An inverted distribution of particles in available energy states has been created in the lab. This is deeply weird. It looks like thermodynamics-violating weird. If it's real and scalable, it may be world-changing.

There are stones which appear to push themselves around a dry lakebed in Death Valley, but nobody has caught them at it--until now.

Chameleon vine imitates host plants; mechanism unknown. (Ganked from theweaselking.)

In other plant news, the walking palms apparently don't actually migrate by growing new roots as they are alleged to... it made a good story, though.

I wrote this in the context of a discussion in my parish's LGBT & Straight Alliance group. The question of the duality and complementarity of gender as expressed in Genesis (and referenced specifically by Jesus) was raised, and how to square that with homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderedness, etc.1 This is a rather deeper and harder question ( Read more... )

Read this article on quantum entanglement first.

If your brain hasn't imploded yet, here's a question:

What would happen if Alice and Bob checked the correlations of their measurements before Victor decided whether or not to turn on his entangler?

(Link ganked from dagibbs!)

This is very cool... there are some neat options to play with, including a planet-tracker in Tychonian mode.

I leave the country on vacation and everything goes to hell, it seems.

First, Ottawa gets hit by an earthquake. I'm glad nobody was injured!

Then, the Provincial "government" very quietly designates downtown Toronto as a "public work" so that they can apply the Public Works Protection Act for a little while. The Black Block accomplished sundry ( Read more... )

Very Big

Very Small

Ganked from theweaselking!

Two things, both cool:

Knowledge and ignorance, or why "The best lack all conviction, while the worst/ Are full of passionate intensity." Somewhat scatologically phrased, but very well thought.

Things I Won't Work With: a blog about incredibly dangerous chemicals, wonderfully written.

Communication with "vegetative" patients through fMRI demonstrated.

Ganked from theweaselking.