (http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html)

I've just found this thread (ok, I knew it was here, but thought it'd be boring) and this is brilliant!

[procopius]

I knew it was here, but thought it'd be boring

An attitude that qualifies you EMINENTLY for a degree in Literature.

[Tarnishedglitter]

An attitude that qualifies you EMINENTLY for a degree in Literature.

:) I know. I am working on my woeful lack of general knowledge though. There's just so MANY things to know about the world, it's difficult to know where to start!

[Rutherford]

:) I know. I am working on my woeful lack of general knowledge though. There's just so MANY things to know about the world, it's difficult to know where to start!

Start with the most interesting ones! Always been my theory.

I've tons of interesting links at the minute. But they are only interesting if your trying to design a green car...

[procopius]

Start with the most interesting ones! Always been my theory.

I've tons of interesting links at the minute. But they are only interesting if your trying to design a green car...

Post them. There's no such thing as uninteresting information.

Other than to dullards, whose opinion can and should be discounted.

[procopius]

:) I know. I am working on my woeful lack of general knowledge though. There's just so MANY things to know about the world, it's difficult to know where to start!

It's not the lack of knowledge, I've got massive amounts of ignorance and will until the day I die. It's the attitude that a whole field of knowledge is in some sense boring and that you want to avoid it. That way dullardy lies.

[Tarnishedglitter]

It's not the lack of knowledge, I've got massive amounts of ignorance and will until the day I die. It's the attitude that a whole field of knowledge is in some sense boring and that you want to avoid it. That way dullardy lies.

I do try to follow science. Back in school I was excellent at it, and did consider taking physics A level. But I didn't, and now I still have the knowledge of a 16 year old, yet I'm 23. I know, it's disgraceful, but while I'm typing this I have nick going on at me to watch some tv series and read about 10 different authors. I dunno, I just have to try and focus on the things I'm studying at the moment, I'm not exactly a genius.

[Rutherford]

Post them. There's no such thing as uninteresting information.

Other than to dullards, whose opinion can and should be discounted.

Fairymuff.

Well I shall post it up when i've finished my lit review... 'cause I have to finish that tonight or i'm a bit boned.

[Hopkin Green Frog]

Physics theories described as if they were women. (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/physical.html)

Damn it. I just came into this thread to post that.

[procopius]

I have no need of this product. BUT I WANT ONE. (http://www.eppendorf.com/int/hawkpopup.php?contentid=13&gclid=CKa1593Sx5QCFQOjFQodTS20kA#epmvideo)

[procopius]

Soft tissue preservation in Tyrannosaur fossils. (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/07/tyrannosaur_morsels.php)

Yes, inside those fossilised bones there are occasionally still-squishy bits to be found. Can cloned T-Rexes be far behind? I for one welcome our new reptilian overlords.

[procopius]

Why you don't see green stars. (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/29/why-are-there-no-green-stars/)

[procopius]

Interview about water on Mars. (http://scienceblogs.com/scientificactivist/2008/07/interview_with_a_planetary_geo.php)

[procopius]

Following on from the Physics Theories as Women thing from upthread... (http://twistedphysics.typepad.com/cocktail_party_physics/2008/07/tit-for-tat.html)

[executiverocker]

The CERN rap

http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2008/07/rappin-physics.html

[procopius]

What's the Harm? Debunking the myth that believing in quackery and crackpottery does no harm. (http://whatstheharm.net/)

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

What's the Harm? Debunking the myth that believing in quackery and crackpottery does no harm. (http://whatstheharm.net/)

The 'children' list is far too long and horribly sad.:(

[Rutherford]

Not as promised the fuel economy and other bits of info i've found...


But this video is excellent...

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen .html

This whole website is infact a goldmine of interesting stuff. I think i'm right in saying that the "unintelligent design" lecture is on here somewhere...

[Dark-Cide Lorraine]

Not as promised the fuel economy and other bits of info i've found...


But this video is excellent...

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen .html

This whole website is infact a goldmine of interesting stuff. I think i'm right in saying that the "unintelligent design" lecture is on here somewhere...

Those animated graphs are fantastic. What a great lecture.

[procopius]

Finally deciphered the Antikythera Device. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/science/31computer.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin)

It's basically a very, very old analogue computer, and new x-ray techniques mean they could read the writing on it and see what the various wheels did under all the corrosion and crud.

[Rutherford]

Finally deciphered the Antikythera Device. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/science/31computer.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin)

It's basically a very, very old analogue computer, and new x-ray techniques mean they could read the writing on it and see what the various wheels did under all the corrosion and crud.

That's coool...

Much cooler than a mac...

[procopius]

That's coool...

Much cooler than a mac...

I don't buy macs because they're cool. I buy them because they work.

If I wanted a cool computer I'd go find a PDP-10 and recommission it.

[Rutherford]

This a major petrol head nerdy thing....


but...


1 - 14 - 9 - 4 - 7 - 12 - 15 - 6 - 13 - 8 - 3 - 16 - 11 - 2 - 5 - 10...


Is the Bugatti Veyron firing order...

[Rutherford]

I don't buy macs because they're cool. I buy them because they work.

If I wanted a cool computer I'd go find a PDP-10 and recommission it.

Just googled that thing... Nice and portable!

Step up from the one down the road at Bletchly though.

I've never even thought about macs, or other OS's before I got Vista on this new laptop... Going to defect next machine... If Mac's etc can run the CAD stuff I use...

[procopius]

Just googled that thing... Nice and portable!

Step up from the one down the road at Bletchly though.

I've never even thought about macs, or other OS's before I got Vista on this new laptop... Going to defect next machine... If Mac's etc can run the CAD stuff I use...

Depends which CAD you're after. Autocad you're shit out of luck with, they stopped supporting it yonks ago. brl-cad runs lovely, though.

[Rutherford]

Depends which CAD you're after. Autocad you're shit out of luck with, they stopped supporting it yonks ago. brl-cad runs lovely, though.

Autocad - how to make an engineer long for a pencil and the back of a fag packet...

SolidWorks I use, with ocasional forrays into the more exotic (I-Deas, Catia etc)...

As far as I know SolidWorks still doesn't play with anything but Windows... Maybe next version though...

[Rutherford]

More from TED...


Richard Dawkins' (yup, the one who south park featured) talk on Militant Atheism...

Interesting, and has a Douglas Adams quote in it, so winner.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism.html

[procopius]

Autocad - how to make an engineer long for a pencil and the back of a fag packet...

SolidWorks I use, with ocasional forrays into the more exotic (I-Deas, Catia etc)...

As far as I know SolidWorks still doesn't play with anything but Windows... Maybe next version though...

brl-cad is fun to learn to use, for brain-bleeding values of 'fun'. The brl stands for 'ballistics research laboratory' - it's software by rocket scientists for rocket scientists. On the upside, it's free and INCREDIBLY powerful.

[Rutherford]

brl-cad is fun to learn to use, for brain-bleeding values of 'fun'. The brl stands for 'ballistics research laboratory' - it's software by rocket scientists for rocket scientists. On the upside, it's free and INCREDIBLY powerful.

Yeah I just had a quick look... looks quite good. There are a few free cad packages out there, I may have to give them a go on my next project.... *evil finger pyramid of finger contemplation*

[Rutherford]

Fight Local Warming!!

Serious science this stuff...

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/yossi_vardi_fights_local_warming.html

[procopius]

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords. (http://www.bostondynamics.com/content/sec.php?section=BigDog)

Amazing robotics, PROFOUNDLY creepy robot.

[procopius]

Just as cool, but a bit less creepy. (http://www.bostondynamics.com/content/sec.php?section=LittleDog)

[procopius]

Definitely the winner so far on creepiness, it triggered my bug-squick. (http://www.bostondynamics.com/content/sec.php?section=RiSE)

[procopius]

This one is kind of cute. (http://www.bostondynamics.com/content/sec.php?section=RHex)

[Wishfairy]

sneezy ammo (http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn14454-pollencoated-bullet-could-make-its-mark-on-criminals.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news3_head_dn14454)

[Wishfairy]

conclusive proof that the persil advert is right (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14445-kids-eyes-need-the-great-outdoors.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news5_head_dn14445)

[Moustache]

Wat Does It Mean When The Text Is Blue With A Line Under The Bottom Of It?

[Rutherford]

Wat Does It Mean When The Text Is Blue With A Line Under The Bottom Of It?

It's a clicky link... opens a new webpage...