Saturday, February 09, 2013

Images From Space Lead to Discovery of 9,000 Penguins

Emperor penguin colonies are not easy to find: Their breeding grounds are remote, icy expanses, that are unobservable at distances greater than just a few kilometers due to the curvature of the Earth.
Images From Space Lead to Discovery of 9,000 Penguins

What on Earth is that thing on Mars?

A 'shiny protuberance', spotted on Mars by Curiosity Rover, has had the internet aflutter for days.
What on Earth is that thing on Mars?

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

20 Optical Illusions That Might Break Your Mind

Viewer discretion advised! Do not scroll down unless your brain is made of steel and your nerves are Teflon. Some people simply cannot stand optical illusions.
20 Optical Illusions That Might Break Your Mind

Sunday, February 03, 2013

Saturday, February 02, 2013

Giant Sinkhole Swallows Entire Building In China

Imagine standing on the road one day and having a sinkhole suddenly swallow you whole. Or imagine sitting in your house and having a giant sinkhole vaporise your entire building. That’s what happened in China.
Giant Sinkhole Swallows Entire Building In China

Grand Central at 100: Cool Stuff You Didn't Know

Today one of America's busiest railroad stations, Grand Central Terminal in New York, turns 100 years old. The iconic structure, located in the heart of Manhattan, serves thousands of passengers every day and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Originally built by the New York Central Railroad, today it is used exclusively by Metro-North Railroad, New York's regional commuter rail line.
Grand Central at 100: Cool Stuff You Didn't Know

Friday, February 01, 2013

This New Zealand Moonrise Might Be Better Than Any Sunrise

This video is stunning. Made by visual effects artist Mark Gee, the real-time video shows the moon rising over Wellington, New Zealand. It’s incredible to see the dark sky filled with the gigantic glowing orb. Just seeing that off-white colour float up makes me more excited than any sunrise ever.
This New Zealand Moonrise Might Be Better Than Any Sunrise

Thursday, January 31, 2013

ScanNow for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

The free scanner checks whether your network-enabled devices might be vulnerable to attack through the UPnP protocol.
ScanNow for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

A Comprehensive Guide To Firewalls

In the construction industry, a “firewall” is a specially-built wall designed to stop a fire from spreading between sections of a building. The term spread to other industries like car manufacturing, and in the late 1980s it made its way into computing. On one side of the wall is the seething electronic chaos of the Internet. On the other side is your powerful but vulnerable Web server.
A Comprehensive Guide To Firewalls

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Understanding Humans And Life With Numbers Is Overwhelming

Men lie, women lie, number’s don’t. PBS takes a look at the sheer ridiculousness of some numbers and then compares them against each other.
Understanding Humans And Life With Numbers Is Overwhelming

Lost pet tortoise found in family storeroom 30 years later

Leandro Almeida of Rio de Janeiro was cleaning out a storeroom at his family's home when a neighbor noticed a tortoise in a box meant for the trash. Turns out, the tortoise was Manuela, a family pet who they thought escaped back in 1982.
Lost pet tortoise found in family storeroom 30 years later

For 40 years, this Russian family was cut off From all human contact

In 1978 a team of Russian geologists took a helicopter to a remote part of Siberia and encountered a family that had not had contact with anyone for 40 years. The family were Old Believers -- members of a "fundamentalist Russian Orthodox sect, worshiping in a style unchanged since the 17th century." They fled to Siberia in 1936 to escape persecution.
For 40 years, this Russian family was cut off From all human contact, unaware of World War II

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

See What Astronauts Really Eat in Space

Freeze-dried Neapolitan ice cream often comes to mind when we think about what our astronauts are eating high above Earth in the International Space Station. But the extraterrestrial culinary world is a bit more refined these days.
See What Astronauts Really Eat in Space

Monday, January 28, 2013

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 2/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 2/2013

Science Proves Whether The Chicken Or The Egg Came First

ASAP Science definitively answer the question of which came first — the chicken or the egg.
Science Proves Whether The Chicken Or The Egg Came First

Saturday, January 26, 2013

This Is The New South Pole

There’s a new Geographic South Pole Marker, a pretty shiny metal pole that marks the actual geographic pole. Since the ice sheet that covers Antarctica moves, the previous marker moves along — about 10m from its real position. So the scientists from the Amundsen-Scott base celebrate each New Year by unveiling a new pole in the actual geographic pole position.
This Is The New South Pole

Spotting science mistakes in the movies

Today's movie-watching tech makes it easier to spot flaws, and the Internet makes it easier to share them. But different people notice different kinds of flaws, in different contexts. In a post from 2010, journalist Colin Schultz writes about a study that examined the differences between the kinds of scientific movie mistakes that men noticed, and the kind that women found. Everybody saw the errors, but the context was different.
Spotting science mistakes in the movies

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Which Country Has The Fastest Internet, And How Does Australia Compare?

Akamai ranks countries based on their broadband speeds every quarter. In its latest report for Q1 2013, the top-ranking country has an average peak connection speed of 54.1Mb/s. Which country do you think that would be? Hint: Its the third time in a row to be in first place.
Which Country Has The Fastest Internet, And How Does Australia Compare?

The Best Sites Where ELL’s Can Learn About The Super Bowl

Larry Ferlazzo: Friday is one of the days my Intermediate English class spends a period in the computer lab, and I thought it would be a good opportunity for them to spend a few minutes learning about the Super Bowl (which is being played on Sunday). Here are my picks for The Best Sites Where ELL’s Can Learn About The Super Bowl:
The Best Sites Where ELL’s Can Learn About The Super Bowl

These Amazing Optical Illusions Are Simply Beautiful

I love the work of Shintaro Ohata. His canvases are beautiful on their own but, when he mixes painting and sculpture, he creates optical illusions that take his art to a whole new level.
These Amazing Optical Illusions Are Simply Beautiful