Archive for January, 2008
In 2008, hundreds of planes will be flying with in-the-air wi-fi service. One technology comes from AirCell. This is an air-to-ground connection using EV-DO technology. EV-DO is the same technology used by Verizon and other cell phone companies to give laptops broadband access through the cell phone network. AirCell has purchased spectrum (800 Mhz) that [...]
Public Service Announcement – Avoid the dip bowl at a party
by Marshall Brain | January 31, 2008
If you are at a Super Bowl party this weekend, you may want to avoid the dip: Dip Once or Dip Twice? The concern is “doubling dipping” – a concern first given wide publicity by an episode of “Seinfeld.” The problem mentioned in that episode is that some people take a bite of a chip, [...]
Crazy Aircraft #28 – The AD-1 “scissor wing” airplane
by Marshall Brain | January 31, 2008
The AD-1: See also: Ames-Dryden-1 (AD-1) From the article: It was designed as a low-cost/low-speed research aircraft to test a pivot wing design. The AD-1 took off with its wing positioned at a right angle with the fuselage. Once in the air, the wing would rotate on its pivot point on the fuselage until it [...]
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory is a NASA satellite that will orbit the earth and measure CO2 levels in the atmosphere with high accuracy. The goal is to find sources and sinks for CO2 to better understand where CO2 is being created and absorbed on the planet. This page describes the mission: OCO – Orbiting Carbon [...]
Cool, but strange: And the slo-mo is nice. The obvious question: how did they create the explosions? It would appear that they used a licensed pyrotechnician for the shoot and that he/she used flash powder. This video, for example, shows the effect of two ounces of flash powder: This page shows a van explosion using [...]
The 9/11 conspiracy theory popped (very briefly) into the news again this week because 9/11 hecklers had another run-in with Bill Clinton: Conincidentally with that, I have a friend who sent me links to a series of 9/11 conspiracy theory videos called “September Clues”. The gist of September Clues seems to be, “we can find [...]
Most drugs travel through the bloodstream. If a drug molecule is too large, or dissolves in stomach acid, it must be given as a shot. Learn more about shots in this HowStuffWorks podcast.
Question from a reader: How Does LCD Response Time Work?
by Marshall Brain | January 30, 2008
Here’s the question: One things that I have run across on my quest for a TV is: Pixel response time, shown as 8 ms (milliseconds) more or less. Where does this fit in and what range should we be looking for? If you are looking to buy a new LCD HDTV, there are several things [...]
A 10 year old builds an awesome snow making machine with an air compressor and a pressure washer: Real-World Calvin Builds Snow Machine, Creates Backyard Mountain Overnight The link includes a video showing his invention. For more info see: How snow makers work [See previous TIM]
Tired of that pesky snow weighing down your truck and causing all kinds of unnecessary drag? [[[See previous invention]]]
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
- Traveling on the Orient Express
- Deep-fried Goodness at Carnival
- The Colors of the Running of the Bulls
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: In the Lair of the Rat King
- Mandala: Memory Palace, Inception and Simulated Worlds
- Virgin Galactic: $200,000 Ticket to Ride
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
- Amazing Medical Conditions: Maple Syrup Urine Disorder
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
- Tips for in-car Navigation Systems
How-to Stuff
- How to Make the Most of a Gallery Crawl (When You’re on a Shoestring Budget)
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 40: Did movies ruin love?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 39: Urban Legends
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 38: Defending Disney Princesses?
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics

