![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Apr. 21st, 2008
Science articles
Apr. 21st, 2008 08:30 amChinese publisher creates book from artist's website, but neglects to ask permission - The artistic work of, and interviews with, Darren Di Lieto were copied from his website without permission and used to create a book that now sells for $100(US) online. The publishing company, based out of Hong Kong, even used a fake ISBN number as well as a fake contact information so that they could not be contacted directly. The artist recognized that there was little he could do against the publishing company itself so has been attempting to get resellers to pull the book but with little success so far. Darren provides more details about the case on his website. Found on Warren Ellis's blog.
Australia deems high-powered laser pointers a prohibited weapon - People caught carrying class 3 or class 4 lasers without a lawful reason face up to 14 years in prison. This follows on a spat of incidents in which people were pointing the lasers at aircraft, running the risk of blinding pilots. The problem is particularly serious with regard to green light lasers that have the dual problem of long range (up to 2 miles) and green light is the wavelength most readily absorbed by the eye (resulting in more serious eye damage). Found on Slashdot.
Defeating evolution in 4 easy steps - provided you ignore some basic scientific principles. Biologist PZ Meyers tears apart the Bryan Fischer article Defeating Darwin in 4 easy steps. Found on ScienceBlogs
Your brain on ice - Steven Higgins explains how to ship a brain... and why this might be important information to know. Found on ScienceBlogs
Sexual Fluidity - Jonah Lehrer writes to articles on who our perception of sexuality as a binary function (Straight or Gay) may be overly restrictive. He cites a Lisa Diamond article in which she states that, particularly for women, may be less about gender and more about connection; that is, they may be more "sexually fluid". Jonah postulates that this may be true for men, but modern culture may suppress male sexual fluidity, forcing them to restrict their choices to either Straight or Gay. See also Jonah's follow-up article. Found on ScienceBlogs.
Australia deems high-powered laser pointers a prohibited weapon - People caught carrying class 3 or class 4 lasers without a lawful reason face up to 14 years in prison. This follows on a spat of incidents in which people were pointing the lasers at aircraft, running the risk of blinding pilots. The problem is particularly serious with regard to green light lasers that have the dual problem of long range (up to 2 miles) and green light is the wavelength most readily absorbed by the eye (resulting in more serious eye damage). Found on Slashdot.
Defeating evolution in 4 easy steps - provided you ignore some basic scientific principles. Biologist PZ Meyers tears apart the Bryan Fischer article Defeating Darwin in 4 easy steps. Found on ScienceBlogs
Your brain on ice - Steven Higgins explains how to ship a brain... and why this might be important information to know. Found on ScienceBlogs
Sexual Fluidity - Jonah Lehrer writes to articles on who our perception of sexuality as a binary function (Straight or Gay) may be overly restrictive. He cites a Lisa Diamond article in which she states that, particularly for women, may be less about gender and more about connection; that is, they may be more "sexually fluid". Jonah postulates that this may be true for men, but modern culture may suppress male sexual fluidity, forcing them to restrict their choices to either Straight or Gay. See also Jonah's follow-up article. Found on ScienceBlogs.
More tech articles
Apr. 21st, 2008 05:33 pmCanada's largest renewable energy resource is tidal power - so says a recently-completed study lead by the National Research Council of Canada. They have completed mapping not only the total quantity of available energy, only a fraction of which can be tapped using current technologies, but where the best energy returns can be found. The west coast has a wave energy potential of 37,000 megawatts, while the east coast has a potential of more than 150,000 megawatts (more than double Canada's current energy demands). I expect that with the melting of the Arctic ice field tidal energy may become economical in the north as well.
Clinton plans to renegotiate NAFTA to make it more pro-American - Oh? Really? Apparently she wants to beef up enforcement, re-evaluate the agreement every five years, and enact further restrictions on foreign companies attempting to bid on US military contracts. Found on Rick Mercer's blog.
PETA offers X-Prize for vat-grown meat - PETA has announced that it will give $1,000,000(US) to any company that comes up witha way to make ..."commercially viable quantities of in vitro meat at competitive prices by 2012.". The decision was reached after what has been described as a "near-civil war" in which members had a strong adverse reaction to contemplating the consumption of even vat-grown meat. Found on Slashdot.
Bionic eye begins clinical trials in Britain - Patients in Britain have just received the first bionic eye implants as part of a larger study of their clinical efficacy. The device consists of a pair of glasses with a tiny camera which then beam signals to a receiver at the back of the eye. The receiver then stimulates any remaining retinal nerves to, hopefully, give the patient some ability to visually perceive the environment.
Clinton plans to renegotiate NAFTA to make it more pro-American - Oh? Really? Apparently she wants to beef up enforcement, re-evaluate the agreement every five years, and enact further restrictions on foreign companies attempting to bid on US military contracts. Found on Rick Mercer's blog.
PETA offers X-Prize for vat-grown meat - PETA has announced that it will give $1,000,000(US) to any company that comes up witha way to make ..."commercially viable quantities of in vitro meat at competitive prices by 2012.". The decision was reached after what has been described as a "near-civil war" in which members had a strong adverse reaction to contemplating the consumption of even vat-grown meat. Found on Slashdot.
Bionic eye begins clinical trials in Britain - Patients in Britain have just received the first bionic eye implants as part of a larger study of their clinical efficacy. The device consists of a pair of glasses with a tiny camera which then beam signals to a receiver at the back of the eye. The receiver then stimulates any remaining retinal nerves to, hopefully, give the patient some ability to visually perceive the environment.