http://sciencenerds.info Informal discussion about serious science Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:39:26 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en ScienceNerds.info site content to the Millennium3.info science section. Millennium3.info hosts consolidated content including science, sci-fi/fantasy, computing, technology, popular interests, internet shopping and more. http://sciencenerds.info/?p=14 Seems people are trying genetic engineering (or the more politically correct "genetic modification") at home make-shift labs for all sorts of interesting projects. Many of these people are those who had the insight to study biotechnology in college, but didn't find a job in the field. Is this a good or ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=12 Arthur C. Clarke, whom I consider the best Science Fiction author ever, died in Sri Lanka at age 90. Sri Lanka had been Clarke's home since 1956. I loved his books because I love "realistic" science fiction. In other words, he really pondered the scientific/technical feasibility, and many of his ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=10 Location of Palau A fascinating discovery has been made that may shed light on the Homo florensis mystery. Thousands of bones (dated 900 to 2,900 years old) have been found in caves in the Pacific island of Palau, the older of which are of humans 3 to 4 foot in height. Although ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=9 I don't think so. You might have heard the lastest on the Flores hobbit story; that some Australian researchers are claiming they were actually modern humans suffering from cretinism (myxoedematous endemic cretinism, to be precise).  The researchers include iodine deficiency as a cause of the cretinism. Iodine deficiency is usually caused by a lack ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=8 You might have heard of a movie called "10,000 BC" coming out in March of 2008. If you saw the trailers you might have noticed some things that were  inaccurate, or at least grossly exaggerated, if you have some basic knowledge of prehistory. Were saber-tooth tigers (smilodons) really that big? ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=5 Looks like my second guess might have been right (or closer to the truth). Assuming this wrist bone study was done right, it sure tilts the likelihood strongly in the direction of the Hobbit being a non-human species (but still a primitive, upright hominid). It may not be exactly Homo ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=6 An Araucana hen. Araucanas, an odd-looking, colored-egg-laying breed, are likely descendents of chickens brought to South America by Polynesians decades before Columbus. As a teenager, I had read that the odd, colored-egg laying chicken breed, Auranacas (some of which my son has raised), were originally from a South American Indian tribe. Well, even as ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=4 You may remember the hype and speculation about the "Flores Hobbit", bones of which were first dug up on the Indonesian Island of Flores in 2003. The scientists found prehistoric remains of what appeared to be a race of really short, really small-brained hominids. They found parts of several skeletons ... http://sciencenerds.info/?p=3