CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-16 04:03:57 (10 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

Can your eyes tell the difference between Ultra & Full HDTV?

Someone asked the question above, and the answer is, it depends :) Generally yes, but when would you be able to detect a significant difference?

Whether or not you can distinguish between individual pixels on the screen depends on viewing distance and size of the display.

Visual acuity of 20/20 means at 20 feet away, you can clearly see separate lines printed 1.75mm apart, which subtend to 1 arcminute of "angular size" at your eye [1] (an arcminute is 1/60th of a degree). You can calculate how close you would need to be to actually detect certain specified distances on a TV.

If you have an 84" TV like the image below [2], the height of the viewing area of that TV with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is sine(arctangent(9/16)) * 84 = approximately 41 inches tall. Since 4k Ultra HD TV... more »

2013-06-15 05:28:50 (3 comments, 9 reshares, 29 +1s)

For 2 out of every 3 people on earth, a fast, affordable Internet connection is still out of reach.  Today we are unveiling our latest moonshot from Google [x] - Project Loon: balloon-powered internet access. Learn more: goo.gl/3VUHC

#ProjectLoon

2013-06-14 05:23:18 (17 comments, 230 reshares, 186 +1s)

Flying with Jetman

Swiss aviator and inventor Yves Rossy is the only the person in history to fly with a jet-propelled wing. He is a former military and commercial airline pilot who spent over 10 years developing and testing 15 prototypes prior to the most recent rigid carbon-fiber version with 4 jet turbines.

Jetman has made historic flights over the Swiss Alps, English Channel, and Grand Canyon with speeds up to 190 mph. Here's an amazing sight of him flying in formation with L-39 Albatross fighter jets of the Swiss aerobatic Breitling jet team:  Jetman Yves Rossy flies with the Breitling Jet Team over the Grand Canyon

Below is Rossy's TEDtalk from 2011.

#Jetman   #TED   #TEDtalks  

2013-06-07 05:45:22 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

Educational Opportunity on Climate Change
Where You Get Your Information Matters
(Additional resources below.)

Many events spark Internet debates on climate change. Yesterday, it happened to be a Google+ announcement of an upcoming Hangout with Al Gore on June 11, 2013 at 2pm EDT:  https://plus.google.com/+googleplus/posts/JsH4yzDuWL7

As you can see from the comments on the original post, it's quite challenging to have meaningful discussion on this topic for many reasons.

Aside from political factors and psychological barriers--which are two very large impediments in communicating accurate information--several readily identified sources of contention can be avoided:

• Interpreting hearsay as fact.
Hearsay is beliefs or rumors casually passed along by other people that cannot be adequately substantiated by the bulk of scientificli... more »

2013-06-06 23:22:25 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Hilarious video -- 'science never smelled so good!'

2013-06-05 08:38:47 (0 comments, 8 reshares, 21 +1s)

Advances in Mind Control and Robotic Telepresence
Quadcopter Navigation Using Thoughts

Biomedical engineering professor Bin He and his research students at the University of Minnesota have constructed a non-invasive 3D brain-computer interface (a 64-electrode EEG cap) to allow human thought to navigate a flying robot, making it turn, rise, dip, and even sail through a ring.

In the future, they hope to extend this functionality to controlling artificial limbs, wheelchairs, and other devices, particularly for those with impaired physical mobility or neurodegenerative diseases.

(Or, you know, if the need to control A Swarm of Nano Quadrotors or an army of robots ever arises.)

Article: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-helicopter-power-thought-video.html

Original UMNews featured article: h... more »

2013-06-02 07:29:33 (21 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

Stats: Men Using OkCupid Tend to Exaggerate Height

I'm taking an online refresher course on statistics for fun and came across this question (see image below). I took a wild guess at the answer, and it turns out I was right! :P

----------

Men's false claims of augmented physical traits likely stemmed from self-reported bias. This bias was reinforced by overcompensation for insecurity due to childhood abandonment and psychological inferiority due to frequent reprimands for chronic under-performance secondary to poor parenting and an inflexible faulty educational system. Constant ridicule and unchecked bullying from oppositionally defiant and treacherous childhood peers also contributed to self-deceit as a mechanism to cope with perceived inadequate stature, a byproduct of years of intense sociopsychological power struggles and competition.

Another... more »

2013-05-31 09:36:02 (4 comments, 9 reshares, 19 +1s)

Elon Musk Throws Us For a Loop, Yet Again. (Perhaps Literally.)

Along with Elon Musk's recent announcement to expand the Tesla Supercharger network, he dropped a vague hint about his next potentially revolutionary transportation project called a "Hyperloop", which he described as "a cross between a Concorde, a rail gun, and an air hockey table". Presumably, it could send people from L.A. to S.F. in 30 minutes.

The Business Insider article below speculates it could be a version of a Very High Speed Transit system using electromagnetically levitated vehicles traveling through sealed underground vacuum tunnels.

I actually think it could more likely be a version of the Launch Loop concept, which also more appropriately reflects the naming convention of a Hyperloop. But who really knows? 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lofstrom_loop
more »

2013-05-31 05:59:28 (3 comments, 8 reshares, 19 +1s)

Become a Master of Space and Time
Real-time 3D-rendered Data From NASA

This is REALLY cool. "Eyes on the Solar System" by +NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is an interactive simulation showing many significant objects of interest in space at any point in time from 1950-2050.

Explore the Solar System and Witness Spaceflight in Action
(For basic controls, see the last section below, view the site's tutorial, or just jump in. It's fairly intuitive to use.)

☼ Here are 3 of many fun examples to explore! ☼

1. Watch MSL Curiosity land on Mars... in person!
• From the Destination list, choose Spacecraft, Mars, and then MSL.
• Dial back the time to the night of August 5, 2012, hours before Curiosity touched down on Gale Crater.
• On the Visual Controls, select the Ride-along View to hop on. Zoom out alittle to ... more »

2013-05-30 19:29:38 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

Researchers have found that the ancient Egyptian trinket is made from a meteorite! The result explains how ancient Egyptians obtained iron millennia before the earliest evidence of iron smelting in the region, solving an enduring mystery. It also hints that meteorites may have inspired Egyptians as they began to develop their religion.

http://www.nature.com/news/iron-in-egyptian-relics-came-from-space-1.13091?WT.mc_id=GPL_NatureNews

2013-05-30 09:06:30 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

The White House continues its "We The Geeks" Google+ Hangout series this Friday, May 31st at 1pm CDT with a discussion on asteroids!

G+ Event and blog post:  https://plus.google.com/events/cv333b50h80jvrejdmq77p49gsc
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/05/28/we-geeks-asteroids

I'm assuming the discussion will focus on where we are now and what the U.S. could do to identify and track more asteroids, as well as the upcoming possibilities to literally use them as stepping stones to eventually support deeper space exploration.

Obviously, we are at a severe disadvantage if we don't know where those asteroids are. Some organizations say generating solutions to mitigate hazardous near-Earth objects is not as great of an immediate hurdle as the need to establish a more complete tracking database. Keeping tabs on potential threat objects within the inner solar... more »

2013-05-30 04:28:28 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

Kickstarting The Future of Space Exploration
 
When the Hubble space telescope was launched, many people said it was a waste of money and resources.
 
Requiring two space shuttle missions to get it right (first to put into orbit and then a second mission to fix the mirror) and a massive $2.5 billion expense, many proclaimed that it was a giant boondoggle and a drain on the taxpayers.
 
But over the past 23 years, the Hubble telescope has returned awe-inspiring images and scientific data that have transformed our understanding of the universe. Over 9,000 papers based on Hubble data have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
 
Today, most can agree that the Hubble mission was a resounding success and one of the crowning achievements of science and engineering. The project has inspired students, educators, and researchers from around the world, and giveneve... more »

2013-05-30 03:00:51 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 10 +1s)

What would you ask Julian Assange? He joins The Stream on Thursday, and we're looking for Google+ hangout participants. Post your question below and you may be selected to participate live on air. #Wikileaks   #Assange   #JulianAssange  

2013-05-28 19:22:20 (9 comments, 4 reshares, 17 +1s)

The Soyuz rocket that will carry +Luca Parmitano, Karen Nyberg and Fyodor Yurchikhin to the International Space Station on Tuesday night stands ready on the launch platform at Baikonur Cosmodrome. #volare

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

2013-05-25 02:04:30 (2 comments, 13 reshares, 20 +1s)

Explore Hubble & Webb Space Telescopes in a Whole New Way

Below are two excellent interactive free e-books from NASA with videos, concept art, cool diagrams, space images, and other photos accompanying easy-to-understand explanations of the science, technology, and history behind the 
+Hubble Space Telescope and new +NASA Webb Telescope.

Link to e-books (as well as non-interactive PDFs):
http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/ebooks.html

Learn more: http://webbtelescope.org/

2013-05-24 04:04:00 (5 comments, 6 reshares, 16 +1s)

Dark Energy & Dark Matter
Full size version: http://chandra.si.edu/resources/illustrations/infographics.html

The two largest pieces of the Universe that we know the least about, yet nothing less than the ultimate fate of the Universe will be determined by them. (Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)

Related Links: 
http://chandra.si.edu/resources/flash/univ_pie.html
http://chandra.si.edu/xray_astro/dark_matter/

2013-05-22 06:08:38 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

And we're live! I am so proud to have worked on this..
---
A month ago, hundreds of charities suggested ways great ways to use tech to change the world. Here are the 10 best ones.
Watch, vote and help choose the 4 we'll make happen this year.
g.co/impactchallenge baby!

2013-05-22 04:53:13 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

“There’s all this history I would have never known … but because of the game it gave me another layer of appreciation,” he said.

2013-05-20 08:19:27 (26 comments, 56 reshares, 69 +1s)

The arguments and false controversy over whether global warming exists (it does) and whether humans are responsible (we are) are ones generated by the public due to politics, deniers, interest groups, and lack of education.

According to the majority of climatologists and other informed analysts, most of the claims made by global warming skeptics on TV, online, and in print aren't based on legitimate science.

An extensive review of the scientific literature was just published on May 15, 2013 in Environmental Research Letters and is the most comprehensive meta-analysis on the subject ever performed to date.

The review looked at ~12,000 international studies on climate change from peer-reviewed scientific journals over the past 2 decades (1991-2011). Of these, ~4,000 studies specifically evaluated and expressed a stance on anthropogenic global warming: an... more »

2013-05-17 08:06:46 (12 comments, 15 reshares, 54 +1s)

Google Launches Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab

Google's quantum computer will be hosted at NASA's Ames Research Center where they plan to advance machine learning and pave the way for the next generation of efficient algorithms and powerful supercomputers.

http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2013/05/launching-quantum-artificial.html

#ArtificialIntelligence   #QuantumComputing   #DetectionAlgorithmA  

2013-05-16 18:22:25 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Last call for +Astronaut Abby's rocketship to the future! If you support STEM women, space, and dreaming big, consider helping 15-year-old Abigail Harrison reach her goal. She is SO close! Deadline is t-minus 40 hours left and counting!

Abby has been selected as the "Earth liaison" for an upcoming International Space Station expedition and wants to share her experiences with her peers via a global STEM outreach effort. Abby plans to reach 2,000 classrooms, speak at several national conferences, and write for science blogs and organizations. https://plus.google.com/114424163811716070551/posts/4EgP9uZ5A89

I believe this is important for several reasons, one of the biggest reasons being able to inspire a younger generation to do great things. In the past week, so many people have mentioned how much Cmdr. +Chris Hadfield has WOWed us all and that we would miss hisun... more »

2013-05-16 06:07:29 (19 comments, 39 reshares, 44 +1s)

[A bit of satiric comedy :) ]

Ever have the problem where you're trying to filter out melodramatic, close-minded, impetuous, or spoiled individuals, but combing through each circle becomes a bit tedious? Do you ever think, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a telltale psychological indicator revealing the maturity, sensibility, and poise (or lack thereof) of people in your circles?"

Us too. That's why starting today, we're happy to announce a great new feature we think you'll really enjoy. It's called the "initiative to Delete, Uncircle, Mute, and Block", or iDUMB for short.

Here's how it works:

Start by monitoring your stream very carefully. The moment a new update is rolled out, people will begin to make extremely negative, rebellious, hyperbolic, reactionary, and/or self-centered comments. (In other words, they... more »

2013-05-15 03:44:21 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

The director, a writer and some actors in the film "Star Trek Into Darkness" will join NASA astronauts as we host a Google+ Hangout On Air from noon to 12:45 p.m. EDT, May 16, about how work aboard the International Space Station is turning science fiction into reality.

Participating in the hangout will be NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, who currently is living and working aboard the space station; astronauts Michael Fincke and Kjell Lindgren at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston; director J.J. Abrams, screenwriter and producer Damon Lindelof; and stars of the film, Chris Pine, Alice Eve and John Cho. The participants will ask questions of each other and take questions from the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City (home of the space shuttle Enterprise), the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, and social media followers. 

Ask aque... more »

2013-05-14 20:01:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

"[G+] pages look set to become a mainstay of search results."

This would be reason enough for me to jump on this bandwagon -- I have set a personal goal of growing to 1,000 followers this quarter (small fries, I know, but a girl's gotta start somewhere) -- but my love for G+ doesn't stop with SEO. It's part of our everyday operations now. We use Google+ Hangouts for interviews with remote candidates (because everyone uses Gmail), I mine for trending topics to write about, I share articles with my coworker circle so we can brainstorm in a discussion thread.

Essentially, G+ isn't just for socializing. It's a collaboration and productivity tool that is seamless with other technologies I already use (Google Drive, Gmail, etc.). +Johnathan Chung +Google Enterprise   #google   #googleplus   #hangouts  

2013-05-09 22:03:28 (11 comments, 3 reshares, 25 +1s)

We're bringing together astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the Moon, and Conrad Anker, a world renowned climber who has summited Mount Everest, for a live Hangout. (Photo by Cory Richards, National Geographic) 

Join us on Monday, May 20 at 2 p.m. ET (7 p.m. UTC) to find out what it's like to push boundaries and take the ultimate risks.  

Use #LetsExplore to ask Aldrin and Anker about their experiences. http://bit.ly/11nXLuu

2013-05-09 04:42:59 (2 comments, 6 reshares, 21 +1s)

Abigail Harrison, also known as +Astronaut Abby, is a very bright, enthusiastic, and determined 15-year-old girl who dreams big: she aspires to be the first astronaut to set foot on Mars.

Below is a short clip about Astronaut Abby who has been interested in space since age 6 and later wanted to become an "astro navigator" :D

Her mentor is flight engineer and ESA astronaut +Luca Parmitano, whom Abby met 2 years ago while standing in line at the airport after the NASA Social Tweetup for the final voyage of Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Parmitano is set to launch to the International Space Station from the Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 29, 2013 as part of Expedition 36/37.

Not only will Abby be there in person as part of her #SoyuzAdventure  to share her experiences, but also will continue to promote STEM outreach as Parmitano's selected go-to person... more »

2013-05-04 06:09:35 (5 comments, 5 reshares, 40 +1s)

Solar Impulse’s 2013 Across America itinerary is now official!

Moffett Airfield (Mountain View, CA)
Sky Harbor International Airport (Phoenix, AZ) 
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, TX) 
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (St. Louis, MO)
Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C.) 
John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York City)

It looks like the next possible date for the kick-off of the 2013 Across America mission could be this Friday, May 3rd! Weather conditions permitting, the flight would take off from Moffett Airfield to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix (AZ). It will be an early departure, most likely before 6 am LT (UTC-7) with a landing after midnight local Phoenix time (UTC-7).
Join us in this incredible adventure! http://www.solarimpulse.com/join_us

© Solar Impulse | J. Revillard

2013-05-04 04:42:22 (5 comments, 5 reshares, 13 +1s)

Looks like debuting movie trailers and chatting with the movie's cast or crew using Google+ Hangouts has become a thing now :)

Steven Spielberg participated in one of the first major ones for Lincoln last September: Google Play presents: Steven Spielberg and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Will Smith and Jaden Smith's Hangout for +After Earth was 1.5 weeks ago: 
After Earth Google Hangout

Vin Diesel and the cast of +Fast & Furious 6 will hang out on Sunday, May 5th: https://plus.google.com/events/ckehnkde63kkr1ujbitd85ne4c4

+Ender's Game trailer world premiere and Hangout with director Gavin Hood, producer Bob Orci, and star Asa Butterfield is on Tuesday, May 7th: 
https://plus.google.com/events/cuito512urg0a64r6bc2ocuakuc

I'm sure there were others and will be many more!

2013-05-02 01:45:45 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Hoopes Vision Correction Center is hanging out in a live Hangout On Air. #hangoutsonair

2013-04-30 05:39:35 (14 comments, 23 reshares, 70 +1s)

Cyanide & Happiness is a great comic :)

The nature of science research...
http://www.explosm.net/comics/3155/

And after several decades, I just realized why they call them beakers: they have a small spout or "beak"!

Although technically this is an Erlenmeyer flask, not a beaker ;)

2013-04-30 03:54:12 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

SpaceShipTwo fires her rocket motor in flight for the first time, breaking the sound barrier. Today was an extremely important day for Virgin Galactic and for the future of human spaceflight. 

Photo credit: MarsScientific.com / Clay Observatory

2013-04-29 23:33:55 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 12 +1s)

Scientists have uncovered an audio file of Alexander Graham Bell recording himself and speaking in his laboratory. Learn more here: http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/25/4265300/alexander-graham-bell-telephone-inventor-voice-record-recovered

2013-04-28 02:42:41 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 38 +1s)

Tiwanaku, or Tiahuanaco in Spanish, is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Bolivia on the southeast shores of Lake Titicaca in the Andes over 12,500 feet above sea level.

The first written record in history of the ancient city was by Spanish conquistador Pedro Cieza de León in 1549. Astro-archaeologists believe Tiwanaku may have been inhabited as early as 1500 BC.

One of the most famous structures on site is a megalithic portal called Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun). It is 10 feet tall, 13 feet wide, weighs approximately 10 tons, and was constructed from a single piece of stone.

The lintel contains characters in the form of winged effigies with human faces or condor's heads surrounding a central figure. The main figure is holding staffs symbolizing rays of light.

Although there are several interpretations of the mysterious inscriptions found on the... more »

2013-04-27 21:27:33 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 16 +1s)

Processing Data from the Large Hadron Collider

The LHC produces 600 million collisions every second in each detector generating 1 petabyte of data per second. After drastic data reduction measures down to 100 GB/s, tens of thousands of processors select out 1 in 100 of the remaining events.

The info is then collected in the CERN Data Center, reconstructed, and archived. Copies are sent to large-scale data centers involving hundreds of thousands of computers distributed around the world.

A network of more than 170 collaborating centers in 36 countries form the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). Each day, WLCG processes more data than a corresponding single computer running for 600 years.

#WhereIsADA   #CERN   #LHC  

2013-04-27 05:36:03 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 24 +1s)

Monument to the Battle of the Nations

Völkerschlachtdenkmal is a monument to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig in Germany. It commemorates the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden defeating the French army of Napoleon.

The structure is 91 meters tall and one of the tallest monuments in Europe. The first level contains a crypt surrounded by eight large statues of fallen warriors next to smaller statues called the Totenwächter (Guards of the Dead). The second level, Ruhmeshalle (Hall of Fame), features four statues each 10 meters tall. They represent the four legendary historic qualities ascribed to the German people: bravery, faith, sacrifice, and fertility.

The main figure on the front of the memorial represents Archangel Michael, considered by some to be the "War God of Germans".

#awesomeportal   #nianticprojectresearch  <... more »

2013-04-27 04:21:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

The publishers of Alignment - Ingress by +Thomas Greanias have finally come to their senses and offered me a book deal that I am satisfied with, for now.

An Exotic Matter will contain 9 previously unreleased chapters, as well as a special addendum featuring exclusive, never before seen comic-art by the ghost artist, Tycho.

I welcome the +Niantic Project community's contributions as I finalize the cover for this book.

Submit your idea for the cover of the book as an image using #anexoticmatter . I will pick the submissions that were most outstanding on Wednesday, May 1st, and hold a contest to determine which cover should be chosen.

If you have read the first few chapters, submit a one sentence review ( also using #anexoticmatter ). I'm looking at you, +JoJo Stratton. The best review or a section of it, (chosen by me), will grace the... more »

2013-04-26 20:01:53 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 9 +1s)

In Afghanistan, a Chinese mining company threatens to destroy the remains of an ancient Buddhist city, which archaeologists are now racing to excavate. 

2013-04-26 08:20:15 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

Potential landing sites! I geek out about this stuff (technically 'selenography'---geography of the Moon).

Interesting to see +Astrobotic and +Moon Express as polar opposites here :D And the only teams really even attempting the highlands (mountains):

2013-04-23 02:48:23 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Join us Tuesday, April 23rd at 9am PST for a special Google+ Hangout for After Earth!

The After Earth Day Google+ Hangout will be moderated by futurist +Ray Kurzweil, Google's director of engineering. Joining Kurzweil will be Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and the co-founder of Tesla Motors and PayPal; the environmental advocate, explorer and filmmaker +Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of Jacques-Yves Cousteau; NASA astronaut +Sunita Williams, an Indian American astronaut and a United States Navy officer who holds the record for longest space flight by a woman; and Jaden Smith and Will Smith, the stars of After Earth. On the literal day after Earth Day, they will discuss the future that awaits the human race on Planet Earth, in the context of the overall themes of the action-adventure. After Earth will inspire a conversation focusing on the important questions we face about the present... more »

2013-04-22 07:03:15 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 18 +1s)

Tomorrow at noon EDT, Mars One will make one of its biggest announcements yet at a press conference in New York. Follow it live by tuning in: Mars One Astronaut Selection Program

2013-04-19 04:58:20 (42 comments, 2 reshares, 6 +1s)

Shooting on MIT campus has occurred ~10:30pm EDT near Bldg. 32 (Stata Center on 32 Vassar St.)

MIT's The Tech, NBC, and CNN report Cambridge Police Department (Middlesex District Attorney) has confirmed that officer has died. FBI on scene.

Suspect is still on the loose, but the gun has been recovered. All students advised to stay indoors.

Last update 10 minutes ago from MIT emergency info says police are continuing to sweep the entire campus.

Tweet from The Tech 5 minutes ago:
According to Boston police scanner, carjacking [of Mercedes] & headed towards Harvard Sq. License plate 137NZ1.

Update: Police scanner (as of 12:50pm EDT) is reporting more shots fired. 2nd officer down. They have mentioned "explosives are on the scene"--grenades and automatic gun fire. Suspect has stolen a black 2010 Dodge Caliber.
more »

2013-04-18 06:01:27 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 8 +1s)

Fertilizer Plant Fire and Explosion in West, Texas

Around 7:50pm CDT, a fertilizer plant (West Fertilizer Co.) in the small town of West, Texas 18 miles north of Waco caught fire and then exploded, decimating the plant. Mayor Tommy Muska reported heavy destruction to a 5-6 block radius. The injured were being transported using six helicopters and over 2 dozen ambulances, as well as private cars and a bus. 50-75 homes damaged. As of a 11pm news conference, Muska reported the fires appeared to be under control.

USGS preliminary report revealed the blast shook the ground equivalent to a 2.1 earthquake.

As of 12:30am, WFAA mentioned 45 people were treated at Providence Hospital (1 critical condition, 17 more in triage); 94 treated at Hillcrest Hospital, with at least 30 in serious condition; 20 patients sent to the level 1 trauma center Scott & White Hospital in... more »

2013-04-18 02:35:00 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 12 +1s)

This trailer is not for a movie, it's not for a TV show and it's not for a computer game.
This trailer is for the largest instrument ever built by humanity. An enormous space-based gravitational wave detector that will measure distortions of space-time, revolutionize astronomy, our understanding of physics, and the past and future of our cosmos. That's it really.....enjoy! :)

2013-04-17 04:41:04 (0 comments, 10 reshares, 27 +1s)

Dark Energy

A nicely written, short and simplified 4-page "field guide" and primer on dark energy: http://chandra.si.edu/xray_astro/dark_energy/

• What is dark energy?
• What is the evidence for dark energy?
• How much of the universe is dark energy?
• What are the current models and alternatives to dark energy?

Of course, there is also fun video introducing the concept of dark energy by +Henry Reich of MinutePhysics :D 2011 Nobel Prize: Dark Energy feat. Sean Carroll

Image: A composite of the Tycho supernova remnant combining X-ray and infrared observations obtained with +NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Spitzer Space Telescope, respectively. This type of supernova has been used to determine that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, possibly due to dark energy.

2013-04-16 04:42:53 (17 comments, 34 reshares, 98 +1s)

Archaeologists recently uncovered an ancient Egyptian harbor that predates any other known port structure in the world by 1,000 years. Along with the discovery are the oldest papyri ever found in Egypt, including some documenting daily activities of an official involved in building the the Great Pyramid.

2013-04-15 04:01:34 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

The Antilla Wreck, Aruba

The team leave Aruba today after a very windy 4 days surveying the western length of the island. A highlight for the team was this dive on the wreck of the Antilla, a German merchant ship that was scuttled by her crew during WWII. 

See more from the survey team here: http://www.catlinseaviewsurvey.com/

2013-04-07 23:02:16 (6 comments, 14 reshares, 42 +1s)

Great use of HTML5! 

Check this out: http://www.distancetomars.com/

2013-04-01 10:57:40 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 26 +1s)

Google Nose: First Review

I know you will see this a million times today, but it snot your average update. As I've said elsewhere, this smelled a little fishy to me at first too, up until the point I was actually invited to join their exclusive Nose Explorer™ program. I did have to pay out the nose to get it, but revolutionary technology like this is worth every penny and scent. Totally not something to sneeze at.

Not only do early adopters get to tour their state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, they also get to learn about the unique history and secrets behind their ol' factories too. They also provide a sneak peek (waft?) of upcoming security features like automatic "smelt-it dealt-it" detection and protection from malicious online "smell ya later alligator" attacks.

Google has already applied for patents on sniffing packets over an... more »

2013-04-01 09:09:47 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

You asked for Fiber in more places, and we've worked hard to make that happen. 

Introducing: Google Fiber to the Pole (coming to a fiberhood near you!)

For more information, and to locate a pole near you, visit google.com/fiber/poles

2013-04-01 06:43:40 (4 comments, 5 reshares, 14 +1s)

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