Awesome: Rube Goldberg's Passover Seder

The Secret History of Life Hacking

"Self-optimization."

Awesome: The Commencement Speech From Space

Take a look at what happened yesterday: "NASA Astronaut and UConn alum Rick Mastracchio '82 (ENG) delivers the 2014 UConn School of Engineering Commencement address from the International Space Station."

Seasonal Nerd Fun: Pumpkin Catapults

Look what the folks at the Illinois Institute of Technology are up to!

Friday Fun Video: Welcoming the Freshmen to Georgia Tech

The entire speech by sophomore Nick Selby is here, but this is the absolute highlight:

 

"You're at Georgia Tech!  You can do that!"

PS: Don't miss the Nerd Lord sitting in the top right corner.  Watch him crack up.

Reinventing the Wheel

Bicycle wheels with springs instead of spokes.

Geek Fun: Cook Your Turkey NASA-Style

This is delightfully technophiliac insanity.

Nerd News: The Geeky Glory of MIT

A British paper attempts to understand MIT.  I personally love how there is a code of etiquette for pranks and practical jokes.  Seriously, nobody does practical jokes like MIT students.  Oh, as for the nerdy geeky glory, you can get some of that online free.

Quirky Asia Files: Bamboo Scaffolding in Hong Kong

Yup, folks are still using bamboo for construction projects as they've done for ages.  Why not?  If it ain't broke, don't fix it!  Here's a little video:

Awesome: The Student and the Robotic Exoskeleton at Graduation

Go here now.  RIGHT NOW.

Heroic Geekery: Japan's Earthquake Architecture

It has frequently been pointed out that Japan is one of the best-prepared nations in terms of natural disaster preparation.  In a sense, it has to be, as it is sited on a dangerous geological zone prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.  Some while ago, some of my friends did a research project on Japan's earthquake architecture and efforts to design buildings that could withstand tremors, and it was absolutely mind-boggling.  But it paid off.  Look at this video footage of office buildings in Tokyo.  The skyscrapers swayed in the 8.9 quake (one of the biggest ever recorded), but they did not collapse. Utterly amazing.  See, good engineering can and does save lives.  More here.

A Letter From Winter 1948: Dear MIT, Please Send Flamethrowers. Love, Mayor of Boston

This is fabulous!  And so appropriate for Snowmageddon!

Christmas Nerd News: The Physics of Santa

Some engineering professors and their students at North Carolina State University have been exploring the physics of Santa!  You can check out their research here.  Outstanding!

Life Imitates Doctor Who: a Real Sonic Screwdriver

Look what the ultrasonic engineers at Bristol University in the UK are trying to do!