Scientists' Unscientific Tendencies

Wired Magazine has published a report on how ego get's in the way of scientist's results.

A foundational study in the early 1990s discovered more than 50% of scientific experiments produce unexpected results in tested labs. Researchers almost always blamed mistakes for their surprising findings, even when the anomalies showed up multiple times.

Although scientists like to believe they are empiricists, in reality most experiment failures are ignored. Tests have revealed that even experts activate their anterior cingulate cortex - an area of the brain which suppresses conclusions contrary to what the individual believes. That is, trust in a pre-conceived idea trumps reality.

It seems that religious people are not the only one's who can fall victim to dogma.

Want to Learn More? Take a Nap

Current Biology has published a report stating successful study habits should include plenty of napping. People who take a nap and dream about a task they've just learned perform it better upon waking than either those who don't sleep at all or those who sleep but don't report any associated dreams.

Dreams did not lead to better memory, but they are a sign that other parts of the brain are working to remember. Dreams, according to the research, are a side effect of that memory process.

Researchers suggested that it may be better to study hard right before you go to sleep than in the afternoon, or to take a nap after a period of intense afternoon study.

1st Poisonous Bird

The Hooded Pitohui is the world's first discovered poisonous bird. It uses a neurotoxin (specifically homobatrachotoxin), found in its skin and feathers, to induce numbness and tingling to anything that comes into contact with the bird. The bird's toxin is, gram for gram, the most poisonous on earth.

The poison dart frog possesses the exact same poison as the hooded pitohui, leading many to reason the source of the poison is the Choresine beetle - part of both animals diet.

Elastic Water

Nature published a report on a cool new material comprised of 95% water and some clay and organic material. The result is "elastic water" (EW), an extremely elastic and transparent jelly-like substance.

EW was produced in light of emphasis on reducing dependency on fossil-fuel energy. EW could be used to create plastics without the use of petroleum while having the ability to mould into shape-persistent, free-standing objects. It also preserves biologically active proteins for catalysis, meaning it could help wounded tissue to remain closed.

Electronic Ink

If you haven't seen it, the Esquire 75th Anniversary Magazine (2008) utilized some amazing technology. The face of the magazine actually lights up. Parts for this issue were shipped and assembled in China, Texas, Mexico and finally Kentucky.

This blog explains the various parts that were utilized:

programming header, 5-pin ISP
Microchip PIC 12f629 which is flash programmable, 8 pin
6 lithium coin cell CR2016s, 3 volts each
2 e-ink screens with flex connections
Half thickness, 2 layer board (FR4)

Here's a video of the magazine.

Eye Tattoos

Yes - there are such things as eye tattoos.

First tattoo artists use a traditional needle with ink. If the ink doesn't hold, they switch to a syringe that injects ink into the eye. The ink then slowly floods across the white portion of the eyeball over the next few weeks.

As expected, cornea tattooing is extremely dangerous. Infection, even perforation and hemorrhage are very possible. Most enthusiasts find that doctors, while willing to consult on the procedure, never performed it, leaving it to a tattoo artist.

Cosmetics aside, there are medical benefits to eye tattoos such as if the eye is burnt or cut, the tattoo can cover scars. It also helps with leucoma - an opaque white blemish - and keeps the eye's natural appearance.

Here's a scary video of a cosmetic eye tattoo.

The Door To Hell

In the desert of Turkmenistan is a massive crater which has literally been on fire for decades.

During the 1970s, when Turkmenistan was still part of the USSR, geologists were searching for gas in the desert - often detected as seeping through the sand. While drilling, the geologists opened up a massive hole full of poisonous gas. The hole, ~100 meters in diameter, easily swallowed their equipment. To burn off the excess poisonous gas, the geologists set it ablaze thinking it would die out in a few days time.

Fail.

Here's a video of the Darvaza Gas Crater on fire (starts at :40).