Change is happening already. Starting this summer, the biotech firm Geron will treat a small group of spinal-cord injury patients using neurons derived from stem cells, marking the first time embryonic stem cells will be tested in humans.
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Why some people can’t put two and two together. Dyscalculia is the numerical equivalent of dyslexia.
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Scriball is a simple physics game that will suck up your day. Guide one ball to the other ball with a line you draw. Easy to understand once you get started, but you’ll drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what strategy to use past the first level. (via Metafilter)
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This machine fells, strips, and chops trees into logs in mere seconds. Now I know what “deforestation” really means.
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The clash between Chinese and Swedish table manners highlights how different cultures define politeness and intimacy. Commenters add how other cultures would react.
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Use your arrow keys to make an Etch-A-Sketch drawing online. Unlike the real toy, you can save your masterpieces afterward.
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Boulder City, Nevada is the home of the newest and largest solar plant in America. 167,000 solar panels are ready to provide juice to homes in …California.
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The Proliferation of Kingdoms. What were once just plants and animals are now divided into six kingdoms under three domains.
Comments (7)
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I had to close scriball after 2 tries. I could feel the addiction trying to worm it’s way in!
posted by Jenny on 1-26-2009 at 7:18 am
the tree chopper reminds me of ‘the lorax’ by dr. suess.
posted by wntctrlmyslf on 1-26-2009 at 7:59 am
Excellent links today!
Finally stem cell research in the US can move ahead!
The Dyscalculia article was very interesting. Anybody should understand by now that nothing is strictly innate or learned. Human behavior seems so onviously (to me, anyway) a synthesis of potentials.
The politeness article was especially good. These sorts of things fascinate me. My own cultural world is kinda circumscribed so I don’t get to learn much first hand.
Yes, taxonomy has become taxing.
posted by BassMan on 1-26-2009 at 8:49 am
I am so happy that we are now funding stem cell research! I am Pro-Life, but I am disgusted by how both sides of the issue just nitpick and fight about non-issues to get money from supporters and pretend the fight is alive.
How can you be Pro-LIFE and against stem cells? How can anyone justify allowing a 14 year old to have an abortion without parental notification?(assuming judicial overrule when needed)
posted by Witty Nickname on 1-26-2009 at 10:21 am
I liked the politeness article (and the comments following it) too. *Thanks*.
posted by septer on 1-26-2009 at 11:35 am
I’m dyscalcic and it’s very interesting to me that everyone knows what dyslexia is, but not dyscalculia.
posted by Mary Sue on 1-26-2009 at 12:33 pm
That second link sounds like me.
posted by Sara on 1-26-2009 at 8:50 pm