Tiny Maggot-Like Robots Crawl Into Brains and Zap Tumors From Within

Scientists develop "tiny, maggot-like robot that can crawl into brains and zap tumors from within".

Mind Blowing Shadow Art

Mind Blowing Shadow Art.

Here's one example:

Bruce Schneier Discusses the NSA Documents

MIT Technology Review: Bruce Schneier Discusses the NSA Documents.

How Evil Should a Video Game Allow You to Be?

"How Evil Should a Video Game Allow You to Be?"

Terminator the Second

"Terminator the Second is a parody of the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, constructed solely of lines and phrases from the plays of William Shakespeare. Only proper nouns, pronouns and verb tenses are subject to change, enabling us to remain true to the words of Shakespeare in form, if less so in intent."



Here's the official site.  They've already produced it as a live play, and a movie version is scheduled for DVD release on November 1.

They have a Facebook page as well.

Researchers Build A Particle Accelerator On A Chip

Alex Knapp: "Researchers Build A Particle Accelerator On A Chip".  (Video at the link.)

10-Year-Old Accidentally Creates New Molecule in Science Class

"10-Year-Old Accidentally Creates New Molecule in Science Class"

Who's Watching Your Phone

Ars Technica: "Meet the machines that steal your phone's data"

Are the Olympics One Giant Orgy?

"Are the Olympics one giant orgy?"

[Off topic] Hsieh PJM OpEd: How Patients Can Protect Themselves Against Big Medicine

[Off topic]: PJ Media has published the final segment of my 4-part series on the changing face of American medicine under ObamaCare, "How Patients Can Protect Themselves Against Big Medicine".

Earlier segments include:

Part 1: "Your Future Under Obamacare: Big Medicine Getting Bigger"
Part 2: "How Big Medicine Will Affect Patient Care"
Part 3: "The Eyes of Big Medicine: Electronic Medical Records"

Percussive Maintenance

"Excellent supercut of technology breaking down, then being beaten until it works again." (Via VAViper.)

Feynman Explains Rubber Bands

Richard Feynman explains rubber bands. (Via Kottke.)

Light Posting Notice

Admin note: Posting may be lighter than usual for the rest of the week due to external obligations.

XKCD-Style Plots in Matplotlib

"XKCD-style plots in Matplotlib". (Via Brian S.)

Robotic Leg Control

NEJM: "Robotic Leg Control with EMG Decoding in an Amputee with Nerve Transfers"

The Average Women Faces In Different Countries

"The Average Women Faces In Different Countries". (Via Instapundit.)

Wrongly Attributed Statements

Who Really Said That?: Categories of "Wrongly Attributed Statements"

Hybrid Camera

"New hybrid camera combines human, insect vision". (Via M.H.)

Why Paleontologists Shouldn't Play Computer Games

"Why paleontologists shouldn't play computer games". (Via DJF.)

Google Knows Nearly Every Wi-Fi Password

"Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world".

"Terminator" Self Healing Polymer

"'Terminator' Self Healing Polymer Created in Spain". Link includes a video.

British Politeness Translated

"Translation table explaining the truth behind British politeness becomes internet hit".  Here it is:

WHAT THE BRITISH SAY	WHAT THE BRITISH MEAN	WHAT FOREIGNERS UNDERSTAND
I hear what you say	I disagree and do not want to discuss it further	He accepts my point of view
With the greatest respect	You are an idiot	He is listening to me
That's not bad	That's good	That's poor
That is a very brave proposal	You are insane	He thinks I have courage
Quite good	A bit disappointing	Quite good
I would suggest	Do it or be prepared to justify yourself	Think about the idea, but do what you like
Oh, incidentally/ by the way	The primary purpose of our discussion is	That is not very important
I was a bit disappointed that	I am annoyed that	It doesn't really matter
Very interesting	That is clearly nonsense	They are impressed
I'll bear it in mind	I've forgotten it already	They will probably do it
I'm sure it's my fault	It's your fault	Why do they think it was their fault?
You must come for dinner	It's not an invitation, I'm just being polite	I will get an invitation soon
I almost agree	I don't agree at all	He's not far from agreement
I only have a few minor comments	Please rewrite completely	He has found a few typos
Could we consider some other options	I don't like your idea	They have not yet decided

More iOS7 Tips, Bugs, And News

Wall Street Journal: "How to Use Apple’s New iOS 7 Privacy Controls"

AnandTech: "The iOS 7 Review"

Forbes: "iOS 7 Bug Lets Anyone Bypass iPhone's Lockscreen To Hijack Photos, Email, Or Twitter"

Forbes: "Another iOS 7 Bug Lets Anyone Make Calls From Locked iPhones -- And This One Has No Quick Fix"

CNET: "Apple promises to fix iOS 7 lock screen hack"

CCC: Fake fingers with copied prints can unlock an iPhone 5S.  Here's the video.

Japanese Manhole Covers

Some of these Japanese manhole covers are really quite beautiful.

Click through to see more. (Via Kottke.)

Funerals for Fallen Robots

"Deep bonds that can develop between soldiers and the machines that help keep them alive".

iPhone 5S Review Roundup

WSJ: "What the iPhone 5S Reviews Say".

And don't miss this detailed overview of iOS 7 from iLounge.

Deep Fried Clam Chowder

I never would have thought of this, but this deep fried clam chowder looks really good! (Via Neatorama.)

A Brief History of the Hashtag, and Other Unusual Punctuation Marks

New Yorker: "A Brief History of the Hashtag, and Other Unusual Punctuation Marks"

18 Unique Hotels From Around the World

18 unique hotels from around the world. (Via B.M.)

Almost-Human Robots

The Guardian: "Meet the new generation of robots. They're almost human..."

True Friendship

"Pranksters replace friend's home plumbing with beer". (Via Debby Witt.)

Bohemian Gravity

"This physics grad student made a mind-blowing Bohemian Rhapsody cover"

Photos of the Amazing and Gruesome World Under a Microscope

"Photos of the Amazing and Gruesome World Under a Microscope".  Here's one example:

A wood ant holding a microchip in its mandibles, via DSLRimagery.

Inside Dropbox's Quest to Bury the Hard Drive

"Inside Dropbox's Quest to Bury the Hard Drive". 

And make sure you read the correction at the end of the piece!

How The Internet DNS System Works

Economist: How does the internet's domain-name system (DNS) work?

"Star Trek" Teleportation Magic Trick

Fun Star Trek teleportation magic trick in shopping mall.

Why Women Love Murder Programming

"Murder Shows -- The New Soap Operas for Women?"

From one of the network programmers:

I think there's a cathartic journey that the audience goes on that in the end makes you feel somehow safer. It's counterintuitive, but when the handcuffs are on, justice is served and the perpetrator is behind bars and you see these real people getting on with their lives you kind of feel like 'okay I can go to bed and I’m not going to check my door ten times'...

(Via Ryan Sager.)

Calvin & Hobbes and Dune

"Calvin & Hobbes and Dune is a surprisingly great combination".  My current favorite:

Creature with Interlocking Gears on Legs Discovered

"Creature with Interlocking Gears on Legs Discovered". (Via Aaron B.)

College Class in Personal Genomics Can Get Very Personal

Salon: "College students are testing their own DNA, but the results -- from paternity to genetic diseases -- can be a shock"

Drone Defibrillator

"This Drone Defibrillator Can Fix Your Heart In The Middle Of Nowhere"

How the Cops Watch Your Tweets in Real-Time

Ars Technica: "How the cops watch your tweets in real-time".

You might wish to avoid using some of the red-flag hashtags listed in the article.

2013 Ig Nobel Prizes Announced

2013 Ig Nobel Prizes Announced.

No, A Severed Finger Will Not Be Able to Access a Stolen iPhone 5S

Well, I'm relieved: "No, A Severed Finger Will Not Be Able to Access a Stolen iPhone 5S".

But it's also important that potential thieves also know this information!

MOOCs and the Boy Genius of Ulan Bator

An awesome and inspiring story of the power of MOOCs from the New York Times: "The Boy Genius of Ulan Bator".

From the article:

Two months earlier, Battushig, then 15, became one of 340 students out of 150,000 to earn a perfect score in Circuits and Electronics, a sophomore-level class at M.I.T. and the first Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC — a college course filmed and broadcast free or nearly free to anyone with an Internet connection — offered by the university... 

Battushig was one of 20 students, ranging in age from 13 to 17, to enroll in the class. About half dropped out. The course is difficult in any setting — M.I.T. sophomores often pull all-nighters — and the Mongolian students were taking it in a second language. Battushig, however, thrived. “I can’t compare it to a regular class,” he said. “I had never done that kind of thing before. It was really a watershed moment for me.”

Cloaked Skyscraper

Alex Knapp: "South Korea Will Soon Be Home To An Invisible Skyscraper"

Architectural firm GDS Architects has announced that it has received its permits to build the Tower Infinity near the Incheon Airport just outside of Seoul, South Korea. Although at 450 meters tall, it won’t be the tallest building in the world, it does have one unique feature: it will come equipped with a cloaking device...

If Monty Python and the Holy Grail Were Marketed Today

"If Monty Python and the Holy Grail Were Marketed Today"

Feynman Physics Lectures Now Available Online For Free

"The Feynman Lectures on Physics" are now available online for free. (At least Volume 1 is.)

Apple Fingerprint Sensor Update

WSJ: "Apple's iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor won't work if hands are sweaty, phone is rebooted or not used for 48 hours"

Airplane WiFi Will Get A Lot Faster

Airplane WiFi will get a lot faster.

Social Network for Medical Conditions

Social networks for communities of patients with similar diseases.

US Slavery Map

Fascinating map showing concentration of slaves in 1860. Some counties exceeded 90%.

Middle Class Problem

For some life perspective follow the Middle Class Problem Twitter feed.

How Should Two Lost People Find Each Other?

"How Should Two Lost People Find Each Other?"

NSA Hasn't "Cracked Encryption"

"NSA Leak Leaves Crypto-Math Intact but Highlights Known Workarounds"

End of Passwords?

"Could iPhone's fingerprint sensor help kill off passwords?".

IMHO, not for a long time.

[Off topic] Hsieh PJM OpEd: How Big Medicine Will Affect Patient Care

[Off topic] PJMedia has just published part 2 of my 4-part series on changes in American health care: "How Big Medicine Will Affect Patient Care".

Google Encryption Backlash Against NSA

Washington Post: "Google encrypts data amid backlash against NSA spying"

Bouncing Jell-O

"These GIFs of bouncing Jell-O are disturbingly satisfying". Click through for more.

Journalism is Hard

"People Accuses Wrong Asian Woman of Dating Sergey Brin".

Basically, they used a stock photo of a random Asian woman on a bicycle with a wearable computer, not the actual woman in question.

How the Internet Changed The Onion:

How the Internet changed The Onion.

The Science of Trypophobia

"Up to 16% of people (18% of females and 11% of males) become viscerally upset after looking at images of clustered holes, according to the first ever study on the condition known as trypophobia."

3D Printing Scales Up

Economist: "3D printing scales up".

Largest Mural on Inhabited Building

"Largest Mural on Inhabited Building".

Click through to see more images. (Via Neatorama.)

How Third-Century China Saw The Roman Empire

How third-century China saw the Roman Empire.

Short version: "Hey you guys are all Chinese, just not as good!"

21 Rules For Spies

"21 Rules For Spies, From A Former NSA Officer"

15 Super Thin Buildings

"15 Super Thin Buildings". (Via B.M.)

A Drop of Blood. An Instant Diagnosis.

WSJ: "A Drop of Blood. An Instant Diagnosis."

Bitcoins Not So Anonymous

"Mapping the Bitcoin Economy Could Reveal Users' Identities".

Related from Forbes: "Follow The Bitcoins: How We Got Busted Buying Drugs On Silk Road's Black Market"

Company Developing Cups, Straws To Detect "Date Rape" Drug

Boston company developing cups, straws, and stirrers that can detect the presence of the "date rape drug" Rohypnol. (Via Mark Perry.)

The Anti-Password Backlash

"The anti-password backlash"

Detailed Animal Drawings

Awesomely detailed animal drawings. (Via Ryan Sager.)

Here's one example:

[Off topic] Hsieh PJM OpEd: Big Medicine Getting Bigger

[Off topic] PJ Media has published my latest OpEd, "Your Future Under Obamacare: Big Medicine Getting Bigger".

(This will be part 1 of a 4-part series on the changing face of US health care. Future installments will appear on Wednesdays, during the month of September.)

How Advanced Is the NSA's Cryptanalysis?

Bruce Schneier: "How Advanced Is the NSA's Cryptanalysis -- And Can We Resist It?"

The Perfect Nap

The WSJ on the science behind the perfect nap.

Real-Time MRI Lets Surgeons Image the Brain While they Operate On It

MRI system lets surgeons image the brain while operating.

Japanese Creative Barcodes

"Japanese Creative Barcodes".

Here are some examples.  Click through to see more.

Worst Money Advice In Songs

MSN Money: "Worst money advice in songs". (Via Jeff Patterson.)

How Rats Became Such Popular Lab Animals

"The fascinating story of how rats came to be such popular lab animals".

Prostitution and Inflation

"Corrected for inflation, have prostitution prices been essentially the same for thousands of years?"

New Cracking Tools Threaten All Passwords

Salon: "No password is safe from new breed of cracking software"

The Awesome Physics of the Prince Rupert's Drop

"Meet Prince Rupert's Drop. It's about to blow your mind."



This video includes "physics, high-speed video, explosions" and is totally worth 7 minutes of your time.  (Via J.W.)

What the Same Train Ride Looked Like in 1953, 1983 and 2013

"What the Same Train Ride Looked Like in 1953, 1983 and 2013":

BBC: "Sixty years ago, the BBC filmed a train journey from London to Brighton, squeezed into just four minutes. Thirty years ago, we did it again. Now we are bringing it up to date, to see how much has changed - and how much is still the same. Here's all three journeys side by side." (Via J.T.)

Digital Forensics

Nice overview of digital forensics.

Curved Architecture Melts Nearby Parked Cars.

Curved architecture melts nearby parked cars.

BBC On How To Get A Bigger Allowance

Heh! BBC Business Editor replies to 6-year old asking how to get a bigger allowance: