March 20, 2011
Cuddly Cub Polar Bear Knut has died unexpectedly, at the age of four. The cause of death is unknown but speculation abounds.
In memoriam, please remain silent for a moment while we play the Knut Song:
Here is the last video of him, showing his death. This is a bit gruesome. Perhaps, if you know…
March 20, 2011
Some time ago we had a party in Minneapolis to celebrate the one millionth's comment on Scienceblogs. Finally, I've uploaded the video taken at that party, at the Black Forest Inn.
March 19, 2011
Reverend Mike gives it a try.
Also, don't forget that March 16th is St. Urho's Day!
What? We missed it? I guess I'll have to save my purple beer for next year.
March 19, 2011
I will be over by the holy water waiting for an apology on behalf of most of humanity from the nearest religious person ...
March 19, 2011
Today is DuWayne Brayton's birthday. His web site is here, but his best writing is in comments on my blog!
Happy Birthday DuWayne. Many happy returns. Though I actually have no idea what that means, and assume it has to do with gift receipts.
March 19, 2011
"Power Concedes Nothing Without a Demand" by Chris Hedges was brought by Mike the Mad Biologist to the attention of Stephanie Zvan who wrote: Rights Must Be Protected *and* Shared
Nature Blog Network turns us on to a blog of photos and video about about wildlife conservation, and a blog by a…
March 19, 2011
Starman: The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin is coming out next month and it sounds pretty amazing.
...The space vehicle is shoddily constructed, running dangerously low on fuel; its parachutes -- though no one knows this -- won't work and the cosmonaut, Vladimir Komarov, is about to,…
March 19, 2011
James at Class:M has an important post on the perception and cost of Nuclear Energy: What Fukushima doesn't change
PalMD at The White Coat Underground has an important rant about iodine, which is much in the news these days for obvious reasons: Saturday Evening Rant, Iodine Edition
March 19, 2011
Skepchick Evelyn (who also comments here now and then) is writing an interesting series of posts that consist of interviews by her of her dad, an Nuclear Engineer, regarding what is going on in Japan. I think this link is probably the best way to get to them.
Speaking of Skepchicks, you should…
March 19, 2011
The amount of water available to produce floods is at a much higher than average level for Minnesota, including the Minnesota, Red, Mississippi and Saint Croix river drainages, not to mention smaller rivers and streams. As I write this personnel at the National Weather Service are dotting the i's…
March 19, 2011
One day I was walking along a path dedicated to philosophers in Kyoto, Japan, with my friend Hitomi. It was interesting that there even was a path dedicated to philosophers. It made me think deeply about paths, which at the time was the subject of my PhD Thesis. Suddenly, earning a Doctorate of…
March 18, 2011
... continued ...
Ana's Feed
Starting about midnight, March 17th
Today's chopper missions over Daiichi have been canceled.
The IAEA has asked Japan to cooperate with the international community. Kan says he will do the utmost to overcome the crisis - vows to disclose more info to the int'l…
March 18, 2011
Join artist Lynn Fellman and Professor Perry Hackett for a science and art presentation at Hennes Art Gallery in Minneapolis. It's an evolutionary tale about an ancient fossil gene discovered by Hackett's Lab at the University of Minnesota. The lab awakened the gene from an evolutionary sleep and…
March 18, 2011
Nine of ten nuclear reactors at two locations at Fukushima, Japan, have problems ranging from damaged cooling systems to partial meltdowns, and spent fuel storage facilities at several of these reactors are severely damaged. In some cases, facilities seem to have been shut down safely. In other…
March 18, 2011
You can't explain this.
March 18, 2011
There will not be a Mark Zuckerberg action figure.
After being told it can no longer sell its Apple CEO Steve Jobs action figure, M.I.C. Gadget has been ordered to kill off its Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg action figure as well. The lifelike Zuckerberg doll was available for $70 online, but now…
March 18, 2011
For the first time, rain has been observed falling at low altitude on this moon of Saturn.
Extensive rain from large cloud systems, spotted by Cassini's cameras in late 2010, has apparently darkened the surface of the moon. The best explanation is these areas remained wet after methane rainstorms.…
March 17, 2011
... continuing ..
Good news and bad news, mostly just uncertain news. A cable needed to power equipment has been installed. It turns out that one of the reactors uses Plutonium. Ooops.
Cable reaches Japan nuclear plant
Fukushima on Thursday: Prospects starting to look good 'Worst probably over…
March 17, 2011
Tennessee's House Bill 368 was passed on a 9-4 vote, with no testimony or discussion, at the House General Subcommittee of Education meeting on March 16, 2011. A version of the "academic freedom" antievolution bill, HB 368 would, if enacted, require state and local educational authorities to "…
March 17, 2011
As we speak, several children lie gravely ill in Minneapolis, struck down by a preventable but sometimes fatal childhood disease.
One of the children is an infant who was too young to have been vaccinated, but caught the disease, apparently, from someone old enough to be vaccinated but who was…
March 17, 2011
When the Kentucky legislature adjourned sine die on March 9, 2011, House Bill 169 died in committee. A special session of the legislature will convene starting on March 14, 2011, but only to consider two unrelated items, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader (March 10, 2011). HB 169, if enacted…
March 17, 2011
The quake, which was centered under the sea, did considerable damage to undersea communications cables. Originally the damage was thought to be minimal but it is apparently rather significant. At least five major cables have been damaged. Details here. Meanwhile, the US military has blocked…
March 17, 2011
Japan needs your help after the earthquake, tsunami, and complex nuclear accident.
George Takei on the Japan Quake and Tsunami. Hat tip: Claudia Sawyer
I don't think the amount of heart makes as much difference as the amount of the donation, but it's a nice sentiment.
The truth is, Haiti…
March 17, 2011
I am (half) ethnic Irish and I grew up in a city that was as Irish as the Blarney Stone itself. When I was a teen armed with a false ID and a strong sense of purpose (that being to get drunk with my friends) we'd cruise the bars, starting on or near Madison, Lark and State (where I generally lived…
March 17, 2011
Daemonic underground gasses exploded to the surface in a fiery fireball in South Minneapolis today, blasting a huge hole in a parking lot, causing several cars to meltdown, and potentially damaging a newly rebuilt section of God's Highway (I35 W).1 The news agencies noticed it when checking the…
March 17, 2011
I am told that Scienceblogs.com has upgraded and hardened its server thingies, so you should no longer be experiencing technical difficulties in reading your favorite blog. However, if you still are, please send your IP address to Scienceblogs, using this email: webmaster AT scienceblogs.com
Thank…
March 17, 2011
A very good stab at addressing the question by Rachel Maddow:
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