Archive for March 1st, 2008

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Science Etcetera Saturnday, 20070301

Saturday, March 1st, 2008
  • Yesterday’s leapday Disproves Existence of God. Suck it Jesus!
  • The Last large piece of the ATLAS detector was lowered underground, upon which the entire facility took on a magical glow and a chorus of angels was heard to sing. It’s rumored that when they actually turn it on, it will signal the second coming of Carl Sagan, who will end all war and irrationality, banishing all Christians to eternal boredom in paradise (Hey, if the creationists can delude themselves, I’m allowed to indulge).
  • An amazingly comprehensive article in the New Yorker, surveys the work of Stanislas Dehaene, who has been exploring how our brains wired for math, with some very surprising results (Multiplication is unnatural). Take a moment to learn something about yourself. (HT Nick “DJ Nicko” Hamden)
  • Maybe our numerical sense originated with our finned ancestors, as scientists found Fish can count to four.
  • When three of the five Most Environmentally Friendly Presidents in U.S. History were Republicans, it really makes you wonder how dittoheads lost all their ideological vertebrae.
  • A $1.5 Billion Cosmic-Ray Detector is on track to be ready for a 2009 launch date, but NASA won’t have any shuttles left to carry it by then.
  • An unexplained phenomena is altering the acceleration of space probes being sent out of solar system.
  • Unwashed hair absorbes more ozone, meaning less of the toxic stuff around your head to inhale.
  • Pig farts bind molecularly with dust and we inhale them, which is very not healthy at all.
  • Today’s Moment of Science involves more mixing in the humanities, with some Insect Art Winners (a slide show):

  • What if...?

    What if…?
    Pic by Johanna Tesfaye