Beetle mittens? What a bunch of crap!

The object of our attention.

Maybe I should have used another word. How about pasture lilies? But mittens and Dung Beetle's? Give me a break.

I've seen the little bug. I've watched it do the job assigned to it by Mother Nature. I understand its role in Life. What I don't understand is why some scientist would want to put a pair of mittens on one. Why/how would this idea even come up in the crazy world of science. That's the thing about scientists. They are wild and wacky thinkers.

Jochen Smolka, Lund University, Sweden, is studying the bug Scarabaeus nigroaeneus in Africa.  He's "... found that their dung balls aren’t just take-away meals—they’re also portable coolers." So now, besides mittens we've got air conditioners? Read on.

"Smolka placed dung beetles and their balls in a sandy circular arena, etched into their

natural habitat. If he shaded the arena so it was cooler than 50°C, the beetles rolled

their balls out without pause. On hotter ground, their front feet can heat up by as much

as 10°C, and that triggers them to climb onto their balls. Here’s where the adorable

green mitts come in—if Smolka placed these on the beetles, their front feet didn’t

heat up, and they were less likely to climb onto their balls."

So we know. I still want to know how he; 1) Made the mittens. 2) Got them on those tiny little feet. No mention was made. What a way to make a living, huh?

How do they figure out these things?

I've always taken it for granted when scientists tell me Black Holes suck (a scientific term?) in everything nearby (like a Hoover on steroids. mega steroids). They call them Black because you can't see anything inside (even with the biggest, baddest telescopes available). It's just Blackness. They've told me nothing escapes from within. It's just gone. Forever. Until today.

Today they're telling me they've found something coming out of one. And it's...

"Blasting over two-million light years from the centre of a distant galaxy,

this jet of material - which is 100 times the size of our own galaxy -

is being ejected at the speed of light from a supermassive black hole."

They're comparing the jet to the afterburner of a military jet because of light and dark areas they call "shock diamonds." Impressive. And a lot more interesting, IMO, than pickles on peanut butter sandwiches.

We've got some US Navy, hi-tech, science, invention of the year, awards, humor and GANGNAM!

How's that for a double trifecta + 1!

"Meet CHARLI-2, Virginia Tech’s skinny, five-foot tall humanoid robot. His balance

is enviable: Jostle him, and he’ll right himself — which is one of the reasons the Navy

is using him for research on its firefighting robot of the future.

You have to see it to believe it and you have to click on the story to watch. I'm having problems including pictures and/or videos with my posts. The pic I want to use right now, may or may not show up. Command Central for Google blogs (of which this is one) won't answer my Mayday! calls and I can't figure out the problem.

A man of medical science reconsiders more than just his life on earth

Dr. Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon. The son of a neurosurgeon, he grew up in a scientific world. He followed his father's path and "...became an academic neurosurgeon, teaching at Harvard Medical School and other universities. I understand what happens to the brain when people are near death, and I had always believed there were good scientific explanations for the heavenly out-of-body journeys described by those who narrowly escaped death."

A 7-day coma turned his beliefs about an afterlife completely around. It's an interesting story.

(Photo illustration by Newsweek; Source: Buena Vista Images-Getty Images)

Rubber Ducks add to our scientific knowledge

Often maligned and taken for granted, this little American Icon has been quietly assisting scientists study the oceanic currents since 1992. And they're not doing it in somebody's bath tub.

Our Hero

"In 1992, a shipping crate containing 28,000 plastic bath toys was lost at sea when it fell overboard on its way from Hong Kong to the United States."

Since then they've been turning up on shores around the world. Folks have been reporting and logging their landings. There's a website set up to report findings and they're the subject of a book.

Their "currents" travels

So, let's start showing a little respect for these lil fellers, OK?