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What the f**k is social media?

What the f**k is social media?

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Given that this is a social media site, it might be good to know what social media is, and what it can do. Here is an interesting, humorous, but intelligent slide show with a few answers.
The Higgs Mass ? 120 GeV, SUSY Says

The Higgs Mass ? 120 GeV, SUSY Says

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Today, although fully submerged by an anomalous wave of errands which had been patiently waiting for my return at work, I heroically managed to dig out of the ArXiv a paper worth a close look.
Autism Drives Academia?

Autism Drives Academia?

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Tyler Cowen says the prevalence of individuals falling within autism spectrum make American academe competitive:
A lot of people at colleges are aware of dealing with autism (and Asperger's syndrome; I will refer generally to the autism spectrum) in their "special needs" programs. The more complex reality is that there is a lot more autism in higher education than most of us realize. It's not just "special needs" students but also our valedictorians, our faculty members, and yes —sometimes- our administrators.
STUDIES ON LATICIFER DEVELOPMENT IN CALOTROPIS PROCERA AN IMPORTANT PLANT YIELDING HYDROCARBON AND IMPROVEMENT OF ITS GROWTH POTENTIAL.

STUDIES ON LATICIFER DEVELOPMENT IN CALOTROPIS PROCERA AN IMPORTANT PLANT YIELDING HYDROCARBON AND IMPROVEMENT OF ITS GROWTH POTENTIAL.

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

The non articulated laticifer cell present in C.procera (Asclepiadaceae) are distributed in cortex , phloem region, pith and among parenchyma cells present in the stem. The transverse and longitudinal sections of the plants treated with plant growth regulators gave varying distribution of non articulated cells. Treatment with all growth regulators i.e.

Lose weight by watching TV (but you may cluck like a chicken)

Lose weight by watching TV (but you may cluck like a chicken)

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Behold, I bring thee tidings of the secret to weight loss: it's all in the mind.

Simple, eh? And you spent all that money on gym memberships, diet supplements, and Jenny Craig dinners.

But before you chuck it all and send me your life savings in thanks for divulging my knowledge (which you are still welcome to do), note that the mind-body connection as promoted on Australian television was in breach of commercial television code, and you still have to buy the CDs.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority found that Channel Nine was guilty of breaching two television codes of practice after it tried to hypnotise its viewers late last year, according to several Australian news outfits.
Green lights and left turns

Green lights and left turns

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

While we’re on driving-related comments, there are (at least) two interesting things that differ between Montréal and New York:

  1. The signal for a protected left turn in New York is a green arrow pointing left. In Montréal, the regular green light blinks. If you don’t know what the blinking green means, you’ll find out when the people behind you blow their horns because you’re not turning.
  2. In New York, they tell you what you mayn’t do (no left turn, for instance), and anything not forbidden is permitted. In Montréal, they tell you what you may do, and anything not permitted is forbidden. If the sign has green arrows pointing straight and to the right, it means that left turns are not allowed there.

Today In Science History: August 24th

Today In Science History: August 24th

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Scientific happenings, big and small, on this day in history…

But first, today’s quiz:
What favorite American snack food was invented on this day by chef George “Speck” Crum in response to a picky customer that complained that the chef’s french fries were too thick? Chances are, most of you reading this have enjoyed a serving or two of these sometime this past week. Not sure? Check out the answer at the end of the article.

On to other historic happenings…


79 AD
Mount Vesuvius Eruption
What Fossilized Shark Teeth Can Tell Us About Climate Circa 60 Million B.C.

What Fossilized Shark Teeth Can Tell Us About Climate Circa 60 Million B.C.

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

The North Sea was once isolated from surrounding oceans and its change to a more fresh water state led to a significant reduction in the diversity of life, say a team of German and British scientists who have used fossilized shark teeth to reconstruct the climate of the North Sea during the Palaeogene period, between 40 and 60 million years ago. 

The Palaeogene was a time when greenhouse conditions prevailed and mammals began to diversify in the wake of the mass extinction event that saw the demise of the dinosaurs, along with 65% of all species.

Modern Bioenergy And Biofuels Benign From Environmental Viewpoint

Modern Bioenergy And Biofuels Benign From Environmental Viewpoint

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

  Modern bioenergy technologies and biofuels are relatively benign from  environmental view point and produce very little pollution if burned correctly and completely.  The creation of new employment opportunities within the communi

Influence Of N P & K Fertilizer On Biochemical Contents Of Asparagus Racemosus (Willd.) Root Tubers

Influence Of N P & K Fertilizer On Biochemical Contents Of Asparagus Racemosus (Willd.) Root Tubers

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

This research paper attempts to investigate the influence of N, P &K on chlorophyll, carbohydrate, proteins and sapogenin contents of Asparagus racemosus (Willd.). The treatment consisted different concentrations of Nitrogen (N 20, N 40, N 80 and
Facial Attractiveness Explained (Yes, Women Are Complicated)

Facial Attractiveness Explained (Yes, Women Are Complicated)

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Men, you aren't right a lot, as women will tell you, but here's one thing you got correct - women are complicated.

Even more complex than you think.   Women don't just have one standard for attractiveness, they have a few, and sometimes they even compete.   And it's equal to fertility and health on the 'women choose based on reproduction potential' mythology restated by the psychologists in the article.
Internet Privacy - Social Media Giving Out Personal Information?

Internet Privacy - Social Media Giving Out Personal Information?

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

If you have a Facebook page (we do) or any social media account, you may post varying amounts of personal information you want to share online with family, friends and colleagues - but a new study presented recently in Barcelona at the Workshop on Online Social Networks, part of the annual conference of the Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Data Communications, has found that the practices of many popular social networking sites typically make that personal information available to companies that track Web users' browsing habits and allow them to link anonymous browsing habits to specific people.
Aging Issue: When Do Misfolded Proteins Start To Misbehave?

Aging Issue: When Do Misfolded Proteins Start To Misbehave?

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Proteins are essential for healthy cells and all biological activities - misfolded and/or damaged proteins are common to human neurodegenerative diseases and age-associated diseases.

A big question is, when during a lifespan do proteins start to misbehave?

A new Northwestern University study says that protein damage can be detected much earlier than previously believed, long before individuals exhibit symptoms.   Importantly, the results also suggest that if we intervene early enough, the damage could be delayed.
Risky Business - Women Have Higher Testosterone In Financial Careers

Risky Business - Women Have Higher Testosterone In Financial Careers

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

There once was a battle of the sexes, when some women and men believed the genders were basically the same.   Then there was a cultural détente, which regrettably involved a lot of pantsuits, before settling into the modern realization that a uni-sex society was not going to happen but gender differences do not warrant different paychecks.

New research by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the University of Chicago's Department of Comparative Human Development says that  the sexes may have more in common than believed when it comes to taking risks - testosterone.
Atkins And Other Low-Carbohydrate Diets Linked To Atherosclerosis, Impaired Blood Vessel Growth

Atkins And Other Low-Carbohydrate Diets Linked To Atherosclerosis, Impaired Blood Vessel Growth

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

High protein, low carbohydrate diets have been successful at helping individuals rapidly lose weight but due to their recent popularity little is known about the diets' long-term effects on vascular health. 

A new study provides some of the first data on this subject, demonstrating that mice placed on a 12-week low carbohydrate/high-protein diet showed a significant increase in atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the heart's arteries and a leading cause of heart attack and stroke. The findings also showed that the diet led to an impaired ability to form new blood vessels in tissues deprived of blood flow, as might occur during a heart attack.
New Trend: Consumers Design Their Own Products

New Trend: Consumers Design Their Own Products

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Think you can design a better iPhone?  We think we can, mostly by eliminating whatever attracts the more smug Apple users.  

And we're not alone.   From running shoes to ceiling fans (no, Apple will not let you design your own phone - they won't even let you decide what you can install), consumers are becoming the designers of their own products, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research which looks at the ways consumers compare their creations to those designed by professionals.
What The Apollo 11 Astronauts Almost Forgot To Leave On The Moon

What The Apollo 11 Astronauts Almost Forgot To Leave On The Moon

Aug 24 2009 | comment(s)

Everyone is thorough about checklists of items they want to take on long trips - fewer people worry about things they are supposed to leave behind.  But forty years ago, as the Apollo 11 astronauts were completing their checklist to leave the Moon they discovered that they had forgotten something important that wasn't supposed to return to Earth.
Just War, Part I: Overview of Jus ad Bello, Jus in Bello, and Jus post Bellum

Just War, Part I: Overview of Jus ad Bello, Jus in Bello, and Jus post Bellum

Aug 23 2009 | comment(s)

Just War is the area of ethics that used in determining when a nation can legitimately go to war, legitimate and ethical behavior in war, and finally the legitimate way to end a war. Just War criteria helps us determine whether a particular war is just or unjust. In practicum Just War lays the foundation for the way the military acts but also the way policy makers shape the debate concerning some of the most pressing issues of our time.  This post is an overview and will the first of a series. 
It's Not Frankenstein, But It's A Start

It's Not Frankenstein, But It's A Start

Aug 23 2009 | comment(s)

Craig Venter says that in a few months, his team will have created the first genuine artificial life form. As you may recall, Venter's team did the first whole genome transplant a few years back, which involved taking the genome of one species of bacteria and putting it into the genome-free cell of another closely related species. The new hybrid species was able to reboot with the new genome. According to The Times:

Artificial life will be created within four months, a controversial scientist has predicted. Craig Venter, who led a private project to sequence the human genome, told The Times that his team had cleared a critical hurdle to creating man-made organisms in a laboratory.
IMPROVING THE BIOFUEL UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY IN THE RURAL VILLAGES BY MODIFYING THE FIRE STOVE 'CHULHA.

IMPROVING THE BIOFUEL UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY IN THE RURAL VILLAGES BY MODIFYING THE FIRE STOVE 'CHULHA.

Aug 23 2009 | comment(s)

Around 70 percent of the rural population of India relies on buring the bio-fuel in the form of fire wood, cowdung cakes, saw dust, crop residues, sugarcane remnants, coconut shell in various forms.