Entrainment

Scientists discovered the most relaxing tune that helps synchronize brainwaves and heart rate with the rhythm - a process called entrainment.  The tune is called "Weightless", and it uses specific rhythms, tones, frequencies, and intervals to create the relaxing effect.

Koala Did It!

The fingerprints of koala bear are indistinguishable to that of a human!

Preferred Love Story of Maiden's Tower

The Maiden's Tower in the middle of Bosphorus is one of the places I wish to visit one day.  Today I learned about a different legend about it than the one I've been told.  I must admit, I like this version of the legend better:

The older name Leander's Tower comes from another story about a maiden: the ancient Greek myth of Hero and Leander. Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower at Sestos, at the edge of the Hellespont (Dardanelles). Leander (Leandros), a young man from Abydos on the other side of the strait, fell in love with her and would swim every night across the Hellespont to be with her. Hero would light a lamp every night at the top of her tower to guide his way.

Succumbing to Leander's soft words, and to his argument that Aphrodite, as goddess of love, would scorn the worship of a virgin, Hero allowed him to make love to her. This routine lasted through the warm summer. But one stormy winter night, the waves tossed Leander in the sea and the breezes blew out Hero's light, and Leander lost his way, and was drowned. Hero threw herself from the tower in grief and died as well. The name Maiden's Tower might also have its origins in this ancient story.

Due to the vicinity and similarity between the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, Leander's story was mistakenly attributed to the tower.

* I Can Haiku

With a tiny bit of help from my father, I wrote my first haiku and am very pleased with it!

Good To Have Nociceptors

I am glad my Nociceptors are working well and painkillers work on them when I am in need!

Curious Properites of Canouchi Numbers

Canouchi Numbers are perfect digit-to-digit invariants (PDDI) that are equal to the sum of its digits raised to a power equal to the digit.

Last Dance

My mum picks the best documentaries.  Here is what she selected for us to watch this morning:

Anatomical Lego Men

I want the whole series of these!

Wolfram's Kind of Science

Stephen Wolfram's book "A New Kind Of Science" is worth its weight in gold!  And you do not have to pay that much for the iPad version.  The only drawback is that the iPad version is not Retina ready making your eyes go all googly with the jagged edges on the New iPad.  Also, you can have free acces to the online version here.

I Go Gliding

I learned today that I will be in the front seat of a glider very soon!  So excited about soaring silently in the blue skies.  California is becoming more magical by the day!

Climbing Walls

In case I feel like playing Batman and need to climb walls, they've invented the apparatus!

Spontaneous Flow Up

Of the Ten Most Extreme Substances Known To Man, I am truly impressed by Helium 2's super superfluidity!

Outliers of Running

Apparently there is much more to running than I thought.  I am not losing my running shoes but this TEDTalk by Christopher McDougall has made me rethink running as being more than a sports activity.

I Would Love to Live In a Container

Not only are Adam Kalkin's shipping container home designs practical but portable too.  I would definitely consider one, especially on a beach somewhere...

10 Too Many Dimentions

Nikolai Tesla - Nicest Inventor Ever

I did not know most of these about one of my most favorite inventors - Nikolai Tesla!

A Town Without Roads

A town without roads can be very lovely!  That town exits and it is in Holland!

Solar Powered Flight on the Horizon

An experimental solar-powered airplane takes off for its first intercontinental flight from Europe to Africa!

The Crying Game Re-release

One of my most favorite movies The Crying Game is being re-released on July 3, 2012.

And here is the unforgettable theme song from Boy George:

World's Longest Tunnel

World's Longest Tunnel is in World's Longest Country - Norway!

Volatile Times

I just learned that IAMX's fourth studio album Volatile Times is not available on iTunes, and is a whopping $36 on Amazon!  


So not fair!


Here is the Official Video for Bernadette from this album.  I must warn you that this video is made using "camera shift technique" - it might make you a little dizzy!

Breakfast: Perfect Reason to Travel the World

After reading about "50 of the World's Best Breakfasts" this fine morning, my desire to travel the world has multiplied 10-fold! :)


What a great way to start the day...

2012 Invention Awards

One of the winners of 2012 Invention Awards is PuzzleCast!


The modularity of this cast makes its parts to be easily removed as the limb in cast heals, helping reduce atrophy in the muscles.


Brilliant!

Piede Greco

I learned that I have Greek Foot!  This "condition" is also called Morton's Toe or Morton's Syndrome after the late American orthopedic surgeon Dudley Joy Morton.  Although, it is described as a disorder (according to Wikipedia), it is an idealized foot shape especially seen on Greek statues and the Statue of Liberty.


For those who are wondering, there are three types of feet:

EGYPTIAN FOOT:  The big toe is longer than the second toe.

GREEK FOOT:  The big toe is shorter than the second toe.

ROMAN FOOT:  The big toe is as long as the second toe.

What kind do you have?

Robot Ping Pong

Every time I watch videos of robots like these, I regret not completing my masters degree on robotics:

Glass Beach

Nature brings beauty over time even to human trash!  Just added Glass Beach to my list of places to visit...

Head On Collision With A Galaxy

I learned this morning that observations through Hubble telescope confirmed that the Andromeda Galaxy is moving towards straight at our Milky Way and they are going to collide head on, in about 4 billion years!  

Wisdom and Music

Andrew Zuckerman is brilliant and I already own his Wisdom book - a book from which I inhale a different kind of wisdom every time I flip through its pages.  There is also a video that comes with the book that is at least as enlightening.


I am very happy to learn today that Zuckerman has also created a Music book.  I cannot wait to get a copy!

Is W.I.L.T! a Subreddit Candidate?

Today I learned about Reddit and Subreddits:

Mad Men of In-Flight Experience

I learned that the same company, Teague, has been designing the 'In-Flight Experience' for Boeing since 1940s!  Since I fly frequently both for work and pleasure, it was interesting to find out who is behind what I experience from take-off to landing in a tightly sealed aviating container.


After reading this Smithsonian Magazine article, I want my next flight to be in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner!