Wow… I think now have enough reading for the next ten years. Science buffs gather ’round, the library is now open! Plant alkaloids, organic reactions, aluminium and its alloys, its some good stuff!
Category: Science
Radioactive Venom May Cure Cancer
This will either cure the cancer or give the patients super human abilities. OK, I realize that the radioactive part is an iodine tracer used to see where the venom is going in the body but the idea is cool. In a comic book sort of way.
The study showed that a synthetic version of a protein found in the venom of giant yellow Israeli scorpions targeted tumor cells but did not harm the healthy cells of brain cancer patients.
Look forward to a whole new crop of bad comic book references in the near future:
Other researchers are investigating whether a protein in snake venom can stop bleeding and whether Gila monster venom can treat diabetes. They also have developed a painkiller based on the venom of a deadly sea snail.
That’s right, he has the powers of the deadly sea snail! Yeah, Spiderman is quaking in his boots now.
[via slashdot]
The Horizon Hydrogen Powered Car
Science should be fun. It’s just that simple. When you hear people talking about alternative fuel sources you are sure to hear the H word but just how can a lighter than air gas make a car move? Well it’s all because of fuel cells. What’s a fuel cell you ask? I guess your rock isn’t in a free wifi zone is it. Fuel cells convert hydrogen an oxygen (typical stuff that powers a fuel cell, but just about anything rich in hydrocarbons will do, like gasoline for example) into electricity by passing them across or through a material that produces electrons when these two gasses hit it. So what could be more fun than having on that runs a car? It comes with an water cracker to make the O2 and H for the car and instructions. If your looking for a fuel cell to play with this would be where to start.
Blind Reading with Ray Kurzweil
I received an email about this a few days ago:
Combining a state-of-the-art digital camera with a powerful personal data assistant, the "camera that talks" puts the best available character recognition software together with text-to-speech conversion technology–all in a single, handheld device. The Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader has the ability to dramatically enhance the lives of millions of people who have difficulty seeing or reading print by providing access like never before. Users need only hold the Reader over print-a restaurant menu, an airline ticket, a business card, a school assignment, an office memo-and in seconds they hear the contents of the printed document played back in clear synthetic speech.
Now this is what I call a life changing device. The price is a little up there ($3,600 US) but the doors it could open for a blind person are endless. If your ever in want of a place to donate your extra money to, there are few places that are better than National Federation of the Blind. Buy one of these and donate it to a local charity and you will be sure to change the lives of many people.
Making Put-Put Boats
I saw this today on Flickr.
The put put boat is a steam powered boat. In this use, they are hand made from either baking pan aluminum or flashing. The boiler is made by cutting and flattening a soda can, folding it, then epoxying in two straws.
I remember building these when I was a little kid. It’s a great way to learn a bit about steam power. And what floats and what won’t. 🙂
Earth vs. Meteorite
This has been going around the ‘net for a few days. If you haven’t seen it you should, ignore the notion that if this happened we would all be majorly screwed. However, the effects are very cool.
[via Ursi]