Amusing: Convicts leave guard early Christmas gift

Two escaped convicts left a gift for one of their prison guards: a thank you note expressing gratitude for giving them the tools they needed to dig a hole in the wall. It's generally believed that the guard is innocent, and that the note was intended to get back at the with the guard; however, authorities are investigating the guard just in case. Found on Scott Adams' Blog

Article: Crossing the Uncanny Valley

Peter Plantec, a psychologist, writes an interesting article on the "Uncanny Valley" with respect to movies like Final Fantasy, Polar Express, Pirates of the Carribean, and Beowulf. The article introduces six attributes that distinguish cartoon from realistic, and how pushing them too far results in cognitive dissonance. Found on Neil Gaiman's Blog

Tech: Tunguska asteroid smaller than once thought

A new supercomputer model indicates that the Tunguska disaster may have been caused by an asteroid significantly smaller than originally thought. The devastation, covering an area the size of Tokyo, was thought to be caused by the mid-air detonation of an asteroid 30 metres wide with 10 times the mass of the Titanic. The new simulation indicates that the asteroid only had to be one-quarter that size. This result has implications for the people tracking asteroids; there are many more objects of this size sweeping close to the earth.

Tech: Micro-nuclear reactor

You might want to take this story with a very large grain of salt, but it is entertaining enough to include here. According to NextEnergyNews, Toshiba has developed a small 200-watt nuclear reactor, designed to operate for up to 40 years with minimal maintenance. The system is designed for small businesses or apartment blocks. The announcement says a test system will be in place by 2008 or 2009, and is expected to generate electricity for half the cost of power available on the grid. Found on Slashdot.

Tech: Healthy eating too expensive for many

A new study has shown that it is becoming more expensive to eat healthy. Over a two-year period, the price of healthy food increased by more than 20% while the price of high-calorie food increased only 5%, no more than would be expected from the rate of inflation. Healthy foods were defined as those high in nutrients and low in calories, such as fish, vegetables, and whole grains. They determined that, for many low-income and even middle-income people, healthy eating is not an option they can afford, and the problem is expected to get worse in the coming years.

Gadgets: sQuba underwater car

The sQuba is billed as the world's first car that is capable of driving both on land and under water. The vehicle is rated for depths of up to 10 metres. An onboard SCUBA system allows the driver to avoid the embarrassing situation of drowning at the wheel. Just the thing to use as a stocking stuffer... provided you have a really big stocking.

Tech: Self-sensing tire

Purdue University researchers have developed a tire that is able to predict its own failure. Sensors can alert drivers to low or unbalanced tire pressure, degradation of tread depth, or punctures.

Tech: Whale missing link

Scientists believe that the beat shown here, known as Indohyus, may be the evolutionary link between land mammals and cetaceans.