Amazing x-ray video of a sword-swallower. (Via Madville.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:04 PM

Buy your own personal supercomputer.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:03 AM

"From factoids to facts": New system to query for usable information from the web.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:02 AM

Invention of the day: Room temperature plastic magnets.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:01 AM

"Japanese banks are turning to a new biometric identification system, based on the unique nature of the patterns of veins in our palms."
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:04 AM

The US Army's Tactical High Energy Laser has successfully shot down multiple mortar rounds in tests conducted last week at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:03 AM

E-mail addresses that would be really annoying to give out over the phone.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:02 AM

Crop Circle Beer is a new microbrew made from barley from English fields where crop circles have appeared. It also contains more alcohol than regular beers. (Via Fark.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:01 AM

Brain scan studies show that revenge really is sweet.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 8:22 AM

For grading papers, purple is the new red.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:04 AM

Geeky gamblers can now place physics bets. Available topics include "life on Titan, gravitational waves, the Higgs boson, cosmic ray origins and nuclear fusion".
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:03 AM

Terraserver address search: Enter your street address here, and see your house on the high resolution satellite photos. (Via Linkfilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:02 AM

The Search Engine Belt Buckle.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:01 AM

What do in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics do with all the extra embryos?
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:53 AM

Superconductor update: Researchers have created "a new type of superconducting wire that not only carries a high electric current without resistance but also is remarkably strong, light, thin, and long."
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:04 AM

Is your webcam spying on you?
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:03 AM

Invention of the day: Researchers at RPI have created a filter made from nanotubules that can filter out poliovirus from water.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:02 AM

Sneaky tricks used in different professions. Some examples:

Photographer

When taking family portraits that include a dog, don't use the dog's name or say "doggie, doggie" to get its attention, because it might trot over to you. Instead, call out "kitty, kitty, kitty." The dog will perk up and look around for a cat, and you can get a great shot if you time it right.

Nurse

Patients will occasionally pretend to be unconscious. A surefire way to find them out is to pick up their hand, hold it above their face, and let go. If they smack themselves, they're most likely unconscious; if not, they're faking.

(Via Boing Boing.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:01 AM

Movie casting: What might have been... (Via BBspot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:04 AM

The Name Generator Generator. (Via Linkfilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:03 AM

Set your directed energy weapon to "stun".
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:02 AM

Before you pick a fight with a stranger, check the symmetry of his ears.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:01 AM

Outsourcing the online gaming experience: American and European online gamers are outsourcing the drudge work to China, Russia, and other countries by paying real money to gamers in the poorer countries to play the boring parts for them that enable their characters to earn virtual currency.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:42 AM

"The closest observed asteroid yet to skim past the Earth without hitting the atmosphere, was reported by astronomers on Sunday." Asteroid 2004 FU162 "streaked across the sky just 6500 kilometres - roughly the radius of the Earth - above the ground on 31 March... The previous record for the closest asteroid approach to Earth was set on 18 March by an object called 2004 FH which missed the Earth by about 40,000 kilometres."
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:04 AM

Music piracy lawsuits: An overview of their current status.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:03 AM

"30-year-old Twinkie soon to become teacher's legacy". Apparently, it's still edible... (Via Linkfilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:01 AM

Marathon Mice: By changing just one gene, scientists have bred mice that can run twice as far as normal mice.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:22 AM

"How eight pixels cost Microsoft millions"
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:05 AM

The "Allais effect" could indicate a serious problem with Einstein's theory of general relativity.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:04 AM

Transparent aluminum. (Via Linkfilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:02 AM

Optical illusion of the day: Here. (Via WavingAtMyself.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:01 AM

Outsource your job to earn more! Great quote from a Slashdot poster:

About a year ago I hired a developer in India to do my job. I pay him $12,000 out of the $67,000 I get. He's happy to have the work. I'm happy that I have to work only 90 minutes a day just supervising the code. My employer thinks I'm telecommuting. Now I'm considering getting a second job and doing the same thing.

Full story from the Times of India here. (Via GMSV.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:05 AM

Boxing and philosophy. (Via ALDaily.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:01 AM

Invention of the day: Epson's teacup-sized flying robot.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:00 AM

Physicists have successfully performed quantum teleportation via fiber optic cable strung through a public sewer.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:03 AM

Intelligent floor tiles can simulate the sensation of walking in a virtual reality.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:02 AM

"Kruegerware": The newest form of evil spyware.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:01 AM

"64 = 65?": Nice animated version of an old geometry paradox. (Via Metafilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 4:00 AM

High tech rejection services.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:07 AM

Nanotubes may have no temperature.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:05 AM

The Onion on gay marriage. Heh.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:03 AM

What Would Various Deities Do? (Via Gravity Lens.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:01 AM

Gene therapy turns procrastinating monkeys into workaholics. I was going to post this article yesterday, but never got around to it. (Via Ars Technica.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:04 AM

Prions might offer a host organism an evolutionary advantage.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:02 AM

Cool pictures taken from the air.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:01 AM

A bright 12-year old boy has written a computer program that uses the Google search engine to detect academic plagiarism. Unfortunately for him, his schoolteacher used the program to uncover the young author's own internet plagiarism. As the article notes, "Write out a hundred times: 'I must install code that makes my own plagiarism undetectable'." (Via Techdirt.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:54 AM

The Singularity and science fiction. (Via Slashdot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:10 AM

The science of twins.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:05 AM

Invention of the day: Metal Rubber. (Via GMSV.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:03 AM

The MailFrontier Phishing IQ Test: Can you tell the difference between a legitimate e-mail and a phishing scam? Take the quiz. (Via Linkfilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:02 AM

Video of the day: The "Star Wars kid" meets Kill Bill. Watch it here. (Via Neoflux.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:00 AM

Is the Singularity finally here?: "Computer Intelligence Will Surpass Human Intelligence This Year"
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:01 PM