Human Species

I've just started taking a class on Coursera, 'A brief history of humankind'. The first lecture was very interesting and I learned that the multiple species of humans--homo erectus, homo neanderthalensis, homo floresiensis and so on--were not simply links in a chain leading to us, homo sapiens. All these species of humans lived at the …

Brain Work

This recent article describes an experiment in which what they call a 'false memory' is implanted into the mind of a mouse. The mouse is associating the painful shocks it is given, with a different room that it had been in earlier--not the one it was in at the time of the shocks. This sounds …

Hat Trick

I wrote three shorts last week, though only one was any good and one was flash. But still, it goes to show how much I can get done if I really try. Could I write three shorts a week for a year? If I was unemployed, definitely. Otherwise.. I think I'd rather not try. I …

It’s everywhere..

I'm talking about bacteria, the dominant form of life on earth. Don't believe me? Consider this: The biomass of bacteria exceeds that of all other plant and animal life combined. Bacteria can evolve to eat anything, including asphalt, plastics and even nuclear waste. Bacteria can live in scorching deserts, the freezing arctic, at the bottom of the ocean, …

Cars…

Always breaking down. Well, mine are anyway. Probably because I buy 1000$ ones one craigslist once per year... I look forward to a day when public transportation can actually get you where you need to go, and in a reasonable time.  If the bus would get me to work, I'd take it! And go without …