The Truth about Orbs?

One common perception of orbs relates to the idea that 'some orbs' are caused by airborne particles and 'some orbs' are not. There is little hope for theorists who make no distinction between the appearance of these apparently different 'types' of orbs. If airborne particles can produce one appearance of an orb, how can paranormal forces produce the same type of orb?

(Via The Anomalist.)

Nemo 33: The World's Deepest Pool

Nemo 33, a diving school in Brussels, operates the world's deepest pool which goes to a depth of over 33 meters.

I feel redeemed in the presence of large numbers of books. After the bombs fall -- or the genetically engineered viruses strike (or whatever) -- I can envision myself living comfortably in an abandoned Borders.

Space mirrors could create Earth-like haven on Mars

Scientists and science-fiction authors have long dreamed of turning Mars into a more Earth-like planet for future human colonists. The process, called terraforming, involves thickening Mars's atmosphere and increasing its temperature. But schemes to transform the entire planet would take centuries and would require enormous resources.

Now, Rigel Woida, an engineering student at the University of Arizona in Tucson, US, is investigating the possibility of "terraforming" just a small patch of the planet's surface by focusing sunlight on it from orbiting mirrors.

I wish I'd thought of that.

Leading Brazil UFO Investigator Claims Contact to be Soon

A prominent UFO investigator is claiming that open contact will soon take place between humans and extraterrestrials. Such claims have been made regularly since the 1950s, but never with any actual results, and never before by an investigator with a reputation for accurate research. Jan Val Ellam, a Brazilian UFO investigator claims that the open appearance of UFOs worldwide should take place any time between November 16, 2006 and April 30, 2007.

When will ufology learn? The sense of "imminent contact," often accompanied by supposedly incipient governmental disclosure, has helped marginalize the subject for decades. From UMMO to MJ-12 to Heaven's Gate to Serpo, we're caught in a sociological cul-de-sac, forcing the phenomenon into anthropomorphic molds that it stubbornly refuses to fit.

(Portrait and words by eWarrior.)

Scientists create giant mechanical Sea-Monkey!



(Hat tip: Communist Robot.)

Oh, man. This is funny. Really funny. (I like the way the mannequins sound like bowling pins when they bite the dust.)



This should be declared a national sport immediately.

(Thanks: Boing Boing.)

Hitachi: Commercial Mind-Machine Interface by 2011

Mind-machine interfacing isn't unheard of: just weeks ago, a young patient was given a chance to play Space Invaders through the power of thought. And this all comes hot on the heels of a revolution in microsurgery, allowing artificial limbs to be wired to the brain by reusing existing nerves.

The difference this time is that Hitachi's system doesn't invasively co-opt the nervous sytem, instead using a topographic modelling system to measure blood flow in the brain, translating the images into signals that are sent to the controller. So far, this new technique only allows for simple switching decisions, but Hitachi aims to commercialize it within five years for use by paralyzed patients and those undergoing "cognitive rehabilitation."

Climate change sceptics 'out of step, out of arguments and out of time'

Climate change must be taken as seriously as the issues that have traditionally monopolized first-order political attention such as conflict, poverty and the proliferation of deadly weapons, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told a United Nations conference on the issue in Nairobi today.

"Instead of being economically defensive, let us start being more politically courageous," he said. "The Nairobi conference must send a clear, credible signal that the world's political leaders take climate change seriously. The question is not whether climate change is happening, but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough."

R.E.M.: "Talk About the Passion"

Humans almost identical to Neanderthals

A full blueprint of Neanderthal DNA - due to be produced in two years' time - could provide information on eye colour and hair colour, intelligence and language.

The partial sequencing completed so far has confirmed the theory that humans and Neanderthals split from their common ancestor between 400,000 and 500,000 years ago, studies published in the journals Nature and Science report.

(Via The Anomalist.)

Wireless Power

Tesla never quite pulled it off, but a group of contemporary physicists are developing wireless energy transmission using "'resonance,' a phenomenon that causes an object to vibrate when energy of a certain frequency is applied."

Here's Richard Hoagland's latest. This one's interesting regardless of potential artificiality -- and this early in the game I wouldn't rule out an artificial origin, especially given the interesting "heel" shape of the main anomaly in question; it's one of those features that, if photographed on Earth, would probably arouse at least some interest among archaeologists.

In any case, it's a great deal more compelling than disembodied robot heads.

While I'm quite sure every blogger in the world will post this, I'm posting it anyway:

Did this cat breed with a dog?

Brazilian Cassia Aparecida de Souza, 18, says three of the cat’s six offspring, which were born three months after Mimi mated with a neighbour’s dog, have canine traits.

A geneticist from the Passo Fundo University plans to take blood samples from the animals to verify the claim.

An obvious question arises (assuming the offspring are unlikely hybrids): Do we call them "kuppies" or "pittens"?

Wow -- check out the new look at the site formerly known as The Electric Warrior.

I want one of these. Bad.

If I had an iPod, this would be on it.



(Found at: My Boring Life.)

Charles Darwin apparition in a tree

Janice says: "I got up this morning, and looked out the window I look out for hours every day. I looked up at the birdfeeder to the spot where a limb was chopped off and saw Charles Darwin."

If You Were Born in 2893...

Your Name Would Be: Ala Cho And You Would Be: An Alien Anthropologist

If You Were Born in 2893

BAE goes big on 'green' weapons

Reduced-lead bullets and recyclable explosives are among the developments being put forward by arms manufacturer British Aerospace (BAE) as part of a major investment in ecologically-sound weaponry.

(Via Variable Gravitas Content.)

Now you can blow away Evil-Doers and help the environment . . . at the same time! Hey, let's start a war right now!

I was frozen to improve my health

In Poland cryotherapy has become a popular treatment for rejuvenating and revitalising the body. It is also widely used by eastern European athletes as an alternative to the 'ice bath' to aid post-training recovery.

But it seems there could be also serious medical uses for the treatment. Some experts claim it can alleviate the painful symptoms of everything from rheumatism and osteoporosis to multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression, and even suggest it as an anti-cellulite and skin-firming treatment.

(Via The Anomalist.)

My car was vandalized again tonight. Same parking lot. This time the guy (assuming it's the same person) almost tore my passenger-side rear-view mirror loose. Fortunately he must have lost interest because I was able to snap it back into place.

This kind of thing shouldn't leave me exasperated -- but it does.

Diseases Appear on Rise With Temperature

A warmer world already seems to be producing a sicker world, health experts reported Tuesday, citing surges in Kenya, China and Europe of such diseases as malaria, heart ailments and dengue fever.

"Climate affects some of the most important diseases afflicting the world," said Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum of the World Health Organization. "The impacts may already be significant."

Kristie L. Ebi, an American public health consultant for the agency, warned "climate change could overwhelm public health services."

Well, duh.

Astronomer tells Athens audience: E.T. liable to phone any day

"The bottom line is we will find E.T. in the next two dozen years," Shostak said. "I'll bet you all a cup of Starbucks on that."

Yeah? Well, I'll bet you a "Venti" half-caf quad soy cafe mocha with four packets of Splenda and a pump of almond syrup that we won't.

(Not that ETI isn't out there, mind you.)

Searching for 'our alien origins'

All this has convinced Professor Wickramasinghe that the red rain is a form of alien life.

"Before I came I had grave doubts as to whether the red rain was really an indication of life coming from space; new life coming from space," he said.

"But on reflection and after talking to Godfrey, I think I would now fairly firmly believe that it did represent an invasion of microbes from space."

Let's face it: If you write about lofty, exciting (but dauntingly strange) ideas, you're going to need straw men. Why? To keep your readers alert to the fact that you know of what you speak, obviously. But more importantly, to keep your own ego afloat. It's a weird universe out there; even on the best of days, answers are elusive. Unless you dose yourself with the illusion of intellectual omnipotence, things get out of hand . . . but of course you know this already.

Which is why I come to you with a offer you can't refuse. Make no mistake: You're going to need it. Because when you write about seemingly remote and inaccessible subjects, there are always a few readers who don't buy it. And they take out their consternation by insinuating that your grip on reality has in some way slackened (when you know perfectly well that it hasn't).

Naturally, you can only take so much of this. After all, you know you're right. You know your paradigm will prevail. You need to strike back, let off some steam, give yourself a much-needed -- if utterly undeserved -- chance to indulge in some therapeutic gloating and smug laughter. Yes, it's short-lived and never really amounts to anything -- but if it wins you some brittle camaraderie it's more than served its designated purpose.

Anyway, I sense your impatience. You want the goods, and I'm happy to assist. Here's what you're after: UFOs.

You're probably wondering what UFOs have to do with anything. How can they can help you in your quest to seem all-knowing and ever-prescient?

Here's how it works: Most people don't know a damned thing about UFOs. They've never heard of the Condon Report, let alone taken the time to familiarize themselves with the likes of Jacques Vallee and J. Allen Hynek. Their awareness of the UFO phenomenon is limited to pop culture.

For example, they've likely seen "The X-Files." They may even qualify as "enthusiasts," having read a few sensational titles about altruistic visitors from the Pleiades or the diabolical threat posed by the "Grays," who hail from a dying world and need our DNA to survive. And no doubt they've thrilled to one or two Hollywood treatments of the UFO theme, cementing their illusory sense of expertise. Broadly speaking, it's fair to say that their comprehension of the subject is limited to knee-jerk references to government cover-ups, crashed saucers and human-ET treaties deep below the unassuming surface of Area 51.

If this sounds rather pathetic, don't let it get you down -- because you need these people.

Of course, that's not to infer that everyone's knowledge of the subject is confined to the fringe. Many scientists, including NASA's Paul Hill and esteemed theoretical physicist Bernard Haisch, have expressed a keen interest in the phenomenon, availed themselves of the data compiled by trained observers, and arrived at provocative conclusions.

Granted, you don't care what scientists and researchers have to say. That's fine. Because, for the most part, neither does anyone else. Your job isn't to relate factual information or even to concede that there's a mystery. Quite the opposite: For you, UFOs are something to be laughed at -- not because the core phenomenon is in any way laughable, but because attempting to grasp the subject's complexity is so daunting and unfashionable that the notion of taking any of it seriously -- even as a mental exercise -- virtually guarantees that you can rely on others' ignorance.

The fragile associations that accompany the very mention of unidentified flying objects ensure an easy idealogical victory at little or no personal expense. All it takes is the willingness to condescend. And, just maybe, a small piece of your self-respect -- but certainly that's a small price to pay when there are arguments to be won.

Space elevators: 'First floor, deadly radiation!'

At the equator, the most dangerous part of the radiation belts extends from about 1000 to 20,000 kilometres in altitude. The region did not hurt the Apollo astronauts in the 1960s and 1970s because their rockets delivered them swiftly through it.

For a space elevator travelling at the current proposed speed of 200 kilometres per hour, however, passengers might spend half a week in the belts. That would hit them with 200 times the radiation experienced by the Apollo astronauts.

(Via Unknown Country.)

What was it Anne Frank wrote? "Despite everything, I think people are really good at heart"?

Between you and me, I think Anne Frank was out of her damned gourd.

I just told my neighbor to turn his fucking music down or die. Not in those words, of course, but I think my message was clear enough.

The aftermath should be interesting. While he did, indeed, turn his music down (in fact, it seems to be mercifully silenced as of this writing), I can't imagine he's taking this well. As a garden-variety jerk, he's going to want to have the final word -- you know, to show me who the alpha-male is.

I fully expect to wake up to find my tires slashed.

George Dvorsky gets it wrong on UFOs. Again.

Citing the outrageously headlined Daily Mail story about former MoD UFO project head Nick Pope ('Aliens could attack at any time' warns former MoD chief), the Sentient Developments blogger writes: "I would be remiss to pass up this post: The former British Minister of Defence, Nick Pope, is warning his fellow Brits that extraterrestrials may 'attack at any time.'"

A neat trick, since Pope says nothing of the sort. Ignoring the sensationalized headline and actually reading the story, we find Pope urging investigatory caution in the face of what he's come to identify as a potentially intelligent unknown. It's pretty obvious that Pope uses the prospect of an alien "attack" (a word he never uses) as a rhetorical device, especially given his insistence that there's no evidence UFOs pose such a hazard in the first place.

Dvorsky revels in what what he likely considers proof that even "serious" UFO investigators are fear-mongering nitwits -- an admittedly easy thing to do if you limit your research to a cursory scan of mainstream "paranormal" coverage. To my mind, the disingenuous take on ufology served up by Sentient Developments (and other ostensible bastions of rationality) is far more disturbing than any illusory alien menace.

Let's conclude with Pope's own words, studiously excluded from both the Daily Mail's headline and Dvorsky's condescending attempt to smear what he doesn't understand unless couched in the comfortably familiar language of true believers and "X-Files" buffs:

"Every [report] is a piece of a puzzle but no one takes it seriously. There needs to be more resources and people who are prepared to look past the philosophical issues, look at the reports and investigate them properly."

Maybe it's just me, but Pope sounds pretty sensible for a crank.

Blog of the day: Table of Malcontents

Homemade Wooden Skyscraper

This is almost more folk art than folk technology, but it is way extreme. Sent in by Michael Krakovskiy, it shows a 12-15 story skyscraper built of wood built by Nikolai Sutyagin in Archanglesk, Russia, shown here. Called a Izba, in smaller sizes it is a traditional Russian wooden dwelling.

I haven't seen a movie in almost a year. But I might have to catch this . . .

Mild electric currents aid memory

One plausible theory, according to Dr Born, is that electrical currents of a particular frequency can make brain cells resonate. This strengthens connections between networks of cells, which are the physical representations of memories in the brain.

(Via FuturePundit.)

Experts: Global warming threatens ruins

From ancient ruins in Thailand to a 12th-century settlement off Africa's eastern coast, prized sites around the world have withstood centuries of wars, looting and natural disasters. But experts say they might not survive a more recent menace: a swiftly warming planet.

"Our world is changing, there is no going back," Tom Downing of the Stockholm Environment Institute said Tuesday at the U.N. climate conference, where he released a report on threats to archaeological sites, coastal areas and other treasures.

(Via Graham Hancock.)

Today's must-see: Robots star in a reenactment from "Pulp Fiction."

(Thanks: Boing Boing.)

Professor's Bigfoot Research Criticized

"Is the theory of exploration dead?" he asked. "I'm not out to proselytize that Bigfoot exists. I place legend under scrutiny and my conclusion is, absolutely, Bigfoot exists."

(Via Science Blog.)

I love The Smiths but I'm not too big on their videos. "How Soon Is Now?" is an exception; I like the looped footage, the smokestacks and the anonymous model, who captures some rare filmic mystique.

'Aliens could attack at any time' warns former MoD chief

And while Mr Pope says that there is no evidence of hostile intent, he insists it cannot be ruled out.

"There has got to be the potential for that and one is left with the uneasy feeling that if it turned out to be so, there is very little we could do about it," he said.

"If you believe these things are extra terrestrial craft then you cannot rule out that what is happening is some kind of covert reconnaissance."

Who writes these idiotic headlines? Because they deserve to be beheaded. Or at least smacked around a little.

Ever changing Underwater Sculpture Exhibition

By creating an artificial reef of sculptures which depict Grenadian people and their history, the project fulfills its dual purpose of protecting the marine environment and illustrating the richness of Grenada.

How wonderfully Atlantean!

I've spent the last couple days flattened by depression. Fortunately I worked up the nerve to get out this evening and suffer the spectacle of weekend suburbia -- which can be endured provided I envision myself as a tourist with no real emotional stake in my surroundings. Playing the tourist role isn't hard; I've always felt a bit alien. That's why I like airports and hotels: They're transitional zones that actively require you to transform into an emotional nomad.

Barring a life on the road -- which simply isn't practical, or I'd do it -- the best I can do is try to attune myself to the unfettered flow of my own mind, becoming a sort of vagrant in the process.

I've inevitably begun wondering if there's some sort of Darwinian utility to be scavenged from depressive states. Neurologists have begun to wonder if autism and sociopathy are adaptations instead of illnesses; why not depression?

Dover's Demon lives on in local lore

Twenty-nine years later, William Bartlett stands by his story of what he saw on Farm Street that night. It was an eerie human-like creature, he said, about 4 feet tall with glowing orange eyes and no nose or mouth in a watermelon-shaped head.

I first encountered the story of the Dover Demon in elementary school. In retrospect, the alleged being's superficial resemblance to a "Gray" should have been obvious.

If Albert Budden is right and the image of the big-eyed Gray can be attributed to altered states induced by electromagnetism (a la Michael Persinger's geo-electric hypothesis), it's worth scoping out the Dover area for any potentially hallucinogenic AM "hotspots."

Radiohead: "Creep"



I couldn't have said it better.