Technical pumpkins October 31, 2008

A geek’s love of science and technology comes through even in their art. WIRED (who else?) has a photo gallery of technically-inspired jack-o-lanterns, and have now extended their contest for those of us who waited to carve our pumpkins so they didn’t melt before the big day. This is a great example of new technology spotlighted in old-fashioned illumination. Would it defeat the whole purpose to carve a lightbulb onto a pumpkin?

It’s now raining at my house, though, so I don’t know if my pumpkins will even make it outside. Phooey!

Your kindergartener is safe October 30, 2008

I recently read about this phenomenon in which physicists at U.C.L.A. noticed that ripping scotch tape off of surfaces creates x-rays. Enough to take an x-ray of a finger.

My first thought upon reading this was “Oh dear god! My little nephew’s fingers are going to fall off!” (He’s a big fan of multimedia art, involving LOTS of tape). But I panicked too soon: the x-rays only occur in a vacuum. So unless your kid decides to do arts and crafts in space, he’s completely safe.

However, there are electrical events that tape produces with an atmosphere around. In 1939, scientists showed that peeling tape emits light, an experiment anyone can do in a closet. I wonder how bored or stressed out the scientist who discovered that had to be, to be sitting in the closet playing with scotch tape.

It’s alive, it’s alive! October 30, 2008

On Monday I posted a link to photos of different astronomical phenomenon published in National Geographic and by SPIE Press. Today, I bring you the one, the only: Hubble Space Telescope! *wild applause*

It takes a lickin’ but keeps on tickin’. NASA’s famous problem child (actually it just turned 18!) is back in action after being out of commission for a month due to an electric malfunction. But the little space telescope can’t be kept down, and today NASA published the proof with a fantastic photo of the smoke-rings galaxies known as Arp 147, which exist in the constellation Cetus.

Hubble is currently on its last photo assignment, and the last mission to repair and add additions to the aging space telescope has been pushed back to May of 2009, so hopefully the old guy can hold on until then. Experts say the telescope should continue to function until 2014, when it is scheduled to be replaced by the new James Webb space telescope.

Cars have feelings? October 29, 2008

We humans certainly want them to.

An interesting study came out recently that found that people like to buy cars that are designed to look like they have an angry, aggressive, “powerful” expression on the front. The researchers found that cars with friendly-looking headlights and bumpers did not sell as well as cars with headlights that slanted down to look angry. There are photos in the article that give good examples.

Star light, star bright October 28, 2008

National Geographic recently featured a great collection of astronomy photos on their website. I am always amazed at how gorgeous those photos are, even though often color is added to emphasize some of the celestial differences. In fact, I dare you to find one that hasn’t. Need a hint? One I know of is on the cover of this book by James Janesick.

E-reading October 27, 2008

Books. They’re heavy, they rip, the binding comes apart, they’re expensive. You read it once and never look at the book again, even if you swear you will read (but you don’t). Besides, most people read news stories and journal articles online. So what is the answer? Electronic books! E-readers! E-paper! Or any combination of words associated with electric and literature!

A few of these have started popping up on the market. This story from the BBC features the latest edition of the technology built in the UK. You can download and store multiple books on one device, and they are becoming more and more damage resistant and flexible.

There is also plenty of argument against these: They also break down, they need power (books don’t), they’re hard to read. If the device dies, so do all of your books.

I’m fairly traditional, and like the smell and feel of paper. I like the weight of a book, and I like being able to loan my copy of a book to my friends, or co-read a book with my husband (usually done with large coffee table books). I certainly don’t look forward to moving when we have to transport an entire library of books, but I sure like having them there on our bookshelf. However, as a student it would be nice to have all of my textbooks in one package, and in one place. Although it certainly makes it harder to skim through two books at the same time, trying to find that passage you need for your final essay.

So I’m curious what people’s experiences are with e-readers and what they think of them, or if they’ve boycotted their use and why.

Blending food art and science October 24, 2008

The book Alinea explores the culinary stylings of Grant Achatz’s restaurant Alinea in Chicago. Apparently Achatz is known for not preparing food “traditionally,” and in fact makes a point of combining the science of cooking and the art of food preparation.

Good for everyone from the gourmet chef to the garage scientist. There is also a companion website to the book, alinea-mosaic.com.

Nursery nerds October 23, 2008

For all your physics babies, and parents. Tiffany Ard is the artist behind the self-described “artwork and nursery decor for serious science nerds.” A graphic designer by training, according to her website she now spends her days illustrating pictures of the laws of physics. Can’t get much better than that.

My personal favorites are the elephant pushing the rock demonstrating Newton’s law of motion, and her “ceci n’est pas une turtle,” but only because I had a tortoise as a kid and got really peeved when people called it a turtle. The only one I don’t get is her Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, but maybe that’s just because I’m not familiar with the original.

She also has other artwork on the site that is worth perusing, but her science baby stuff is the best, in my humble opinion. I mean, c’mon, “X is for Xylem“? How can that not win any nerdy parent’s heart?! These would also make a great poster in any science class.

Music is good for your health October 22, 2008

There are lots of well-documented health benefits of listening to music. It lowers blood pressure, it stimulates the brain, and children who study music also do better in math and foreign languages (although it’s not going to create any baby Einsteins, despite what the ads tell you).

I recently read an article that looks at the benefits of music to athletes, namely that a fast-tempo song makes them go faster, and can help endurance athletes as well. I have read about this before, but thought it was an interesting article none the less. This information has been around for awhile, including articles arguing that athletes would soon have little teeny music players graffed into their skin so they can play music as they race in the Olympics. Nike has even put out a shoe that includes an ipod so you can listen to music while you run.

On the flip side (a term coined during the use of records), if you are not an elite athlete music can help you out too. One study has found that playing the didgeridoo is great therapy for the respiratory system. Another study found that the Beejees’ “Stayin’ Alive” and Queen’s “Another One Bights the Dust” are the same tempo at which people should perform CPR, and if they are taught CPR to that beat, they can consistently perform effective CPR. Of course, the Queen song doesn’t seem very appropriate, so they’re pushing the Beejees’ song a little bit more.

itty bitty pretty pictures October 21, 2008

Nikon had a competition for micro-photography. The top 20 are published online. Diatoms and bugs seemed to be a common theme among the winners, complimented by man-made things like nanotubes and paper. Medicine, like cancer drugs and vitamin C, also seem to make interesting micro-photos. My favorite was definitely the crustacean.

I’ve posted this information before (not this exact same recipe, but something close to it), but if you are interested in making your own, here is a fairly easy how-to on taking microphotographs. I still haven’t tried it out on my own yet, but I intend to take it off my to-do list and put it on my wall, or somewhere else on display.