Monthly Archives: July 2011

Google Lunar X Prize

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Guy McCardle

The Space Shuttle has completed her final mission and returned to earth safely.  Now it is on to the next chapter of the space race.  The Google Lunar X Prize is leading the way by offering a total of $30 … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Science, Technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Web Browsers for Dummies (Updated)

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Brian Dunning

AptiQuant Psychometric Consulting Company in Vancouver has made some waves this week, by announcing the results of a large trial in which they compared IQ scores to choice of web browser software. Their published findings indicate a clear tendency for … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Technology | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Five Faults in Human Thought

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Guy McCardle

The human brain is absolutely amazing.  No invention of mankind even comes close to the raw computing power of this 1.5 kg  glistening, convoluted mass of tissue.  Every thought, emotion, idea and memory that ever was, spawned from there.  Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Health, Science | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

What Was Your Senior Quote?

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Brian Dunning

Did anyone have a good sciencey senior quote in their high school yearbook? I wish I had, but the closest I got was sci-fi. Mine was from Heinlein’s novel Time Enough for Love: “Get a shot off fast. This upsets … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Paranormal tourism: Fun or fraud?

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Sharon Hill

Loch Ness, Scotland. Willow Creek, California. Raystown Lake, Pennsylvania. Lake Champlain, Vermont/New York. Pine Barrens, New Jersey. All these locations and many more succeed in capitalizing on their famous monsters to draw in visitors. Even a greater draw than monsters … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Pseudoscience | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Yet Another Ten Failed Technology (or Science) Predictions

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Guy McCardle

At the risk of boring our readers with more of the same, I offer to you yet another ten failed technology predictions.  It seems you all enjoy reading this kind of thing as much as I enjoy writing it.  Sometimes … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Technology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Texas “Chupacabra” Pending DNA Analysis

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Guy McCardle

A thirteen year old Texas boy last Sunday shot what he claimed to be a “chupacabra” near his home in LaSalle.  Carter Pope put three rounds into the legendary vampire beast as it walked across an open field.  The animal … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Urban Legends | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Another Thing About Which I Have Been Wrong

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Craig Good

I have long been spreading the story that computer “bugs” got their name from the famous moth that was found between some contacts in an early computer. Today I saw this review of Brain Bugs (which looks like a great … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Science | Leave a comment

Another Ten Failed Technology Predictions

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Guy McCardle

History has given us numerous examples of failed technology predictions by those who should have known better…many more than could be contained in one list of ten examples.  Therefore, I present to you another ten failed technology predictions.  Read it … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Technology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Flying Car o’ the Day

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Brian Dunning

Aerospace nuts know that my friend Burt Rutan, creator of SpaceShipOne, SpaceShipTwo, the circumnavigating Voyager and GlobalFlyer, the ubiquitous Long-EZ and many other famous aircraft, has recently retired. Before doing so, his staff wanted to make sure that his final … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Stuff, Technology | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments