Absquatulate

Big Dog

I took a course in college on motor control, and yes while that was "way back when" the topic of robotic walking is still a tough nut to crack from an engineering point of view. Walking is incredibly difficult! Balancing meat on four legs (nevermind TWO) is not easy. The fact that we do it at all is a near miracle. I won't attempt to scratch the surface of the complexities behind locomotion, but if there's a lurking physical or occupational therapist who'd like to, be my guest in the comments.

But take a look at THIS: If I saw this in the woods I would run the other way. To me this is way into the uncanny valley. Well done Boston Dynamic, now please use your knowledge for good, not evil.

Which do you choose?

Enjoy this amazing talk from TED from Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist who describes her experiences when she suffers a hemmorage and how it changed her.

And quite frankly, it has changed me, and what it means to be treating adults with aphasia.

I missed Brain Awareness Week, having mistakenly thought it was THIS week. But rather than wait another 51 weeks to celebrate it again, I'll push it on into this week and feature a new brainy post each day for your amusement (or consternation :).

Update: Video link fixed.

Learn: Identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night

Don't be a dumbass any longer; learn the night sky: Identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night.

Actias luna

Holy CRAP is this a surprising thing to find on your screen door!  If it wasn't an Actias luna then it was some other very, VERY big white-ish moth that was as big as your hand and could probably carry away small children.

ORDER OF THE SCIENCE SCOUTS OF EXEMPLARY REPUTE AND ABOVE AVERAGE PHYSIQUE

Now, if the Girl Scouts were anything like this maybe I would have made it beyond three months of Jr. Scouts: ORDER OF THE SCIENCE SCOUTS OF EXEMPLARY REPUTE AND ABOVE AVERAGE PHYSIQUE.

Truth and Logic: Kindergarten Re-imagined

McSweeny's has a great short essay on a short imagined monologue by Richard Dawkins to a kindergarten class regarding the plausibility of Santa Claus.

Euclidian!

I never thought that a conversation would sidetrack into Euclidian geometry and trying to reason out why an angle can't be trisected with a compass. But let me tell you, it was a fairly awesome conversation.

Living Logos

The Max Plank Institute in Dresden is full of smartey scientists. Don't believe me? This article explains how Michael Schmitz (German website) created a "living logo" that represents the state of the Institute based on employee voting, funding, number of articles published, etc. Makes sense as they are interested in how cells organize themselves into systems.

Courtesy of Mr. Kottke.

Those Who Forget The Past...

There have been a number of people whom I have the occasion to speak with who have begun to quietly yet insistently belabor the immigration issue; usually by stating that the immigrants are what's driving this country into the ground and straining the (meager?) social services provided in this country. I don't know whether that ascertation is true or false as I have failed to acquire adequate research on the topic (I know nothing on immigration and it's impact on society and these people don't provide any.) However strictly from an irrational and personal point of view my ire is drawn when I hear such things, as I am the direct descendents of both Irish/Scotch and Italian immigrants. Were my great-grandparents and grandparents indolent crime ridden lay-abouts? Maybe they were but I'm guessing probably not (at least one wasn't since I knew him personally.)

So before railing against the lazy immigrants who are coming to the U.S. for a free ride perhaps asking oneself a few reflective questions could be a good exercise. For example, how many immigrants do you know personally? What are their stories? From what sources are you getting your information? How was the question of immigration handled in the past?

Eat Me

Yes Alton, verily do you speak to me.

The Scientific Kitchen

I would love love love to outfit a kitchen with scientific surplus equipment. Test tube racks filled with spices, bottles with cork stoppers, collection of old mortar and pestles and brass weights. *sigh*

By a String

Nothing like wrapping up a night of shopping than to curl up on the couch and watch a two hour Nova episode about string theory.

--End Geek Transmission--

(And by the way, it's shows like these that give us great pleasure to donate what we can to our local PBS station. )

I Double Dog Dare Ya

Hadn't this kid ever heard of the popular high school chemistry lab rhyme?

Johnny was a chemist,
but Johnny is no more.
For what he thought was H₂0
was H₂SO₄

Never Has Cake Looked so Revolting

There are perils to being married to a Medical Illustrator because the links that are prefixed with a "COOL!!!!" are so often so very very wrong. Kudos to the pastry chef for this confection, but I don't think I could have eaten a bite.