Visible Earth: The Blue Marble
This spectacular “blue marble” image is the most detailed true-color image of the entire Earth to date. Using a collection of satellite-based observations, scientists and visualizers stitched together months of observations of the land surface, oceans, sea ice, and clouds into a seamless, true-color mosaic of every square kilometer (.386 square mile) of our planet. Click on the image for more and click for More details and views.
Month: July 2007
Why we Yawn
Ahh, the Science of Yawning
“Brains are like computers,” he said. “They only operate efficiently and effectively when they’re cool. And, therefore, there are some very intricate cooling mechanisms that serve to regulate the temperature of the brain.”
He said many things associated with yawning, like being tired, actually make the brain hot, and yawning can alleviate the heat. “Extended periods of sleep deprivation raise brain temperature and do produce excessive yawning,” Gallup said. In a sense, the yawn is like the brain’s air conditioner, which may make some rethink societal assumptions. Maria saw this on GMA and sent us the link. Continue reading “Why we Yawn”
Barry Bonds Rookie Card
Found for sale on E-Bay.
Stuck Mega-Yacht Running Out Of Time
California boating guide-news & classifieds
What happens if rescue efforts fail again? After all, Halmos has spent about $1 million trying to free the boat, most notably with a 50-by-1,000-ft. flat-bottom canvas structure that would have eased the vessel into deeper waters. But the yacht didn’t budge. Neither have other efforts worked.
Siegfried concedes Legacy may eventually have to be carefully dismantled, piece by piece, to prevent environmental damage to the marine reserve. A final decision about when to end the 2-year marooning could be reached in a month or so.
“Nothing on the market has proved to be viable,” Siegfried said. “We’re down to the final course of action to make this work. Hopefully, Halmos will be successful.”
Bird does the MoonWalk
This is a red-capped manikin, apparently from Belize. Now we know where Michael Jacskon learned his moves. Thanks Natalia for this version. There have been quite a few over the last year.
Powerball wife back in custody
Daily Independent (Ashland, KY) – Powerball wife back in custody
The wife of a Boyd County Powerball winner is back in jail less than a week after being released.
Shawna Edwards, 32, of the 3400 block of Elton Avenue in Ashland, failed a drug test, then failed to show up for a follow-up test at the courthouse, according to a motion filed by the county attorney’s office.
A warrant was issued for her arrest Monday, and Edwards was picked up by Boyd County sheriff’s deputies at her husband’s hospital room in Ashland, sources said. Thanks to Julie for bringing this to our attention. Continue reading “Powerball wife back in custody”
A Rising Tide Lifts Mood in the Developing World
Pew Global Attitudes Project: Summary of Findings: A Rising Tide Lifts Mood in the Developing World
The planet is a happier place these days, at least in many parts of the world where incomes are low and life is tough … but economies are improving. In particular, as economic growth has surged in much of Latin America, East Europe and Asia over the past five years, people are expressing greater satisfaction with their personal lives, family incomes and national conditions. The picture is considerably different in most advanced nations, where per capita GDP gains have been less robust and citizen satisfaction has changed little since 2002.
Among the most striking trends in predominantly Muslim nations is the continuing decline in the number saying that suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilians are justifiable in the defense of Islam. In Lebanon, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia, the proportion of Muslims who view suicide bombing and other attacks against civilians as being often or sometimes justified has declined by half or more over the past five years.
Wide majorities say such attacks are, at most, rarely acceptable. However, this is decidedly not the case in the Palestinian territories. Fully 70% of Palestinians believe that suicide bombings against civilians can be often or sometimes justified, a position starkly at odds with Muslims in other Middle Eastern, Asian, and African nations.
The decreasing acceptance of extremism among Muslims also is reflected in declining support for Osama bin Laden. Since 2003
Can Scientists Be Taught To Share?
Will John Wilbanks Launch the Next Scientific Revolution? – Popular Science
Right now, it’s still in scientists’ interest to follow the classical model of one scientist working alone. In today’s system, you don’t get rewarded for sharing—no one gets tenure for choosing to publish preprints of their papers in molecular biology, or for spending weeks making cells for other labs to do research. And you sometimes get ahead by deliberately withholding. If you think you can squeeze more papers out of your data, you might not share it even if it takes years for someone else to replicate the research you’ve written about. Thanks to John Brittain for this article on how to drag Science into the 21st century.
Live Panorama of Pu`u `O`o Vent, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i
Live Panorama of Pu`u `O`o Vent, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i
Check-out the current eruption. This panorama is a composite of three images from a research camera positioned on the north rim of Pu`u `O`o’s crater. The images update every 5 minutes. At times, clouds and volcanic fume obscure visibility. The camera is subject to sporadic breakdown, and its remote location makes immediate repair impossible. Cameras can be where people should not. Pu`u `O`o is off-limits to the general public because of multiple and significant volcanic hazards.
171 Starbucks in 20 hours
Mark Malkoff Takes the Starbucks Challenge .:. Watch the Video!
On the day that Starbucks raised prices the Today Show featured this guy on his bicycle, who had a coffee at 171 Starbucks stores in 20 hours and filmed it. He didn’t include the 17 bathroom stops.