2007 March

Thousands of people with liver and kidney disease die every year from too much ammonia in their blood, and scientists from the United States and Japan have found a possible solution. In the April 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal they report that a protein which excretes ammonia through pufferfish gills is similar to human [...]

Crumpled kitchen foil that lays flat for reuse. Bent bumpers that straighten overnight. Dents in car doors that disappear when heated with a hairdryer. These and other physical feats may become possible with a technique to make memory metals discovered by researchers at the University of Illinois.
Normally, when a piece of metal - such as [...]

Going to the dentist can be scary. But today’s Warped site is on that makes the trip a little more interesting, at least in a cerebral sense. So click on the link below, and away you go.
The name of the site is Hip Hop Dentistry. For years, Dr. Cunning has been known by many as [...]

Over at Digital Media Thoughts, Jason Dunn has interviewed SanDisk’s Le Tran about the upcoming Sansa View Pocket Video Player. He writes:
When I travel, I really enjoy watching videos: TV shows, ripped DVDs, etc. Unfortunately I’m still seeking the ultimate device for portable video: something that combines a big, bright screen with a reasonable amount [...]

As the electronics industry continues to churn out smaller and slimmer portable devices, manufacturers have been challenged to find new ways to combat the persistent problem of thermal management. New research published in the March 19 issue of Applied Physics Letters suggests that carbon nanotubes may soon be integrated into ever-shrinking cell phones, digital audio [...]

By the title of today’s Web site, you might think it is sports oriented. But you are wrong. You are so wrong. It is a site that salutes, IMHO, the funniest comedian ever to grace a stage, screen, or television set. So pay attention, dummy, and read on.
The name of the site is The Hockey [...]

I’ve been a huge fan of the Logitech Harmony line of programmable universal remote controls for quite some time. And my new Harmony 880 just reinforces my opinion that these are truly fantastic devices.
I was humming along just fine with my Harmony 659, the most basic Harmony model. It was setup to run my main [...]

As more and more corn grain is diverted to make ethanol, there have been public concerns about food shortages. However, ethanol made from cellulosic materials instead of corn grain, renders the food vs. fuel debate moot, according to research by a Michigan State University ethanol expert.
Bruce Dale, an MSU chemical engineering and materials science professor, [...]

A little knowledge can be dangerous. A lot of knowledge can be even more so. But a whole lot of knowledge will give you today’s Warped site. So put on your thinking cap and lets head over to Cool Quiz.
The name of the site reflects what it is all about. It is about quizzes, you [...]

Researchers believe they have solved a mystery that has puzzled evolutionary scientists for years… if ‘good’ genes spread through the population, why are individuals so different?
The so-called ‘lek paradox’, that sexually-selecting species like humans should have much less individuality than is the case, has been seized upon by creationists as an argument that Darwin’s theories [...]

Get ready for the coolest, most colorful shades on the planet: Chemists at the University of Washington in Seattle say they are developing ’smart’ sunglasses that will allow the wearer to instantly change the color of their lenses to virtually any hue of the rainbow.
Whether you like your lenses clear, red, green, blue or purple, [...]

A few years ago, I broke down and got my wife a dog for her birthday. Actually I just gave my permission for her to go pick one out. She got a miniature poodle, mostly because she has dog allergies and they have hair, not fur. Well, here is it, three years later, and we [...]

Dutch researcher Paulette Prins has demonstrated that plastic does not have to be a poorer conductor than present-day semi-conductors. This opens up the way for a revolution in consumer electronics: mobile phones and MP3 players will soon survive being dropped.
Just imagine it. Consumer products that do not break if accidentally dropped, devices with flexible screens [...]

A pioneering “biofuel cell” that produces electricity from ordinary air spiked with small amounts of hydrogen offers significant potential as an inexpensive and renewable alternative to the costly platinum-based fuel cells that have dominated discussion about the “hydrogen economy” of the future, British scientists reported here today.
The research was presented at the week-long 233rd national [...]

One of Jim Carrey’s most popular movies was “Dumb and Dumber.” A couple of wild and crazy guys and their adventures in the middle of winter. Well, today’s Warped site takes the concept of dumb and elevates it to a new height. Get ready to read about some folks and events that are sure to [...]

XM Satellite Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio today issued the following comment on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision adopting new rules for digital audio broadcasting:
“The FCC decision underlines that HD radio on the AM/FM bands provide a real alternative to satellite, and that the current audio entertainment market is broad, robust and competitive. The [...]

Have you ever wondered how fraudulent or malicious Web sites can rank highly on search engines like Google or Yahoo?
Queensland University of Technology IT researcher Professor Audun Josang said a Web site’s ranking was determined by the number of people who visited the site - the more hits the higher the ranking.
But this system is [...]

It’s not Halloween, but this site was so cool and weird that it just couldn’t wait until October. It is really way out, and has a real Harry Potter/Hogwarts feeling to it. So for a spooky time in the old town tonight, click on to today’s Warped site.
The name of the site is The Sorcerer’s [...]

I guess France has been keeping a watchful, wine-blearied eye on its borders for the last half century just in case Germany tries any more funny stuff and, in so doing, has made some pretty interesting observations. Today France is, shall we say, surrendering this information to public scrutiny. Maybe Agent Mulder was working for [...]

As more and more people are turning to the Internet to find information, important science Web sites are in danger of becoming buried in the sheer avalanche of facts now available online. Key science sites are failing to register in the top 30 Google search results.
New research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council [...]