More "Xanadu: The Musical," thanks to the miracles of science

Obviously, the world needs more spandex. Sure, it's synthetic, so it would seem we could just make more if we need it (like printing money!) and also, it's sort of a niche market fabric, mainly produced for Olympic athletes and rave kids (hey, the same markets that drugs are made for!) so I don't blame you for thinking that I am wrong, and that, in fact the world does NOT need more spandex. But science proves me right!

Such as, you know, scientists in my back yard of San Diego, who have apparently genetically engineered e.coli bacteria to excrete the key ingredient in spandex. That's right, if you think spandex looks like shit, you are right! Literally! So anyway, e.coli shit is actually a pretty cool thing, because it reduces the amount of fossil fuels used to manufacture the ingredient 1,4-butanediol. And as I'm sure you know, 1,4-butanediol (BDO) is used to make car parts, pharmaceuticals, and other things that people can buy. Like drugs! FOR THEIR SPANDEX INVOLVING LIFESTYLES!

Praise science, indeed.

Science Humor: Getting Shit Done.

Good Riddance!

Australian oceans teeming with molluscs, seamounts

Our alligator-wrestling, vegemite-eating scientist comrades in Australia announced the discovery of 274 new species of sea creatures and 80 new seamounts, or undersea mountains, in waters off the coast of Australia.

"The richness of mollusc fauna found – such as snails, squid and octopus-type creatures – has been described by marine scientists as ‘astounding’ and requiring a complete rewrite of textbooks for this type of fauna."

Re-enactment of "A possible new species of Plesionika shrimp" being discovered

More pics and complete story

Time Haters

Apparently, some hater scientists have announced that time travel into the past is impossible. Major bummer. Okay, okay, I know that no scientist is going to invent a time machine in their basement or anything, since the physics behind time travel require massive amounts of energy (like on the small star scale amount of energy) and we are already flailing on managing our own energy resources on Earth. Still, I find their lack of faith disturbing.

If only Lord Vader was in charge of Earth's scientists...