Weird. Reproduction among unicellular lifeforms under the rocks of Mars.
Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
Weird. Reproduction among unicellular lifeforms under the rocks of Mars.
Nah, I thought this has got to be a joke:
The Pentagon’s defence scientists want to create an army of cyber-insects that can be remotely controlled to check out explosives and send transmissions.
But no…there is actually a DARPA call for proposals.
DARPA seeks innovative proposals to develop technology to create insect-cyborgs, possibly enabled by intimately integrating microsystems within insects, during their early stages of metamorphoses. The healing processes from one metamorphic stage to the next stage are expected to yield more reliable bio-electromechanical interface to insects, as compared to adhesively bonded systems to adult insects. Once these platforms are integrated, various microsystem payloads can be mounted on the platforms with the goal of controlling insect locomotion, sense local environment, and scavenge power. Multidisciplinary teams of engineers, physicists, and biologists are expected to work together to develop new technologies utilizing insect biology, while developing foundations for the new field of insect cyborg engineering. The HI-MEMS may also serve as vehicles to conduct research to answer basic questions in biology.
The final demonstration goal of the HI-MEMS program is the delivery of an insect within five meters of a specific target located at hundred meters away, using electronic remote control, and/or global positioning system (GPS). Although flying insects are of great interest (e.g. moths and dragonflies), hopping and swimming insects could also meet final demonstration goals. In conjunction with delivery, the insect must remain stationary either indefinitely or until otherwise instructed. The insect-cyborg must also be able to transmit data from DOD relevant sensors, yielding information about the local environment. These sensors can include gas sensors, microphones, video, etc.
Although the idea of having a remote controlled dragonfly is very cool, I am very pessimistic, and have to dash a little cold water on the plan.
Via Leiter Reports, it’s Google Mars!
Hey, just an odd thought…the distance to Mars is such that communications have a lag of tens of minutes. When I move to the new colony after I retire, am I not going to have a hard time browsing the weblogs any more? I’d send a request to go to a page via http, a half hour later the html would arrive at my computer, and if I click on a link, it’ll be another half hour wait for anything to happen. This doesn’t sound very practical. Actually, it reminds me of the Earth people in Sterling’s Schismatrix (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll) Swanwick’s Vacuum Flowers (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), who have formed a hive mind but are trapped on the planet, because when subpopulations move far enough way, they become autonomous and independent of the core mind.
OK, it was a really long day yesterday, I’m still tired, and my mind is wandering…
In my hands I have a remarkable artifact sent to me by the mysterious Finback:
I don’t know quite what to call it: a bobble-tentacle? I should get some adhesive and attach it to the dashboard of my car, I think. And thank you, Mr Finback!
Chinese food can be such an adventure. The “Big bowl flavor vegetables pig livings bowel” sure sounds appetizing, but all the items with cowboy meat are worrisome. And that last duck chin item has me wondering whether this is a restaurant, or just a very exotic bordello.
(via Helminthlog)
You all know what I think of the “Painter of Light”…well, he seems to have improved lately.
Another Friday, another Random Ten.
| Captain Hook | John Cale |
| Friend Of The Devil | Grateful Dead |
| El Prado | Tom Griesgraber |
| Lord, Fix Me | Madison Prayer Band |
| Yo No Soy Tu Marido (Bachata Mix) | Nicky Jam |
| Bergfäst (Mountain Haunted) | Gjallarhorn |
| Cabo Verde N’ot Era | Maria de Barros Nha Mundo |
| Pixel Pirates | Tangerine Dream |
| Vasectomy | Roy Zimmerman |
| Octopus | Syd Barrett |
The birthday was yesterday. Now I’m going to have to wait 364 days before I can ask for this t-shirt as a present!
The Schoepenhauer awards are a delectable collection of interesting descriptions of parasites, such as the roundworm.
Today we’ll introduce you to the Intestinal Roundworm, a hideous parasite which infects one out of every four people in the world. That’s not a misprint: one out of four. More than one and a half BILLION people. Yup, every fourth person on this planet is nothing but a travelling worm farm.
Sweeeeet, right?
But hey, do you remember that moment in a certain cult movie when Sean Connery, dressed in little more than bandoliers and a speedo, is rummaging through a library and discovers the truth about his god, the incredible gun-spewing penis-hating flying head named Zardoz? He finds the book The WIZARD of OZ, and realizes he’s been tricked, and his whole life has been a lie, and he has to go kill all the Immortals and sleep with Charlotte Rampling.
The Schoepenhauer article is accompanied by this figure.
Notice any remarkable similarities? Anything that makes you go “hmmm”?
Does this help?
NOOOOOOOOOOO!
I’ve been tricked! Now I have to go home and get a pistol and some red underwear. Somebody…warn Charlotte Rampling, before it’s too late.
