February 2010
18 posts
Federer, Serena the undisputed king and queen →
Congrats to Roger and Serena! Could this be the year for a Calendar Slam?
January 2010
23 posts
Boeing 747 Gets an Efficiency Makeover to... →
In my opinion, still the prettiest bird in the sky… —DC
More than 40 years ago, Boeing introduced the world to the first jumbo jet, the 747. Today the company is giving the legendary airliner a makeover that could extend its life another 40 years. The new 747-8 features efficient new engines and an all-new wing designed to reduce drag and improve performance for the iconic jumbo...
Born Without Eyes and Ultrasound Couldn't See →
Brielle was born without any eye tissue at all, a condition called anophthalmia that leaves a person irrevocably blind…
Alhough anophthalmia is certainly a cruel and unusual affliction, here’s a story of one such case which ends on a happy note… Every life is precious. —DC
“Baby Born Without Eyes Is Now Top Pianist”...
To Restore Vision, Implant Preps and Seeds a... →
ScienceDaily (Jan. 26, 2010) — Researchers trying to restore vision damaged by disease have found promise in a tiny implant that sows seeds of new cells in the eye…
Sorry, Facebook friends: Our brains can't keep up... →
Robin Dunbar, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Oxford University, developed a theory in the 1990s dubbed Dunbar’s Number. The theory contends that the human brain is only capable of managing relationships—staying in contact at least once per year and knowing how friends relate to others—with about 150 people.
Until recently, it was believed that that only pertained...
“Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly...”
– —Francis Bacon, 1561 - 1626
Helen Keller; Not Your Ordinary Miracle Worker →
Though most of us know of Helen Keller from our studies in school as being a magnificently bright woman who happened to be blind and deaf, and a very prolific writer, mainly about those two issues in her life. Though they are indeed true, that is not what she considered her “finest writings”.
Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in a small Alabama town called Tuscumbia. She was daughter of...
Blueberry Juice Improves Memory in Older Adults →
ScienceDaily (Jan. 21, 2010) — Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries — one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals — improve memory…
New Visible Light Photocatalyst Kills Bacteria,... →
ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2010) — In the battle against bacteria, researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a powerful new weapon — an enhanced photocatalytic disinfection process that uses visible light to destroy harmful bacteria and viruses, even in the dark.
Based upon a new catalyst, the disinfection process can be used to purify drinking water, sanitize surgical...
First Artificial Muscles Used to Control Eyelids -... →
For victims of strokes, serious face injuries, or degenerative muscular diseases, losing the ability to blink threatens to compound their condition with corneal ulcers, or even eventual blindness. To help save the eyesight of people with damaged facial muscles, surgeons at the University of California-Davis Medical Center have developed a bionic eyelid implant that restores blinking ability with...
40 Songs for Stage Auditions - Musicnotes.com →
Okay, fellow singers… So what’s your favorite audition song? —DC
“Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is...”
– —Martin Luther King, Jr, 1929 - 1968
Eye test that spots Alzheimer's 20 years before... →
British researchers have developed a technique that highlights nerve cell damage in the retina of the eye which they have proved correlates exactly to nerve cell damage in the brain.
They say the quick, noninvasive and cheap test, which only involves applying eye-drops and then taking a photo with an infra-red camera, could revolutionise detection of dementia. Once diagnosed, treatment could...
Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
Here are some ways we can help as our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti:
The American Optometric Association is encouraging its members to contact the Red Cross and UNICEF to donate and assist in relief efforts.
And as the largest service organization in the world, Lions Clubs International Foundation is also seeking donations as they mobilize and respond to Lions leadership and...
14 Cool Things People Do On Twitter →
Do you Tweet? I barely have time for Facebook! —DC
'Avatar': A pandora's box of brain confusion,... →
“Avatar” may be dazzling people with its immersive technology, but according to Steven Nusinowitz, associate professor at UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute, roughly 20% of the population can get eye strain or headaches from watching movies in 3-D. That’s because the new 3-D technology can’t completely simulate the complex visual system in our brains…
Harvard tests reveal why light can worsen... →
The visual pathway that underlies a migraine sufferer’s sensitivity to light has been uncovered by Harvard scientists…
Cleopatra's stunner make-up cured eye disease as... →
PARIS (AFP) – Ancient Egypt’s stunning eye make-up not only shielded wearers from the dark deeds of the evil eye but also protected them against eye disease, French scientists said Thursday.
Ancient Egyptians some 4,000 years ago produced the make-up used to darken and adorn eyes with lead and lead salts in mixtures that sometimes took a month to concoct, said Philippe Walter, who...
Can Cell Phones Help Fight Alzheimer's? - WebMD →
Study Shows Exposure to Electromagnetic Waves May Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease…
How Perceptual Blindness Works – Try the test... →
Yesterday I posted a discussion about Change Blindness. Today’s topic is Perceptual Blindness – the phenomenon where people do not see things that are right in front of their faces (e.g. magic tricks)…
How Change Blindness Works – Try the test -... →
Change Blindness is the idea that we often miss large changes to our visual world from one view to the next. We are often not able to see large changes that would appear to be perfectly obvious to someone who know they are going to happen…
Pet tarantulas pose risk to owners' eyes →
The Chilean Rose tarantula has small, barbed hairs on its posterior that it can flick into the air in self-defence
The owner of a tarantula spider has suffered severe eye inflammation from cleaning out his pet’s cage, doctors have reported…
“I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s.”
– Henry Moore, 1898 - 1986 [via QOTD]