My friend and former colleague James Gaines, who previously explained how capsaicin works while eating a handful of chili peppers, worked on this SciShow video about tear gas. James is a great science writer who knows how to break down complicated science into bite-sized tidbits, and that skill is on display here — even if the subject matter is pretty harrowing.
Back in April, we learned that UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi had hired a sleazy "reputation-management" company to scrub her reputation and that of the university after the 2011 incident in which university police lieutenant John Pike hosed down peaceful protesters with pepper spray, jetting chemical irritant directly into their open mouths and eyes. READ THE REST
A police officer in Fort Worth was taken off patrol Monday after video surfaced showing him pepper-spraying passing bikers from the side of the road. WFAA reports that a force spokesman admitted "pepper-spraying drivers is not a department-endorsed tactic" and confirmed an investigation was underway. News 8 spoke Monday to Jack Kinney, the man who… READ THE REST
The website Autowise recently asked fans on Twitter to name their top American dream car. And as it turns out, the U.S. has more ecologically minded car owners than you might think. In fact, drivers in 20 states said the dream car they salivated over the most…was a Tesla. As that survey shows, the luxury… READ THE REST
With most of the world more conscious than ever about their carbon footprint and the sustainability of the actions they take, it begs an important question — can air travel ever be green? Unfortunately, giant planes provide a giant amount of carbon emissions. In fact, one flight from New York City to Amsterdam produces emissions… READ THE REST
If you're catching the feeling of good cheer and holiday merriment in the air, that's probably because we're smack in the middle of The Boing Boing Store's Three-Day VIP Annual Sale. One of the biggest discount shopping sprints of the year, you can save serious cash on huge collections of the best items we bring… READ THE REST
