Interesting Stuff Thread

Genghiz Cohen

seamus wrote: »

It's very clearly the human-controlled player in Space Invaders, protecting the rover from the Martians.

http://www.actionpants.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Space-Invaders.jpg

Uncanny, you can even see the last two shots it fired as it moved left.

Wait...
If it's on Mars....
What if WE were the invaders?!?!?!? :O

Dave!

Steven Novella from the Skeptics Guide to the Universe gives a talk at Google:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSiWK9BwxyU

Just watching now... in work... shh...

Delirium

New human species identified from Kenya fossils

Researchers studying fossils from northern Kenya have identified a new species of human that lived two million years ago.

The discoveries suggests that at least three distinct species of humans co-existed in Africa.

The research adds to a growing body of evidence that runs counter to the popular perception that there was a linear evolution from early primates to modern humans.

CerebralCortex

koth wrote: »

New human species identified from Kenya fossils

If only they knew to get the soul upgrade, silly bastards.

Bannasidhe

CerebralCortex wrote: »

If only they knew to get the soul upgrade, silly bastards.

Awww- did they go with Apple? No choice then but to evolve...

18AD

Hehe.

robindch

Victor Diac discusses leaving the Eastern Orthodox clergy at the Dublin Atheists in the Pub evening hosted by Atheist Ireland on 9 August 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIeQnYs1F6Y

Sonics2k

So much for intelligent design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hieIDLLfo4I

IvySlayer

Sonics2k wrote: »

So much for intelligent design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hieIDLLfo4I

Couple of things, the appendix is used by the immune system. And hair on the skin is used to regulate body temperature.

kylith

IvySlayer wrote: »

Couple of things, the appendix is used by the immune system. And hair on the skin is used to regulate body temperature.

But why do I keep biting the inside of my mouth?!

Turtwig

IvySlayer wrote: »

the appendix is used by the immune system.

For what exactly?

The Mad Hatter

Jernal wrote: »

IvySlayer wrote: »

the appendix is used by the immune system.

For what exactly?

Comic relief?

kylith

It's postulated to be a bacterial refugium, I think.

Turtwig

Have to say, I find it interesting how often accused performance enhancing dopers in sport seem to use homeopathy as a excuse.

kylith

Jernal wrote: »

Have to say, I find it interesting how often accused performance enhancing dopers in sport seem to use homeopathy as a excuse.

What, like 'they were homeopathic steroids, honest'?

Gbear

Turtwig

kylith wrote: »

What, like 'they were homeopathic steroids, honest'?

Pretty much yeah, I wish I'd kept count over the years.

Dave!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spXqcPRa2bw

The Mad Hatter

Really enjoying these Minute Physics videos lately. This week's question: which is faster - Usain Bolt or gravity?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YUtFpLpGfk

fitz0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni4j5K4Lz3o

Not A&A but 'because he's in space and he can' I'm putting it here.

Space looks like the best place ever once you crack up just a little.

Turtwig

EDL folk are awesome.

Turtwig

Jernal wrote: »

EDL folk are awesome.

Well, I, uh, in annoyance, and perhaps troll like had posted this in a different thread as an attempt to, actually I don't know why I posted it there now. Thanks Dades and Rob for keeping it.

Edit : Ahh now I remember the English Defence League kept getting mentioned and I didn't feel they deserved the EDL acronym, especially at this time of the year.

muppeteer

Jernal wrote: »

EDL folk are awesome.

Tut Tut. Seems Curiosity is a litter bug!:D

Nodin

muppeteer wrote: »

Tut Tut. Seems Curiosity is a litter bug!:D

And thats the smaller pic. On the large one you can see where theres an empty box of 10 major, a rizla packet and a load of Dutch Gold cans.

Bannasidhe

Nodin wrote: »

And thats the smaller pic. On the large one you can see where theres an empty box of 10 major, a rizla packet and a load of Dutch Gold cans.

Ummmm...what colour rizla are they?

Chuck Stone

Sonics2k wrote: »

So much for intelligent design.
10 Useless bits vid

I actually get that ear swivel reflex sometimes and physically feel like my ear is trying to turn towards the sound.

ShooterSF

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Ummmm...what colour rizla are they?

Blue I bet!

Bannasidhe

ShooterSF wrote: »

Blue I bet!

Oh the relief - I only ever use green so they can't be mine.

Dades

Jernal wrote: »

Well, I, uh, in annoyance, and perhaps troll like had posted this in a different thread as an attempt to, actually I don't know why I posted it there now. Thanks Dades and Rob for keeping it.

Edit : Ahh now I remember the English Defence League kept getting mentioned and I didn't feel they deserved the EDL acronym, especially at this time of the year.

Heh - I moved it. Didn't notice any obvious connection - assumed it was "misplaced"

robindch

Termites evolve suicide-bomb belts, but only amongst elderly termites.

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/07/old-termites-blow-themselves-up-.html

Science Magazine wrote:

When trekking through a forest in French Guiana to study termites, a group of biologists noticed unique spots of blue on the backs of the insects in one nest. Curious, one scientist reached down to pick up one of these termites with a pair of forceps. It exploded. The blue spots, the team discovered, contain explosive crystals, and they're found only on the backs of the oldest termites in the colony. The aged termites carry out suicide missions on behalf of their nest mates.

After their initial observation, the team carried out field studies of Neocapritermes taracua termites and discovered that those with the blue spots also exploded during encounters with other species of termites or larger predators. The researchers report online today in Science that the secretions released during the explosion killed or paralyzed opponents from a competing termite species. However, if the scientists removed the blue crystal from the termites, their secretions were no longer toxic.

Back in their labs, scientists led by biochemist Robert Hanus of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in Prague went on to show that the blue termites always had shorter, worn-down mandibles than others from the same species, indicating that they were older. Then, the researchers removed the contents of the blue pouches and analyzed them. They contained a novel protein that is unusually rich with copper, suggesting that it's an oxygen binding-protein. Rather than being toxic itself, it likely is an enzyme that converts a nontoxic protein into something toxic.

"What happens is when the termites explode, the contents of the back pouch actually interact with secretions from the salivary gland and the mixture is what is toxic," explains Hanus. It's the first time two interacting chemicals have been shown responsible for a defense mechanism in termites, he says.

Researchers already knew that many social insects change roles in their colony as they age. Moreover, it's well known that a number of species of termites explode, often oozing sticky or smelly fluid onto their opponent. But in previously observed cases, the explosive or noxious material is found in the termites' heads, and the suicide missions are the responsibility of a distinct caste of soldier termites, not aging workers. Since N. taracua have soldiers, it's especially surprising to see workers exploding, says Hanus.

"This is a quirky, funny natural history," says behavioral ecologist Rebeca Rosengaus of Northeastern University in Boston, who was not involved in the study. "What's new and interesting here is that this is found to be an aspect of colony-related age organization," says biologist James Traniello of Boston University. And the placement and chemistry of the blue crystals is unique, he says. The findings illustrate the vast diversity of social structures and defense mechanisms that the more than 3000 species of termites have evolved over time, Traniello says.

One question that remains is exactly how aging triggers the accumulation of the blue crystals. "We're still not 100% sure what the role of the blue protein is," says Hanus. "That's definitely something which we want to perform further research on."