The Nobel Prize is a set of annual international and prestigious awards handed out in a number of categories by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and/or scientific advances. There also exists another similar - at least in name - and yet quite different set of prizes acknowledging innovativeness in certain accomplishments.
The Ig Nobel Prizes, according to their site, "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative — and spur people's interest in science, medicine, and technology." The similarity ends with the "Nobel" moniker. Organized by the magazine "Annals of Improbable Research", the ceremony (there is a ceremony, too) is co-sponsored by the Harvard-Radcliffe Society of Physics Students and the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association.
The list this year, as in the past, could be and is classified as falling into the unique category:
Have to admit that this never occurred to me but obviously there are people who give this serious thought. The Medicine Prize went to Masateru Uchiyama, Gi Zhang, Toshihito Hirai, Atushi Amano, Hisashi Hashuda (Japan), Xiangyan Jin (China/Japan) and Masanori Niimi (Japan/UK) for assessing the effect of listening to opera on mice heart transplant patients. Who would have thought that mice are opera lovers. More to the point, one (me) wonders which are their favorites.
Somehow, the Psychology Prize, given to Laurent Begue, Oulmann Zerhouni, Baptiste Subra and Medhi Ourabah (France), Brad Bushman (USA/UK), the Netherlands/Poland) for confirming that people who think they are drunk also
think they are more attractive, could be viewed as plausible i.e. one could believe while being under the influence of alcohol that visually they seem more visually alluring.
Can't say I've given much if any thought about the plight of dung beetles but obviously Marie Dacke (Sweden/Australia), Emily Baird, Eric Warrant (Sweden/Australia/Germany), Marcus Byrne (South Africa/UK) and Clarke Scholtz (South Africa) obviously have in their discovery for the Joint Prize in Biology and Astronomy that when dung beetles get lost, they can navigate their way home by looking at the milky way. I mean, thinking about this, it's not something that is of concern, at least for me. You?
The Safety Engineering Prize, won by the late Gustano Pizzo (US) definitely falls into the outside-the-box category for inventing an electro-mechanical system to trap airplane hijackers. The system
drops a hijacker through trap doors, seals him (or her) into a package, then drops the
hijacker through the airplane's specially-installed bomb bay doors through which
he (or she) is parachuted to the ground where police, having been alerted by radio, await
his arrival. Presumably, the airplane(s) would have to have a trap door and bomb bay doors on board for this to work. Somehow, the vision of a bunch of police cars chasing the plane in order to ensure the capture of the hijacker springs to mind, yelling "we got him...we got him!". Sort-of a keystone-esque quality. Moving on...
For their discovery that some people would be physically capable of running across
the surface of a pond - if those people and that pond were on the moon, Alberto Minetti, (Italy/UK/Denmark/Switzerland, Yuri Ivanenko (Italy/Russia/France), Germana Cappellini, Francesco lacquaniti (Italy) and Nadia Dominici (Italy/Switzerland), took home the prize in the Physics category. Thinking further - entirely too much time on my hands - one would have to assume that there were or could be ponds on the moon and if so, one would have to be motivated to run across the surface for a reason - say if an alien creature was pursuing one. Moving on again...
Onions have always given me a reason to tear up (injecting a small (very) touch of comedy) and this is confirmed with the bestowing of the Chemistry Prize awarded to Shinsuke Imai, Nobuaki Tsuge, Muneaki
Tomotake, Yoshiaki Nagatome, Hidehiko Kumgai (Japan) and Toshiyuki Nagata
(Japan/Germany), for discovering that the biochemical process by which onions
make people cry is even more complicated than scientists previously
realised. Related to this and as a matter of interest, chewing gum while peeling onions will diminish the tearing effect. Really.
Not sure if this is news that we need to know or even want to know but be that as it may, Brian Crandall (US) and Peter Stahl
(Canada/US) won their Archeology award for observing how the bones of a swallowed dead shrew dissolve
inside the human digestive system. They did this by parboiling a dead shrew, swallowing the shrew without chewing, and then carefully examining everything excreted during subsequent days — all so they could see which bones would dissolve inside the human digestive system, and which bones would not. Moving on while trying to avoid the gagging instinct...
The Peace Prize went to Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, for
making it illegal to applaud in public and to the Belarus State Police, for
arresting a one-armed man for applauding.
This is something we all (at least me) would never have contemplated or even given it a lot of thought but obviously Bert Tolkamp (UK/the Netherlands), Marie Haskell, Fritha Langford. David Roberts, and Colin Morgan (UK) who won the Probability Prize, for making two related discoveries. The longer a cow has been lying down, the more likely that cow will soon stand up, and once a cow stands up, you cannot easily predict how soon that cow will lie down again. Logically, at least in my mind and at some point depending on the age of a cow and whether or not it could be suffering from arthritis or rheumatism, a cow will eventually stand up to stretch her legs, after which a short walk, will lay down again.
So Kasian Bhanganada, Tu Chayavatana,
Chumporn Pongnumkul, Anunt Tonmukayakul, Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, Krit
Komaratal, and Henry Wilde (Thailand) did their research and received the award in the Public Health category by studying the medical techniques of penile
re-attachment after amputations (often by jealous wives). They also recommended these techniques except in cases where the amputated penis had been partially eaten by
a duck. Ducks eat penises? Go figure!
And so there you have it. Who knows what exciting and at the very least, thought-provoking discoveries will be made next year!
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Go figure! Clapping is contagious
Never really gave this much thought but obviously some people do. According to a study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, it appears that clapping is contagious. A lot of people including me, assumed that it was merely a means of showing our enthusiasm and appreciation for a performance.
According to Richard Mann, a mathematics teacher at Uppsala University in Sweden, this type of behavior can be initiated by one or two (or more presumably) people who decide to clap for whatever reason. Seems that once a few people begin the clapping process, everyone suddenly feels the necessity to join in. Sort of a giant clap-in. Thinking further about this, one - me - wonders if it would be applicable while clapping to keep one's fingers from going numb in cold weather.
Let's say you're standing at a bus stop in freezing cold weather, waiting in line along with a dozen or so people for the bus or train or whatever to arrive. A clapping motion is initiated by one person to keep the fingers from going numb, would others do the same thing? Is it also applicable to feet stomping? Anyone know? But I digress.
Mann and his colleagues arrived at this conclusion having researched how birds move in flocks and fish swim in schools. Not sure how this is applicable to humans but then who am I. To test the theory, a group of 13 to 20 students were placed in an audience and told to watch a short presentation given by another student (wonder how many of them were texting...just saying). The students were filmed while watching the speech after being instructed to applaud once the speech was over since the speaker was a volunteer. After repeating the experiment six times with different audiences, the conclusion drawn was that the act of clapping is precipitated (love that word) by the amount of people around who initiate the clapping. Furthermore and statistically, the first person started clapping 2.1 seconds following the presentation and the entire room was clapping by 2.9 seconds.
While this is - well - interesting, one wonders how people get grants for this type of study. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, how does human kind benefit? Perhaps theatre producers, TV and film people might find the end results interesting and possibly useful but what does it do for you and me? Thinking further, I've been to theatre performances and movies where a few people suddenly feel the urge to clap and were told by the audience vociferously to refrain from any further clapping movement.
The ultimate goal, according to Mann, is to expand their research to more complex behaviors. Taking it one step further, perhaps at some point in the future, somebody will research the effect of coughing and whether a coughing fit can cause a mass cough-out. We all know - okay... I read it somewhere - that extensive yawning in public causes people within the viewing range of the yawn-er to do the same thing.
Speaking or writing about contagious yawning, Wikipedia shares on their write-up of yawning, "A study by the University of London has suggested that the "contagiousness" of yawns by a human will pass to dogs. The study observed that 21 of 29 dogs yawned when a stranger yawned in front of them, but did not yawn when the stranger only opened his mouth. A recent study from Lund University showed that dogs, like humans, develop a susceptibility to contagious yawning gradually, and that while dogs above 7 months 'catch' yawns from humans, younger dogs are immune to contagion.[The study also indicated that nearly half of the dogs responded to the human's yawn by becoming relaxed and sleepy, suggesting that the dogs copied not just the yawn, but also the physical state that yawns typically reflect." This is stuff you want (not necessarily need) to know, people!
I clap. You clap. We all clap but in the end, do we care why we do?
According to Richard Mann, a mathematics teacher at Uppsala University in Sweden, this type of behavior can be initiated by one or two (or more presumably) people who decide to clap for whatever reason. Seems that once a few people begin the clapping process, everyone suddenly feels the necessity to join in. Sort of a giant clap-in. Thinking further about this, one - me - wonders if it would be applicable while clapping to keep one's fingers from going numb in cold weather.
Let's say you're standing at a bus stop in freezing cold weather, waiting in line along with a dozen or so people for the bus or train or whatever to arrive. A clapping motion is initiated by one person to keep the fingers from going numb, would others do the same thing? Is it also applicable to feet stomping? Anyone know? But I digress.
Mann and his colleagues arrived at this conclusion having researched how birds move in flocks and fish swim in schools. Not sure how this is applicable to humans but then who am I. To test the theory, a group of 13 to 20 students were placed in an audience and told to watch a short presentation given by another student (wonder how many of them were texting...just saying). The students were filmed while watching the speech after being instructed to applaud once the speech was over since the speaker was a volunteer. After repeating the experiment six times with different audiences, the conclusion drawn was that the act of clapping is precipitated (love that word) by the amount of people around who initiate the clapping. Furthermore and statistically, the first person started clapping 2.1 seconds following the presentation and the entire room was clapping by 2.9 seconds.
While this is - well - interesting, one wonders how people get grants for this type of study. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, how does human kind benefit? Perhaps theatre producers, TV and film people might find the end results interesting and possibly useful but what does it do for you and me? Thinking further, I've been to theatre performances and movies where a few people suddenly feel the urge to clap and were told by the audience vociferously to refrain from any further clapping movement.
The ultimate goal, according to Mann, is to expand their research to more complex behaviors. Taking it one step further, perhaps at some point in the future, somebody will research the effect of coughing and whether a coughing fit can cause a mass cough-out. We all know - okay... I read it somewhere - that extensive yawning in public causes people within the viewing range of the yawn-er to do the same thing.
Speaking or writing about contagious yawning, Wikipedia shares on their write-up of yawning, "A study by the University of London has suggested that the "contagiousness" of yawns by a human will pass to dogs. The study observed that 21 of 29 dogs yawned when a stranger yawned in front of them, but did not yawn when the stranger only opened his mouth. A recent study from Lund University showed that dogs, like humans, develop a susceptibility to contagious yawning gradually, and that while dogs above 7 months 'catch' yawns from humans, younger dogs are immune to contagion.[The study also indicated that nearly half of the dogs responded to the human's yawn by becoming relaxed and sleepy, suggesting that the dogs copied not just the yawn, but also the physical state that yawns typically reflect." This is stuff you want (not necessarily need) to know, people!
I clap. You clap. We all clap but in the end, do we care why we do?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Delaware names Ambassador to Mars.
In as far as scientific community is concerned, no one can say with any certainty that there is life on Mars, the planet - not the candy bar. This reality, however, hasn't impeded the state of Delaware from appointing an Ambassador to Mars. Really.
Last week, the Governor of Delaware, Jack Markell, named one Dr. Noureddine Melikechi, vice-president for research at Delaware State University, as the state's "Ambassador to Mars" in recognition of his achievements as role in the launch of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory planned for November 25..
In a letter to Dr. Melikechi, the governor sang the praises of his state.
“As Delaware’s new Ambassador to Mars, we would very much appreciate it if you could let any Martian tourists or investors know that Delaware is conveniently located on the East Coast with a great port, strong community, excellent workforce and top-notch research facilities."
As expected in his role as governor, he also went on to promote his states local tourist attractions.
“We have beautiful beaches, important historic sites and, of course, tax-free shopping.”
I mean, one would assume or at least imagine or guess that there would be some type of Mars/Earth/Delaware reciprocity and that Martian visitors could or would or might want to take advantage of the state's beaches, not to mention tax free shopping. Of course before all of this can take place, there have to be signs of life. But I digress.
“We appreciate your commitment to scientific excellence, your significant contributions to our state’s reputation as a cradle of innovation, and the esteem your work is bringing to the First State” the governor wrote.
According to NASA, the MSL Curiosity rover has 10 science instruments to search for evidence that Mars had "environments favourable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life."
The Governor provided a copy of Delaware’s new State Travel Guide to Dr. Melikechi. Although the guide is available at http://www.visitdelaware.com/, Melikechi will bring a paper copy in case Martian operating systems are not compatible with our technology.
He will be traveling to Cape Canaveral where he and his colleagues will be working in preparation for the launch.
Interesting promotional idea. If this catches on, can other states be far behind? Next thing you know, somebody will come up with a Martian to English dictionary...
Read the governor's letter here: http://news.delaware.gov/2011/11/18/governor-markell-names-ambassador-to-mars/
Last week, the Governor of Delaware, Jack Markell, named one Dr. Noureddine Melikechi, vice-president for research at Delaware State University, as the state's "Ambassador to Mars" in recognition of his achievements as role in the launch of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory planned for November 25..
In a letter to Dr. Melikechi, the governor sang the praises of his state.
“As Delaware’s new Ambassador to Mars, we would very much appreciate it if you could let any Martian tourists or investors know that Delaware is conveniently located on the East Coast with a great port, strong community, excellent workforce and top-notch research facilities."
As expected in his role as governor, he also went on to promote his states local tourist attractions.
“We have beautiful beaches, important historic sites and, of course, tax-free shopping.”
I mean, one would assume or at least imagine or guess that there would be some type of Mars/Earth/Delaware reciprocity and that Martian visitors could or would or might want to take advantage of the state's beaches, not to mention tax free shopping. Of course before all of this can take place, there have to be signs of life. But I digress.
“We appreciate your commitment to scientific excellence, your significant contributions to our state’s reputation as a cradle of innovation, and the esteem your work is bringing to the First State” the governor wrote.
According to NASA, the MSL Curiosity rover has 10 science instruments to search for evidence that Mars had "environments favourable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life."
The Governor provided a copy of Delaware’s new State Travel Guide to Dr. Melikechi. Although the guide is available at http://www.visitdelaware.com/, Melikechi will bring a paper copy in case Martian operating systems are not compatible with our technology.
He will be traveling to Cape Canaveral where he and his colleagues will be working in preparation for the launch.
Interesting promotional idea. If this catches on, can other states be far behind? Next thing you know, somebody will come up with a Martian to English dictionary...
Read the governor's letter here: http://news.delaware.gov/2011/11/18/governor-markell-names-ambassador-to-mars/
Friday, September 02, 2011
What's that in the sky? Is it a bird...a bee...or space debris?
There are things on this planet that worry me. Not the kind of worry that keeps me up nights but concern me nonetheless. My latest worry is space debris and whether it will stay up in the sky.
I'm not the only one since U.S. scientists have warned NASA that the orbiting space junk situation is getting serious. I mean - really serious. A report issued by the National Research Council indicates that debris could cause fatal leaks or destroy valuable sattelites. Furthermore, the Council is calling for international regulations to limit junk and conduct more research into the possibility of launching large magenetic nets or giant umbrellas. Good idea although perhaps a bit late.
So let's look at these...unique ideas and their viability, at least from my vantage point.
What type of magnetic nets are we talking about and how would they be launched? How would the magnets be propelled around planet earth to scoop up the debris? If magnets and presumably magnetic force is involved, the debris at least in theory, would stick to the magnet(s). So if this works, we could inevitably have an enormous collection/blob of space debris sticking to each other while orbiting the universe. What happens, say, if it gets too heavy and falls earth-ward? Where would it land and more importantly, on whom would it land?
The other alternative, the umbrella has me puzzled. An umbrella as we know it flips open and is a protection against rain or snow or whatever. This would have to be one huge umbrella to be used against floating debris and what of the debris that is already floating around? Or...perhaps - just speculation on my part - a strong magnet first attracts the space debris after which a gigantic/monster of an umbrella opens up to protect the earth from descending junk. That's what it comes down to in the end: space junk.
Thinking further, perhaps we ordinary folk should offer the experts some suggestions. We can't due any worse
- a big - really big - remote battery-controlled vacuum cleaner
- pass on the assignment to Santa, who could make a diversionary pickup on his way delivering toys on Christmas Eve
I dunno but I'm sure people reading this could provide some ideas how to retrieve space junk. Pass them along and share them, people!
Meanwhile, these are some of the solutions that experts have come up with. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/story/2011-08-31/Solutions-sought-for-growing-space-junk-problem/50207662/1
In as far as cleanp-up efforts are concerned, in 2007, China conducted an anti-satellite weapon test which destroyed a decommissioned weather satellite, smashing the object into 150,000 pieces larger than 1cm. Two years later, two satellites - one defunct and one active - crashed in orbit, creating even more debris. I dunno...
There are presently 2,000 pieces of debris large enough to track from the ground, but smaller objects could still cause serious damage. Kind of makes one want to carry an umbrella and look skywards, no?
There have been some near-misses with space debris narrowly missing the space station forcing its six crew to go to their escape capsules and prepare for an emergency evacuation back to Earth.
Even more scary is that the report makes no recommendations about how to clean up the field of debris, however but an earlier study refers to the Pentagon's science think-tank, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).
The Darpa report, dubbed "Catcher's Mitt", suggested a range of technologies, including harpoons, nets and an umbrella-shaped device that would sweep up the debris. Harpoons? One miss and... The ultimate aim is to push the debris further towards the earth where it would burn up, or into a higher but safer orbit. Does this worry you as much as it worries me?
I'm not the only one since U.S. scientists have warned NASA that the orbiting space junk situation is getting serious. I mean - really serious. A report issued by the National Research Council indicates that debris could cause fatal leaks or destroy valuable sattelites. Furthermore, the Council is calling for international regulations to limit junk and conduct more research into the possibility of launching large magenetic nets or giant umbrellas. Good idea although perhaps a bit late.
So let's look at these...unique ideas and their viability, at least from my vantage point.
What type of magnetic nets are we talking about and how would they be launched? How would the magnets be propelled around planet earth to scoop up the debris? If magnets and presumably magnetic force is involved, the debris at least in theory, would stick to the magnet(s). So if this works, we could inevitably have an enormous collection/blob of space debris sticking to each other while orbiting the universe. What happens, say, if it gets too heavy and falls earth-ward? Where would it land and more importantly, on whom would it land?
The other alternative, the umbrella has me puzzled. An umbrella as we know it flips open and is a protection against rain or snow or whatever. This would have to be one huge umbrella to be used against floating debris and what of the debris that is already floating around? Or...perhaps - just speculation on my part - a strong magnet first attracts the space debris after which a gigantic/monster of an umbrella opens up to protect the earth from descending junk. That's what it comes down to in the end: space junk.
Thinking further, perhaps we ordinary folk should offer the experts some suggestions. We can't due any worse
- a big - really big - remote battery-controlled vacuum cleaner
- pass on the assignment to Santa, who could make a diversionary pickup on his way delivering toys on Christmas Eve
I dunno but I'm sure people reading this could provide some ideas how to retrieve space junk. Pass them along and share them, people!
Meanwhile, these are some of the solutions that experts have come up with. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/story/2011-08-31/Solutions-sought-for-growing-space-junk-problem/50207662/1
In as far as cleanp-up efforts are concerned, in 2007, China conducted an anti-satellite weapon test which destroyed a decommissioned weather satellite, smashing the object into 150,000 pieces larger than 1cm. Two years later, two satellites - one defunct and one active - crashed in orbit, creating even more debris. I dunno...
There are presently 2,000 pieces of debris large enough to track from the ground, but smaller objects could still cause serious damage. Kind of makes one want to carry an umbrella and look skywards, no?
There have been some near-misses with space debris narrowly missing the space station forcing its six crew to go to their escape capsules and prepare for an emergency evacuation back to Earth.
Even more scary is that the report makes no recommendations about how to clean up the field of debris, however but an earlier study refers to the Pentagon's science think-tank, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).
The Darpa report, dubbed "Catcher's Mitt", suggested a range of technologies, including harpoons, nets and an umbrella-shaped device that would sweep up the debris. Harpoons? One miss and... The ultimate aim is to push the debris further towards the earth where it would burn up, or into a higher but safer orbit. Does this worry you as much as it worries me?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Darn - my Virgo is now in Leo...or something since Ophiuchus entered the planetary system
I'm confused, which is nothing new for me. All my life I've been a Virgo with some of the virgo-ian qualities attributed to the sign. Now it appears that I've been wrong. Actually, many people are in the same predicament ever since Ophiuchus entered the picture.
One Park Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, is of the opinion that the moon's gravitational pull has caused the Earth to slowly wobble on its axis, shifting the stars alignment by approximately, one month.
Did you feel a wobble? Neither did I!
According to a LiveScience article, astrological signs correspond to the position of the sun within the constellations as they appeared more than 2,000years ago. In a Time on-line piece, there is some background information provided on Ophiucus.
"The constellation Ophiuchus represents a man wrestling a serpent, dividing the snake's body in two parts. It is the only sign of the zodiac linked to real men, sharing traits with Imhotep, a 27th century BCE Egyptian doctor, and biblical Joseph.
Like Imhotep, Ophiuchus is considered a healer of men and a doctor of medicine or science. He seeks higher education and enlightenment. He is expected to achieve a high position in life."
So there you have it. 'O' as I now call him having problems pronouncing his real name, was one of the good people. So where does this leave we mortals? Depends how strongly one believes in astrology and its influence on humans. Could a mere wobble change the course of one's future, that is the question - or issue. Here is the new table of astrological signs plus the newcomer:
Capricorn: Jan. 20 to Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16 to March 11.
Pisces: March 11 to April 18.
Aries: April 18 to May 13.
Taurus: May 13 to June 21.
Gemini: June 21 to July 20.
Cancer: July 20 to Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10 to Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16 to Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30 to Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23 to 29.
*Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 to Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 to Jan. 20.
This leaves one - me - to wonder if about my belief in my Virgo-ian qualities are really me. According to Astrology-online, Virgo-ian traits are "precision, refinement, fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. They are usually observant, shrewd, critically inclined, judicious, patient, practical supporters of the status quo, and tend toward conservatism in all departments of life."
These are okay traits but now I discover that due to the new interloper, I am now a Leo and have these additional qualities, which one presumes replaces the Virgo one's, or maybe in addition to:
"In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo."
My Facebook friend, Pauline, isn't having any of it.
" I was, and remain in my heart and mind, a Libra. I am too old for this sort of drastic change," Pauline commented in her comments.
Neither is Facebook-er, Debbie, who wrote "I won't do it!"
It will be interesting to see if astrologers and newspaper columns that traditionally use the 12 planets will be adding Ophiuchus. Really, it's not so bad in the end. Now there are two signs in which to check how our day will play out. Two futures are better than one. Right?
One Park Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, is of the opinion that the moon's gravitational pull has caused the Earth to slowly wobble on its axis, shifting the stars alignment by approximately, one month.
Did you feel a wobble? Neither did I!
According to a LiveScience article, astrological signs correspond to the position of the sun within the constellations as they appeared more than 2,000years ago. In a Time on-line piece, there is some background information provided on Ophiucus.
"The constellation Ophiuchus represents a man wrestling a serpent, dividing the snake's body in two parts. It is the only sign of the zodiac linked to real men, sharing traits with Imhotep, a 27th century BCE Egyptian doctor, and biblical Joseph.
Like Imhotep, Ophiuchus is considered a healer of men and a doctor of medicine or science. He seeks higher education and enlightenment. He is expected to achieve a high position in life."
So there you have it. 'O' as I now call him having problems pronouncing his real name, was one of the good people. So where does this leave we mortals? Depends how strongly one believes in astrology and its influence on humans. Could a mere wobble change the course of one's future, that is the question - or issue. Here is the new table of astrological signs plus the newcomer:
Capricorn: Jan. 20 to Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16 to March 11.
Pisces: March 11 to April 18.
Aries: April 18 to May 13.
Taurus: May 13 to June 21.
Gemini: June 21 to July 20.
Cancer: July 20 to Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10 to Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16 to Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30 to Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23 to 29.
*Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 to Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 to Jan. 20.
This leaves one - me - to wonder if about my belief in my Virgo-ian qualities are really me. According to Astrology-online, Virgo-ian traits are "precision, refinement, fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. They are usually observant, shrewd, critically inclined, judicious, patient, practical supporters of the status quo, and tend toward conservatism in all departments of life."
These are okay traits but now I discover that due to the new interloper, I am now a Leo and have these additional qualities, which one presumes replaces the Virgo one's, or maybe in addition to:
"In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo."
My Facebook friend, Pauline, isn't having any of it.
" I was, and remain in my heart and mind, a Libra. I am too old for this sort of drastic change," Pauline commented in her comments.
Neither is Facebook-er, Debbie, who wrote "I won't do it!"
It will be interesting to see if astrologers and newspaper columns that traditionally use the 12 planets will be adding Ophiuchus. Really, it's not so bad in the end. Now there are two signs in which to check how our day will play out. Two futures are better than one. Right?
Saturday, January 08, 2011
News you want to know: insects produce less gas
There is nothing like cyber-surfing to find interesting stories and getting educated about stuff one would otherwise never know. Things like edible insects produce smaller quantities of greenhouse gasses than cattle AND pigs. I mean - go figure! Teeny-weeny insects some of which are barely visible to the human eye, to put it bluntly, fart less than people.
Be that as it may, this fact came to light in the Science Daily with scientists of Wageningen University who recently joined together with government and industry to look into whether the rearing of insects could contribute to more sustainable production. Moreover, insect meat could therefore be an alternative to your regular type meat products. Cattle farming worldwide is a major producer of greenhouse gases.
Far be it to criticize the scientific community but speaking as your "average" human, the idea of eating insects somehow has little appeal. In fact, most of us averages find insects worthy of elimination. Let's just leave it at that.
Why they did this is anybody's guess but the research team for the first time quantified the greenhouse gases produced per kilogram of insect product. This leads one - me - to ponder how they accomplished this. Take your ordinary house fly - please - and try to catch it, never mind assessing the amount of gas it produces. Never even occurred to me that insects - well - fart. The gases involved were methane and nitrous oxide (isn't the latter the laughing gas that dentists use for nervous patients?). The results demonstrated that insects produced much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases than conventional livestock. Duh!
An additional advantage of insects over mammals is that they convert their food into meat quicker. Is this information we need to know? There is, however, some interesting facts one rarely thinks about like did you know that a pig produces between eight and twelve times as much ammonia per kilogram of growth, compared to crickets, and up to fifty times more than locusts. Can't speak for others but this is a revelation to me!
Further research is required to ascertain whether the production of a kilogram of insect protein is also more environmentally friendly than conventional animal protein when the entire production chain is taken into account. This makes one - me again - wonder how much money the scientists received for working on this exciting project. The university, by the way, is located in the Netherlands.
A while back and in the name of science and a TV taping, I ate some chocolate covered grasshoppers. Actually, they were quite good until one of the grasshopper legs became visible after biting into the chocolate. That was it for me! Just thought I'd throw that in since the story focused on insects. thing is and realistically speaking, it's doubtful whether farmers will give up cattle raising et al, in favor of insects. Would love to hear from any insect raisers reading this.
Be that as it may, this fact came to light in the Science Daily with scientists of Wageningen University who recently joined together with government and industry to look into whether the rearing of insects could contribute to more sustainable production. Moreover, insect meat could therefore be an alternative to your regular type meat products. Cattle farming worldwide is a major producer of greenhouse gases.
Far be it to criticize the scientific community but speaking as your "average" human, the idea of eating insects somehow has little appeal. In fact, most of us averages find insects worthy of elimination. Let's just leave it at that.
Why they did this is anybody's guess but the research team for the first time quantified the greenhouse gases produced per kilogram of insect product. This leads one - me - to ponder how they accomplished this. Take your ordinary house fly - please - and try to catch it, never mind assessing the amount of gas it produces. Never even occurred to me that insects - well - fart. The gases involved were methane and nitrous oxide (isn't the latter the laughing gas that dentists use for nervous patients?). The results demonstrated that insects produced much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases than conventional livestock. Duh!
An additional advantage of insects over mammals is that they convert their food into meat quicker. Is this information we need to know? There is, however, some interesting facts one rarely thinks about like did you know that a pig produces between eight and twelve times as much ammonia per kilogram of growth, compared to crickets, and up to fifty times more than locusts. Can't speak for others but this is a revelation to me!
Further research is required to ascertain whether the production of a kilogram of insect protein is also more environmentally friendly than conventional animal protein when the entire production chain is taken into account. This makes one - me again - wonder how much money the scientists received for working on this exciting project. The university, by the way, is located in the Netherlands.
A while back and in the name of science and a TV taping, I ate some chocolate covered grasshoppers. Actually, they were quite good until one of the grasshopper legs became visible after biting into the chocolate. That was it for me! Just thought I'd throw that in since the story focused on insects. thing is and realistically speaking, it's doubtful whether farmers will give up cattle raising et al, in favor of insects. Would love to hear from any insect raisers reading this.
Friday, August 06, 2010
So whad'ya think about red?
Here we go again yet another of those studies that make you scratch your head and utter, "huh" or "say what?" or "why?"
According to research conducted by one Andrew Elliot of the University of Rochester, women living in the U.S., England, Germany and China like guys who wear red. This leads one to ask oneself why would somebody want to pay to have a study to find this out. But I digress.
Men who want to get the attention of females should dress in red, a color, which new research shows makes them more desirable to the opposite sex. Wearing red attire was thought to be sensuous primarily when women wear it and not guys.
"Our findings suggest that the link between red and sex also applies to men," Elliot said. "For women, the color made a big difference."
Even though cultural differences related to the color, the findings of women being attracted to men in red were consistent throughout the countries. On a personal note, I've seen touches of red combined with navy blue, which is alright and even touches of red in tie designs but IMHO, clothes for males that are entirely red-colored are rare. Not my taste but different strokes for different folks I guess... I'm thinking here...very few males of my aquaintance wear red to be candid. Matadors spring to mind...clowns...Ronald McDonald...few and far beween.
According to the report, the research consisted of seven experiments with some split into two parts, each with a group of between 20 and 57 people aged 19 to 22 years old. Women participated in all the experiments, while men were included as a control group in one.
The researchers suggested that for men wearing the color may trigger a change in behavior and that something as simple as wearing a red tie could give a more confident business presentation.
So the message here seems to be is wear anything with red to feel extra confident and get the attention of the opposite sex. Or something. Who is paying for this study, anyway, one wonders.
According to research conducted by one Andrew Elliot of the University of Rochester, women living in the U.S., England, Germany and China like guys who wear red. This leads one to ask oneself why would somebody want to pay to have a study to find this out. But I digress.
Men who want to get the attention of females should dress in red, a color, which new research shows makes them more desirable to the opposite sex. Wearing red attire was thought to be sensuous primarily when women wear it and not guys.
"Our findings suggest that the link between red and sex also applies to men," Elliot said. "For women, the color made a big difference."
Even though cultural differences related to the color, the findings of women being attracted to men in red were consistent throughout the countries. On a personal note, I've seen touches of red combined with navy blue, which is alright and even touches of red in tie designs but IMHO, clothes for males that are entirely red-colored are rare. Not my taste but different strokes for different folks I guess... I'm thinking here...very few males of my aquaintance wear red to be candid. Matadors spring to mind...clowns...Ronald McDonald...few and far beween.
According to the report, the research consisted of seven experiments with some split into two parts, each with a group of between 20 and 57 people aged 19 to 22 years old. Women participated in all the experiments, while men were included as a control group in one.
The researchers suggested that for men wearing the color may trigger a change in behavior and that something as simple as wearing a red tie could give a more confident business presentation.
So the message here seems to be is wear anything with red to feel extra confident and get the attention of the opposite sex. Or something. Who is paying for this study, anyway, one wonders.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Aliens are among us - at least 20% of people believe
The topic of aliens - the interplanetary visitors kind - with friends and aquaintances tends to be a conversation ender. For the record I'm of the belief that given the enormity of our solar system, there have to be other life forms. Maybe not humans as we know them...perhaps they take the form of - I dunno - worms or ants or crows (crows are very smart so they could be one of "them") but I digress.
I'm not the only one to believe the existence of aliens since a Reuters Ipsos global survey of 23,000 adults in 22 countries reveal that more than 40% of people in India and China believe that aliens are here on planet earth disguised as humans (or ants...or...), while those least likely to believe this possibility live in Belgium, Sweden and Netherland (8%). However, the majority of people polled or 80% don't believe they're living amongst us.
A while back while discussing this topic with an aquaintance, she swore me to secrecy and shared her belief that she may have come accross an alien while shopping at the supermarket. The supermarket no less! Anyway, the reason for this belief is that this particular female's ('it' was in female form) skin was a definite shade of grey that sort-of glittered plus she had a protruding forehead. She didn't approach the woman/alien because, I mean, what would you say? 'Hi there - you look like an alien'?
The survey also disclosed that more men than women — 22 percent vs 17 percent — believe that alien beings are on earth. The majority of the believers are under 35 years of age.
Personally, I'm open to the possibility that aliens are amongst us. Just keep your eyes on the crows - they know.
I'm not the only one to believe the existence of aliens since a Reuters Ipsos global survey of 23,000 adults in 22 countries reveal that more than 40% of people in India and China believe that aliens are here on planet earth disguised as humans (or ants...or...), while those least likely to believe this possibility live in Belgium, Sweden and Netherland (8%). However, the majority of people polled or 80% don't believe they're living amongst us.
A while back while discussing this topic with an aquaintance, she swore me to secrecy and shared her belief that she may have come accross an alien while shopping at the supermarket. The supermarket no less! Anyway, the reason for this belief is that this particular female's ('it' was in female form) skin was a definite shade of grey that sort-of glittered plus she had a protruding forehead. She didn't approach the woman/alien because, I mean, what would you say? 'Hi there - you look like an alien'?
The survey also disclosed that more men than women — 22 percent vs 17 percent — believe that alien beings are on earth. The majority of the believers are under 35 years of age.
Personally, I'm open to the possibility that aliens are amongst us. Just keep your eyes on the crows - they know.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
GO ON - LAUGH A BIT!
The arrival of the month of April always makes me smile, accompanied by occasional outbreaks of laughter. The reason for my feeling of happiness is that April is designated as National Humour Month. Not that we need an excuse to laugh but a celebration of “feeling good” is a holiday in which we all should partake.
The creator of this gleeful celebration is one Larry Wilde, who decided in 1976 to devote the entire month to laughter. His aim was and presumably still is, to heighten public awareness on how the joy and therapeutic value of laughter can improve health, boost morale, increase communication skills and enrich the quality in one’s life. Sounds like a good enough reason to me!
Over the years researchers have explored laughter’s effects on the body and produced some interesting information on how it affects us. For example, a study conducted by researchers of the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas and concluded that blood vessels of the group watching comedies expanded and contracted easily, while the blood vessels of the people watching dramas, tended to tense up restricting blood flow. Other studies also reveal that the ability to use humour may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies and boost the level of immune cells.
Want more proof? There’s even scientific evidence that it may offer protection against a heart attack. A study with results presented at the American Heart Association’s 73rd Scientific Session showed that people with heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.
A happier person has a positive outlook towards life, lives each day without worrying about the future, appreciates and enjoys the blessings in life and is able to enjoy life to the fullest. Is that you?
Here’s an interesting piece of information for people who are watching their weight. Giggling for a mere 15 minutes per day burns enough calories to shed up to 5lbs. of fat over the year. Researchers measured the number of calories expended by 45 adults while watching a comedy film including nature and comedy shows. Bouts of laughter when watching a comedy film used up 20% more energy than at rest. You can read more about the research conducted by surfing over to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6274119.stm
So what does this all mean in the scheme of things? You don’t need medical proof that laughter makes you feel good. In the way of celebrating throughout the month, rent some ‘nutsy’ comedies at least once per week or watch a (good) TV sitcom. Share funny stories and/or jokes with friends – chances are at least one (hopefully more) will elicit a smile or laugh. Read some books written by people who are known for their comedic expression. Some personal favourites are books by the late humorist, Erma Bombeck or compilations by columnist, Dave Barry and don’t forget to laugh at yourself now and then.
Drop by http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/07/03/funny.websites/index.html and you’ll find a list of 10 sites to make you laugh out loud. Actually, I feel a laugh coming on right now. You?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
A dose of chocolate a day keeps heart attack away - so they say
At last - a legitimate medical justification to indulge in chocolate!
A new study - my kind of study by the way - indicates that small doses of chocolate each day lessens one's risk of having a heart attack or stroke by nearly 40%. How exciting! So researchers based in Germany followed 20,000 people over an 8 year period by sending them questionnaires focusing on diet and exercise habits. Findings reveal that participants who ate 6 grams of chocolate per day or approximately 1 square of chocolate bar, had a 39% lower risk of either a heart attack or stroke.
Experts are of the opinion that flavonols, also found vegetables and red wines, are responsible helping the muscles in blood vessels widen, leading to the drop in blood pressure.
Hey - that sounds like a good enough reason to me. However - don't you hate the howevers in life - medical experts caution that eating larger amounts of chocolate could lead to weight gain. Wow - what a surprise!
"This is not a prescription to eat more chocolate," said Dr. Robert Eckel, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado and a past president of the American Heart Association. He was not linked to the study. "If we all had (a small amount) of chocolate every day for the rest of our lives, we would all gain a few pounds."
So basically if we read between the lines, the experts are still out regarding this eating chocolate=healthy heart study, but what the heck - we should all do our part to help science and if that includes eating chocolate, so much the better.
Meanwhile, watch this video for the lowdown on chocolate and healthy hearts. The Easter bunny would be happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zIlNCrZpk
A new study - my kind of study by the way - indicates that small doses of chocolate each day lessens one's risk of having a heart attack or stroke by nearly 40%. How exciting! So researchers based in Germany followed 20,000 people over an 8 year period by sending them questionnaires focusing on diet and exercise habits. Findings reveal that participants who ate 6 grams of chocolate per day or approximately 1 square of chocolate bar, had a 39% lower risk of either a heart attack or stroke.
Experts are of the opinion that flavonols, also found vegetables and red wines, are responsible helping the muscles in blood vessels widen, leading to the drop in blood pressure.
Hey - that sounds like a good enough reason to me. However - don't you hate the howevers in life - medical experts caution that eating larger amounts of chocolate could lead to weight gain. Wow - what a surprise!
"This is not a prescription to eat more chocolate," said Dr. Robert Eckel, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado and a past president of the American Heart Association. He was not linked to the study. "If we all had (a small amount) of chocolate every day for the rest of our lives, we would all gain a few pounds."
So basically if we read between the lines, the experts are still out regarding this eating chocolate=healthy heart study, but what the heck - we should all do our part to help science and if that includes eating chocolate, so much the better.
Meanwhile, watch this video for the lowdown on chocolate and healthy hearts. The Easter bunny would be happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zIlNCrZpk
Friday, December 04, 2009
No more official UFO sightings for Brits
Interesting that this story ended in the Ananova.com Quirky news file, given the gravity or repercussions of this report. So y'see - the British Ministry of Defense who deals with UFO reports (among other things one presumes), is closing up shop after 60 years of investigations, 12,000 reports including 135 last year alone.
As is the case in many governments around the globe, the heart of the matter is money so the decision to close the department will result in a savings of £50,000 per year.
That's it? I mean, one wonders if this an entire departmental staff salary or one person's salary `a la British eqivalent of a Fox Muldaur. The official wording is that the department after deciding there was no benefit investigating sightings which were "an inappropriate use of defence resources".
A lot of Brits are not pleased with the decision including one Nick Pope, who ran the Ministry of Defence UFO project from 1991 to 1994, said it was "outrageous".
"We're leaving ourselves wide open to terrorist attacks," he told The Sun.
Well Nick, I don't know if I would go that far. Is Nick referring to an alien attack from another planet or dimension? Does he know something that we should know? Is there a space ship in a hangar somewhere hidden away from the public? Is there a British equivalent of Area 51? These are things enquiring minds wanna know!
After an application under the Freedom of Information Act, the Ministry of Defence admitted that responding to every UFO sightings "diverts MoD (Ministry of Defence) resources from tasks that are relevant to Defence". Presumably, it also costs to send out investigators to write up flying saucer reports that are most likely stored away for posterity or something.
It said that in more than 50 years "no UFO report has revealed any evidence of a potential threat to the United Kingdom".
Uh-huh...and what about all those corn field patterns? Huh?
After investigating, around five per cent of reports remain unexplained. There you go. Five percent is five percent!
As is the case in many governments around the globe, the heart of the matter is money so the decision to close the department will result in a savings of £50,000 per year.
That's it? I mean, one wonders if this an entire departmental staff salary or one person's salary `a la British eqivalent of a Fox Muldaur. The official wording is that the department after deciding there was no benefit investigating sightings which were "an inappropriate use of defence resources".
A lot of Brits are not pleased with the decision including one Nick Pope, who ran the Ministry of Defence UFO project from 1991 to 1994, said it was "outrageous".
"We're leaving ourselves wide open to terrorist attacks," he told The Sun.
Well Nick, I don't know if I would go that far. Is Nick referring to an alien attack from another planet or dimension? Does he know something that we should know? Is there a space ship in a hangar somewhere hidden away from the public? Is there a British equivalent of Area 51? These are things enquiring minds wanna know!
After an application under the Freedom of Information Act, the Ministry of Defence admitted that responding to every UFO sightings "diverts MoD (Ministry of Defence) resources from tasks that are relevant to Defence". Presumably, it also costs to send out investigators to write up flying saucer reports that are most likely stored away for posterity or something.
It said that in more than 50 years "no UFO report has revealed any evidence of a potential threat to the United Kingdom".
Uh-huh...and what about all those corn field patterns? Huh?
After investigating, around five per cent of reports remain unexplained. There you go. Five percent is five percent!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Expert wanted to study lap dancers - any takers?
Looking for a challenge that offers a reward, which money alone can't compensate? The Leeds University may be the right place to end your job search since it is seeking out - wait for it - a researcher to study lap dancing.
No printing error and to add icing on the cake the position pays in the area £31,000-a-year.
Persons interested in applying should be aware that this interesting position posted by the School of Sociology and Social Policy (go figure!) is for:
"Research Officer - The rise and regulation of lap dancing and the place of sexual labour and consumption in the night time economy".
Academics do tend to use such fancy words for basically a person to watch lap dancing and take notes.
The Government-funded position(!) will see the successful applicant interview 300 lap dancers in in two northern English towns.
The study, which comes with a salary of £31,513 to be exact, is aimed at finding out who becomes lap dancers and what their working conditions are like, as well as how the number of bars have multiplied.
The ad stipulates the successful applicant will need to have "prior experience of conducting research in the female sex industry".
But Susie Squire, political director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, complained: "This is the ultimate non-job and will both anger and bemuse taxpayers.
"It may be a dream job for some men, but it's just another nightmare of public sector waste for the ordinary people who pay for it."
Uh-huh...
No printing error and to add icing on the cake the position pays in the area £31,000-a-year.
Persons interested in applying should be aware that this interesting position posted by the School of Sociology and Social Policy (go figure!) is for:
"Research Officer - The rise and regulation of lap dancing and the place of sexual labour and consumption in the night time economy".
Academics do tend to use such fancy words for basically a person to watch lap dancing and take notes.
The Government-funded position(!) will see the successful applicant interview 300 lap dancers in in two northern English towns.
The study, which comes with a salary of £31,513 to be exact, is aimed at finding out who becomes lap dancers and what their working conditions are like, as well as how the number of bars have multiplied.
The ad stipulates the successful applicant will need to have "prior experience of conducting research in the female sex industry".
But Susie Squire, political director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, complained: "This is the ultimate non-job and will both anger and bemuse taxpayers.
"It may be a dream job for some men, but it's just another nightmare of public sector waste for the ordinary people who pay for it."
Uh-huh...
Friday, October 02, 2009
Bra cups runneth over as a gas mask
For most females (and males as the case may be) a bra is something one wears to enhance/shape/retain/contain one's breasts. There could be other lesser known uses, for example, a sling-shot or a small container in which to carry seashells collected on a beach. Interesting but lesser-known stuff. However, the winner of the 2009 Ig Nobel Prize, one Dr. Elena Bodnar, took home the public health prize for creating a dual bra that could be converted (if necessary obviously) into two gas masks.
Note the "Ig" in front of Nobel Prize signifying that this is not "the" Nobel Prize, which usually spring to mind. In fact, "The Ig Nobel Prizes' - there are numerous categories - honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative and spur people's interest in science, medicine, and technology."
Obviously pleased to be a recipient and winner, Dr. Bodnar did a demo and then gave the Nobel laureates each their very own gas bra/gas mask.
So this leads one - me - to wonder about the comfort aspect of this bra-come-gas mask. Is it padded to prevent chaffing from the gas...whatevers? More importantly, how many colors does it come in? Are there different cup sizes or is it a one-size-fits-all?
The mind boggles at its potential usage in the military. A soldier (female and/or male) who wears said double-duty bra, could when there is the scent of gas and lurking danger, disrobe, unhook said bra and place it on their face(s). This act in itself could cause a shock wave among the enemy. I mean, it's rare for your average person to walk around with a bra over one's face, period. Then again, the time delay in actually getting access to the bra might be a problem.
The ceremony was organized by the magazine, "The Annals of Improbable Research", which is a good name given the nature of the awards. For the full list of names, try this site:
http://improbable.com/ig/winners/
And for a diagram of the winning bra...that is to say, gas mask...whatever, try here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8285380.stm
Note the "Ig" in front of Nobel Prize signifying that this is not "the" Nobel Prize, which usually spring to mind. In fact, "The Ig Nobel Prizes' - there are numerous categories - honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative and spur people's interest in science, medicine, and technology."
Obviously pleased to be a recipient and winner, Dr. Bodnar did a demo and then gave the Nobel laureates each their very own gas bra/gas mask.
So this leads one - me - to wonder about the comfort aspect of this bra-come-gas mask. Is it padded to prevent chaffing from the gas...whatevers? More importantly, how many colors does it come in? Are there different cup sizes or is it a one-size-fits-all?
The mind boggles at its potential usage in the military. A soldier (female and/or male) who wears said double-duty bra, could when there is the scent of gas and lurking danger, disrobe, unhook said bra and place it on their face(s). This act in itself could cause a shock wave among the enemy. I mean, it's rare for your average person to walk around with a bra over one's face, period. Then again, the time delay in actually getting access to the bra might be a problem.
The ceremony was organized by the magazine, "The Annals of Improbable Research", which is a good name given the nature of the awards. For the full list of names, try this site:
http://improbable.com/ig/winners/
And for a diagram of the winning bra...that is to say, gas mask...whatever, try here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8285380.stm
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Brits suffer cookie injuries
Why anyone would want a survey focusing on cookie accidents is puzzling but then this story comes from England, where scientists produce some very "interesting" studies.
According to a new survey written up in the Daily Telegraph, more than half of all Britons have been injured by biscuits. You read it right: good, old cookies. We're not talking anything physical like angry tea drinkers tossing biscuits at each other. Britons are a civilized lot and would never deem to such actions. It appears that an estimated 25 million adults have been injured while dunking their biscuits or breaking a tooth. Go figure that dunking a biscuit could be dangerous but I digress. What's more, 500 people have actually gone to the hospital as a result of their injury.
"Well doctor – I was dunking my chocolate biscuit in my tea, not realizing that the water was scalding hot and burned my lip," a tea drinker might offer in the way of an explanation. Or "well doctor - I was digesting the remnants of my vanilla cream, my favorite biscuit and suddenly some crumbs got caught in my throat. I choked so much that my dog, Cedric, became alarmed and barked, which alerted my wife, Priscilla, who gave me CPR. Unfortunately, she broke a few ribs not knowing that the problem area was my throat."
It seems that custard creams are deemed the most dangerous risk at 5.63 according to The Biscuit Injury Threat Evaluation. Does this group really exist and if so, why haven't North American companies been using their services? Jaffa cakes on the other hand, are rates the safest biscuits at 1.16. This important stuff we all should know!
Research company, Mindlab International were commissioned by Rocky, a chocolate biscuit bar, to conduct the research. So this begs the question as to why Rocky would pay a company to rate biscuits, period.
According to the results, it found almost a third of adults said they had been splashed or scalded by hot drinks while dunking or trying to fish the remnants of a collapsed digestive. Presumably, "fish the remnants" can be interpreted as inserting one's forefinger down one's throat in an attempt to dislodge a stuck piece. It also revealed 28 per cent had choked on crumbs while one in 10 had broken a tooth or filling biting a biscuit.
Now here's the big reveal: three per cent had poked themselves in the eye with a biscuit and seven per cent bitten by a pet or "other wild animal" trying to get their biscuit.
And you thought cookies were a safe food.
According to a new survey written up in the Daily Telegraph, more than half of all Britons have been injured by biscuits. You read it right: good, old cookies. We're not talking anything physical like angry tea drinkers tossing biscuits at each other. Britons are a civilized lot and would never deem to such actions. It appears that an estimated 25 million adults have been injured while dunking their biscuits or breaking a tooth. Go figure that dunking a biscuit could be dangerous but I digress. What's more, 500 people have actually gone to the hospital as a result of their injury.
"Well doctor – I was dunking my chocolate biscuit in my tea, not realizing that the water was scalding hot and burned my lip," a tea drinker might offer in the way of an explanation. Or "well doctor - I was digesting the remnants of my vanilla cream, my favorite biscuit and suddenly some crumbs got caught in my throat. I choked so much that my dog, Cedric, became alarmed and barked, which alerted my wife, Priscilla, who gave me CPR. Unfortunately, she broke a few ribs not knowing that the problem area was my throat."
It seems that custard creams are deemed the most dangerous risk at 5.63 according to The Biscuit Injury Threat Evaluation. Does this group really exist and if so, why haven't North American companies been using their services? Jaffa cakes on the other hand, are rates the safest biscuits at 1.16. This important stuff we all should know!
Research company, Mindlab International were commissioned by Rocky, a chocolate biscuit bar, to conduct the research. So this begs the question as to why Rocky would pay a company to rate biscuits, period.
According to the results, it found almost a third of adults said they had been splashed or scalded by hot drinks while dunking or trying to fish the remnants of a collapsed digestive. Presumably, "fish the remnants" can be interpreted as inserting one's forefinger down one's throat in an attempt to dislodge a stuck piece. It also revealed 28 per cent had choked on crumbs while one in 10 had broken a tooth or filling biting a biscuit.
Now here's the big reveal: three per cent had poked themselves in the eye with a biscuit and seven per cent bitten by a pet or "other wild animal" trying to get their biscuit.
And you thought cookies were a safe food.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Britain has its own Roswell? Did they or didn't they?
By now everyone - at least those who are into UFO sightings - are aware of Roswell and the controversy it has created over the years. Was it real...weather balloons...piece of alien spacecraft. Anywaaaaay...
It appears that staid Britain could have had its own UFO occurrence known locally as the "Rendlesham Incident" that happened in 1980 when U.S. air force pilots saw strange lights in Suffolk, England.
The one-time head of the armed forces told the defence secretary a UFO claim known as Britain's Roswell could be a "banana skin", newly released files show.
Banana skin? As in peel from the fruit? Perhaps UFO'logists have been looking in the wrong place but I digress. (Note: the term "banana skin" is British slang for potential political embarrassment).
The "Rendlesham incident" involved American flyers from RAF Woodbridge who reported seeing mysterious lights. Witnesses reported seeing the UFO transmit blue pulsating lights that sent local farm animals to go wacko. In the way of an explanation that did not include a weather balloon this time, an ex-US security policeman Kevin Conde admitted that he and another airman had shone patrol car lights through the trees and made noises on the loudspeaker as a prank. There is no truth to the rumor, either, than Mariah Carey's crew was testing their equipment at the time or that KISS was preparing for another world tour.
Other more recent incidents in the latest batch of documents, which cover the years 1981 to 1996, include:
• Two men from Staffordshire who told police that, as they returned home from an evening out in 1995, an alien appeared under a hovering UFO hoping to take them away (this begs the question as to why they didn't)
• More than 30 sightings of bright lights over central England during a six-hour period in 1993, which led to the assistant chief of defence staff being briefed - and turned out to be caused by a Russian rocket re-entering the atmosphere
• Several sightings in Bonnybridge, central Scotland, which became the UK's UFO hotspot during the 1990s
• A UFO which was seen over the jazz stage at the Glastonbury Festival in June 1994. The two female witnesses reported that they turned to the people next to them to verify what they had seen but "they didn't look hard enough or take it seriously"
So what does this all mean in the scheme of things?
- UFO sightings leapt from 117 in 1995 to 609 in 1996 - the year that Will Smith's alien invader blockbuster Independence Day was released and alien conspiracy series The X Files was at the height of its popularity with UK audiences
- Dr David Clarke, a UFO expert and journalism lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, said it was significant that one of the biggest years for reports previously had been 1978, which saw 750 - at the same time that Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released.
So now it's not a weather balloon but mass hysteria as a result of the release of alien-related films. At least it's original and a good explanation as any. The controversy will continue until actual, real aliens make a landing and are interviewed on CNN by Anderson Cooper.
Meanwhile, watch the short video with some videos purportedly capturing UFO'S, a discussion whether or not UFO's are real plus some possible explanations here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8202157.stm
It appears that staid Britain could have had its own UFO occurrence known locally as the "Rendlesham Incident" that happened in 1980 when U.S. air force pilots saw strange lights in Suffolk, England.
The one-time head of the armed forces told the defence secretary a UFO claim known as Britain's Roswell could be a "banana skin", newly released files show.
Banana skin? As in peel from the fruit? Perhaps UFO'logists have been looking in the wrong place but I digress. (Note: the term "banana skin" is British slang for potential political embarrassment).
The "Rendlesham incident" involved American flyers from RAF Woodbridge who reported seeing mysterious lights. Witnesses reported seeing the UFO transmit blue pulsating lights that sent local farm animals to go wacko. In the way of an explanation that did not include a weather balloon this time, an ex-US security policeman Kevin Conde admitted that he and another airman had shone patrol car lights through the trees and made noises on the loudspeaker as a prank. There is no truth to the rumor, either, than Mariah Carey's crew was testing their equipment at the time or that KISS was preparing for another world tour.
Other more recent incidents in the latest batch of documents, which cover the years 1981 to 1996, include:
• Two men from Staffordshire who told police that, as they returned home from an evening out in 1995, an alien appeared under a hovering UFO hoping to take them away (this begs the question as to why they didn't)
• More than 30 sightings of bright lights over central England during a six-hour period in 1993, which led to the assistant chief of defence staff being briefed - and turned out to be caused by a Russian rocket re-entering the atmosphere
• Several sightings in Bonnybridge, central Scotland, which became the UK's UFO hotspot during the 1990s
• A UFO which was seen over the jazz stage at the Glastonbury Festival in June 1994. The two female witnesses reported that they turned to the people next to them to verify what they had seen but "they didn't look hard enough or take it seriously"
So what does this all mean in the scheme of things?
- UFO sightings leapt from 117 in 1995 to 609 in 1996 - the year that Will Smith's alien invader blockbuster Independence Day was released and alien conspiracy series The X Files was at the height of its popularity with UK audiences
- Dr David Clarke, a UFO expert and journalism lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, said it was significant that one of the biggest years for reports previously had been 1978, which saw 750 - at the same time that Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released.
So now it's not a weather balloon but mass hysteria as a result of the release of alien-related films. At least it's original and a good explanation as any. The controversy will continue until actual, real aliens make a landing and are interviewed on CNN by Anderson Cooper.
Meanwhile, watch the short video with some videos purportedly capturing UFO'S, a discussion whether or not UFO's are real plus some possible explanations here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8202157.stm
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Look up - is it...could it be...flying cheddar?
Let's say you're walking along minding your own business enjoying everything the summer has to offer when suddenly you spot a colored object flying and/or floating in the sky. The object doesn't emit any sound so an airplane is out. Upon closer examination it appears to be yellow-ish or orange-ish, wedge shaped and the question arises as to whether aliens are becoming more creative and assuming the guise of cheese. There is a simple and much more weird explanation along with essential background information.
Y'see... the West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers group wanted to be the first to send a piece of cheese into space. You read it right: cheese into space.
Shades of Monty Python!
So on Tuesday, July 28, they launched a 300g wedge of cheddar cheese into space, suspended under a weather balloon. This makes one (at least me) wonder if this could be the real explanation for the UFO landing in Roswell, New Mexico. It really wasn't a UFO but a wedge of cheddar cheese. It's possible!
Furthermore, not your mozzarella or French brie or good, old American cheese but a chunk of British cheddar.
The aim was to send the cheese 18.5 miles into earth's upper atmosphere where they anticipated (and hoped presumably) the cheese would explode and float back to earth via parachute.
If this had worked you can imagine the reaction of people experiencing raining cheese.
As is frequently the case, things didn't work out exactly as planned since the GPS tracking system broke down along the way and the cheesemakers have lost the cheddar chunk. As in gone. Vanished. Pfft.
They're assuming its location is somewhere along a 200-mile corridor in southern England but they're not sure. The launch was made to mark the 40th anniversary of NASA's lunar landings.
This is the same group by the way, that used a webcam to enable people to watch a slab of cheddar age in 2007. Talk about excitement!
Meanwhile if you come accross the cheese, you might want to alert the organizers:
http://www.farmhousecheesemakers.com/
Or just open a bottle of wine and enjoy.
Y'see... the West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers group wanted to be the first to send a piece of cheese into space. You read it right: cheese into space.
Shades of Monty Python!
So on Tuesday, July 28, they launched a 300g wedge of cheddar cheese into space, suspended under a weather balloon. This makes one (at least me) wonder if this could be the real explanation for the UFO landing in Roswell, New Mexico. It really wasn't a UFO but a wedge of cheddar cheese. It's possible!
Furthermore, not your mozzarella or French brie or good, old American cheese but a chunk of British cheddar.
The aim was to send the cheese 18.5 miles into earth's upper atmosphere where they anticipated (and hoped presumably) the cheese would explode and float back to earth via parachute.
If this had worked you can imagine the reaction of people experiencing raining cheese.
As is frequently the case, things didn't work out exactly as planned since the GPS tracking system broke down along the way and the cheesemakers have lost the cheddar chunk. As in gone. Vanished. Pfft.
They're assuming its location is somewhere along a 200-mile corridor in southern England but they're not sure. The launch was made to mark the 40th anniversary of NASA's lunar landings.
This is the same group by the way, that used a webcam to enable people to watch a slab of cheddar age in 2007. Talk about excitement!
Meanwhile if you come accross the cheese, you might want to alert the organizers:
http://www.farmhousecheesemakers.com/
Or just open a bottle of wine and enjoy.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Cutting the grass, mower or less
It's Spring, when a man's or woman's thoughts usually turn to...mowing the lawn. After a long winter's nap buried snugly under a blanket of white, nature compels grass to do what grass usually does. Grow it does and then some.
Came accross an interesting piece in a news article.
Here's something for people who kvetch about how fast their lawns grow and how difficult it is to keep up with cutting them/it/the grass.
Seems that the British are now adopting - wait for it - wallabies as pets to trim their lawns. A wallabie according to Wikipedia, is "any of about thirty species of macropod (Family Macropodidae). It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name."
Now you know but let's get back to this new craze that could be sweeping England.
According to the article that I found, wallabies don't come cheap at a cost of £150 for males and £650 for females. Notice that the females are considerably more expensive than the male wallabies whatever that means.
Let's say...people (in this case Brits, but their popularity could spread) really take to wallabies and slowly they replace sheep. Slowly, sheep will lose their place as the official grass nibblers of the hills, replaced by the interloping Australian marsupials. A time could arrive down the line when sheep will have to fight for a piece of land, just like the days in the old west. There will be public appearances on talk shows like Oprah and Ellen with their human spokes-people showing un-sheared sheep suffering from over-wooliness syndrome. Facebook campaigns to save-the-sheep will emerge. The craze could spread accross the ocean at our doorsteps and it won't be long before wallabies will become a public fixture on weekends cutting North American lawns.
"See you got a new lawnmower," a neighbor will say to another, setting up the scene. "Nice model. I got a new one too."
At which point the neighbor-Mr. wallabie-owner will lead out his new living model mower while the other neighbor watches in stunned silence.
It's a possibility!
Somewhere down the line there will probably be a public outcry with animal rights protesters decrying the use of wallabies for human usage as barbaric and detrimental to the wallabie's health. At that point wallabies will lose their appeal and sheep will retain their former glory.
By the way anyone looking to keep a wallaby should have enough land for them to roam, at leat a half an acre with fences at least 5ft high to ensure they can't jump for freedom.
I mean, really. What next? Trained angel fish? For the record I tried training my angel fish without any success. Stubborn breed I'm told.
Came accross an interesting piece in a news article.
Here's something for people who kvetch about how fast their lawns grow and how difficult it is to keep up with cutting them/it/the grass.
Seems that the British are now adopting - wait for it - wallabies as pets to trim their lawns. A wallabie according to Wikipedia, is "any of about thirty species of macropod (Family Macropodidae). It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name."
Now you know but let's get back to this new craze that could be sweeping England.
According to the article that I found, wallabies don't come cheap at a cost of £150 for males and £650 for females. Notice that the females are considerably more expensive than the male wallabies whatever that means.
Let's say...people (in this case Brits, but their popularity could spread) really take to wallabies and slowly they replace sheep. Slowly, sheep will lose their place as the official grass nibblers of the hills, replaced by the interloping Australian marsupials. A time could arrive down the line when sheep will have to fight for a piece of land, just like the days in the old west. There will be public appearances on talk shows like Oprah and Ellen with their human spokes-people showing un-sheared sheep suffering from over-wooliness syndrome. Facebook campaigns to save-the-sheep will emerge. The craze could spread accross the ocean at our doorsteps and it won't be long before wallabies will become a public fixture on weekends cutting North American lawns.
"See you got a new lawnmower," a neighbor will say to another, setting up the scene. "Nice model. I got a new one too."
At which point the neighbor-Mr. wallabie-owner will lead out his new living model mower while the other neighbor watches in stunned silence.
It's a possibility!
Somewhere down the line there will probably be a public outcry with animal rights protesters decrying the use of wallabies for human usage as barbaric and detrimental to the wallabie's health. At that point wallabies will lose their appeal and sheep will retain their former glory.
By the way anyone looking to keep a wallaby should have enough land for them to roam, at leat a half an acre with fences at least 5ft high to ensure they can't jump for freedom.
I mean, really. What next? Trained angel fish? For the record I tried training my angel fish without any success. Stubborn breed I'm told.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Out of Viagra? Try rotten eggs instead
Keeping a dozen outdated and rotten eggs on hand in the refrigerator could come in handy during those special intimate occasions. According to researchers, the odor emitted by rotten eggs could be an alternative to Viagra. Seems that hydrogen sulphide prompts arousal in men with key nerve cells that release minute amounts of gas when a male becomes sexually aroused, causing blood vessels to relax and fill with blood. This is the process that sustains an erection.
University of Naples researcher, Professor Cirino is suggesting that it could be possible to develop drugs which will either deliver hydrogen sulphide or control hydrogen sulphide production.
"Of course, the hydrogen sulphide pathway represents a new therapeutic target for erectile dysfunction. These observations may lead to the development of therapeutic approaches in the treatment of erectile dysfunction."
The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are particularly significant since approximately one-third of men with erectile dysfunction do not respond to Viagra. It's believed that half of all men aged between 40 and 70 suffer from the problem at some stage.
Taking this to the extreme, if science and pharmaceutical companies do discover a way to bottle hydrogen sulphide in pill form, how could one distinguish whether males are passing gas or horny? Just wondering...
University of Naples researcher, Professor Cirino is suggesting that it could be possible to develop drugs which will either deliver hydrogen sulphide or control hydrogen sulphide production.
"Of course, the hydrogen sulphide pathway represents a new therapeutic target for erectile dysfunction. These observations may lead to the development of therapeutic approaches in the treatment of erectile dysfunction."
The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are particularly significant since approximately one-third of men with erectile dysfunction do not respond to Viagra. It's believed that half of all men aged between 40 and 70 suffer from the problem at some stage.
Taking this to the extreme, if science and pharmaceutical companies do discover a way to bottle hydrogen sulphide in pill form, how could one distinguish whether males are passing gas or horny? Just wondering...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Whoopee! The sounds of flatulence
I've frequently questioned some members of the scientific community in as far as their knack to acquire funding for - um - unusual experiments or studies. This one stinks - really!
An acoustics professor from the University of Salford is asking the public to rate the funniness of whoopee cushion sounds in order to advance human understanding of faux flatulence - and raise money for Comic Relief.
The professor, Trevor Cox, designed a website that features twenty whoopee cushion sounds. Each visitor hears six of these sounds, and is asked to grade them accord to the extent they make them laugh.
Okaaaaaay... Personally, I don't find flatulence amusing but then perhaps I'm in the minority.
I mean - c'mon - gimme a break! Like - who cares and more to the point, how much did the good professor receive for his study.
Here is the site the professor set up to listen to the sounds first-hand and if you feel so moved, vote: http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/details/831
Why anyone would be interested in studying this subject is also a good question.
An acoustics professor from the University of Salford is asking the public to rate the funniness of whoopee cushion sounds in order to advance human understanding of faux flatulence - and raise money for Comic Relief.
The professor, Trevor Cox, designed a website that features twenty whoopee cushion sounds. Each visitor hears six of these sounds, and is asked to grade them accord to the extent they make them laugh.
Okaaaaaay... Personally, I don't find flatulence amusing but then perhaps I'm in the minority.
I mean - c'mon - gimme a break! Like - who cares and more to the point, how much did the good professor receive for his study.
Here is the site the professor set up to listen to the sounds first-hand and if you feel so moved, vote: http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/details/831
Why anyone would be interested in studying this subject is also a good question.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Coffee drinking a possible link to the dearly departed
Is there no end to all the new scientific data and findings that is supposed to improve but ultimately affect our every-day lives?
If you're a big-time coffee drinker, have you hallucinated lately or been visited by the dearly departed? According to a report, you might.
Seems that scientists at Durham University have linked too much coffee and caffeine in particular, to - well - seeing dead people. Seriously.
Actually- and why am I not surprised - the initial findings were discovered by UK researchers who seem to have access to funds for "interesting" projects. According to the research and of course it's not conclusive but enough to make coffee drinkers a little edgy, people who drink too much coffee could - notice the word could - start seeing ghosts or hearing strange voices.
People who drank more than seven cups of instant coffee a day were three times more likely to hallucinate or hear people speak when nobody was around, compared to low caffeine users, defined as drinking less than the equivalent of one cup of java per day. However, academics say the findings do not prove a "causal link".
Among the experiences reported were seeing things that were not there, hearing voices, and sensing the presence of dead people. Instead of gazing into a crystal ball or joining hands in a seance, perhaps participants should consider drinking a lot of coffee instead. Much simpler.
Presumably sensing there could be a sudden decrease in coffee sales, a Dr. Euan Paul of the British Coffee Association stressed that the study focused strictly on people with a very high caffeine intake. For the record herbal tea drinkers were not included but most likely, there will be yet more statistics that herbal tea causes visions of Elvis.
If you're a big-time coffee drinker, have you hallucinated lately or been visited by the dearly departed? According to a report, you might.
Seems that scientists at Durham University have linked too much coffee and caffeine in particular, to - well - seeing dead people. Seriously.
Actually- and why am I not surprised - the initial findings were discovered by UK researchers who seem to have access to funds for "interesting" projects. According to the research and of course it's not conclusive but enough to make coffee drinkers a little edgy, people who drink too much coffee could - notice the word could - start seeing ghosts or hearing strange voices.
People who drank more than seven cups of instant coffee a day were three times more likely to hallucinate or hear people speak when nobody was around, compared to low caffeine users, defined as drinking less than the equivalent of one cup of java per day. However, academics say the findings do not prove a "causal link".
Among the experiences reported were seeing things that were not there, hearing voices, and sensing the presence of dead people. Instead of gazing into a crystal ball or joining hands in a seance, perhaps participants should consider drinking a lot of coffee instead. Much simpler.
Presumably sensing there could be a sudden decrease in coffee sales, a Dr. Euan Paul of the British Coffee Association stressed that the study focused strictly on people with a very high caffeine intake. For the record herbal tea drinkers were not included but most likely, there will be yet more statistics that herbal tea causes visions of Elvis.
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