Fantasist's Scroll

“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?”

Well, not the characters from this story on Wired News! But, it’s still an interesting article about deep-sea life. Life so strange, in fact, that it almost seems like it came from an alien planet. Imagine, creatures capable of consuming prey larger than their own body! Or, strange, glowing, flowery jellyfish that are self-illuminating. Or, even a type of previously unknown, worm-like life. Well, it’s all there at the bottom of the ocean.
One of the reasons that I’m posting this is that someone on a created culture list has been asking about the many forms of life. In fact, he was lamenting that he knew so very little about biology that he was afraid that his vision was too limited. I think about that every time I read an article like this. No matter what I can come up with, nature has beaten me to the punch.

Hope it inspires y’all a bit.

Okay, how can this be fun?

Easy, when it’s the Earth Impact Effects Program! This webpage calculates the damage that a hypothetical impact object would inflict on the Earth. Frankly, the physics have always been beyond me, but it looks cool. In a total annihilation sort of way, that is.
Seriously, I’m one of those geeky writer guys who always wants to know this kind of stuff, so I figured that I’m not the only one!

It’s Friday, go have fun blowing up the Earth!

No, it literally stinks!

According to this article on CNN, there’s a company that makes very, very unusual smells for museums and advertising firms. Most recently, they recreated the stink of a Tyrannosaurus Rex’s breath. But, they’ve done all kinds of things, pleasant and, er, well, less than pleasant for verious special needs. It’s really an interesting idea, when you consider how strongly we tie memories to scent. A very interesting article. And, just the right amount of fun for a Friday!

You can help save endangered languages.

Okay, so this isn’t exactlly a conlang thing, but most of us who are into conlangs are into unusual languages and language issues. So, toward that end, I give you The Endangered Language Fund and The Endangered Language Query Rooms . Two great resources for languages on the edge of extinction. And, possibly, inspiration for a conlang or two.

Okay, this may not seem like “fun” to everyone…

But, this article on Slashdot about rail guns got me. Apparently, the US Navy plans to have rail guns installed by 2011. That’s not all that far away.
For those of you not familiar, rail guns are basically high-speed catapults driven by very, very powerful electromagnets. Very science-fiction stuff. And, the Navy plans on having working rail guns on actual ships by 2011.

Cool.

Is it the most elaborate hoax ever?

Well, according to this article from Scientific American, it very well could be. In fact, it might be the most famous con, too. Experts have analyzed this manuscript, found by Wilfrid Voynich, an American rare-book dealer, in 1912, but haven’t been able to come up with either the code or language in which the book is written. One theory is that English adventurer Edward Kelley may have created the document to defraud the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolph II who reportedly paid a sum of 600 ducats (about $50,000 today) for the manuscript.)
The article goes into the details, but it seems quite plausable. So, I guess conlanging can be profitable after all!

I figure fuel-efficiency is a good trade off.

For speed, that is. Mostly, I don’t want to go anywhere in that much of a hurry. Which is good, because, according to this article on Wired News, hybrids don’t help save gas if you have a lead foot. But, it also isn’t effective if you’re too slow, either. A happy medium is the key to taking advantage of the battery power that makes the hybrid cars so effecient, but accelerating too quickly or slowly degrades that efficiency. So, all this time, the way Coach taught me to drive really was more fuel efficient!

In any case, it’s sort of an interesting article about the new hybrid cars. So, go check it out.

Speaking of drugs…

Okay, no, it’s not the crazy hydroponics ads from High Times! Though, it’s pretty close. According to this article on Wired News, there’s an underground garden in Indiana somewhere that’s going to let researchers grow their pharmacologically enhanced plants without worring about contaminating the general populace. First, I think it’s a good idea to isolate the plants being tested. We have no idea what might happen if these things get loose in the wild, and I’d rather not find out. Second, I also think it’s great that someone has found a way to keep the research going, because it’s important.

Anyway, it’s a great article, so check it out.