The Old Weather project is a crowdsourced effort to gather data on historic climate patterns by transcribing entries from old, logbooks, some typed and some handwritten. The project is jointly run by NOAA and the Smithsonian. (via Kottke)
Help climate scientists by transcribing weather data from old ships' logs
Don't dip your hand in boiling hot oil like this
Don't try this. Dianna from Physics Girl showed how under highly controlled conditions it's possible to dip one's hand into boiling oil without injury. The video is unlisted and age-restricted to keep children and dummies from trying to replicate the physics demonstration that's often done with molten metal. Image: YouTube / Physics Girl READ THE REST
Scientific American endorses Joe Biden, breaking 175-year tradition of never endorsing a presidential candidate
Because Trump is an enemy of science. "Scientific American has never endorsed a presidential candidate in our 175-year history—until now," tweeted the publication today. "The 2020 election is literally a matter of life and death. We urge you to vote for health, science and Joe Biden for President." Excerpt: The evidence and the science show… READ THE REST
Scientists find preserved cave bear frozen more than 20,000 years ago
Reindeer herders in the Russian Arctic's Lyakhovsky Islands found a preserved carcass of a cave bear frozen in the ice between 22,000 and 39,500 years ago. From the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk: [North-Eastern Federal University} scientist Lena Grigorieva said of the island discovery of the adult beast: 'Today this is the first and only find… READ THE REST
This portable air conditioner puts out all the cooling power of a home unit at a fraction of the size
If your summer found you sweltering somewhere, from your house to your garage to your RV to a tent in the forest, now's the time to start considering your plan for next year. Baking in some tiny unventilated space is no way to spend your time, even during a pandemic. Air conditioning units don't have… READ THE REST
The Crave PowerPack 2 is a massive stockpile of portable on-the-go power
You can never have enough power. While that sounds like a line from Niccolo Machiavelli, it's also the regular refrain from pretty much anyone with a mobile device. It seems like no matter how long you charge up before you leave the house, it doesn't take more than a few minutes of texting, map directions… READ THE REST
There's a new school of car insurance companies, and Clearcover leads the pack
"Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." That century-old quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson (sort of) is just as true today. If you build a better product, offer a better service or create a better infrastructure for customers, then with a bit of time and attention, the world… READ THE REST
