Science, It Can Carve Your Pumpkin

I’m not sure what the lesson here is, but I like it. I’m also not sure if this is a cool teacher or a student demonstration. Either way, blowing up a pumpkin into an instant jack-o-lantern is instant awesomeness.

Your mobile phone has more computing power than all of NASA in 1969...

So is this a sign of NASA’s lack of progress or just a sign of how badass our phones are now?

Religion: What Else Is New?

RAND Corporation’s 1954 Prediction Of The Size Of The Home Computer In 2004

In 1954 RAND Corporation predicted that the “home computer” would roughly be the size of your home. Seriously, they were just a little off, this thing looks more like a spaceship. Here is what the text reads:

Scientists from the RAND Corporation have created this model to illustrate how a “home computer” could look like in the year 2004. However the needed technology will not be economically feasible to the average home. Also the scientists readily admit that the computer will require not yet invented technology to actually work, but 50 years from now scientific progress is expected to solve these problems. With the teletype interface and the Fortran language, the computer will be easy to use.

As I sit here typing this on my couch, with my laptop comfortably heating my crotch…I’m glad they were wrong.

We Are All Made Of Star Dust

(Source: thefrogman)

Incredible Simulations of the Milky Way - Andromeda Collision

Cannibalistic Galaxies

Billions of years just passed before your eyes

Our neighbouring galaxy Andromeda (M31) shows evidence of being a past cannibal and is 3 times the size of the Milky Way. We are predicted to be “consumed” within the next 7 billion years. “It would be a beautiful night sky, it will be quite spectacular.” -Author/Astrophysicist Mark Irwin.

The above gif is an artist simulation of what it would look like when the Milky Way is consumed by Andromeda, which the is closest spiral galaxy. It’s a fascinating image, too bad it’s not going to happen for another 5 to 7 billion years from now.

Scientist predict that the collision may not even disrupt our solar system, however life on Earth will have long since been eradicated due to “increasing luminosity of the Sun”.

Below is video showing a more detailed simulation of the collision:

Science is Awesome: Superdiamagnetism aka Quantum Levitation

Superdiamagnetism is nothing new in terms of scientific breakthroughs; it was first discovered in 1933 by Walter Meissner, but after seeing this video today I was still pretty much blown away. Below is an even more in-depth video that not only shows quantum levitation’s awesomeness, but it also gives some details on how it works.

We Were Born In The Wrong Time Period

Although if I were able to chose - I would want to be born further in the future. Exploring the Earth won’t hold a candle to what is unexplored in the cosmos.

The Moon Is Lonely

Watch The Higgs Boson Get Discovered, On Your Smartphone!

The elusive search for the Higgs Boson (aka The God Particle) is still on, and now, thanks to a new Android app, when and if it is ever found you can see it happen! Written by the same scientists that are running the ATLAS experiments at CERN, the app, called LHSee, can be downloaded for free on the Andriod market and includes educational activities as well as live collision events.

No word yet on if/when there will be an iOS app.

Your Bunkers Are Not Needed

I wonder how many people would refuse to get in one now?

Learning the Phases of the Moon with Oreos