Otters and gelatin

Yesterday I learned that otters hold hands while they're asleep in the water so they don't drift away from each other.  Cutest thing ever?  Yes. 

Today I learned that hooves are not actually used in gelatin.  They use animal bones, pig's hides and now even fish.  Using fish can help to overcome some of the religious prohibitions on gelatin items.  Good thing I'm not one of those religions because giving up candy corns and marshmallows would be hell.

The route that took me here was animal trivia-> horses hooves -> gelatin.  I've actually read 3 wikipedia articles to get to that fact, but  there you go.

I also found this "fact."

"Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself. At about that height it hits maximum speed and when it hits the ground it's rib cage absorbs most of the impact."

How do they know? They can't test that!

Men's Hair and JPL

June 9/10, 2012

I learned about scalp pigmentation.  I'd driven by a place that advertised it in the window, and had no idea what they were doing and came home and looked it up.  So basically the idea is that they tattoo a bunch of dots on a guys head to make it look like they have the barest amount of stubble.

I guess what you really have to decide is "what color and where should my hairline be?" I would love to see this up close just to see what it really looks like.

I guess if women can get their makeup tattooed on, why not men's hair?

Yesterday we went to JPL for their annual open house.  It's always really cool to see all the people who turn up.  Yesterday there was a guy in full Vulcan Elder costume.  Tons of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.  I love something that gets kids excited about science.  The coolest thing we saw yesterday was getting to go in to mission control.  We actually got to walk on the floor where all the people sit when they're controlling "space stuff."  We got to see the room that all the scientists will be in when the Mars Rover Curiosity lands.

And I learned there's an asteroid named after Anne Frank.

Jurassic Park Fractal

June 8, 2012

Today I learned about fractals.  I should actually say that today I skimmed the upper surface of fractals. I listened to half of Chuck's and Josh's podcast on fractals and have a basic idea.  Prior to the podcast the only thing I knew about fractals was the picture that introduced each chapter of Jurassic Park.

The gist of what I learned is that fractals are mostly used to mathematically explain items from nature.  The coast, a fern, a mountaintop, etc.  Things that euclidean geometry doesn't fully explain/identify.

I think I need to do more research, or at least finish listening to SYSK, before I write anymore about fractals. Now at least if someone ever mentions them, and really who ever will, I'll know enough to keep my mouth shut and not say anything lest I prove my stupidity.

Give me an x, y, and a z axis any day.

Learning 1 - Sarah 0

I think I learned something today, but I forgot it.  Which means it doesn't count.  Which brings me to the reason I started this blog.  I think my memory is going.  I'm too young to have my brain go, so I'm keeping it exercised.  I joined a website called lumosity which lets me do daily puzzles to keep up my brain power.  It tests you in memory, problem solving, flexibility and a few other categories, which I've of course forgotten.  Maybe visiting the website will keep my brain fresh.

I know they say learning a new language helps.  Maybe I'll get rosetta stone for Spanish.

I know they say crossword puzzles help.  I do those occasionally.

If you have any other brain tricks let me know.  I don't like being slow.  I've always been smart and quick.   Losing my brain power would be like losing a part of my personality.

June 6, 2012

Today I learned about the street lamps in the rite aid parking lot.  I've driven by a million times, parked in the lot, and wondered "why?"  Today on my way home I decided to finally take a picture (I'm in love with instagram right now) and look it up online.

It's an art installation.  No surprise there.  I like reading the plaques to find out where they were pulled from.

Today I also decided to look up something that has bothered me.  People always say "lineal feet" (of hallway, millwork, wall base, etc) and it always strikes me as wrong.  I say "linear feet."  Turns out linear feet is correct and lineal feet is incorrect.  Linear - measurement. Lineal - heritage.

What do you call a reproducing sphagnum?

June 4, 2012

Today I learned about moss thanks to Chuck and Josh over at Stuff You Should Know, a great podcast to which everyone should also be listening.

Moss the article
Moss the podcast

Turns out moss is pretty boring. Yes, we know it grows on the non-sun facing side of a tree, and if you're lost you can tell the direction if you can see moss.

The interesting tidbits I picked up were this:

• If you can't grow grass in your yard due to lack of sunlight, grow moss instead.
• If you want to purposefully get moss to grow on one of your trees (or a rock or something,) dig up some moss, toss it in the blender with buttermilk and then paint it on. 
• If you have moss in your yard and you want it to be there, water it with buttermilk in the spring.  
• Some mosses can go dormant for up to 19 years, then you can put water on it and it will come right back to life. 

I also learned that e.g. is exempli gratia ( for example) and i.e. is id est (it/that is.) and now that I know that I might never again use them incorrectly.

File that one under something I should have learned years ago.

June 4, 2012

Today I learned that I can see the listing for a Friends episode and know exactly which one it is and still want to watch it.

Which means I really didn't learn anything.

Actually that's not true.  I learned a lot from Caustic Soda. Today's podcast was about Science Blunders and the guest was Rosie Redfield.  Remember a few years ago when NASA said they found proof of a new form of life, to which a lot of people cried "Alien!?" It wasn't alien life, but something that scientists said was the closest to an alien life form that had ever been discovered, bacteria that creates its DNA using arsenic?  Turns out they were completely wrong.  All of the people who peer reviewed the paper were wrong.  And Science was wrong for publishing it.  Of course, I never would have remembered this happening if I hadn't been reminded by the podcast this morning.  But it was good to get an update and find out the real story.  

As of recording, and I guess "air" this morning her refutation of NASA's paper was in peer review itself, and today's blog says "accepted."  Congrats to Dr. Redfield.

PS- Caustic Soda is a great podcast if you decide to listen.  Weird topics, disgusting topics, foul topics and Canadian comic book nerds. The good kind.