Cool facts and articles

[Plutonic Panda]

More amazing beauty if our planet.

These rare, mystifying clouds are referred to as “night-shining” clouds, or noctilucent clouds. They are formed under very restrictive conditions and are only seen in the summer, at latitudes north of 50 degrees.They originate in the layer called the mesosphere; making them the highest cloud formations in our atmosphere.

-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Strange Clouds - NASA Science

From the Earth Story

[Plutonic Panda]

This a pretty cool interactive "game" that allows you to zoom in and out and view the different sizes of anything from cosmic foam and the strings that make up everything as we know it to the entire known universe. Check it out.

Scale of the Universe 2

[Larry OKC]

Rocks that move on their own? Check out these crazy rocks in Death Valley!

Life in Death Valley - Racetrack Playa - The Mystery of the Racing Rocks | Nature | PBS

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Interesting. On a significantly smaller scale, I have seen full drink glasses travel on their own at restaurant tables...not in a straight path...involves the bottom of the glass being wet for sure as it leaves a water trail

[Plutonic Panda]

[Dustin]

I think I made a new thread for this a while back but here it is again.



I watch this probably about every few weeks... Neil deGrasse Tyson for president!

[Dustin]

Also, this:

[kelroy55]

[Plutonic Panda]

I love that!!!!! lol

[Plutonic Panda]

New documentary premiering tonight on PBS about the Earth!

A new documentary premiering tonight (Feb. 13) on PBS promises to show the Earth as you've never seen it before ... from space.

Produced by NOVA, the documentary "Earth from Space" explores how satellites and spacecraft have revolutionized how scientists look at the world and its intricate systems.

Only by taking a satellite eye's view of the Earth can scientists studying the geology and climate of the planet gain a sense of just how interconnected the sea, land and air of the planet are, saidWaleed Abdalati, the director of the Earth Science and Observation Center run through the University of Colorado at Boulder and a participant in the two-hour documentary.

"I think intuitively we know there are connections, but when you can actually trace dust storms off the Sahara to weather events in North America it changes things," Abdalati said.

Thanks to satellite data, climate models have been refined, Abdalati added. All 15 climate models in place before most of the Earth-observing satellites were launched have now been changed to reflect the new data gathered by the satellites. Scientists have taken that information to craft a more accurate picture of what future climates could look like

'Earth from Space' Documentary Reveals Cosmic View of Our Planet Tonight | Space.com

[ljbab728]

I came across that show by accident tonight and watched it. It was very entertaining and educational.

[ThomPaine]

Russian meteorite today...

Meteorite hits central Russia, more than 500 people hurt | Reuters

More than 500 people were injured when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, sending fireballs crashing to Earth, shattering windows and damaging buildings.

[Plutonic Panda]

First documented case of child being cure of HIV happened today! This is a huge step forward and will pave way to future curing and immunity.

Mar. 3, 2013 — Dr. Deborah Persaud of Johns Hopkins University today described the first documented case of a child being cured of HIV. The landmark findings were announced at the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Atlanta, GA.

First documented case of child cured of HIV

[Plutonic Panda]

BBC News - US HIV baby 'cured' by early drug treatment

[Plutonic Panda]

This is really cool. When you die, you can now be turned into a tree.



Note that there are no links to prove this actually exist and I did no research and I'm just assuming that these people who run this page are legit.

How would you like to grow into a tree after you die?

This is a Bios Urn, a completely biodegradable urn that contains a single tree seed. When planted, the tree seed is nourished by and absorbs the nutrients from the ashes. The urn itself is made from coconut shell and contains compacted peat and cellulose. The ashes are mixed with this, and the seed placed inside. You can even choose which type of tree you'd like to grow!

So which would you prefer - leaving behind a tree or a tombstone?

Well, that is until you get turned into paper or bulldozed for farmland lol

https://www.facebook.com/ScienceIsSeriouslyAwesome

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.ph...type=1&theater

[Plutonic Panda]

Daylight savings time starts on the 10th. Here's a nice article from The Edmond Sun

5 facts about Daylight Saving Time » Local News » The Edmond Sun

[MadMonk]

This is really cool. When you die, you can now be turned into a tree.

I wouldn't mind doing this. I think it would be kinda cool to be used to feed some kind of tonewood that ends up as a musical instrument. Maybe birds eye maple or rosewood. My great-grandkids could end up playing a set of drums or a guitar made from wood my ashes fed. Now that's an odd thought.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah, it would be cool. I certainly don't want to buried nor do I want to be cremated just to be put into an urn. It would be neat to be shot into space on a collision course with your favorite planet or star (could they do that? Probably in our solar system at least but I'm talking something further out than the Alpha Centauri. . .). If cost are an issue though, this is actually really neat, as long as the tree doesn't get torn up for construction and/or farming or pretty much anything else. I want the tree to be there as long as it can.
'

[MadMonk]

Yeah, it would be cool. I certainly don't want to buried nor do I want to be cremated just to be put into an urn. It would be neat to be shot into space on a collision course with your favorite planet or star (could they do that? Probably in our solar system at least but I'm talking something further out than the Alpha Centauri. . .). If cost are an issue though, this is actually really neat, as long as the tree doesn't get torn up for construction and/or farming or pretty much anything else. I want the tree to be there as long as it can.
'

LOL, but think of what the possible residences of those locations might think about us sending projectiles full of our ashes to their planet(s). How confused would we be if the remains of beings from the Alpha Centauri system started raining down on us?

[MadMonk]

To get back on topic, here's something cool I got from a friend recently. The Dynamic Periodic Table. I wish I had something like this available when I was taking chemistry.
Dynamic Periodic Table

[Plutonic Panda]

That is awesome. I have an interactive table for my iPad but it's not as good this one, though. Thanks for that!!! Will be using it ALOT lol...

BTW If they're more (waaaaaaaaay more) advanced than us, maybe they could bring us back to life? Waking up on another planet and the first thing you see is an alien jump up and scream. . . "YES I DID IT!!!!!!!!!" lolz

[Plutonic Panda]

Have we finally found the Higgs (GOD) particle? Well, we actually found it about a year ago.

Confirmed: it’s a Higgs! Physicists announced that the particle discovered last year is a Higgs boson.
“The preliminary results with the full 2012 data set are magnificent and to me it is clear that we are dealing with a Higgs boson though we still have a long way to go to know what kind of Higgs boson it is,” said CMS spokeperson Joe Incandela.

CERN press office

Definitely, maybe: evidence grows for positive ID of Higgs boson (Science Alert)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

From Science Alert's Facebook page.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'll start posting a few Yahoo articles as well here.

Least visited countries in the world - Yahoo! Travel

The World's Oldest Toys | Photo Gallery - Yahoo! Games

How to build your own R2D2

[Plutonic Panda]

This is interesting strategy for L.A. - Los Angeles syncs all traffic lights to speed up commute - FutureTech on NBCNews.com

[Plutonic Panda]

What's worse, texting and driving or daydreaming and driving?

There is a new warning about daydreaming while behind the wheel.

A recent study by the Erie Insurance Group reveals you are five times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash if you are lost in thought rather than if you are distracted by some type of electronic device.

The data looked at 65,000 accidents that occurred over the last two years and identified 10-percent as the result of some form of distracted driving. But 62-percent of crashes were believed to be related to daydreaming.

Daydreaming while driving more dangerous than texting, study claims

Study: 62% of crashes related to daydreaming | www.WHEC.com

Stop daydreaming and focus on driving! - Business on NBCNews.com

Diners hurt after vehicle crashes into Las Vegas restaurant | Fox News

[Plutonic Panda]

Sea of Tree's from The Earth's Story's Facebook page

Sea of Trees

At the base of Mount Fuji, Japan is where you can find a 35 square km forest called, Aokigahara (commonly referred to as the Sea of Trees).

The trees of this forest are so closely packed together that they actually limit the amount of wind that can pass through. There is also an eerie absence of wildlife. Because of this the forest is actually extremely quiet.

The base or floor of the forest is primarily made up of strong volcanic rock covered with moss. The 864 AD eruption of Mount Fuji transformed the landscape, creating a network of chasms below the volcanic rock. Over the years, large trees have grown so densely that they actually permit very little light to pass through. Some report that midday may even be mistaken for the early hours of the evening.

The Sea of Trees is also referred to as the Suicide Forest. With an average of about 100 suicides per year, it is the world’s second most popular site for suicides.

♞Renesh T

Apparently from what I've read people commit suicide in this forest often Warning Semi Graphic Picture




Very creepy, but a beautiful forest at the least!

More links:

Fuji Lakes and Aokigahara | All Things Go! Travel Blog

The suicide forest of Japan: Mystery of the Mount Fuji beauty spot where up to 100 bodies are found every year | Mail Online

http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/pr...ral-Memory.pdf

The Suicide Woods of Mt. Fuji | Japanzine

Japan struggles with soaring death toll in Suicide Forest - Telegraph

From The Earth Story: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...levant_count=1