The MarÂiÂana Trench is the deepÂest part of the ocean and also the lowÂest known eleÂvaÂtion on earth, plungÂing down some 36,200 feet. This graphÂic, sent along by Bill and Ian, puts the Trench into perÂspecÂtive, allowÂing you to see it in scale just how low it goes…
MIT LED Helicopters: The Early Smart Pixels
ImagÂine a TV disÂplay that conÂtains milÂlions of “smart pixÂels” that can move into difÂferÂent places and reliÂably creÂate 3D images? That’s what researchers at an MIT research lab are curÂrentÂly doing. But, in the absence of real smart pixÂels, they’re using “remoteÂly conÂtrolled micro-heliÂcopters that can be choreÂoÂgraphed elecÂtronÂiÂcalÂly to disÂplay shapes and images.” (Read more about this in Wired.) The clip above offers a two minute demo of the “FlyÂfire” project, showÂing the micro-heliÂcopters in action…
When the Dalai Lama Meets the Neuroscientists
More and more, the Dalai Lama has been develÂopÂing an interÂest in what modÂern sciÂence has to say about human emoÂtion — or, more parÂticÂuÂlarÂly, how neuÂroÂscience makes sense of medÂiÂtaÂtion and comÂpasÂsion. PartÂly as a result, StanÂford UniÂverÂsiÂty has launched The CenÂter for ComÂpasÂsion and AltruÂism Research and EduÂcaÂtion, which is delvÂing deepÂer into these quesÂtions. The clip above feaÂtures Daniel GoleÂman, the bestÂselling sciÂence jourÂnalÂist (EmoÂtionÂal IntelÂliÂgence and DestrucÂtive EmoÂtions), talkÂing about the Dalai Lama’s work on this front. You can find the full conÂverÂsaÂtion with GoleÂman at Bigthink.com, a good resource for thought-proÂvokÂing video.
The Stanford Mini Med School: Visit the Web Site
Back in JanÂuÂary, we gave you a heads up about a new course availÂable online: The StanÂford Mini Med School. Now it’s time for a quick update: the StanÂford School of MedÂiÂcine has launched a handÂsome web site that conÂveÂnientÂly cenÂtralÂizes the video lecÂtures in one place. 10 lecÂtures (from the Fall term) now appear. EvenÂtuÂalÂly, anothÂer 20 lecÂtures will get postÂed. You can start watchÂing here.
For more coursÂes, visÂit this big list of Free Online CoursÂes from top uniÂverÂsiÂties.
Bill Gates on Energy: Innovating to Zero!
The major TED conÂferÂence wrapped up late last week. And now the videos start to roll out. Above Bill Gates (to quote TED) “unveils his vision for the world’s enerÂgy future, describÂing the need for mirÂaÂcles to avoid planÂeÂtary catÂaÂstroÂphe and explainÂing why he’s backÂing a draÂmatÂiÂcalÂly difÂferÂent type of nuclear reacÂtor. The necÂesÂsary goal? Zero carÂbon emisÂsions globÂalÂly by 2050.”
The Science/Liberty Nexus
You can’t get good democÂraÂcy withÂout sciÂence, and you can’t get good sciÂence withÂout democÂraÂcy. That’s why great politÂiÂcal and sciÂenÂtifÂic revÂoÂluÂtions have hisÂtorÂiÂcalÂly gone hand-in-hand. It’s an intriguÂing arguÂment that TimÂoÂthy FerÂris (UC BerkeÂley) makes in his new book, The SciÂence of LibÂerÂty, and debates in an interÂview with Michael KrasÂny, aired last week on KQED in San FranÂcisÂco. You can stream the interÂview below, or access it via mp3 or iTunes.
10,000 Galaxies in 3D
In 2004, the HubÂble Space TeleÂscope capÂtured 10,000 galaxÂies in an image that’s now called the Ultra Deep Field. It’s our deepÂest look into the uniÂverse. The video above aniÂmates the Deep Field image and puts it into 3D. No need to read more. Just watch.
The Beautiful Math of Coral & Crochet
Our readÂer GarÂnet sets the stage for this video: “MathÂeÂmatiÂcians have long declared that geoÂmetÂriÂcal hyperÂbolÂic space could not be modÂeled in the real world. Now it’s been done, through croÂchet! Watch TED video sciÂence writer MarÂgaret Wertheim explain how the art of croÂchet emuÂlates sea slugs creÂatÂing coral strucÂtures in hyperÂbolÂic space, using art to bring attenÂtion to the disÂapÂpearÂance of coral through globÂal warmÂing.” You can get more inforÂmaÂtion about this preÂsenÂtaÂtion here. And, for more TED Talks, don’t forÂget to check out this handy online spreadÂsheet.
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