A thread for topics related to science that do not belong in the Global Warming or similar threads.

Sine wave speech as an example of "perceptual insight." The authors argue that this sort of insight is a "top down" process; that is, it is a product of our higher level knowledge and expectations concerning sounds. Click on the first audio link, then the second, and then back to the first. Fascinating sort of audio illusion.

What kind of science thread is this?? There's nothing political about it.

This might be the best place to post the results on the Gorn Cannon test.

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-gorn-cannon-high-speed.html

It's such hot stuff, I dare not tell you how it came out.

...Except to say it's not quite what I expected.

...And that I liked it! Kirk is even tougher than I thought.

...And that Gorn Cannon Angle 1 is the best.

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-gorn-cannon-angle-1.html

Looks like the only reason the Gorn keeled over was the cannon jumped a bit and bumped his leg. Wouldn't even have given him a bruise. The writers missed a great opportunity here--they could have had Kirk's shirt blown off for yet another topless Kirk shot.

Re: Sine wave speech. *That* is totally cool!!

Good thread start, Crumhorn. I'll be sure to make use of it.

I can see why they put "Kirk" in a red shirt, though.



If Arena had been a TAS episode, I'm sure they would have. But only if Warner Brothers had made it instead of Filmation.

I don't know if we can call this Myth busted, though. They may have recreated the cannon, but they didn't factor in the sheer machismo that is Kirk, and which probably makes the difference between defeating the Gorn or not.

BBC report about a robotic hand that provides users the sensation of touch. Another remarkable achievement in the field of bio-engineering.

This technology also goes beyond robotic limbs for those who are missing their original limbs. There are whole body suits that are in trial version for people missing multiple limbs.

What I find exciting is the work being done with monkeys who control limbs with their brain waves. Move this technology to humans and you're looking at allowing a paralyzed person to use robotic limbs to grasp objects. Even better, more sophisticated versions of this technology may allow people to move their own limbs. One way is to route the nerve impulses around the damaged spinal cord.

Impressive. It is also worth noting that this work is being done in Sweden and Italy, which does something to address the question in "Healthcare Reform" about the level of research being done outside the U.S.

I wonder if the hand can feel pain, and if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.

This is more math than science, but what the heck. Close enough.

The old Y2K confusion is back:

Identical Twins born in 2 Separate Decades

Well, not quite. People are forgetting again that a decade is 10 years, not 9, and so the first decade of the 21st century ends at the end of 2010, not the beginning. Still, even twins born in separate years is unusual enough.

Decades aren't formally numbered the way centuries or millenia are. They have a defined nomenclature, so to speak. Decades do not. Dr. Phil explains.

Basically we go from 0 to 9. If you talk about the 70s, you include 1970-79....you don't include 1980 (that belongs in the 80s).

The first decade 1-9 did have 9 years, but it was an anomaly. Also note his example of the age we say we are and our actual age.