Monday, June 4, 2012

Might As Well Be Walking On The Sun

Summary: Venus takes a stroll.

Why It's A Mind Blow: By now, you've probably heard that tomorrow marks a once more in a lifetime opportunity. Starting at about 6 PM EST, our nearest celestial neighbor will pass in front of the sun.

The next time Venus will make a "transit" will be in 2117, so this is probably your last chance to see it (unless you're Ray Kurzweil). There will be plenty of websites broadcasting the event live but if at all possible, I suggest viewing it with your own eyes. There's just something special, more real, and more personal about looking up in the sky and seeing these things for yourself.

Just remember, looking at the sun is dangerous business! DO NOT DO IT without the proper equipment (protective lenses, etc.) Another option is to find a local viewing party. Here in Vermont, they'll be opening up the observatory at Middlebury College to the public so if you like, and if the clouds don't ruin things, you can stop by there after work and have a look-see.

If none of these options are viable, you can always use a pair of binoculars and a white sheet. Place the sheet about three feet in front of you and, with your back to the sun, hold the binoculars over your shoulder. Once again, DON"T LOOK directly at the sun. Rather, use the binoculars to project an image of the sun onto the sheet. It really works and yes, that little black dot really is another world. You really are watching it pass in front of a star.

These are times of wonder. Enjoy!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Saturday's Simple Beauties 7

Summary: Planet Earth at peace....another mind blow that speaks for itself.


Friday, June 1, 2012

What's in a Day?

Summary: Depending on your position in the cosmos, a day can be many things.

Why it's a Mind Blow: The length of a day on Planet Jupiter is much shorter than a day here on Planet Earth. The sun comes up, the sun goes down, and it starts all over again every 9.84 hours. Mercury and Venus, on the other hand, spin much slower. Their rotations span 58.7 and 243 Earth days respectively.

I spend many of my days on other worlds. It is my fancy and my nature. Hence this blog, Daily Mind Blow. It remains my intention to share some of the most mind-blowing news on Planet Earth with you on a daily basis. However, due to the nature of my voyage, I cannot promise that these updates will come with the regularity of an Earthly existence.

So stay tuned. Daily Mind Blow isn't going anywhere. I will continue to post here every day. I cannot, however, foresee the length of that day. It all depends on where I land tomorrow. In the mean time, thanks for coming along for the ride!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

No Harm In Trying

Summary: A sixteen year old has solved the "unsolvable" math problem.

Why it's a Mind Blow: Three hundred and fifty years ago, Sir Isaac Newton posed what he deemed to be an unsolvable problem and for three centuries, the greatest mathematical minds on Planet Earth did little to disavow his claim. The problem involved predicting the behavior of a projectile acted on by the forces of gravity and air resistance.

Enter Shouryya Ray. At age sixteen, the young man stared right in the face of the impossible and said, "well, there's no harm in trying." Even though his teachers told him the problem had no solution, Shouryya had a crack and wouldn't you know it, he solved the problem.

So go ahead. Try. What's the harm? And who knows, you might even succeed.

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/27/teenaged-immigrant-solves-problem-that-baffled-isaac-newton/


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Jimmy's Neutron

Summary: Neutron stars are loco.

Why it's a Mind Blow: Our universe is full of fantastical, mind-boggling, crazy-weird wonders. One of the most bizarre phenomena out there has to be neutron stars.

Neutron stars form when a normal star reaches the end of it's life and goes supernova. During these stellar explosions, the core of the dying star compresses. What remains is comprised mostly of neutrons (neutrally charged atomic particles) crushed into a smooth, white-hot sphere about 10 miles in diameter.

Neutron stars are massive, The crushing force of gravity pulls the pearl of atomic matter in so tightly that the mass is one to two times that of our own sun. Remember, it's only 10 miles across! Neutron stars are so massive, that if you dropped a grain of sand one meter above the surface, it would accelerate to 7.2 million kilometers per second as it fell. The force of it's impact on the surface would actually destroy the component atomic parts, thus converting the sand into more neutron star.

A neutron star is so massive, that a teaspoon of it's material contains the same mass as the Great Pyramid at Giza. It is so dense, that every human on Planet Earth would be compressed together to the size of a sugar cube on it's surface. And it spins so fast, up to several hundred revolutions a second, that you could travel from New York to L.A. and back again in that same second!

So why am I telling you all this, (lest you think your Daily Mind Blow might degenerate into a glorified science text book)? Simple - the wonders of nature are so numerous and comprehensively bizarre, that it blows my mind. Neutron stars are a great example. Just imagine, they're actually real and what's more, we figured out how to understand them! Crazy.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Re-Blow: A Whale of a Tale


Summary: Periodically, I will re-post a Mind Blow that some of our newer readers may have missed. In this first re-blow, a mother Gray Whale, known for her affection toward human visitors, is found with a 125 year old harpoon in her back. 


Why It's a Mind Blow: Humans usually assume that we are the most intelligent species on planet Earth and yes, we do have the highest capacity for cognitive reasoning. But dictionary.com defines intelligence more broadly, as the "capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude for grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc."

"Aptitude for grasping truths"; this phrase resonates with me. For what deeper truth has history taught us than the necessity of forgiveness as a cornerstone of progress and ultimately, survival. 

And yet, even as we may realize this intellectually, our track record as a species seems to suggest that we lack the deeper intelligence necessary to put that knowledge into practice. Humans hold grudges. As societies, we go to war on the basis of millenia old transgressions and, as individuals, we often go to our graves with bitterness in our hearts.

So we have a lot to learn from Gray Whales. Before the end of commercial whaling in North America, these gentle giants were actually known as "devil fish". They were easy targets in the shallow waters off the coast of Mexico, and in order to protect their newborn calves, mother Grays would often ram whaling boats head on.

Now under protection, these birthing grounds are visited by thousands of "eco-tourists" every year. The whales, young and old, often swim right up to small craft and allow people to pet them.

One such mother Gray, famous for her generous and playful interactions with human visitors, recently passed away. In her back, scientists discovered a 125 year old harpoon head. This creature, once labeled a devil fish for her defensive attacks against human aggressors, was now one of our most trusting friends.

"Aptitude for grasping truths; capacity for understanding." I'll let you decide where intelligence truly lies in our world.

Sources:
http://janegoodallhopeforanimals.com/exclusive-content/saved-in-the-eleventh-hour/thane%E2%80%99s-field-notes/pacific-gray-whale-eschrichtius-robustus/


http://video.pbs.org/video/2203913542

www.brandoncole.com

Monday, May 28, 2012

SKA

Summary: Planet Earth's most powerful radio telescope, the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) will be constructed across two continents and will peer deeper into the cosmos than ever before.

Why it's a Mind Blow: The announcement came down last week. The SKA will be constructed at sites in Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and even the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Madagascar. The 1.5 billion Euro project will form the most powerful radio telescope on our world and, at this scale, perhaps well beyond.

Now, I've pummeled you with a fair bit of telescope news over the last two months. I want you to know that it's not for lack of consideration of other topics. It just so happens that telescope news is coming fast and furious, and I honestly believe it is the most mind blowing development on the planet today.

Why? Quite simply, the SKA will be unimaginably powerful. Spread over thousands of kilometers in the southern hemisphere, it will be able to observe the universe at its very earliest moments. It will be able to precisely map the location and movement of the billion galaxies closest to our own, furthering our understanding of dark matter and perhaps refining Einstein's explanation of gravity.

How big is the SKA? Well, put it this way: it makes the Very Large Array in New Mexico look like something Galileo built in his garage. The very mechanics of reality will be observed in magnificent detail, to say nothing of the implications for the search for extraterrestrial life. By the time the SKA is completed in 2025, we will have a long list of candidate star systems, and this array will give us the power to listen in for civilizations even less developed than our own. First contact, it seems, may be a call placed from Planet Earth!

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18194984


Sunday, May 27, 2012

What Did You Do This Weekend? (5/27/12)

Summary: A guy jumps out of a plane without a shoot...on purpose!

Why it's a Mind Blow: You may remember my post from April 10th about the Jet Pack Man. Well, this guy is flying using nothing but aerodynamics and a prayer. Sure, a good part of what he's up to involves falling, but it is amazing nonetheless. I also love the interview clip at the end. It speaks to why we seek physical challenges - turning off the mind and tuning into the present moment as a matter of necessity. It can be liberating (although I'm fairly sure I can allow for that kind of zen focus with a parachute on my back).

 Keep checking in, cause when technology takes us one step closer to solo human flight, you can bet I'll report it!

Source:

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Saturday's Simple Beauties 6

Summary: The sixth in our weekly series of Mind Blows that speak for themselves. Although many amazing images were captured during last week's solar eclipse, this one has to take the cake!





Friday, May 25, 2012

Moving Right Along!

Summary: A frog and a bear, seeing America.

Why it's a Mind Blow: First off, a bear is driving a car.

 Secondly, summer 2012 is officially under way this holiday weekend, so get out there and do it!


Thursday, May 24, 2012

Beam Me Up

Summary: The ashes of the late actor James Doohan (Scotty from Star Trek) are launched into orbit.

Why it's a Mind Blow: On Tuesday, Space X successfully launched their Dragon Spacecraft into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. This event marks a new era of collaboration between NASA and private space firms (see the post X-traordinary from Friday, May 18).

But the future of the American space program was not the only cargo on board the Dragon module. Space X has paired with another private firm, Celestis, to offer a new kind of final frontier to the dearly departed. For their first send of, Space X and Celestis have launched Scotty's ashes into orbit. You too can "beam up" to low Earth Orbit for the not so astronomical cost of $3,000. For $10,000, your earthly remains can be fired towards the moon!

I, however, intend to opt for the $12,500 option, which propels the last remnants of your DNA out towards deep space. I like the idea of drifting where no man has gone before. And although I'm unlikely to come into contact with anyone or anything, eternity is a long time. And maybe, just maybe, those little green men will have some means of regenerating my person from the fragments that remain. So what the hell, who's up for as ride?

Source: http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/5/22/star_trek_scottys_ashes_beamed_up.htm

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

To Explore Strange New Worlds...

Summary: For the first time in human history, we have directly observed a world outside our own solar system.

Why it's a Mind Blow: Over the past decade, we've been able to detect several thousand planets around other stars. By observing a change in brightness or the gravitational wobble of their home stars, we knew they were there. But now, for the first time, the Spitzer Space Telescope has actually captured light directly from an extra-solar world.

This is exciting on many levels. With the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope in the coming years, we will be able to see the cosmos in even greater detail. We may be able to use spectral analysis to determine the composition of alien atmospheres, honing in on habitable worlds that may sustain alien life now, or even human life in the future.

Mostly, this breakthrough is thrilling for all of us space junkies who realize that a human lifespan is a blink of the eye in cosmic terms. There are so many things out there we want to see and know, and the vast distances that separate the stars will not be traveled in our lifetimes. But hey, that's ok, because we've just taken a major step towards the kind of cosmic voyeurism I've only dreamed of. There's a lot to see, and those of us lucky enough to be alive during this unprecedented age of discovery are going to get the chance to see it!

Source: http://www.universetoday.com/95066/light-from-a-superearth-detected-for-the-first-time/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Thanks Atmosphere!

Summary: Lyrid meteors pummel planet Earth, from below!

Why it's a Mind Blow: Ever wonder what a meteor shower looks like from outside the atmosphere; what it's like to look down on a falling star? Oddly, I never had, but this time lapse from the International Space Station offers a new perspective. The meteors literally explode as they are slowed by the friction of our atmosphere. It's a reminder of just how lucky we are to have that protective shield around us, and of how vulnerable our Earth truly is. Incredible!

Source:


Monday, May 21, 2012

Bottle-Nosed Buddies

Summary: On the coast of Brazil, bottle-nosed dolphins and humans work together.

Why it's a Mind Blow: Inter-species collaboration may seem like nothing new, but this 165 year old partnership between dolphins and fisherman is actually quite unique. In the murky shallows, the fishermen would be hard pressed to both see and corral their catch. Likewise, the mullet can easily escape the dolphins by dashing further into shallow water. But together, both human and dolphin can trap a feast.

What's unique about this collaboration is that we never asked, trained, or otherwise cajoled the dolphins into the relationship. Around 1847, some dolphins saw some people fishing. They were the ones who had the idea to drive fish towards our nets, trapping the shoals and maximizing yields for both species.

Furthermore, scientists have discovered that not all dolphins in the area participate in the hunt. Only the dolphins that are more social among themselves work with the humans, suggesting personality differences in dolphin society that we're only beginning to understand. The inter-generational nature of this collaboration also suggests that dolphins not only think critically, but also pass their discoveries on. They learn and then they teach, and this illuminates an intellectual evolutionary process that closely mirrors our own.

Bottom line: these creatures are smart and innovative, and we have so much more to learn about their capacity and potential. I only wish I could jump ahead a million or so years and see how their species continues to evolve. I'd put my money on some pretty amazing and unimaginable advances among their people.

Source: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/05/01/dolphins-that-help-humans-to-catch-fish-form-tighter-social-networks/

Sunday, May 20, 2012

What Did You Do This Weekend (5/20/12)

Summary: Neil Gaiman makes a commencement address at Philadelphia's University of the Arts.

Why it's a Mind Blow: A lot of people graduated from university this weekend, and writer Neil Gaiman reminds us that commencement is only "the start." We must always begin, and keep right on doing it. Enjoy the adventure of it, because "what fun is making something if you already know it's going to work?"

Have a beautiful week!

Source: http://io9.com/5911699/watch-neil-gaimans-delightful-commencement-speech-about-succeeding-in-the-arts

Friday, May 18, 2012

X-traordinary

Summary: Tomorrow (Saturday May 19, 2012) at 4:15 am, Space X will launch an unmanned Dragon Spacecraft. Destination: the International Space Station.

Why it's a Mind Blow: This launch is an historic moment in the story of our exploration of the heavens. Space X is a private firm, and when they launch tomorrow from Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, it will usher in a new era of collaboration between NASA and private industry. If all goes according to plan, private companies like Space X will be shuttling freight and even astronauts to the Space Station in the near future.

When we look back on this moment in a hundred years, I believe it will be remembered as a turning point. Governments, hampered by fiscal and political realities, can only carry our space program so far. Private industry, on the other hand, can go just as far as profits will allow. After all, it wasn't a sense of adventure that financed Columbus in 1492, it was the promise of gold. And if NASA's $3.5 billion contract with Space X is any indication, their are profits to be made out there.

Perhaps some day, after money becomes obsolete, this will all be moot. But in the mean time, the private model gives us a path forward into the final frontier. Tomorrow's launch is the first step, and I for one couldn't be more excited!

Source: http://phys.org/news/2012-05-spacex-poised-high-stakes-space-station.html

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Give Them A Hand!

Summary: Researchers at Brown University have given a paralyzed woman a prosthetic arm that she controls with her thoughts.

Why it's a Mind Blow: The power and resilience of the human brain is truly remarkable. We are only just beginning to understand its complex workings, and this innovation represents a major step forward on that journey.

Here's how it works. When someone wants to move their arm or grasp something with their hand, neurons in the brain fire with electrical signals. Even after suffering paralysis, the neurons still fire, and specific patterns can be observed to correlate with specific commands: up, down, open, close, etc.

At Brown University, scientists have installed a chip in their subject's brain that can observe and report these electrical commands. The chip then sends signals to the prosthetic arm, giving the subject the ability to move and even perform fine motor functions like grabbing a ball.

The implications of this discovery are thrilling, and somewhat terrifying. It could lead to a complete cure to paralysis and grant amputees the ability to play the piano. But there's also the robot armies to consider. And what happens when we figure out how to control the firing of the neurons themselves? Could I make someone involuntarily commit murder on my behalf? Could I be John Malcovich?

Sci-fi horror plots aside, this is an amazing breakthrough. I only wish Christopher Reeves was still alive to see it, and to shake hands with the scientists that are changing people's lives for the better. They are, after all, the real superheros of the modern age. What will they think of next?

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57435652/paralyzed-woman-uses-mind-control-technology-to-operate-robotic-arm/


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Puppy Love

Summary: Blair, a blind golden retriever who suffered from seizures, is all but cured by the love of a trusted friend.

Why it's a Mind Blow: At the age of one, Blair the dog lost her owner. The blind golden retriever was taken to an animal shelter, where she started suffering seizures on a nightly basis. The stress of her loss and her lack of sight were simply too much to bear.

Enter Tanner, another rescue dog. Tanner was timid after suffering a gun shot wound to the leg in the mean streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Tanner and Blair met in the play-yard at the rescue shelter and became fast friends. Tanner takes Blair on walks, leading her through the dark world with her leash in his mouth. This new found purpose has put a spring in Tanner's once dampened step, and Blair's seizures have all but stopped.

So why is this a mind blow? Well, to quote Andrew Lloyd Webber and Chris Hampton (and I promise this is the only time I will ever do that), "love...love changes everything."

Watch and be heartened!


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Photons and Harp Seals

Summary: Photons may have mass, and Harp Seals are lazy.

Why it's a Mind Blow: This morning was pretty frustrating. I spent a good part of the last ninety minutes trying to wrap my head around special relativity. I learned that mathematically (although I don't understand the math), it is possible to demonstrate that photons have mass, although we've been unable to observe this experimentally. Photons are quantum particles of light, and most physicists still assume they are without mass. To assign mass to photons would mean that light actually has to travel slower than the "speed of light" because at that velocity, an object with mass acquires infinite mass and requires infinite energy to move.

So assuming photons do have mass, it would seem that nothing actually moves at the speed of light but rather, only approaches it on an infinite parabolic curve of confusion.

Next, my thoughts turned to the notion of relative time. Traveling at 99% the speed of light, what seems like a day to the traveler would be experienced as about one year from the perspective of a stationary observer. If this is the case, then why do we say it takes a year for light to travel here from a source one light year away? From the perspective of the light (assuming photons have mass and travel at sub-light speeds), wouldn't the journey take only about a day? So is it right to say it takes four years for light to reach us from Alpha Centauri, which is four light years away? Or, is it more accurate to say it takes four days for light to travel four light years because in reality, that light is only four days old?

Then I started getting frustrated and wishing I was smarter. Finally, I discovered that Harp Seals are lazy, and I felt better. So without further ado, enjoy this lazy Harp Seal!






Monday, May 14, 2012

Comet Apocalypse

Summary: Gliese 710, an Orange Dwarf Star, is on a collision course with planet Earth!


Why it's a Mind Blow: For those of you who were disappointed by the recent discovery that the Mayan Calendar extends well past 2012, I have a new end of days scenario to brighten your day!

The Orange Dwarf Star Gliese 710 is currently barreling towards our solar system at break-neck speed. It's only 14% the mass of our sun and it's still 63 light years away, but in just 1.36 million years, Gliese 710 is likely to pass within 1.1 light years of planet Earth.

Now, you might anticipate many problems with another sun visiting itself upon our descendants. Will it cook them or use gravity to rip our planet away from its habitable zone?

Nope. Gliese 710 isn't massive enough or hot enough to have that impact here on Earth. The real threat is the countless comets that will come shooting towards our home world. Gliese 710 will pass through the Oort Cloud, an area of the outer solar system that contains millions of icy bodies. These comets in wait will be pulled by the star's gravity and fired like apocalyptic boomerangs towards the inner solar system.

Gliese 710 promises to deliver a galactic shooting gallery of biblical proportions. So heads up future us! And for those of you who need a doomsday scenario in order to get through the day, well, there you go!

Source: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/24917/

Sunday, May 13, 2012

What Did You Do This Weekend? (5/13/12)

Summary: Garrett McNamara breaks the world record by riding a 78 foot wave off the coast of Portugal!

Why it's a Mind Blow: The brief interview clip at the end of the video says it all: "At the end of the day, it's all about doing it for the love of it." And while your passion may not be riding eight story waves, I hope you'll go for it with the same vigor and abandon as this guy.

The big one only comes along so often. You've got to be there if you're gonna catch it, and you have to let go and trust your instincts if you're gonna ride it.

Good surfing!


Saturday, May 12, 2012

Saturday's Simple Beauties 4

Summary: A Texas sunrise. Turn off the lights, put on some earphones, and give yourself the gift of these fifteen minutes. Breathe.


Don't forget the Daily Mind Blow photo contest. Attach your entry in the comments section or on the Facebook page with a link to the Daily Mind Blow post that inspired it!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Gas-teroid

Summary: Dinosaur farts may have contributed to ancient global warming.



Why it's a Colon Blow: The notion that Tricero-poops might have warmed the entire globe may smell a little fishy, but new research from Liverpool John Moores University suggests that dino-flatulence may have de-turd the natural course of the climate. Their estimates indicate that Sauropods (giant plant eaters) may have emitted up to 520 million tons of methane into the atmosphere each year, more than the combined total of all human and natural sources today. Over some millions of years, these quantities of methane would butt-ress temperatures across the globe, and could even have contributed to the demise of the dinosaurs prior to the arrival of the ass-teroid.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, twenty times more effective at trapping atmospheric heat than carbon dioxide. Today, domesticated cows emit up to 100 million tons of methane each year, and it is contributing to our own climate crisis. So maybe this new theory isn't a steaming pile after all!

Source: http://news.discovery.com/animals/dinosaur-farts-120507.html

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Big Picture

Summary: In case you hadn't noticed, I never get tired of visualizing just how big our universe is. Here's another cool walk-through.

Why it's a Mind Blow:
This is a grain of sand...


This is a million grains of sand, give or take...





This is a million people in Tahrir Square...




And this is a beach...




For every grain of sand on planet Earth's beaches, there are a million stars in the known universe.

Oh, and this is a baby pig...


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

China Spring

Summary: Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng and his family are coming to America.

Why it's a Mind Blow: For those of you who don't know the story, Chen Guangcheng is the brave Chinese dissident who blew the whistle on forced sterilizations and abortions in the communist state. He was held under house arrest since then, but recently he escaped to the American embassy, hundreds of miles from his home. The blind activist managed to elude more than a dozen guards, hop fences (he broke his foot), and sneak his way through the countryside.

His flight occurred in the hours leading up to Hillary Clinton's diplomatic mission to Beijing, adding drama and gravity to the talks. Within days, his family under threat, Chen left the safety of the embassy.

So that was that. The Chinese had leveraged Chen's family to force his hand. The United States, it appeared, had no power to stop them, even as the Secretary of State was in the country to make direct appeals.

But then, something mind-blowing occurred. The Chinese government announced that Chen could apply to "study abroad" in America. New York University quickly offered him a spot and, unless something changes, a blind man from the countryside will have overcome one of the most repressive regimes on planet Earth.

So what does all this mean, (besides proving that Chen and Hillary are both international super ninjas)?


It means - there's hope. In the age of social media, when students march in Tahrir Square and Aung San Suu Kyi marches into the Burmese Parliament, there are reasons for hope. And despite pain and suffering the world over, it is possible to step back and recognize something: we are progressing.

Where Chen has succeeded in bringing light to the dark corners of the human experience, many have failed, and many more will fail.

But not this time. And for that, there remains the possibility of a next time.

A sense of possibility in the face of despair and repression; that's what Chen has given China. That's what he's given our world.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Zombie Apocalypse!

Summary: Zombies are a scientific reality, and they're attacking whole societies!


Why it's a Mind Blow: This should be clear. Zombies are bad. Real zombies are real bad.


Here's how it's happening. Scientists have learned that a mind-controlling fungus is attacking the brains of its victims. After seizing control of the zombie's faculties, the fungus directs its undead host to climb high up in a tree and forces the zombie to bite the juicy veins (of leafs). The living thing that was, at this point, is no more. As a fungal stem sprouts from the zombie's head, a rain of fungal spores takes to the wind, infecting those below and creating a new generation of tree climbing, head sprouting, mindless zombies.

But there's good news, for now (moo-hoo-ha-ha-haaaa). The zombie disease, at present, is only infecting some ants. It's a vicious fungus, and it has to make you stop and wonder just how much fiction there actually is to the science-fiction pop that predicts a similar fate for us humans.

Is our zombie fungus out there? Does the government know about it? Are there secret zombie bunkers waiting for Mit Romney and Tom Cruise in the soft limestone hills of Orange County?

The truth is out there.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis


Monday, May 7, 2012

Spring Is Falling

Summary:  "It's Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart." - Rainer Maria Rilke

Why it's a Mind Blow: We just had that time in Vermont, that special time that comes only once a year, when the April sky turns gray, the north wind fights back a bit, and the rain falls with a determination that justifies the word "shower". When the clouds finally lift with the high pressure of birdsong and the sun declares May, everything has changed. Everything is green, lush, delicious. Everything is teeming and alive. The dandelions appear like popcorn and the robins pull fat and juicy worms from the chocolate-cake earth.

It is Spring, or rather, a part of Spring; for Spring has many seasons. A little league baseball game one afternoon can include many turns. In the second inning, the field is still a little wet. There's a long puddle between the pitching mound and home plate, and the clouds haven't broken. The breeze is cold and even a little foreboding. The rain could return at any time, maybe even sleet, sending us running back home where the glass hasn't even come off the screen door.

By the fifth inning, the sun burns off the cloud cover just long enough to remind everyone that the Earth has once again tilted back toward our mother star. It's only fifty-nine degrees, but the sunlight has a strength and a promise we haven't felt in many months. There are birds chirping that weren't there before, buds swelling that shriveled in wait only half an hour earlier. The bats swing looser and the laughter flies easier. Someone is roasting some hot dogs.

By the middle of the seventh, the sun is sinking low. The clouds loom again, bathed in crimson, and a flock of geese fly over, bound for rest across the lake. Night comes quickly, reminding us that there is still school in the morning. There's mud in the parking lot that's ankle-deep, and everyone's glad they brought their sweatshirts after all.

Yes, Spring is a time of many seasons. Tales of the deep snow and the dog days are never far from our hearts, and our dreams wander freely between hearth and hope. It's a unique moment that only comes so often on our finite journey. It's beautiful, and I hope you'll drink it in. I hope you'll embrace Spring in all its varied and complicated splendor.

I hope you'll revel.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

What Did You Do This Weekend (5/6/12)

Summary: Dude gives some free hugs.

Why it's a Mind Blow: At first glance, this video may seem a little corny. But let me encourage you to do two things...

1. Take note of what your face is doing at the beginning.

2. Take note of what your face is doing by the end.

At first, as people walk past the free hugs guy, they seem a tad skeptical. Their facial expressions suggest concern over hidden motives. They seem to be asking themselves, "is this guy a threat," or "what does this guy want".

But as soon as people realize that the free hug guy simply wants hugs and, what's more, he wants to give hugs, dispositions begin to change. By the end, we realize that love is more contagious than fear, and that among the many smiling faces... is our own.

Have a beautiful week!

Sources:

The story of the Free Hugs Campaign is ongoing. Learn more at http://www.freehugscampaign.org/.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Saturday's Simple Beauties 3

Summary: The third in our Saturday series of Mind Blows that speak for themselves, this stunning composite photo from Jenny Woodward. You can purchase a print at http://500px.com/photo/7190214.


DMB Update:

Announcing our first DAILY MIND BLOW PHOTO CONTEST!

Between now and July 1, I'm accepting submissions of your original photos. The only rule: they must be inspired by something you read here on Daily Mind Blow. To submit your photographic mind blow, simply attach your entry in the comment section of the post that inspired your work. Or, you can post to the Facebook Page with a link to the post that inspired you at http://www.facebook.com/DailyMindBlow.

Some entries will be shared in our series of "Saturday's Simple Beauties". A grand prize winner will also be chosen by our readers to represent Daily Mind Blow as the header photo for the coming year!

Friday, May 4, 2012

Big Science

Summary: This image of planet Earth, taken by the Voyager 1 probe in 1990, is the most beautiful collection of pixels I've ever seen!

Why it's a Mind Blow: If you've been reading Daily Mind Blow for a while, you may be wondering, "why all the space?" Well, I guess it's been on my mind a lot lately.

With the retirement of the space shuttle, the future of space exploration is less certain than at any other time in my life. For decades, NASA has helped carry our people and our imaginations to the stars. But traveling to the stars isn't just about looking outward; it's also about turning back around once in a while, and seeing ourselves from a fresh perspective. The satellite imagery and climate data gathered by NASA help us do this literally. But a heavenly perch grants insights that run far deeper than the material world.


John Kennedy said, "For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." At the end of the day, the destiny of all living things on planet Earth is shared, and it's only by asking the big questions that we can hope to discover the right answers.

Therefore, we set a course: "Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning." I hope you'll join me.









Thursday, May 3, 2012

Play On

Summary: Shanti, a thirty-six year old Asian elephant at the National Zoo, loves to play the harmonica!

Why it's a Mind Blow: We've all seen trained circus animals perform on command; roll over, bang a gong, that sort of thing. But Shanti the elephant is a horse of a different color. Her handlers at the National Zoo observed a distinctly musical inclination in her relationship to the world, and so to help Shanti explore her passions, they offered up a harmonica. Shanti went straight to work, composing songs with repetitive patterns and a crescendoed flourish at the end that has become the artist's signature.

Music is a language, a means of communication and communion that transcends division. One anthropological study, for example, shared different compositions with people from isolated tribes around the world; deep in the rain forest, in sub-Saharan Africa, etc. Despite a lack of any common social and environmental heritage, these people reported experiencing very similar emotions. Music spoke to all of them, and its message was consistent.

Shanti the elephant shows us that music can reach far beyond mere cultural differences. Perhaps that's why the Voyager 1 probe, currently breaching the edge of our solar system, carries a golden record of music from around the globe. If there is anyone out there listening, it is our music that we need them to hear. It is music that they are most likely to understand, and it is music that is most likely to bring us together.

Source:

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Blue Sunset

 Summary: Sunsets on the Red Planet are actually blue!

Why it's a Mind Blow: Blue Sunset: It sounds like an unreleased Bogart/Bacall film or the house martini at some swanky Manhattan bistro. (There's no point here, that's just what it sounds like.)

So it occurs to me that the last couple mind-blows have been a little heady. That's all well and good, but today I thought we should just take a step back and marvel at something truly beautiful and amazing. This image of the Martian sunset, taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on May 19, 2005, reveals a distinctly blue hue.

It all has something to do with dust particles and wave-lengths and such. The science is actually pretty interesting, and it could even be applied to help us determine the atmospheric content of distant planets. You can read the article if you like but for now, I hope you'll really take a moment to digest what we're looking at. A sunset, on an alien world, unimaginably far from our own fragile home. We've traveled there. Our inventions have given us eyes to watch the sun pierce a new horizon. For thousands of years, the whole of the history of our species, this image existed only in our dreams and now, we are alive to witness it for real.

Magnificent!

Sources:

http://io9.com/5717358/why-martian-sunsets-are-blue


 http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_347.html

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Mind Blows

Summary: After experiencing head traumas, two men are transformed into artistic and mathematical geniuses.

Why it's a Mind Blow: The full power and potential of the human mind is largely undiscovered. We've observed hints of it, brilliant bursts of genius from savants and prodigies that make the jaw drop and the imagination run free.

These short videos introduce two men who by all accounts we're perfectly average. After suffering head traumas (one from an aneurysm, the other from a violent attack), they were transformed into super-humans. The first video, for example, highlights the subject's new found ability to perceive the world in precise geometric fragments. His incites have transformed the mathematical community's understanding of pi, and could have profound implications for our continued exploration of deep space.

These stories are incredible, not only for the transformations they describe, but because of the implications for our future as a species. I had always assumed that the geniuses among us were anomalies, gifted from birth and endowed with rare and precious abilities. These stories suggest that these capacities exist in all of us and what's more, that we may find a way to unlock them.

This begs the question, unlock what? Well you may remember my post of April 26th, Universal Mind, which explores the singularity between the human imagination and the universe itself. I posited that, as humans are literally the stuff of the universe, our consciousness is in fact the universe becoming aware of itself. For the first time in the unfurling of creation, the universe has the ability to re-imagine itself, through us.

You've probably heard great artists describe their most successful work in the context of "flow". The music, the words, or even the equations seem to pour forth from some bounteous well in their subconscious. In other words, their minds become conduits for the creative process that is the universe unfolding.

What's so thrilling about the stories of these two men in that there may be a biological path to this mystical and holy experience. If we can blow open the physical floodgates in the brain, then a major breakthrough in the evolution of our species may be just around the corner!

Sources:

From Coma to Mathematical Genius




Monday, April 30, 2012

In Time

Summary: The human population of planet Earth will top 9 billion by the year 2050, and new projections suggest it may reach a peak of 11 billion by 2070.

Why it's a Mind Blow: Simply put, that's a lot of people! The population of Asia alone will be about 5.3 billion by 2050, which is more than all the people on planet Earth in 1990. And when my father was born in 1942, the population of our world was just over 2 billion. Dad's healthy as a horse, and we just passed 7 billion, so I expect we'll see at least a four fold increase in population in the span of his lifetime alone. 2 billion to 8 or 9 billion in one lifetime, and it took us 10,000 generations to get to 1 billion in the first place!

It's very difficult, if not impossible, to perceive what a billion of anything actually is. The Earth, for example, is about 4.5 billion years old. But what does that really mean? The best our minds can do with that figure is convert it to "really, r-e-a-l-l-y old".

So allow me to try and put it all in a framework we can perceive, using a little proportional math, (now you know what I did this weekend). Let's say the planet Earth is actually a circa 1912 Model-T Ford. In other words, we're imagining 4.5 billion years of Earth history as the 100 year lifespan of the car. Let us also assume that for every 1 billion people living on the planet, the Model-T must accelerate 10 miles per hour.

Still with me? Good. Now, modern humans appeared around 150,000 years ago, give or take. That means the Model-T was stationary for a very long time. It would have started moving only yesterday morning. If Earth has been around about 100 years, humans showed up about 29 hours ago.

So, assuming the engine turns over after 99+ years, the Model-T begins rolling. It has a leisurely time accelerating to 10 mph, reaching that speed about 2.4 minutes ago (1 billion people in the year 1804). It has about a minute more to push the engines to 20 mph. From there, our buggy would have about 25 seconds to achieve it's top speed of 45 miles per hour.

Now, assuming some mysterious force could propel the car faster, things would quickly get out of hand. The Model-T would have about 15 more seconds to accelerate to 60 mph (6 billion in 1999), and an additional 8.4 seconds to reach it's present speed of 70 mph (7 billion).

What happens next? Well, obviously, the car falls apart. After sitting still for almost 100 years, the car will be forced to start up and accelerate from 60 mph to 110 mph in under 50 seconds. An impossible burden on any system and, from the Earth's perspective, an equally ludicrous and unsustainable pace.

My brain is leaking out my ear, so I'll leave it there. Needless to say, our engines need some love and care.


Sunday, April 29, 2012

What Did You Do This Weekend? (4/29/12)

Summary: This post is the second in our series, "What Did You Do This Weekend?" Steve Kamb of nerd fitness travels to sixteen countries, moving all the way!

Why it's a Mind Blow: Steve Kamb's self-funded adventure reminds us of the scale, scope, and diversity of our planet. More importantly, it encourages us to get up off the couch and move through it.

That's it! As I've said before, move. Just move, because the path to joy is a path, not a thought process.

Have a beautiful week!

Source:

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Saturday's Simple Beauties 2

Summary: This photo, the second offering in our series of Saturday's Simple Beauties, is another mind-blow that speaks for itself.





Note to reader: Thanks to all of you who've been making Daily Mind Blow a part of your day! Sharing my sense of wonder has been a great source of joy for me, and I'm so grateful that you've helped me create a space for it. In the coming weeks, please help me grow this community by commenting here on the blog site, "liking" the Daily Mind Blow Facebook Page, following on Twitter @dailymindblow, and of course, sharing with friends!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Fast and Furious

Summary:

Fact: Pigeons have a sixth sense which allows them to detect the Earth's magnetic field.
                       
 Fact: Increased blood flow to the brain causes "ice-cream headaches".

Why it's a Mind Blow: Normally on Daily Mind Blow, I share one discovery, revelation, or incite per day. Today, you'll note two facts in the summary. Why?

Well, today is sort of a double mind blow. Both discoveries, in their own right, are pretty cool. Who among us hasn't grabbed our head after gulping a slushy and said in frustration, "why does that happen?" Likewise, I'm sure you've gazed at a flock of migrating geese in the fall and wondered just how they know where to go every year.

In the first instance, scientists have discovered that increased blood flow and dilation in the anterior cerebral artery is the culprit behind brain freeze. The body, detecting a temperature threat to the brain, sends in the blood. This, in turn, increases pressure in the blood vessels. Hence the pain.

In the second case, scientists have actually mapped the specific neurons in the brains of pigeons that fire in response to fluctuating magnetic fields. This magnetic sense is not present in humans, but may be present in several other species and families of animals. Using the Earth's magnetic field, these creatures are most likely able to find and "map" specific locations.

Amazing! Just two examples of those baffling "why is the sky blue" questions answered just this week. And although they are unrelated, the fact that science is revealing so much so quickly is the real mind blow of the day. So many answers, every hour it seems, and we are here to see it all! What a treat!

Sources:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=blood-flow-fingered-in-ice-cream-he-12-04-25

http://news.discovery.com/animals/pigeons-gps-120426.html

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Universal Mind

Summary: Physicist Neil Degrasse Tyson shares what he thinks is the most astounding fact in the Universe.

Why it's a Mind Blow: Tyson reminds us of that old adage, "we are all star dust." It's a scientific fact that every atom in our body, every atom in the world around us, originated in the nuclear furnace of a star. This fact, in-and-of-itself, is mind-blowing, and worthy of deep reflection.

Over the years, that consideration has led me to a particular view that I'd like to share with you now. Throughout history, major religions have pointed to a unifying force that exists in all of us, within everything. Christians call it the Holy Spirit. Buddhists, Buddha Nature. In science, it's known as the singularity - the boundless potential that existed at the moment of the big bang.

After that explosion of creation, this "universality" began doing what nature does; it began a process of diversification. What was once a single and unifying force, the stuff of the universe, began to change. "The one" began to express itself in new and awesome ways and (as Tyson points out) stars formed and eventually, us. In this way, we are all an example of that original potential, expressed.

Human consciousness and the birth of the ego leads us to believe that we are separate from the world around us. This is a necessary stage in the evolution of the universe because without self identity, we would lack the will to survive.

But in a very real and scientifically verifiable way, we are one with the universe. We are the stuff of the universe, manifested in a new way.

Enter the human imagination, and this is where it gets really mind-blowing. As we are the universe expressed, our consciousness is, in essence, the universe becoming aware of itself. This universal self-awareness, of which humanity is in the early stages of participation, is an amazing moment in the history of everything, because the universe now has the opportunity to imagine itself and to shape the nature of its own unfurling.

If your head is spinning, don't worry, so's mine! The important thing to take away is this. Your imagination is an integral part of creation, and your participation in the creative process has great meaning, because it is shaping the destiny of our universe; the destiny of us.

Source:

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

A Big Pizza Pie!

Summary: On May 5th at 11:36 PM (est) the full moon will achieve perigee. Making a close pass to Earth, it will appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than normal.

Why it's a Mind Blow: As the full moon comes closer to Earth, there will be some interesting scientific results. For example, tidal fluctuations in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia may range as much as 55 feet!

But for all you lunatics who find yourself restless when the moon waxes full, this will be a special occasion to howl. The moon won't be this big and bright again until 2014. That's why I'm giving you plenty of notice. This Cinco de Mayo, grab someone you love and make it an evening to remember, cause it promises to be a marvelous night for a moon dance!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Remedy Mine!

Summary: A consortium of billionaires, including Google's Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, and filmmaker/explorer James Cameron, have announced a new venture to mine near Earth asteroids!

Why it's a Mind Blow: I'm so excited about this, I don't know where to begin! Sending robots to mine asteroids seems like serious science fiction. But the necessary technology exists, at least theoretically. And if anyone can get the job done, I'd put my money behind the Google boys.

This is not a pipe dream. The money has been invested, telescopes are being deployed next year, and actual surveys could begin within seven years! They're doing this!

Now you may be saying to yourself, "great, we've exploited the Earth and now we're going to let our greed run wild on the solar system." Well, allow me to turn that frown upside down. I am no fan of unchecked capitalism, and if the Chinese government were behind this project, I'd be worried. But the group of investors who are planning this undertaking are visionaries. Yes, there's a healthy profit to be made, but the benefits to mankind as a whole may be equally as rich.

The plan would be to focus on the extraction of platinum-group metals and water. The rare-earth metals are used in batteries, medical devices, and have several applications for renewable energy sources, like fuel-cell vehicles. An effective harvest in space could pour trillions of dollars into the global economy. This is a revenue stream that simply doesn't exist on Earth. It's new money, and it could be one of the key factors in eliminating deep poverty once and for all!

Now, about the water, and this is truly thrilling. Why water? Well, the water can be split into liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen and refined into, you guessed it, rocket fuel. This can all be done in space, and the rocket fuel can supply "orbital fuel stations". Manned missions to Mars and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn in our lifetimes would be difficult for a number of reasons, but one of the chief hurdles is the amount of fuel it requires. Liquid fuel is heavy on Earth (thanks gravity) and lifting it into space is expensive and inefficient. Having fuel waiting in orbit opens up an whole new realm of possibility for the exploration of our solar system. And that, my friends, is mind-blowing!

Source: The first link is to the article from The Guardian newspaper, and the second is a nice interactive graphic that explains what the mining operation might actually look like.

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/apr/24/tech-tycoons-asteroid-mining-venture?INTCMP=SRCH

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/interactive/2012/apr/24/asteroid-mining-how-work-interactive?INTCMP=SRCH

Monday, April 23, 2012

Captain Caveman!

Summary: Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have discovered that one to four percent of the human genome (for humans of non-African decent) is derived from Neanderthals!

Why it's a Mind Blow: In this day and age, we tend to take for granted facts from the distant past. We know that the dinosaurs were wiped out by a comet 65 million years ago and that the first humans came from Africa. These facts, like so many in our geological and evolutionary history, are commonly known, and elicit little more than a yawn. Hardly breaking news.

But every once in a while, a story comes along that reminds us just how much we still have to learn about our origins. Today's mind blow, courtesy of the New York Times, is just such an occasion. Scientists have mapped the human genome, and they are now well on their way to completing a genetic map for Neanderthals. It turns out we interbred, and there's a little caveman in many of us.

So that's cool. But what's truly amazing is how we come to know these things. Mapping a genome is a herculean task. The Human Genome Project took thirteen years and is considered one of the most ambitious scientific endeavours of all time. And the bit about the comet that got the dinosaurs? Well, it took decades of searching and the combined discoveries of scientists from several disciplines to verify that theory.

When we hear these tidbits of truth about the deep past, it's important to stop and consider not only the information, but the extraordinary devotion and ingenuity it took to reveal it. The real mind blow here is human curiosity, and the great lengths we're willing to travel to satisfy it.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/science/07neanderthal.html?_r=1