Neatorama

Egyptian Queen’s Perfume to Be Resurrected Posted: 26 Mar 2009 04:05 AM PDT The favorite perfume of powerful Egyptian "she king" Hatshepsut may be resurrected from residue found in a 3,500-year-old perfume bottle. X-ray photographs of the 4.7-inch-tall (12-centimeter-tall) bottle, from the permanent collection of Bonn University’s Egyptian Museum, reveals remnants of the ancient oil. Scientists plan to identify the substance and, possibly within a year, re-create the perfume. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by lannaxe96.

Strangest Beasts to Ever Die Posted: 26 Mar 2009 04:03 AM PDT A collection of strange animals whose fossils have been discovered. More than 99 percent of all species that have lived on Earth are now extinct. Sometimes extinctions actually accelerate the evolution of life on Earth. As some forms of life weaken and die off, they create opportunity for other species to grow and flourish. Take a look at these creatures and imagine what life would be like if they had survived! Shown is the 11-foot-long armor-plated shark-eating Dunkleosteus. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by itschrome.

Obituary of the Pillsbury Doughboy Posted: 25 Mar 2009 05:00 PM PDT Dear friends, Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours. Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much dough on half baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive role model for millions. Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart. The funeral was held at 350 for about 20 minutes. Thanks Jen and Tiffy! And yes, this is an oldie but it’s still a goodie Does anyone know the origin of this little story?

How We Get Breakthroughs in Science Posted: 25 Mar 2009 04:34 PM PDT This panel from Zach Weiner’s webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal reveals what I’ve always suspected about physicists. If you’ve never read SMBC, you’re missing out on a treat. Check it out.

Jill Price: The Woman Who Can’t Forget Posted: 25 Mar 2009 03:13 PM PDT Quick: what did you have for lunch yesterday? How about two days ago? If you remember, then you have a pretty good memory - but how about remembering everything you have seen and experienced throughout your life in vivid detail as if it was happening right now? Meet Jill Price, the woman who simply could not forget: The three UC Irvine scientists who studied her decided that her case deserved its own name—hyperthymestic syndrome, academic Greek for "exceptional memory"—and it’s not hard to see why. I come prepared with a stack of questionnaires, and when we return to her house, Price is kind enough to let me administer my tests, easily blowing through the first few. I ask, for example, if she can tell me some dates of famous accidents and airline crashes; she’s all but unstoppable. She instantly retrieves from memory the exact dates of the explosions of space shuttle Challenger and Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. She remembers not just that September 25, 1978, was when a PSA flight crashed in San Diego but also that the jet collided with a Cessna. She can go in either direction, disaster to date or date to disaster. When I say "January 13, 1982," Price has no trouble recalling the Air Florida flight that plummeted into the Potomac. According to McGaugh’s Neurocase article, Price is even more astounding on the events of her own life. At the scientists’ behest, for example, she recalled—without warning and in just 10 minutes—what she’d done on every Easter since 1980. "April 6, 1980: 9th grade, Easter vacation ends. April 19, 1981: 10th grade, new boyfriend, H. April 11, 1982: 11th grade, grandparents visiting for Passover .. And before you think it’s a wonderful thing to have such a prodigious memory, imagine this: Jill Price remembers all the sad and bad things in her life - the death of loved ones, for instance, like it’s happening right now. Time heals all wounds, but not for Jill Price. Link (Photo: Bryce Duffy) Here’s a clip of Jill Price as interviewed on 20/20 by Diane Sawyer: [YouTube clip] Jill recounts her experience in her new book: The Woman Who Can’t Forget If you find this interesting, check out our previous post: 10 Most Fascinating Savants in the World

Man Confessed Murder on “Deathbed,” then Got Better … Posted: 25 Mar 2009 03:12 PM PDT Psst! If you’re a criminal and you’re considering a deathbed confession, make sure you’re actually dying first. Here’s what happened to a man named James Brewer, who thought he was dying and confessed to a murder … only to get charged with it after he got better! Convinced he was dying after a stroke, Mr Brewer reportedly admitted shooting dead 20-year-old neighbour Jimmy Carroll. The 58-year-old, who had fled Tennessee after the killing, was arrested after his condition improved, reports the BBC. "He wanted to cleanse his soul, because he thought he was going to the great beyond," said police detective Tony Grasso, who interviewed Mr Brewer in an Oklahoma hospital. Link

Reinterpreting Little Red Riding Hood Posted: 25 Mar 2009 11:59 AM PDT [YouTube - Link] For a school assignment, Tomas Nilsson decided to create this animation of the story of the Little Red Riding Hood, in the style of Röyksopps Remind Me music video. From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by xpresscm.

One Small Leap For Owl Posted: 25 Mar 2009 11:53 AM PDT …One Giant Leap For Owlkind! Steven Waterhouse of Plympton, Devon was walking along a nature trail near his home when he spotted this tawny owl on a fence post. He grabbed his camera and clicked just as the owl levitated off the post and into the air. This photo, along with other wildlife photos by Mr. Waterhouse, will be used by the UK’s National Trust as part of an exhibition of his work. “It was just one of those very rare moments when you capture the essence of a beautiful creature.” – Steven Waterhouse Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

The Einstein Quiz Posted: 25 Mar 2009 09:11 AM PDT Today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss revolves around the site’s mascot, Albert Einstein. Think you know Einstein? I scored a miserable 40%, which, as a mental_floss blogger, I should be ashamed to admit. No doubt you will do better! Link

Why dogs chase their own tails: High Cholesterol Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:45 AM PDT Veterinarians have discovered an interesting connection between dogs who chase their own tails and their blood cholesterol levels.  In a study published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, researchers took blood samples from 15 healthy dogs that were compulsive tail chasers, along with samples from 15 healthy dogs that did not chase their tails.  When their samples were analyzed, the tail chasers were found to have significantly higher levels of blood cholesterol Researchers theorize that cholesterol affects the cell membranes which control the flow of brain hormones.  Previous studies have shown a correlation between high cholesterol levels and certain behavioral problems in humans. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.

Star Wars Cantina on Harp Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:45 AM PDT [YouTube - Link] 12 years old Benjamin is playing this classic Star Wars music. From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Christophe.

Magazine Released as Tattoo Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:44 AM PDT The Swedish tattoo magazine Tare Lugnt “published” its third issue as a tattoo! I can’t find who the person tattooed is, but I suspect it might be Marc Strömberg. That’s what you call a “limited edition”! Link to story (with video). Link to magazine site. -via Buzzfeed

130-year-old Woman? Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:41 AM PDT Sakhan Dosova of Karaganda in northern Kazakhstan has documents that say she will celebrate her 130th birthday on Friday. Census officials discovered that her documents all agree that her birthdate is March 27, 1879. Records show she was on the books as 47 years old when a census was taken under the Stalinist regime in 1926. Nailya Dosayeva, head of social and demographical department of Karaganga regional statistics bureau, said there is no doubt that her claim is authentic. ‘Sakhan Dosova was found during our census held in February and March. She has an old passport and documents which are genuine, and based on these we can judge her age as being correct.’ The local mayor Islam Togaybayev went to visit her ‘to personally congratulate her on such an achievement and show his respect’, said his spokesman. Other officials are not so sure. Some Kazakh bureaucrats want more checks to be done to ascertain the accuracy of her claim, pointing out that birth records in Kazakhstan in the 19th century are notoriously unreliable. ‘We can see that this is turning into a big story and for the sake of our country, we need to be sure her claim is correct,’ said one official. According to one version of her life, she must have given birth to several children over the age of 60, he said. ‘There is no doubt she is very old. But is she really 130? Or was there a white lie long ago which was never corrected? We need to find out.’ Dosova attributes her longevity to a sense of humor. Link -via Unique Daily

Chop Shops and Green Pancakes Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:39 AM PDT Today brings another installment of the continuing adventures of sculptor Joel Haas in Taiwan, in which Joel has his name translated phonetically into Chinese, yielding a memorable, if embarrassing phrase. He then has a chop made with his characters. Link Previously at Neatorama: A Trip to Taipei’s Shilin Night Market and Not In Kansas Anymore

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