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Allison Loudermilk just wants more people to give science a chance. As the science editor, Allison edits most of the stories on things that blow up and otherwise keep researchers busy in the lab and moldy old basements. She has a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Barnard College in New York City. When she’s not contemplating the mysteries of the universe, Allison dabbles in motherhood, running and reading. Be sure to leave a comment on the blog with your favorite sci-fi book and film picks so she will never, ever confuse "Star Trek" with "Star Wars." Not that she does. You can find Allison on Twitter @BlowtheMind and on Facebook at the official Stuff to Blow Your Mind page.
Most Recent: Allison Loudermilk Postings
Recently I spent a rainy afternoon tromping around PITTCON, the annual mega conference and exposition that’s unabashedly devoted to laboratory science. If you’ve spent a little time in a college chemistry class years ago, you might recognize some of the names for the equipment on display at PITTCON, but that’s it.
These aren’t your mama’s mass spectrometers or liquid chromatographs.
The Real Scoop on Hibernating Black Bears
by Allison Loudermilk | February 17, 2011
Have you ever wondered whether you had a slow metabolism? You probably don’t, because it’s rare, according to the Mayo Clinic folks. On the other hand, black bears in hibernation do. We know this thanks to five American black bears and a handful of intrepid researchers based out of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, who got an up-close, heavily documented look at what happens during hibernation. The research was released today in the journal Science.
Peruvian Potatoes Uproot, Try Their Luck in the Arctic
by Allison Loudermilk | February 15, 2011
Today’s a big day in potato preservationist circles. Yes, there is such a thing. It marks the beginning of a massive collaborative effort to safeguard one of the world’s most important crops: the potato, of course. South American potato farmers and plant scientists worried about the fate of our favorite tubers have decided to start sending seeds from more than 1,500 different South American potato varieties to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in remote Longyearbyen, Norway. Quite a change for potatoes used to their historic mountainous home in the Peruvian Andes.
Unless you’re buried under a mountain of snow, you may have heard that what may prove to be the craziest cyclone in Australia’s recorded history, Cyclone Yasi, is currently bashing into the province of Queensland and the roughly 400,000 people living in the storm’s projected path, according to Reuters.
On NPR this morning I heard Queensland Premier Anna Bligh ominously saying that the window was fast closing for people looking to flee the Katrina-strength storm. Which led me to wonder, what do you do if you don’t flee in time?
A few weeks ago, a measly few inches of snow brought Atlanta and the surrounding areas to their knees. One of the snowstorm’s wintry “gifts” didn’t melt away though — the rat that had moved into my cute little hybrid in the week or so that my car hadn’t been moved. I’d like to call it a chipmunk or a mouse, but let’s call it what it is: a rat.
As you might expect, our relationship is an uneasy one.
OK, this isn’t quite science, but I have to get this off my chest. I’ve been thinking a lot about popcorn.
Yes, popcorn.
As I was munching some of the fluffy stuff and contemplating my holiday to-do list the other day, it occurred to me that popcorn is the perfect packing material. It’s biodegradable, easily available and fairly cheap, and I finally learned how to cook it without standing sentry by the microwave. (Of course, corn is seriously in demand these day for the food and energy supplies, so the cheap part may not hold true.)
I’ve only had a caffeinated alcoholic beverage once. It was a Red Bull and vodka. After consuming it, I remember feeling the urge to do some jumping jacks, instead of, say, dancing like the other normal partygoers. That’s it. But as you guys well know, caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs) are ridiculously popular. Head to a convenience store to stock up before a big night and you could encounter as many as 25 different brands of these beverages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heck, you can even find anti-energy drinks, as Robert noted in a post a while back. But what’s so bad about mixing alcohol and energy drinks?
The No. 1 element has been on my mind lately and probably yours, too. With about 60 hydrogen fueling stations across the U.S. and a chain of stations linking the Eastern seaboard in the works, thanks to SunHydro, you’ve likely heard the hubbub around hydrogen vehicles. What other roles will hydrogen plays in our lives beyond fuel cell personal vehicles? With that in mind, here a couple of ideas, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program and its fall 2010 report.
U.S. Navy Rethinks Fuel Tank Convoys
by Allison Loudermilk | October 15, 2010
Fossil fuels are under attack these days — literally. In October 2010 alone, attackers have targeted NATO fuel convoys in Pakistan on six different occasions, killing seven people and destroying dozens of oil tankers, according to Nasir Habib’s CNN story. In one instance, 54 different tankers went down, Habib reports.
When you think about the great, big lumbering trucks and factor in some basic military strategy, it’s easy to see why the vehicles are picked off.
Let the Kilowatt Crackdown Begin!
by Allison Loudermilk | October 1, 2010
There’s a crackdown in my little Southern community — a kilowatt crackdown — and it starts on Oct. 1. Today! The goal of the crackdown, as you astute folks have already discerned, is to slash energy consumption and make people rethink their behaviors when it comes to powering their households.
The event in question is sponsored by Earth Aid, a Washington-based organization founded in 2007 specifically to educate folks about their energy usage. How?
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
