Videos
Podcasts
Blogs
Quizzes
GamesArchive for February, 2010
Samsung’s new 3DTVs get an early eyes-on, through $150 shutter glasses – “Firsthand impressions outside the CES crucible are flowing in following the worldwide launch of Samsung’s new LCD 3DTVs. UK publications have gotten up close with production versions of the new HDTVs, TechRadar observed the Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray disc packed in with the [...]
Stuff from the Science Lab Roundup: Edison 1, Topsy 0
by Allison Loudermilk | February 26, 2010
The history of science is rife with rivalries. Back in the 17th century, Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz starred in what author Jason Socrates Bardi calls “The Greatest Mathematical Clash of All Time,” a clash that centered roughly on who invented calculus. Today, both mathematicians are typically credited for their contributions to calculus. In the late 18th century, British chemist Joseph Priestley and French aristocrat Antoine Lavoisier argued vigorously over who discovered oxygen. Nowadays, the American Chemical Society attributes the discovery to Joseph Priestley.
At the end of the 19th century, Thomas Alva Edison, the forefather of the motion picture, squared off against brilliant inventor Nikola Tesla.
So I’ve written about boxed wine before, as well as the amazing environmental benefits its streamlined packaging confers. According to the New York Times, switching the 97 percent of wines meant to be consumed in less than a year from bottles to boxes would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two million tons.
Turns out my knowledge of boxed (and internally bagged) beverages was extremely limited.
Understanding magic #9 – The David Blaine Shoelace Trick
by Marshall Brain | February 26, 2010
Here is a simple but very convincing trick that anyone can do. It is so convincing that David Blaine has performed it on prime time TV, as seen here: David Blaine Shoelace Trick on ABC Here is someone else performing the same trick with the addition of untying the laces first: It looks totally legitimate. [...]
High Speed Stuff Wrap-up: Automotive Recalls and Route 66
by Scott C. Benjamin | February 26, 2010
So, you’re back. I suppose you’re here for the lowdown on the latest High Speed Stuff podcasts, right? Well, here’s what Ben and I have been talking about on iTunes this week…
On Tuesday, we had a discussion about automotive recalls. You’ll notice that we kept the conversation focused on automotive recalls in general, and didn’t really choose to spotlight the current Toyota issues. Instead, we decided to investigate how the recall process works. After all, that’s what we do, right? Anyway, we looked at everything from the initial indication of a problem right through to the point where the customer brings his or her vehicle in to the dealership service center for the actual repair.
How to slice a pizza so it’s completely fair and equal
by Marshall Brain | February 26, 2010
Most of the time when they slice a pizza, the operation looks something like this: But this method leaves a big question – If two people are sharing the pizza, how do they know they are both getting a fair and equal amount? There are several ways to get to fair and equal. One way [...]
Where are the friendliest people on the planet?
by Amanda Arnold | February 26, 2010
I like my people like I like my mittens — warm. So where should I (and you) go to meet the warmest people on the planet?
Well, according to a 2003 study, the friendliest cities were Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, San Jose, Costa Rica and Madrid. Researchers gathered their data quite scientifically — they dropped pens on sidewalks to see if anybody would pick them up, and they feigned blindness or an injury to see if anyone would help them.
World Record #130 – the world’s largest solar boat is gigantic
by Marshall Brain | February 26, 2010
The world’s largest solar boat is huge, as you can see in this video: Photos are available here: This Is What Kevin Costner Should Have Had In Waterworld the world’s largest solar-powered boat, with 5,382 square feet of solar panels. The ship, measuring 102 feet long and almost 50 feet wide, took 13 months to [...]
Imagine you are NASA in the 1970s. You have successfully landed on the moon multiple times, you are landing robots on Mars, Skylab is America’s first space station and you are building the space shuttle (and still believe it is going to save a ton of money). It is a time of extreme optimism. Nothing [...]
Podcast Goodness: Bail and Bounty Hunters
by Charles W. Bryant | February 26, 2010
Good afternoon, my fellow friends and loved ones. It’s nice to be back in the land of podcast goodness after a one-week hiatus, due to our travel to the “land of eternal Spring.” It’s been a while, so if I’m rusty bear with me. I might recap the wrong podcasts or suddenly think I’m supposed to write poetry or something. If that happens, send help to my cubicle please.
This week on the Stuff You Should Know podcast program, the old partner in crime and I actually did our first honest-to-goodness suite of shows.
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
- Have a Coke and a Smile
- The Latest in Frugal Lodging: Camping in Somebody Else’s Backyard
- The Painted Beauties of Bucovina
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
- Space Music: DJ Food and ‘The Search Engine’
- Stuff to Blow Your Mind: Hug it Out
- Space Music: Jay-Z and Beyoncé to Film Music Video in Orbit
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
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
- Tips for in-car Navigation Systems
- Tips for Using Bluetooth in the Car
How-to Stuff
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
- How to Know When It’s Time for a New Pet
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 36: Now Available in 3-D
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 35: Let’s do brunch!
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 34: Play it again, Sam
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
