- Sonic black holes trap sound waves – “A black hole created by Israeli scientists won’t destroy Earth, but it could make our planet just a little bit less noisy.” From Kevin.
- The girl’s guide to Comic Con – Go squeal over Jake Gyllenhall’s washboard abs! Or sexy vampires! Eee! But don’t actually have an interest in anything that’s comic-related. Here’s a response: I Hate You So Much. Both links from Lisa.
- Giant sperm show size matters for some animals – “Tiny mussel-like creatures living 100 million years ago made giant sperm longer than their own bodies, proving size has always mattered for some animals when it comes to sex, scientists said on Thursday.” From Infinite Monkey.
- Focus on the Family to women: You can wear pants now
- Cute Animal Friday! Carrie found these photos of adorable killdeer chicks. I think I’ve posted tawny frogmouth chicks before but they’re just such cute little puffballs. And how about a pack of basenjis reacting to a cell phone ring (via Improbable Research)?
Aaaaaarrrrrgggh! at the Comic Con article. I’ve not made it to a comic convention yet (actually, my geeky con experience is pretty limited: one sci fi con 20-some years ago and a Xena con about 10 years ago), but I hope to one of these days.
Note to self–go peruse the Girl Wonder forums sometime soon. One of the blogs there is called “Girls Read Comics (and They’re Pissed)”.
Aww, that frogmouth chick looks grumpy.
Before anyone tears into me, yes, I know I’m putting my recognition of human facial expressions on a non-human animal, a kind of….what’s that word? Paraphanoia?
The only thing funnier than those howling dogs was my border collie trying to figure out where the howling came from — she was so confused.
From the I Hate You So Much smackdown: Yeah, you heard that right: Girls are totally going to love this [werewolf] movie because of their periods.
That explains werewolves, but I still don’t get the Brad Pitt thing.
Where does focus on the family get off? Don’t they know women are only allowed to wear micromini skirts?
@durnett: 12 Monkeys. I didn’t get him either ’til I saw 12 Monkeys. And Seven. Dude can act.
Hold on … “nearly three millimeters per second. That’s more than four times the speed of sound”.
.003(m/sec) x 3600(sec/hr) = 10.8 m/hr = .01 km/hr.
That’s four times the speed of sound?
@marilove: I really liked him in Legends of the Fall. Loved his character.
@marilove: Good actor. No debate about that.
What I don’t get is the “I just want to stare at him” activity. Sure, he’s attractive but why do some actors and actresses inspire this “sexiest person alive” obsession where other, equally attractive, people don’t. Is it confusion between a specific character and the actor? Is it something particular about his appearance that I just don’t get?
Most importantly, how can I inspire women to throw themselves at me?
In a related story, the city of Brooksville, Florida has made underwear mandatory for its workers.
@durnett: I dunno, because people like pretty people?
I’d imagine it has a mix to do with his looks, and his talent, and luck….
I don’t find him more attractive than many other actors, but everyone has different tastes.
Also, Brad Pitt is a vocal supporter of gay rights. That’s hot.
Erm, that “related story” thing was for the Focus on the Family article. Not Brad Pitt. Just so you know.
@Steve:
Hey everybody, Steve told me that Brad Pitt doesn’t wear any underwear!
@durnett: Sigh…
I wish we got Comic Con in London.
I heard from Durnett, who heard it from Steve, that the actors won’t be wearing any underwear this year ………
What’s that? Comic-Con is going underwear-optional this year?
@Steve: I think it has always been underwear optional for certain people. You ever see poison ivy?
@Steve:
Apparently, the Darwin Awards are experimenting with proactivity. They’re working on the hypothesis that it is physically possible for a Twilighter to scream herself to death in the presence of an underwear-less Robert Pattinson.
Had to figure a Mormon story and underwear would get connected at some point.
@James Fox: I found out about the magic mormon underwear from a shipmate when we were in Kuwait. He told me that the Underarmour corp was manufacturing their special sweat wicking underwear in cooperation with the mormon church so it was the extraspecial magical mormon and wicked sweat away.
@Gabrielbrawley: When I’m working up a wicked sweat I usually don’t have any underwear on.
All baby animals rock & TAM is my comic-con!!!
@James Fox: Okay, now I’m blocked. Wick, Wicking, Wick – ed? what is the past tense.
@femmebieninformee: COTW.
As if more than 1% of the world’s women were waiting for Dr. Dobson to give them permission?
I actually work at the Woodland Park Zoo, I am so glad to see our tawny frogmouth made it onto Skepchick. It is probably the only cute baby bird I’ve ever seen. Usually they are terrifying looking little monsters when they hatch.
@SkepPunk: It is probably the only cute baby bird I’ve ever seen. Usually they are terrifying looking little monsters when they hatch.
So are baby humans. I know that I am going to hell for not seeing the beauty in a newborn child, but they look like angry lizardmen to me.
@SkepPunk: That’s so cool it’s your zoo’s chick. So they’re cute right out of the shell?
@durnett: I couldn’t agree more. They don’t hit cute until around 5-6 months, usually. Though I have seen the occasional alarmingly cute newborn.
@Amanda: They do once they dry off anyway.
I tried to share this with some co-workers, but the zoo’s internet filter has apparently decided that Skepchick is porn and is blocking it. Oh well.
@PretzelsAndBeer:
Speed of sound in what medium?? I’m thinking that the rubidium clouds are in vacuum (since air at 50 mK is solid). If there is a gap between the clouds, then what medium is present to conduct pressure waves? The story is definitely lacking in info.