misc.ience

RIP Patrick Moore – thank you for the wonder

Aimee Whitcroft • Dec 10, 2012

• badger,
• culture,
• cyriak,
• obituary,
• Patrick Moore,
• space snacks,
• weebl

Sir Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore, CBE, FRS, FRAS, the self-taught (i.e. amateur) astronomer who inspired millions to look upwards at the heavens, has died aged 89.  Sir Patrick Moore. Credit: The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/31/small-ask-young-readers-questions   From the Telegraph obituary: …Sir Patrick Moore, who… Read more › … Read More

Google+ rolls out Google Communities

Aimee Whitcroft • Dec 07, 2012

• Communities,
• culture,
• design,
• google,
• group,
• instagram,
• snapseed,
• Social media,
• Twitter

Well, earlier today (depending on where you are, of course), Google+ started rolling out Google Communities. The service is brand new, so I don’t have much of an opinion about it yet.  I’ve just joined a makers/hackers/engineers/artists community, as these… Read more › … Read More

Amazing Mad Men smoking/drinking data visualisations

Aimee Whitcroft • Dec 07, 2012

• Alcohol,
• culture,
• data vis,
• data visualisation,
• design,
• General,
• Mad Men,
• tobacco,
• visual.ly

The visual.ly website is a great place to watch for infographics and data visualisations of all sorts*, and a recent one, brought to my attention by excellent publication Fast Company, is particularly boggling. In the words of its creators, it’s… Read more › … Read More

DeSTEMber is here!

Aimee Whitcroft • Dec 06, 2012

• culture,
• destember,
• General,
• girlstart,
• google,
• STEM

A quick note, today, to make sure that you all, dear readers, are aware of and following/taking part in #deSTEMber. What is it, you ask?  Well, the Google Science Fair peeps have teamed up with girlstart, with the stated aim… Read more › … Read More

Astonishing documentary: Secret Life – the Hidden Life of the Cell

Aimee Whitcroft • Nov 28, 2012

• adenovirus,
• BBC,
• cell,
• David Tennant,
• molecular biology,
• Uncategorized,
• virus

If there’s one thing you watch today (well, other than wall-to-wall coverage of The Hobbit* and perhaps some videos of sorting algorithms explained through folk dance), it needs to be this. Secret Universe – The Hidden Life Of the Cell… Read more › … Read More

Sorting algorithms explained through folk dance

Aimee Whitcroft • Nov 28, 2012

• algorhythmics,
• computer science,
• culture,
• dance,
• education,
• Multimedia,
• sorting algorithms

Yep, you read that correctly. This morning, I was introduced to the video below – quick-sort as demonstrated through Hungarian folk dancing. Hell, even the youtube _comments_ are saner and less nonsensical, so this has GOT to be geeky stuff.… Read more › … Read More

Disagreeing with Monbiot

Aimee Whitcroft • Nov 20, 2012

• Environment,
• Environmentalism,
• Monbiot,
• screen

An hour or so ago, the Guardian’s George Monbiot published a new article, with the following headline and tagline: If children lose contact with nature they won’t fight for it With half of their time spent at screens, the next… Read more › … Read More

Nov 14 partial eclipse in Wellington – odd light and weird shadows

Aimee Whitcroft • Nov 14, 2012

• Eclipse,
• General,
• partial eclipse

As many people here in NZ know, today we’re getting to see a partial eclipse! Here in Wellington it peaked at 10:34, with 76% coverage. For those who’re wondering why their shadow was sharp on one side and blurry on… Read more › … Read More

Hanging out with Vint Cerf

Aimee Whitcroft • Nov 13, 2012

• culture,
• Google Hangout,
• internet,
• Vint Cerf

Ever thought it would be great to have the chance to hang out with a computer scientist who’s recognised as one of the “fathers of the internet”. Well, you can :) And the luminary in question is Vint Cerf himself.… Read more › … Read More

Sky farms are HERE!

Aimee Whitcroft • Nov 06, 2012

• farming,
• Growing things,
• local,
• local food,
• produce,
• Singapore,
• sky farm,
• Sky Green,
• vertical farm

I’ve previously blogged about sky farms, and how I think they’re a truly excellent idea. When last I wrote about it in 2009, it was a mad (yet extremely rational), science fictional solution to agriculture. Now, as with so much… Read more › … Read More