A study at Penn State in conjunction with NASA has just been released, outlining the different scenarios that could occur should Earth ever be visited by an alien species. The study, titled “Would contact with extraterrestrials benefit or harm humanity? A scenario analysis” includes the following theory: Humanity may just now be entering the period […]
Science!
Posted inScience!
Dr. Rick Perry: Science Expert Guy!
Rick Perry, talking about evolution to a child: “I hear your mom was asking about evolution,” Perry told the boy. “That’s a theory that is out there – and it’s got some gaps in it.” He added: “In Texas we teach both Creationism and Evolution in our public schools — because I figure you’re smart […]
Posted inScience!
Final Space Shuttle Launch
If you’re a space nerd like me, watching the final launch of the space shuttle this morning was weirdly emotional. I’ve been watching this thing fly since I was a kid, and it’s always been awesome. Bye, bye, space shuttle.
Posted inPortland
What Would You Need to Hear Before You Decided to Dive Into the Willamette River?
Perhaps you remember reading something about a certain riverine event Sunday, July 31, that the good ol’ Mercury has decided to help sponsor: It’s called the Big Float—and it basically consists of several hundred people crawling onto their inner tubes, inflatable chaise lounges, giant alligator balloons, etc., and then spending an hour floating lazily down […]
Posted inEvents
NASA’s Final Shuttle Mission: Amuricaaaa!
NASA Flying phallic objects make history~~~!~ Armed with about a gazillion American flags, a new state-of-the-art pee-recycling machine, and (yes, it’s true Apple is taking over the galaxy) an iPhone, the space shuttle Atlantis’ mission to the International Space Station—NASA’s last shuttle mission ever—will be a ground-shaking, out of this world feat of cosmic prop… […]
Posted inEvents
OMSI After Dark: The Beer-y Version
Science! Getting drunk is not only a magical experience, it’s scientific too! Just ask the fine drunkards at OMSI tonight, where they’ll be hosting an adults-only evening of drinking and sciencing. Learn all about the physics of beer pong, view hops and yeast under a microscope (am I the only one that would love to […]
Posted inSex
Science Finally Proves that Women are Shallow
Women often accuse me of being shallow—and I am. I enjoy Totino’s frozen pizza rolls more than an expensive cheese plate, I prefer Justin Bieber to Adele, and while I’m not diametrically opposed to meaningful sex, I think meaningless sex feels just about as good. BUT SEE? As it turns out, I’M not the shallow […]
Posted inReligion
So… About that Apocalypse…
Red dots would indicate the start of the Apocalypse. Earthquakes meant to sort (finally!) the heathen chaff from the Christian wheat—and end life on Earth as we know it—were supposed to have started tonight in New Zealand, according to a very old California radio preacher. And then the death would have kept rolling through the […]
Posted inReligion
Mike Seaver TOTALLY Embarrasses Stephen Hawking
TMZ talked to former child star/freaky Christian Kirk Cameron about world renown physicist Stephen Hawking’s claims that heaven is a “fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” OH YEAH? Well, Kirk may not be no astrophysicianal scientist, but he had THIS to say about THAT: Cameron tells us, “Professor Hawking is heralded as ‘the […]
Posted inOh, You Kids!
Which Combo of Kids is Best?
As you know I’ve got illegitimate kids scattered across the country, which kind of makes me an expert on parenting. So I was interested in this study wherein researchers polled thousands of parents to discover which combo of kids made for the most harmonious family life. Now the results of this poll are right here—BUT! […]
Posted inScience!
Who’s More Important: Rats or Children?
That’s the frank argument put forward by the Foundation for Biomedical Research, which announced today that they will be putting up rat vs. child billboards in several US cities, including Portland. Here’s the billboard: These billboards are part of the group’s “Research Saves” campaign, which argues, simply: Animal research saves human and animal lives. The […]
Posted inPortland
It’s Not Your Imagination: This Has Been the Grimmest Winter Ever
Being still relatively new to town, and having made most of my trips here in fairer months, I just assumed the unrelenting run of cold days we’ve had since December was normal. Shitty and gray, but normal. And not too far off from the foreboding clucks of “Just you wait, California boy!” doom I heard […]