Author Topic: Interesting Non-Game Stuff (Read 49323 times)

valadaar · « **Reply #75 on:** June 08, 2007, 10:11:27 AM »

Neat page describing Movie Physics problems:

http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/

manfred · « **Reply #76 on:** June 08, 2007, 03:23:22 PM »

Delicious reading!

Murometz · « **Reply #77 on:** June 08, 2007, 07:16:09 PM »

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4088281a10.html

manfred · « **Reply #78 on:** June 15, 2007, 06:25:48 PM »

Darn right!

If you didn't know, you will know now: Anger fuels better decisions

"Anger is designed to motivate people to take action - and it actually helps people to take the right action."

Kids, take a lesson from this.

Scrasamax · « **Reply #79 on:** July 03, 2007, 03:15:07 PM »


http://www.glumbert.com/media/kineticsculpture

Kinetic sculpture. Wow.

manfred · « **Reply #80 on:** July 03, 2007, 04:43:58 PM »

Wonderful to look at. Now this is clockwork machinery at its finest!

Great inspiration!

Wulfhere · « **Reply #81 on:** July 04, 2007, 10:30:20 AM »

Chinese Villagers ate "Dragon Bones":

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/chinese-villagers-eat-dinosaur-bones/20070704092309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

I guess that our "Dead Dragon" entries weren't far from the truth...

Ancient Gamer · « **Reply #82 on:** July 04, 2007, 02:26:05 PM »

Re: Movie Physics
I actually know of a guy, an engineer even, who did the movie style "jump through window" thing. The comment about laceration is true indeed.

Re: Kinetic Sculpting
Wow!

manfred · « **Reply #83 on:** July 06, 2007, 02:07:59 PM »

Yawning keeps brain cool

Yet another research, but one that has really impressed me. I have always wondered what is yawning good for, and especially how can it be so contagious. This hypothesis here sounds really good:

Yawning is a way for the body to cool the brain, when other systems in the body are not doing enough. The researchers found that people yawned more often in situations in which their brains were likely to be warmer, and less when they had cool heads.

"A cooler brain, Gallup said, is a clearer brain.

So yawning actually appears to be a way to stay more alert. And contagious yawning, he said, may have evolved to help groups remain vigilant against danger."

So, who will write up the Yawning Sentinels, the elite king's guard?

Strolen · « **Reply #84 on:** July 08, 2007, 12:47:17 PM »

http://www.whattorent.com/

Need help trying to figure out what movie to watch?

Doesn't collect ANY personal information - just a username and a short quiz.

Strolen · « **Reply #85 on:** July 14, 2007, 08:48:28 AM »

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/

Overview of the universe and slowly magnifies all the way down to quarks.

Sort of cool to watch.

manfred · « **Reply #86 on:** July 28, 2007, 05:13:02 AM »

It has started... Humans are being replaced by robots!

Well, not really, but you get the idea.

As an aside, I've just learned that fembots are also slowly becoming available.

Now that's something to ponder on.

valadaar · « **Reply #87 on:** August 02, 2007, 08:05:55 PM »

Killer drones...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MQ-9_Reaper

valadaar · « **Reply #88 on:** August 03, 2007, 02:45:31 PM »

And for something completely different:

http://www.firebox.com/product/1767?src_t=wnw

And there's lots of other cool stuff on this site...

Murometz · « **Reply #89 on:** August 08, 2007, 11:00:45 PM »

This one is for all you Evil Masterminds(tm)

http://www.livescience.com/technology/destroy_earth_mp-1.html

manfred · « **Reply #90 on:** August 16, 2007, 04:40:36 PM »

For a change of pace, something to ponder on.

There's a report on the spreading of Christianity in China (a bit long read), then there is a summarization of sorts, with some more commentary on the topic.

An interesting look on a part of the future I really hadn't considered.

manfred · « **Reply #91 on:** August 20, 2007, 02:50:11 PM »

Back to science and science fiction:

Scientists hail ‘frozen smoke’
- an interesting new material they say will change the world

Dust may come alive in space
- as if we didn't know it can happen

Speed of light broken
- in very special conditions that is; but I really want that FTL drive working soon

manfred · « **Reply #92 on:** September 03, 2007, 05:05:47 AM »

Big Web Snares Texans' Interest

In a North Texas park is a sprawling spider web that blankets several trees, shrubs and the ground along a 200-yard stretch of trail.

"At first, it was so white it looked like fairyland," said Donna Garde, superintendent of the park about 45 miles east of Dallas. "Now it's filled with so many mosquitoes that it's turned a little brown. There are times you can literally hear the screech of millions of mosquitoes caught in those webs."

Entomologists theorized it may have been constructed by social cobweb spiders, which work together, or could be the result of a mass dispersal in which the arachnids spin webs to spread out from one another. Some claimed it could be a 'once-in-a-lifetime event', others pointed out that similar reports are heard every couple of years.

Random encounter, anyone?

More details (and some pictures):
http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/2620
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-spiderweb_31met.ART.North.Edition1.4348b6d.html

Chaosmark · « **Reply #93 on:** September 04, 2007, 10:00:57 AM »

Actually, webs of a large size like that aren't too unusual. Over in Kansas City ('bout 30 minutes from here), there're some trees that have webs covering huge swaths of them. Freaked me out when I saw'em.

manfred · « **Reply #94 on:** September 05, 2007, 04:59:29 AM »

Galactic Gold: A Valentine Story

A little tale with some science intermixed, it really says that some elements are and will be rare; and even nuclear fusion may not be able to produce them. So yes, there will be precious materials to find and trade with in spacey settings.

manfred · « **Reply #95 on:** September 11, 2007, 01:56:37 PM »

Burning Salt Water

One John Kazius has been working on an alternative cure for cancer with a radio-frequency generator, he was notified of condensation in his test tube, and suggested to try to desalinate water. After playing with it for a few days, he was able to ignite the escaping gas. It looks to be an authentic source of hydrogen and oxygen.


short video


longer video

(somewhat repetitive)

- now, even if it is science fair/chem class material without a practical commercial use, it still looks cool, and is an intriguing discovery
- if this is more effective (or cheaper) than common electrolysis, then it will be darn useful
- if actually more energy comes out of this thing actually than is required to run it... well, then this may be a very serious breakthrough. Pity those ~~*censored*~~ journalists don't ask that question.

Ancient Gamer · « **Reply #96 on:** September 12, 2007, 03:19:25 AM »

Cool. It was also fun to read all the pessimists in the thread below the (short) vid. Wherever there is a pioneer, there is also a horde of people telling him it can't be done. The best thing about those people is to DO it, and then taunt them for eternity.

valadaar · « **Reply #97 on:** September 12, 2007, 06:53:11 AM »

After falling hook line and sinker for Cold Fusion back in my high school days, I'll believe this one when they sell them in Canadian Tire...

valadaar · « **Reply #98 on:** September 12, 2007, 07:33:30 AM »

And for the bad news..

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/09/12/russia.bomb.ap/index.html

Chaosmark · « **Reply #99 on:** September 12, 2007, 11:48:03 AM »

While I could shift between either pessimistic or optimistic about that one, I won't. I'll just state that it's the result of modern laws in the US causing problems with civilian R&D.

In other news:
http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=u3gtv3ik54

Daaaaaaang. Is that how PC drunkards are?