Science journalist John Rennie is an amazing story teller. In this recording from Story Collider, he explains how he became the lab safety officer in his post-undergrad biology laboratory in the early 1980s (it involves being the only person who was concerned when other people started scooping up mercury with their bare hands). The peak of his experience: The day he stuck his arm, up past the elbow, into a barrel of liquid nitrogen. Good times.
True tales of a laboratory safety officer
Cannibalism, murderous insects, face mites, and creepy clowns
Gory Details is National Geographic reporter Erika Engelhaupt's new book about the science of creepy, interesting, and real things such as face mites (above), the caloric intake of cannibals, the unpleasantries of earwax, and the psychology of coulrophobia. From an interview with Engelhaupt in Science News: SN: Do you have a favorite reporting field trip?… READ THE REST
What would happen to a pair of Crocs at the bottom of the ocean?
What would happen to a pair of Crocs if they sat 3 kilometers down on the ocean floor? How about a styrofoam cup? Or a fishing lure? The Hydraulic Press Channel employs a high pressure chamber to subjects those items and more to a simulated 3 kilometers of depth. READ THE REST
Video compilation of people who think snow is fake
Yesterday, Jason posted a video from someone in Texas who couldn't melt a snowball in 10 seconds with a hairdryer and seems to think something funny is going on. Like dogs barking at the rain, many us are mystified and annoyed by the whims of nature. But not all of us think that the snow… READ THE REST
Turn any shower into a luxury experience with this jumbo showerhead
Did you know young people spend more time on average in the shower than older age groups? It's true. In fact, 18-to-24-year-olds routinely log more than 13 minutes under their showerheadduring each shower, as opposed to the much more concise 8 minutes for those 55 and over. Considering the average person takes almost 7 showers a week,… READ THE REST
This ultra-light headlamp has a 210-degree arc of light and 32 hours of battery
Bright, hands-free light isn't easy to come by. Headlamps unnaturally focus their beams in what seems like a laser pointer, and they typically don't produce enough light. And who wants to strap a big battery pack to their head? The Liteband Activ 520 Wide-Beam LED Headlamp lives by a simple motto: see everything, feel nothing. As… READ THE REST
This JBL tower speaker brings professional, theater-quality sound to your home
It seems like every company is putting out their own speakers these days. From industry heavyweights like Sony and Pioneer to boutique brands you've never even heard of, store shelves are packed with speaker options. But a small handful of elite names rise above the general noise of the speaker wars. The educated audio consumer sees… READ THE REST