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GamesArchive for February, 2009
If you are a fan of Quake, you can now play it online and multi-player in your browser for free with the Quake Live Open Beta: Quakelive.com There is a quick tour available on the site, or this video shows you what the training tutorial looks like inside the game: If you think about it, [...]
Are scientists as preoccupied with sex as teenagers?
by Marshall Brain | February 26, 2009
Are scientists as preoccupied with sex as teenagers? You might get that impression after seeing the coverage this prehistoric fish is getting: 1) Fish fossil clue to origin of sex (includes video demo) 2) Fossil proves sex started 350 million years ago 3) Scientists Find First Animal That Had Sex 4) Study of fossils shows [...]
If you go to YouTube, you can find some amazing hydrofoil videos. Like this one: Or this: The technology works with Navy-size ships as well: This sailboat is able to reach 47 knots by flying on hydrofoils: The technology even works in a kayak: So what is going on here? There are two things to [...]
Here’s the answer: What Is ‘Volcano Monitoring’? One of the volcanoes being monitored is Mt. Redoubt in Alaska, which has been showing signs of possible eruption potential in 2009. A USGS scientist talks about monitoring this volcano here: Will Mount Redoubt Erupt? Here is one way the volcano is monitored: Learn more at the Alaska [...]
Q and A: Jack Horner Wants to Re-Create T. Rex From Chickens — What Could Possibly Go Wrong? – “Flip the right genetic switches in a chicken embryo and you just might hatch a baby dino. Paleontologist Jack Horner intends to do it. He explains his scheme to rewind evolution in a new book, How [...]
Almost no one likes junk mail. It’s seen as wasteful, unproductive and — potentially — harmful. Listen in as Josh and Chuck take a closer look at the nature and effects of junk mail in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Bentley Continental Supersports: The Fastest and Most Powerful Bentley Ever
by Scott C. Benjamin | February 25, 2009
Bentley Motors, part of the Volkswagen Group has just announced the release of the Bentley Continental Supersports — a car that they’re calling, “the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever.” That says a lot when you’re talking about a company that has a 90-year history…a history that includes a long list of Grand Touring cars, ultra luxury cars and several outright race cars.
In the early part of the 20th century, Bentley cars were known for their speed and superior performance. Of course, they remain just as strong today, but they’re typically better known as symbols of style and elegance.
The new Continental Supersports model is said to offer prospective buyers 621 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque from a 6-liter, twin-turbocharged, W12 engine that rockets the 4,939-pound car from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, according to the Bentley Motors press release.
You asked: How were cats domesticated? — Willyum, Lafayette, La. Marshall answered: Let’s start with the basic domestication process. To domesticate an animal, you start with a species that can learn to like human beings and put up with our foibles without either a) running away, or b) causing too much death or destruction. Why [...]
You asked: How do some organisms produce bio-illumination? — Dhruv, Varanasi, India Marshall answered: All bioluminescent creatures – jellyfish, glow worms, fireflies and so on – use a chemical reaction to create light. Nature has come up with a chemical called luciferin that makes this possible. Glowsticks also create light through a chemical reaction, although [...]
Worst Names Revealed — Is Yours One of Them?
by Charles W. Bryant | February 25, 2009
I’ve always found it interesting something so closely tied to oneself as their name is the one thing that you don’t get to choose. Sure, you can change your name and create a new identity for yourself, but most of us go through life with the name our parent’s gave us, for better or worse. This morning, BBC news turned me on to a recently published list of the most unfortunate names in the UK. It was compiled by The Baby Website after researchers dug into online phone listings in England.
Some of the more unfortunate names included Hazel Nutt, Justin Case and Stan Still. The site also checked out some American listings and found a Bill Board and an Anna Prentice, among others. Dr. Les Plack, a San Francisco dentist, seemed destined to live up to his name.
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