The horror that consumed Virginia Tech on Monday produced an unexpected hero: Professor Liviu Librescu, who gave his life to save some of his students: In Monday morning’s lecture on solid mechanics, all was quiet except for the sound of Professor Liviu Librescu’s voice. Then came the gunshots — in the classroom next door. In […]
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Spider Monkeys Use Cologne
Researchers in Mexico have documented wild spider monkeys rubbing themselves with fragrant, chewed up leaves. Though the exact purpose of this behavior is yet to be proven, it appears as if the scents “may play a role int he context of social communication, possibly for signaling of social status or to increase sexual attractiveness,” according […]
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From fellow ScienceBlogger Abel, I’m made aware of an excellent post on the Health Care Renewal Blog about the financial reality of being an academic physician in a modern U.S. medical school. It’s an excellent overview of how medical schools view clinical faculty as, in essence, cash cows that have to bring in the cash […]
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PZ Myers has identified contemptible ghoul #1, Debbie Schlussel, who has decided that it must have been a Muslim terrorist who carried out the horrific school shooting today at Virginia Tech (and is now backing off as more information comes out, as she claims that students should have been allowed to have guns on campus). […]
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“Flying” Spiders Check the Weather First
Crab spider preparing for take off, Misumenoides formosipes Humans have known for quite a while that some spiders engage in a kind of flying called “ballooning.” To balloon, spiders release a parachute-like web into the air (with themselves attached) and allow the wind to pick them up and deposit them in greener pastures. What humans […]
