I'm not that into news round-ups on blogs mainly because there is already so much news EVERYWHERE. But there were so many interesting pieces today on some of my favorite topics that I thought it'd be fun to do a little roundin' up myself (my headlines in boldface).
1. Dogs are people, too. And they can read.
I had seen this photo elsewhere on the Internet and questioned its veracity. Today I saw it on the BBC News site as one of their photos of the week, so it must be real... Hysterical!
2. The world's first erasable legal pad is about 2,900 years old.
But were lawyers using them at the time?
"Stone Writing Earliest Seen in Americas"
"The patterns covering the face of the rectangular block also represent a previously unknown ancient writing system -- a rare find in archaeology.
"The text covers the block's face, which is almost exactly the dimensions of a standard legal pad. However, at 5 inches thick and tipping the scales at 26 pounds, the tablet is decidedly more hefty.
"'The face is smooth and slightly concave, which suggests it may have been worn down in antiquity as it was inscribed and erased multiple times,' Houston said."
3. Editors — annoying but still important.
Writers and editors — completely symbiotic. As I regularly work in both roles, I like seeing this discussion out there.
Richard L. Berke — Talk to the Newsroom — Reader Questions and Answers: Who Needs Editors?
"First off, while some reporters produce perfect copy that barely needs editing, you should see some of the drafts from other reporters. I won't name any names, but let's just say that some of our most enterprising and dogged reporters aren't necessarily as talented in the writing department, while some of our most skillful stylists aren't always the most successful reporters. Not everyone can do it all, especially since the reporting and editing process is demanding work under intense deadlines. (Plus, the workload is only getting more challenging, with reporters contributing to our Web site around the clock.)"
4. Science fact sounds a lot like psychedelic science fiction.
The key phrases from this article could easily be adapted into another verse for "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." Enormous puffy planets floating in a cosmic bathtub? Trippy.
Puzzling Puffy Planet, Less Dense Than Cork, Is Discovered
"A planet around a distant star appears inexplicably puffy, astronomers reported yesterday.
'"The planet is wider than Jupiter. But with half the mass, it is less dense than cork. In a cosmic bathtub, it would float.
"The astronomers said they were baffled about how the planet formed and how it remained so puffy.
"'The short answer is, I have no idea,' said Dimitar Sasselov, a professor of astronomy at Harvard and a member of the research team. 'It’s a very strange planet.'"
5. Pluto's new name? So cold. I want a recount!
In most articles I've read about astronomers discovering something new, they always seem so excited about the naming process. In a job that is so scientific, maybe it's one of the most creative aspects of it. And it's not every day that one gets to name something that will last almost forever (until it gets demoted).
Dwarf Planet, Cause of Strife, Gains 'the Perfect Name'
"Pluto, now that it is no longer a planet, has been assigned number
134340 in the catalog of minor planets. In 1999, the Minor Planet
Center at the astronomical union proposed assigning Pluto the number
10000 in the same catalog, to give it dual citizenship as both a planet
and a member of the Kuiper Belt, a ring of icy debris beyond Neptune.
Brian Marsden, director of the center, said the number was meant as
special recognition for Pluto, but he withdrew the idea after protests
from people who saw it as a demotion."
