Sciencey fun

Understanding gravitational forces is something that's not necessarily intuitive, and being unable to visualize the effects of steller bodies on one another can make earth science and astronomy a difficult subject to learn.

Orbitrunner is a game that makes you a sun, and you have to place yourself carefully soas to ensure your orbiting planets and their corresponding satallites don't collide with one another and explode to wee bits and pieces. You can see how astral bodies interact. It's interesting. It's fun. IT'S SCIENCE.

Online Game: Orbitrunner Control the Sun with your mouse. Use it to manipulate the planets' paths. The Sun's pull gets stronger as planets get closer. If the gravity is at a right angle to the direction of travel, an orbit can form. Make sure planets don't leave the screen or collide! Play This Free Game Now

No, but for reals, this game is fun.

I can't decide

This is a specimen of black wulframite with a fluorite growth on it. I really like it. However, it costs about $31. I really really want it, but I can't decide if I should buy it or not. It's relatively small, at 1.75"X1.5"X1". The whole specimen.

Grr.

What should I do? Is it worth it?

Update:You know what? I looked at the pic on my blog, and figured, screw it. I want it. I just got a raise. Here's my present to myself.

Happy raise day to me.

Insignificance

Mental_Floss linked to this video in this morning's Cup O' Links. I like it, because it reminds me that my problems and life are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and that I should stop worrying and appreciate what I have.

Getting my rock on

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the latest addition to my nerd collection: a specimen of cinnabar on dolomite. Cinnabar is the red crystal and the dolomite is the white rock. Cinnabar's chemical composition is HgS - Mercury Sulfide - which means it's poisonous. This means that despite the fact that the specimen looks like strawberries and cream does NOT mean that it is edible.

Do you like it?

Look Closely...

All righty (yes, that's right, all right is 2, count 'em TWO words. It's NOT alright. Just ask the SAT Prep book, thank you very much)...what was I saying? Oh right, all righty, folks, it's science time.

Summertime is known for a vast increase in insect population. Not all bugs are nasty, though. Or, are they? The following closeups are taken with electron microscopes.

Here we have a pretty butterfly. How many of these things have you held?



But close up...




That there spiral thingy is the butterfly's tongue. It's licked you.

And here we have a pretty sphinx moth.



But close up...



That there curly thingy, that there is the moth's tongue. Its tongue. Imagine how long that thing is when unfurled. Think about that next time one is flying at your lamp or comes flying out of the closet.

Evolving past vinegar and baking soda

It's a slow day at work today, which is fortuitous, since I'm sleepy. Browsing online, I found this website where you can change the amount of gas and viscosity within a volcano and watch the resulting volcanic eruption. It's education (yawn), but it is fun. I promise.

So, are you ready? Build your own volcano!

Monkey, this would be great for you, since you're having such a hard time with earth science right now. I promise, you'll like it.