Best Science Images of 2008

Honorable Mention, Photography: "Squid Suckers: The Little Monsters That Feed the Beast" Drexel University doctoral student Jessica Schiffman won an honorable mention in photography in the 2008 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge for capturing what's actually an array of suckers found on the tentacles of a long-finned squid.

Each sucker--about 400 micrometers wide, or a little smaller than the width of a human hair--is surrounded with "fangs" of chitin, a hard organic material.

Squid use their powerful suckers to secure unwitting prey and feed their robust appetites--much like the horror-movie plant that inspired the image's color scheme.

..via National Geographic

Level Orange

Why is it that I have been back in Dallas for about 40 minutes and since that time I have been consistently sneezing and with a runny nose? Could it have anything to do with that 'level orange' pollution alert today? And hmmm...could that level orange have anything to do with the peachish/orange haze that hung over all of downtown this morning when I passed by on my way to Austin?

Zyrtec is my new bestest friend. And this is all coincidence, because mankind does not cause any pollution or damage at all! Silly me.

The United States of Mind

The United States of Mind"As for high-anxiety states, that group includes not just Type A New York and New Jersey, but also states stressed by poverty, such as West Virginia and Mississippi. As a group, these neurotic states tend to have higher rates of heart disease and lower life expectancy."

So it turns out according to this study that Texas has an extraversion of 16, agreeableness 25, conscientiousness 17, neuroticism 28 and openness of 17. All pretty low numbers, indicating we're nice, friendly folk. Go us!

As a bonus when looking at this, our fantastic vice-presidential candidate that is pro-life, pro-gun, creationist comes from Alaska, with the scores of: extraversion of 49, agreeableness 51, conscientiousness 51, neuroticism 47 and openness of 49. So she comes from the land of the introverted, mean, rude, laid-back, and close minded. Perfect for a position of power!

And I'm a Douchebag

I'm a PC

Really. Because having 86% tof the American consumers makes perfect sense to go ahead and mock the competition. Way to go innovative marketing/advertising team!

Things I Want # 237

LED interactive coffee table

Yay Charlie!

10 reasons it would rule to date a unicorn!

Kids Change the World!

12 year old revolutionizes the solar cell

When I was 12 we had 'Invention Convention', and the winner was a girl who painted a milk carton red and shoved it full of plastic bags and created the 'spare bag holder', an invention that has been out in much better forms for much longer. But of course, it wouldn't have anything to do with her mother being one of the judges. Nooooo....This kid probably could win in that contest either.

So True

I guess temptation was too much for me. Damn that Satan.

..via Vintage Vandalism

The Power of Wind

I dunno. I think I liked his original job of just messing with people and the people not fighting back. Looks like fun.

Better than a Windmill

Dutch scientists have been experimenting with wind power in a new form, kites. Since kites can reach a higher latitude than a wind turbine, tethering one to a generator has been proved so far to be able to produce enough energy to pwer 10 homes, and there are plans on new models that could produce enough energy for 100,000 homes. And they are colorful, so when they are up in the sky, we get a better view than that of an airplane!