This would make one helluva UPS...

Toshiba has developed a new class of micro size Nuclear Reactors that is designed to power individual apartment buildings or city blocks. The new reactor, which is only 20 feet by 6 feet, could change everything for small remote communities, small businesses or even a group of neighbors who are fed up with the ( Read more... )

Two very funny stories for a Monday morning.

First up, Ken Levine's greatest home run call (with a tip of the hat to Jon at Dodger Thoughts for pointing it out).

Second, Chad Orzel's absolutely hysterical Bunnies Made of Cheese.

Scientists create cloak of partial invisibility, i.e., an invisibility cloak that doesn't work very well. Actually, it sounds pretty neat.

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Scientists in Russia have synthesized element 118 by crashing calcium atoms into californium. The reaction produced a little element 116, as well. No word on whether they sighted the Island of Stability ( Read more... )

The Daily Kos is running the text of Pluto's concession speech.

Dick Cheney has issued a statement:

"Pluto's demotion today is a victory for the terra-ists."

(Thanks to Linkmeister for the link.)

News item: Pluto Designated for AssignmentPluto: You wanted to see me, Skip ( Read more... )

Watched the jets again a little while ago. It's a little better day for it. High overcast, but not raining (yet), with a nice breeze. It was incredibly muggy early this morning, but a line of thundershowers came through around 8:30 that knocked it back a little. It's actually quite pleasant out there now. Weather.com is forecasting thundershowers ( Read more... )

The Wooden Periodic Table Table...
 

Gray, rainy day. What this day needs is a little science humor:

Two Scientists Walk In, One Walks Out...

Meanwhile, I keep running across kerfuffles where I really didn't expect them, like one about Jered Weaver's college baseball career over versus Mark Prior's mentioned over at Baseball Analysts. Sabermetrician Smackdown! It's not that ( Read more... )

No new major disasters today, other than that I forgot to grab my book this morning. Actually, that's not quite true. I went into the back room, grabbed the book off the nightstand, put it on the kitchen counter while I picked up my satchel and lunch bag, and then walked out the door without it. Which meant I got to spend lunch time in my truck ( Read more... )

Inventor denies using dead cats for fuel. I don't see why there was so much outcry, even if he was using dead cats. I mean, they'd already be dead, right? I could see it if he was actually stuffing live cats into the gas tank (put a tiger in your tank...), but the claim was that he was using ex-cats. Also, if you can use dead cats, it means you ( Read more... )