The Neuroscience of Screwing Up

Here is a great article on how things that sometimes appear to be screw-ups and mistakes actually turn out to be the beginnings of breakthroughs. There are countless stories of the seredipity of scientific discoveries. Jonah Leher does a great job describing how science works when creativity and open mindedness prevails.

Surgical Cure for High Blood Pressure

A simple procedure may be able to allow individuals suffering from high blood pressure to chuck the medication after a few weeks. The procedure involves placing some tiny burns on some nerve near the kidneys. I would assume that someone will assess the safety of this by considering that at some time the body might need to send a signal to this nerve as a result of trauma or illness.

The Less You Know, The More Money You Make

Well this explains a lot.

Thorium - The New Green Nuke

How about a nuclear power source that does not produce plutonium (a solution to the non-proliferation problem) and zero risk of a fuel meltdown? The element thorium just might prove to be the ticket. Alvin Weinberg, a former Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was thinking and promoting this idea decades ago. Adm. Rickover and the U.S. Navy got their way and that is how we got locked into the uranium energy cycle with all of its headaches and expense.

Now that we are in the early stages of the 'nuclear renaissance', it might be a great time to consider a thorium energy cycle.

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

It seems that alkalinzing your body with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is recommended for the prevention of the flu and for lessening the symptons of those who contract the flu. A little research will lead to to find a lot of information about the benefits of ingesting alkaline fluids and foods. I would assume that this chemical condition lessens the concentration of free radicals in the body and creates many more favorable biochemical conditions.

Apple's Game Changer, Downloading Now

Last month I upgraded to an Apple iTouch (64 GB). It is an impressive little tool that not only contains my iTunes music library, it lets me have web access with a WiFi signal and allows me to download and use some nifty little programs called Apps. It appears that Apps are a real game changer in the personal electronics business. This is projected to be a major source of income for developers with sales at $0.5B in 2012.

Alternative Medicine Takes a Beating in 2009

It was not a good year for some areas of alternative medicine. Click here for details from LiveScience.com

First View of the UK's Vista Telecope

Click here for a stunning first photo from the new infrared Vista telescope in the UK. Apparently, telescope technology continues to make strides.

Space Walkers Seen With Backyard Telescope

Here is an amazing story of how someone with a 10-inch backyard telescope was able to photograph the International Space Station during a space walk and be able to faintly see the image of Astronaut Joe Acaba.

Techno-Geek Wish List for 2009

Click here to check out the Wired list of 10 office gadgets that actually work. Some items might make for good stocking stuffers.