Saturday, November 30, 2013
International Air Travel In The 1930s
International air travel in the 1930s was "equal parts harrowing adventure and indulgent luxury". And no TSA. (Via Howard R.)
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Light Posting Notice
Admin note: Because of the holidays, posting will likely be light (or non-existent) until after the weekend. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Breaking A Basic Rule of Chemistry?
"A study suggests atoms can bond not only with electrons in their outer shells, but also via those in their supposedly sacrosanct inner shells"
Imagining the Post-Antibiotics Future
"Imagining the Post-Antibiotics Future".
Eye-opening quote: [W]ithout antibiotics, one out of every six recipients of new hip joints would die". (Via Marginal Revolution.)
Eye-opening quote: [W]ithout antibiotics, one out of every six recipients of new hip joints would die". (Via Marginal Revolution.)
Thursday, November 21, 2013
An Astrophysicist On Nearby Asteroids
"Ask an astrophysicist anything you want about nearby asteroids!" (See comments section for the questions and answers.)
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Infinite Staircase Sculpture
"An Infinite Staircase by David McCracken".
"The welded aluminum stairsteps appear to create an infinite path into the sky, depending on the angle and/or the presence of clouds..."
"The welded aluminum stairsteps appear to create an infinite path into the sky, depending on the angle and/or the presence of clouds..."
Three-Sided Phone
"Samsung Said to Plan Galaxy Phone Using Three-Sided Display".
Related, "Folding smartphones will be my dream handsets".
Related, "Folding smartphones will be my dream handsets".
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Creepy Assassination Market
Forbes: "Meet The 'Assassination Market' Creator Who's Crowdfunding Murder With Bitcoins".
People have speculated about this for many years, but it's very creepy and disturbing now that it's apparently real.
People have speculated about this for many years, but it's very creepy and disturbing now that it's apparently real.
How a Sewing Machine Works
"How a Sewing Machine Works, Explained in a GIF". From the article:
Beneath the needle (as the GIF shows at a very slowed down speed) a hook rotates, capturing the thread from above and looping it around another thread, this one reeling from the bobbin below. The two threads interlock around the layers of fabric, binding them to one another.
Beneath the needle (as the GIF shows at a very slowed down speed) a hook rotates, capturing the thread from above and looping it around another thread, this one reeling from the bobbin below. The two threads interlock around the layers of fabric, binding them to one another.
[Off Topic] Hsieh Forbes OpEd: Legalize Real Health Insurance
Off topic: Forbes has published my latest OpEd, "The Only Obamacare Fix Is For Obama To Legalize Real Health Insurance".
Here is the opening:
Here is the opening:
The President has proposed a one-year “fix” to deal with the political fallout from his broken promise (or lie), “If you like your insurance plan, you will keep it.” Now it’s, “If you like your plan, you can keep it until after the 2014 mid-term elections. Maybe.”I discuss some relevant history of the US health insurance market and 3 concrete free-market reforms to move us in the right direction.
But the problems with ObamaCare go much deeper than cancelled insurance. As surprising as it sounds, most Americans never had real health insurance to begin with — and were not allowed to by law. And the only cure for our current health insurance mess is to legalize real health insurance...
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years?
"What Are the Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years?"
Overall, it's a pretty good list. Although (like most people), I'd probably tweak a few items such as "biofuels".
And ICYMI, my PJ Media piece: "Will Tomorrow's Medical Innovations Be There When You Need Them?"
Overall, it's a pretty good list. Although (like most people), I'd probably tweak a few items such as "biofuels".
And ICYMI, my PJ Media piece: "Will Tomorrow's Medical Innovations Be There When You Need Them?"
Rates of US Adoption of Consumer Technologies
Fascinating chart from Horace Dediu: "Rates of US Adoption of Consumer Technologies (10% to 90% penetration)". (Click on image to see full-size).
Here's a related image, showing the effects of the Great Depression/WW2:
Here's a related image, showing the effects of the Great Depression/WW2:
Ancient Seawater
Scientists find an ancient pocket of seawater in the Chesapeake Bay that's 100-150 million years old
Results from more testing showed the water was twice as salty as today’s ocean water. When they analyzed its chemistry, they found high levels of chloride and bromide, the fingerprint of seawater from another time, [USGS hydrologist Ward] Sanford said.
More tests and digging through research established that the chemistry was consistent with the “vast halite deposits created during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Basins,” the research paper said.
Friday, November 15, 2013
[Off Topic] Hsieh PJM OpEd: "Will Tomorrow’s Medical Innovations Be There When You Need Them?"
[Off topic]: PJ Media has just published my latest OpEd, "Will Tomorrow’s Medical Innovations Be There When You Need Them?"
(Note: The material in the opening vignettes was drawn from a pair of excellent talks last month at the 2013 meeting of the American Society of Emergency Radiology.)
(Note: The material in the opening vignettes was drawn from a pair of excellent talks last month at the 2013 meeting of the American Society of Emergency Radiology.)
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Did The Earth Move For You, Too?
"What Happens to Google Maps When Tectonic Plates Move?" (Via Howard R.)
Google Book-Scanning Ruled "Fair Use"
"Google wins book-scanning case: judge finds 'fair use,' cites many benefits". (Via @internetcases.)
More Scientific Serendipity
"Student Finds Way to Boost Conductivity 400 Percent Totally by Mistake".
(Via Francis Luong, who also noted, "The beauty of science is not in the accident but in the activity that follows.")
(Via Francis Luong, who also noted, "The beauty of science is not in the accident but in the activity that follows.")
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
New Roombas
"iRobot Shows Commitment to Home Robotics With New Roomba".
New features include a patented brushless cleaning system, smarter sight/navigation system, and longer battery life.
Of course, there's a promotional video with slow-mo animation and rock music:
New features include a patented brushless cleaning system, smarter sight/navigation system, and longer battery life.
Of course, there's a promotional video with slow-mo animation and rock music:
Blum: The Physical Side of the Internet
Andrew Blum: Discover the physical side of the internet. (Via Greg Diment.)
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Stuxnet Infects Russian Nuclear Plant and The Space Station
"Stuxnet has infected a Russian nuclear plant and the space station". More here.
Update: From Space.com, "No, Stuxnet Did Not Infect the International Space Station". (Via Rand Simberg.)
Update: From Space.com, "No, Stuxnet Did Not Infect the International Space Station". (Via Rand Simberg.)
Fastest Bow In The West
"Archer Lars Andersen can shoot 10 arrows in less than 5 seconds, without sacrificing power or accuracy."
Using Instagram To Intimidate Witnesses
The dark side of social media: "Police probe website targeting crime witnesses"
This is the criminal flipside of "crowdsourcing" requests for information.
This is the criminal flipside of "crowdsourcing" requests for information.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Scissors That Cut Perfectly Straight Lines
Clever idea: "Scissors That Cut Perfectly Straight Lines -- Every Time!".
Related Wired story. And the official website.
Related Wired story. And the official website.
Perfectly Synced Drones
"You Won't Believe These Perfectly Synced Drones Aren't CGI". (Via Howard R.)
From the article:
Update: According to this article, some CGI was used. And here's the "making of" video. (Thanks, Dave J, for the pointers!)Autonomous quadcopter drones aren't all about flying into dangerous areas where humans fear to tread. Besides being disposable, they also make for perfectly precise pint-sized pilots, as this Lexus ad entitled Amazing In Motion demonstrates. When you watch it, keep in mind that not a single quadcopter in the commercial was faked through CGI—they're all real drones flying in perfect precision.The ad was made possible by the folks at KMel Robotics who've developed a whole suite of tools to program and control the swarm of quadcopters...
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Bulletproof Three-Piece Suits
"Toronto tailor introduces bulletproof three-piece suits". (Via Tyler Cowen.)
Helium-Filled Hard Drives
"Fast and Spacious Helium-Filled Hard Drives Ready for Liftoff".
No word on whether they sound like Donald Duck when retrieving data. (Via Howard R.)
No word on whether they sound like Donald Duck when retrieving data. (Via Howard R.)
How To Replace The iPhone 5's Battery
"How To Replace The iPhone 5's Battery".
Includes detailed pictures and description of necessary tools.
Includes detailed pictures and description of necessary tools.
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
QOTD on Big Data
QOTD on Big Data:
Big Data is like teenage sex;
everyone talks about it,
nobody really knows how to do it,
everyone thinks everyone else is doing it,
so everyone claims they are doing it.
-- Dan Ariely
[Off topic] Hsieh PJM OpEd: "Obamacare and the Wages of Spin"
[Off topic] PJ Media has posted my snarky piece, "Obamacare and the Wages of Spin".
The basic theme: Don't piss on my back and tell me it's raining.
The basic theme: Don't piss on my back and tell me it's raining.
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
The First Botnet
"How a grad student trying to build the first botnet brought the Internet to its knees"
What fMRI Can Tell Us About the Thoughts and Minds of Dogs
"What fMRI Can Tell Us About the Thoughts and Minds of Dogs".
As with fMRI studies of people, the data can be interesting but we have to be extremely careful about how we interpret it.
As with fMRI studies of people, the data can be interesting but we have to be extremely careful about how we interpret it.
Monday, November 04, 2013
Sunday, November 03, 2013
Wrapping Your Headphones Without Losing Your Mind
Lifehacker: "The Definitive Guide to Wrapping Your Headphones Without Losing Your Mind"
I really like the "Hook-em-Horns" and the "binder clip" methods. Each of those (and other methods) are illustrated with pics and a video.
I really like the "Hook-em-Horns" and the "binder clip" methods. Each of those (and other methods) are illustrated with pics and a video.
What Non-Americans Find Weird About America
"30 Non-Americans On The American Norms They Find Weird". (Via SDW.)
Fax Tone Transcribed
E.J. Brennan tweeted, "A fax machine called my #twilio voice number, this is how @twilio transcribed it."
(Click on image to see full size.)
(Click on image to see full size.)
Saturday, November 02, 2013
Beating Descartes' Demon
"A guy with schizophrenia describes how he discriminates between hallucinations and true perceptions". (Via Evan Brown.)