Neatorama

Second-Chance Spiders Posted: 04 May 2009 01:10 AM PDT 36 hours after drowning, wolf spiders were able to revive themselves and suffered no ill effects, scientists discovered recently. A study at the University of Rennes in France found that wolf spiders died after 24 to 36 hours of being immersed in water. But when the scientists came back to weigh the dead spiders, they found them alive again. Apparently wolf spiders can put themselves into comas and shut down the metabolic processes that do not require air. Arachnologist Julien Pétillon says, “There could be many other species that could this this that we do not know of yet.” Link (image credit: Sonia Dourlot ) From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

The Weird Life Cycle of the Ladybug Posted: 04 May 2009 01:08 AM PDT It is that time of year again and as the aphid population swells, so will that of the ladybug.  The insect itself has a fairly strange life cycle and here it is for you in all its wonderful gory, sorry, glory. The male has an insect penis which is called an aedeagus. A "lock and key" fit means that if he gets it wrong and tries to mate with another species of ladybug, he will not get to third base! Fertilization, as you can see, is internal, which surprises many people. It doesn't exactly start with a kiss, but with a little Barry White in the background this could almost be classed as romantic! Almost, but not quite! Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by taliesyn30.

Taco Bell Drive-Thru Folk Song Posted: 04 May 2009 12:58 AM PDT [YouTube - Link] A variation on the rap drive-thru.  Done for viral advertising purposes but still enjoyable.  I think Neatorama ran a less-slick version of this long ago, but I can’t find it. From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Frosty Shaking Its Tail Feather Posted: 04 May 2009 12:54 AM PDT So - I posted Snowball the parrot, the subject of a very scientific experiment to see if birds can dance. But Snowball might well just have two left claws when compared to a bird named Frosty. Here’s a clip of Frosty the parrot shaking its tail feather to Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers’ Twist It (Shake Your Tail Feather): Link [embedded YouTube clip, video by Karla K. Larsson)

Which Disney Princess Are You? Posted: 04 May 2009 12:53 AM PDT Which Disney princess are you? Just answer these 10 probing (kidding!) questions over at Brainfall to find out. Apparently, I’m Pocahontas: You defy convention and sometimes do what is considered taboo. Unfortunately, others do not always appreciate your differences, so it’s good that you are so strong-willed. You are loyal and you believe in fate. Your true love will find you one day. Link - via The Zeray Gazette (Maybe they’ll do villains next, now that will be fun!) So, which Disney Princess are you?

How NOT to take a Breathylzer Test Posted: 04 May 2009 12:51 AM PDT In this short and sweet Serbian video clip, cops stopped a grandpa and administered a breathalyzer test … they didn’t even have to turn the thing on to bust him for drinking. See what happened: Link [embedded YouTube clip]

YouTube Helps Man Deliver Baby Posted: 03 May 2009 07:34 PM PDT Jo Stephens of Cornwall had planned a home birth, but when her labor pains started, no midwife could come. And the ambulance wasn’t going to make it in time, either. Luckily, her husband Marc had been watching YouTube videos just hours before on how to deliver a baby. A few hours earlier, Mr Stephens has been reading up on home births and how to cope with anything unexpected. “The videos gave me peace of mind. I think I would have coped, but watching videos made things much easier.” The Stephens delivered a 5 pound, 5 ounce boy they named Gabriel. Both mother and child were later taken to a hospital where they were pronounced healthy. Link -via Gizmodo

Reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula In Real Time Posted: 03 May 2009 04:49 PM PDT Today marks the first day in the year (May 3rd) of what would be Jonathan Harker’s journal. Dracula Feed has started an experiment of blogging Jonathan’s journal in "real time", publishing each journal entry the day it would have happened. Experience Bram Stoker’s Dracula in a new way — in real time. Dracula is an epistolary novel (a novel written as a series of letters or diary entries,) and this blog will publish each diary entry on the day that it was written by the narrator so that the audience may experience the drama as the characters would have. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by MonkeyDay.

Fun With Gas Posted: 03 May 2009 01:09 PM PDT [YouTube - Link] Most people know that inhaling helium will make your voice sound like Donald Duck, but what gas will make you sound like Darth Vader?  From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.

Blue Koi in Maruoka Castle Posted: 03 May 2009 01:07 PM PDT Filmmaker Dan Savage took this picture of a uniquely colored koi found in the ponds of Maruoka Castle, the second oldest standing castle in Japan. Beyond the unusual blue color overall, the mottled burgundy and indigo effect from the more vividly colored scales on this carp's back makes it even more attractive to me. I could be wrong, but I would guess this fish would be prized far more than a basic $500 nishikigoi specimen. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.

The Monastery Built on a Volcanic Plug Posted: 03 May 2009 01:05 PM PDT In central Burma there is a remarkable monastery, Taung Kalat, that sits atop an ancient volcanic plug.  Looking like the possible lair of a Bond villain or maybe ET’s next port of call should he make a return visit, this amazing piece of architecture has weathered many a storm.  However, it may be finally brought down by the neglect of the military Junta that runs this troubled nation. Yes, that’s right a volcanic plug. It sounds dangerous but at this stage in its life, Taung Kalat poses no threat. A volcanic plug (sometimes called a 'neck’) is formed when magma, on its way up through a vent on an active volcano, hardens inside the vent. While the volcano is active this could well lead to the mother of all explosions and it would, you have to admit, be a shame if this beautiful monastery was to be catapulted in to the stratosphere. However, the volcano is thought (perhaps we should say hoped) to be extinct. Link (image credit: Flickr user exfordy) From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by taliesyn30.

Invisibility, the Old Fashioned Way Posted: 03 May 2009 01:03 PM PDT While the magic of Photoshop has made it easier than ever to doctor photographs to portray the improbable or impossible, nothing quite matches doing a double take in real life. British art student Sara Watson parked a donated Skoda Fabia car outside her art studio and painted it so that, from just the right angle, it looks invisible. Shadows on the ground and the slight contours of the car give it away, but other than that, it’s as if it were draped with Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility or a cloaking device from Star Trek. Link From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by tempeh.

Bicycle + Treadmill Hack Posted: 03 May 2009 01:00 PM PDT Photo: frankh Remember the mobile treadmill posted on Neatorama a while ago? Well, Flickr user frankh spotted a DIY version at MIT (where else?). Apparently, it’s what you get when you cross a bicycle with a treadmill - via GadgetLab

Bird Can Dance Posted: 03 May 2009 12:59 PM PDT [YouTube Clip] Cancer schmancer, scientists at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego have finally solved the age-old question that has eluded science for centuries: can birds dance? Cats, dogs, and lab monkeys spend lots of time around human music. But no animal had ever been confirmed as moving to a beat—leading to the common belief that animals ain’t got rhythm. For one of two new studies on animal dancing, Aniruddh Patel at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego and colleagues worked with Snowball the parrot, which seems to love "dancing" to the likes of Queen and Backstreet Boys. To test whether the sulphur-crested cockatoo was really keeping a beat, the scientists would change the music’s tempo—represented in these videos as "BPM" (beats per minute). Not one to miss a beat, Snowball quickly picked up the new rhythms, stomping and head-bobbing in time. "We were surprised by the degree Snowball could adjust his tempo," Patel said. Link

Farmers Fearful Swine Flu Will Infect Pigs Posted: 03 May 2009 12:58 PM PDT Forget people! The real concern for farmers is not that humans get swine flu from pigs … it’s the other way around! Humans have it. Pigs don’t. At least not yet, and U.S. pork producers are doing everything they can to make sure that the new H1N1 virus, known around the world as the "swine flu," stays out of their herds. "That is the biggest concern, that your herd could somehow contract this illness from an infected person," said Kansas hog farmer Ron Suther, who is banning visitors from his sow barns and requiring maintenance workers, delivery men and other strangers to report on recent travels and any illness before they step foot on his property. "If a person is sick, we don’t want you coming anywhere on the farm," Suther said. Link Previously on Neatorama: - Scientists: Swine Flu Milder Than Run-Of-The-Mill Winter Flu - Swine Flu: Bacon’s Revenge - What is Swine Flu? How Does an Animal Disease Spread to a Human Host? - 5 Deadliest Pandemics in History

Why Is It So Difficult To Fire Bad Teachers? Posted: 03 May 2009 12:57 PM PDT Putting a man on the moon, solving Fermat’s Last Theorem, or firing a tenured teacher because of incompetence or even criminal behaviors: which is harder? While most teachers are good, decent people with the thankless jobs of teaching unruly kids with dwindling resources and ever-increasing class sizes, there are a few bad apples that really ruined school for a lot of children. But why is it so difficult to fire them? Jason Song of the Los Angeles Times investigates: Joseph Walker, a former principal of Grant High School in Van Nuys, was sued by a special education teacher whom he tried to dismiss for alleged repeated sexual harassment. A civil jury sided with Walker — but the review commission decided the teacher shouldn’t be fired. The case, now in the courts, has dragged on seven years. Confronting uphill battles like this, Walker said: "You’re not going to fire someone who’s not doing their job. And if you have someone who’s done something really egregious, there’s only a 50-50 chance that you can fire them." Walker is now principal of Discovery Charter Preparatory Academy in Pacoima, where he said he had fired three teachers so far this year. None were fired during his three years as head of Grant. The difference: His school’s teachers are not unionized and can be fired at will. Link (Photo: Joseph Walker. Photo credit: Liz O. Baylen / LA Times)

Blockbuster Quik Drop Box Oven Posted: 03 May 2009 12:56 PM PDT Cooks in Liberia are wily geniuses when it comes to recycling stuff. No oven? Not a problem - just take an old Blockbuster Video Quik Drop box and make it into one! Details over at AfriGadget: They showed me the oven, a big metal cabinet against the far wall; looks like a refrigerator on legs, to allow a coal pit to fit under the bottom, but when I get near it, I see it’s a Blockbuster Quick Drop Booth! The front, where the slit had been closed, faces the wall and the back door is to access the oven; inside are several fridge trays, on which they lay the pans. The door is then locked with a simple bolt and sealed all around with wet cloths. The cake was fabulous. Link - via BB Gadgets

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