Huh?
- Deep space x-ray surveys reveal black holes are much more numerous and evolved differently than researchers expected.
- Our galaxy’s fastest pulsar is leaving us at a speed of more than 670 miles a second. Which makes it our galaxy’s smartest pulsar.
- Five nearby stars have been chosen by scientists involved in SETI as the best places to look for alien civilisations. It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it.
- Scotland is at the centre of a gravity revolution, and it doesn’t involve kilts, sporrans or Cernig.
- Making better fuel cells more efficient and viable, through quantum mechanics.
- China is leading the nuclear fusion race, and will build the world’s first artificial sun if experiments next year prove successful.
- Psychdelic drugs are gaining the attention of medical researchers, for all the right reasons. “Hi everybody!” says Dr Nick to a bicycle.
- Ecstasy and loud music are a bad mix. Boom boom. Rave music alone is enough to damage anyone’s brain.
- A new study suggests we make our music purchases based partly on our perceived preferences of others. I think I’m the only person in the world who has Nine Inch Nails and Enya in the same record collection.
- Gene patterns in white blood cells can quickly diagnose disease and the affects of bioterrorism.
- Humans risk being overrun by diseases from the animal world, according to researchers who have documented 38 illnesses that have made that jump over the past 25 years.
- Scientists rebuilding the genomes of the mammoth discover it’s closest living relative is the Asian elephant, and the African elephant is their grandparent’s father’s brother’s nephew’s uncle’s former room-mate. So what does that make us? Absolutely nothing.
- Rats understand cause and effect. It’s a pity most humans don’t.
- A scientist says seafood provided the conditions for explosive brain growth, paving the way for human evolution. It also lead to the invention of the toilet.
- Other researchers say the threat of being eaten drove human evolution. That’s what we lack in our modern world, Velociraptors and Pterydactyls and Giant Wombats.
- Wandering through the hills of Greece, a hiker found a 6500-year-old gold pendant … and handed it in to authorities. Greece is now worried about an invasion of drunk British backpackers from Ibiza.
- A 1400-year-old moccasin was found in a Canadian glacier. Good luck finding that Cinderella.
- Henges, pyramids and the Celtic cross helped ancient mariners sail the world. Yarr.
- The ancient Thornborough Henges are almost 1000 years older than the pyramids of Giza. Zahi Hawass choked on a falafel when he heard this.
- A set of watercolours by William Blake (aka Billy Boy) detailing a poem by Robert Blair is to be split up and auctioned, dismaying and angering the art world.
- A new book discusses the shamanic qualities in Ted Hughes’ poetry. Poet to Poet: Ted Hughes, by Simon Armitage.
- A Picasso painting of his mistress Dora Maar could fetch more than US$50million at auction in may. Here’s a great feature article about Picasso and Dora Maar. Hopefully this wasn’t Picasso’s attempt at Realism, for Dora’s sake.
- Local artists see the Chupacabra as a metaphor for Mexican-Americans. What does that make Bigfoot?
- Phenomena magazine discusses the life, and brutal murder, of D. Scott Rogo; writer, science researcher, and paranormal seeker.
- Is science taking Near Death Experiences more seriously? Probably because the debunkers are starting to collect their pensions.
- Reflections on being a parapsychologist, an article by Carlos Alvarado.
- The external influence of consciousness, how thought affects the external world, from the Book of Thoth.
- From my favourite newspaper, ex-Beatles guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is translating the theory of meditative power into a blueprint for feeding the hungry and bringing peace to the world. Yeah mon!
- According to the Johor Wildlife Protection Society, there’s not just one Bigfoot hiding in the Malaysian jungle, but a whole colony. Is it Bigfoots or Bigfeet?
Thanks Kat.
Quote of the Day:
To see a world in a Grain of Sand,
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
William Blake