Googling Fights Dementia
Saving the world since 1996
In a recent study, scientists have found that googling stuff on the internet actually encourages blood flow and a healthy brain. This is yet another reason why I love Google, it is making people healthier.
Before we had a search-based internet, everyone would put in a specific site that they wanted to access which provided them a service. When Google came around they emphasized finding information instead of providing a service and radically changed the internet. Now Google is a verb. It doesn't matter what search engine you use, Google has likely affected how you perceive the internet. Beyond that, it has affected how I use all computers. I don't worry about organizing applications because I just a key combo on my keyboard and search for the application.
This constant searching apparently has benefits beyond making information and services easier to find. Every time you think about finding something new, or just surf the internet, you are constantly making small decisions and problem solve for solutions. Deciding how to phrase a search to return the best results requires some thought.
the study showed that using Google to find information stimulated the same parts of the brain, and in a similar way, as solving a sudoku puzzle or starting a new hobby. The difference here is that you are constantly finding NEW information. Every new search is just that, brand new. Doing sudoku puzzles for an hour a day to me would seem much more draining and would get boring much faster than googling things for and hour a day.
Moral of the story is that those Bing commercials asking what searching has done to us are absurd. Searching isn't a problem, it is a brain workout. By searching all the time we are keeping our brains healthy and fighting dementia.
Zombie Mathematics
Earlier this year a group of mathematician from Canada published a paper in the journal "Infectious Disease Modelling Research Progress" examining the ability to model a zombie apocalypse using current infectious disease models (with a few modifications). What they determined was that if zombies were to exist (without a cure or massive military action, which they also looked at) then the only outcome was everyone becoming a zombie. To use more technical terminology, the only stable equilibrium was all zombie. In their analysis they found this to be true with a virus (or whatever) that acted quickly, slowly and if they included quarantine of the infected/zombies as well. The only situations where it might be possible (according to their study) to survive a zombie apocalypse was if 1) there was a cure developed (although the world would be mostly zombies) or 2) if you had a group of survivors and were able to use the military to attempt to kill off every zombie (which I would have liked the authors to bulk up a little more).
Science Songs
We interupt you regularly scheduled Zombie Week to bring you some wonderful scientific pursuits.
Readers, you all know that we are a science-y bunch here at Cleverpork Central, and you may have guessed that we enjoy music. The following are four youtube videos that are what I consider to be the best of the best when it comes to amazing science music.
Virus Glass Art
Artist Luke Jerram has fulfilled another one of my favorite things. He is turning science into art. I discovered his art reading Science Magazine. They had a feature including his version of Swine Flu. However, not only is it beautiful, it is also very accurate to the real science involved. A combination of accurate micrographs and scientist opinions has made this art some of the most scientific I have ever seen.
Bubonic Plague – Our Real Threat
In the 1400s the black death swept through Europe leaving a wake of dead in its path. In modern days people think that it is gone. But that is far from the truth. A lot of people are claiming that the deaths are due to swine flu or such, but our Cleverpork Central scientists have determined that the real threat is bubonic plague. This is our guide to how to survive the plague.
xkcd Volume 0
Nearly a month ago I ordered xkcd Volume 0. This is a collection of AWESOME from one of my favorite webcomics ever, xkcd. To celebrate, the following is my unboxing and initial reactions
A Package?! for me?!