Self indulgence

As the title suggests today I feel like bringing you into my world.

As a keen cyclist and human (yes I'm quite keen on acting like one to) I have decided to take a few more risks, which may result in some pain. However it is not the pain that stops me, it is the fear of falling or more acutely the sharp stop at the bottom accompanied by dentures and metal pins through your arm. This is what fear is, thinking what might happen instead of what will happen - it will probably be alright. One guy who certainly has learnt to control this is Danny Macaskill. Imagine jumping down 2 large sets of stairs on a bike, whilst spinning on a bike.
The adjectives for this video include but are not exclusive to:
Crazy, insane, amazing, scary, stupid, talented and scottish



A few weird and quirky stories now.

Invisibility may be closer than we think, and much better than the invisibility on James Bond's Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Scientists have developed a cloak that is invisible to infra-red light. Now for those who studied science you'll be asking 'why does this make invisibility closer as infra-red light is not part of the visible spectrum?' Well this new technology doesn't absorb any light so there is no shadowing or loss of light creating an imperfect cloak and it can be scaled down to small sizes with the hope that this technology can be transfered to visble light wavelengths so one day we can pretend to be this guy.

Also in this sex obsessed world, where procreation is a by product and sometimes unwelcome one. A spider species aptly named Harpactea sadistica, have been found to inject their sperm through holes they make in the females abdomen. Now I didn't know this but usually males will leave their sperm on the spider web and the female will come along and pick it up using pedipalps where the sperm enters an rests between the ovary and the ovipore in an area called the spermetheca.

The Harpactea sadistica have an advantage over normal spider species as the last spider to inseminate the female will father the offspring. Whereas the Harpactea sadistica injects its sperm directly into the ovary. And we thought Max Mosely was bad?

Today I think I'm going to deviate away from science. Now I here a sigh, even if you don't admit it, there is one, writhing in your soul as you quest for more knowledge. But never fear, when I feel like this a quick trip to newscientist usually works, although some of it is a bit complex and I do find my brain working overtime. Although I think I'm gonna help to shed a bit of light on the outbreak of swine flu, how it occurred, if you are going to get and how you can protect yourself or be cured.

Despite this being the most dangerous flu pandemic of the past century with a mortality rate of 10%, this H1N1 strain is far more dangerous than any other like the Asian influenza (H2N2) in 1957 and Hong Kong flu (H3N2) in 1968. The outlook is gloomy as some of the deaths in Mexico have come in healthy young adults who influenza does not usual effect. Also the modern world has a lot to be blamed for as the advert of cheap air travel has meant the disease can quickly spread all over the world even if you haven't been to Mexico.

However this doom and gloom is hardly the fighting spirit. The outbreak began in Mexico which is not renowned for its health and the only death in the USA was a 23 month old baby. Although this is a major assumption and extrapolation of one point this proposes that the pandemic is not as dangerous as 10%, but we shall see.

Now it is curable but you cannot be immunised, and at any point could the strain change and then it would require different treatments to combat it. But if you want to here a qualified experts view on go to here.

2nd thoughts I'll save the personal revelations for another day.
But I have come across a band that I already knew were good and had thoughtfuly provoked songs, but I never realised how diverse and how many songs they had produced.
The Cure headed by Robert Smith with 'The End of the World'


Just listen to the lyrics, they don't apply to me but nevertheless lovely.
Video is also really well done and I imagine using photography instead of filming it, although Legweak I'm sure you'll correct me.

P.S. Oh and I forgot to metion the spanish flu after the Great War which is estimated to have killed between 20 and 40 million people, this however coincided with the WWI. However although a huge number of lives were lost the mortality rate was much lower. All that can be said on the topic is pandemics are predictably unpredicatable

Easter

I have left this for a while and it has been gathering dust and piles - metaphorical piles i might add - of science are building up. Although my ever growing knowledge does its best to embarrass people, especially when explaining cervical cancer.


Moving swiftly on, we all know there is an economic downturn. While nobody really is feeling it yet, I feel science may be first hit with budget cuts, as long as this cuts out the bureaucracy this can be no bad thing, as at the moment ideas take years to even make it to the drawing board. However we may not see the effects now in this age but years down the line, this recession will surely hinder our scientific development. This will coincide with the industrialised countries shift from so called developing countries diseases such as cholera, sickle cell anaemia into the ones present in the western and developed world such as heart disease and cancer.

However my cynicism seems to be unfounded as Obama declared today that he would donate 3% of the gross domestic product, which when considering it was 2.6% before is a huge increase of over 15%.

Also another recent development is the complete sequencing of the cow genome, while not amazing at first. If it weren't for cows a lot of insulin would never have been produced, now it is produced by bacteria. This advancement does open up a possible increase in milk production, that can be no bad thing.

Confidence and american men

Are some things not just so funny yet depressing at the same time. Someone tells you the same thing over and over again. That thing then appears more and more in your life, until it gets to the point where it occupies your mind so much you just have to laugh at yourself.

I'm always told to take risks, so now writing this down i vow to correct that. I don't mean stupid things like drink acid for a dare. I mean push myself, actually do something worthwhile instead of moaning about it and getting depressed.

People say you can't reinvent yourself, you're the same forever. I disagree I am about to prove that statement false, and Reuben I'm completely going to give up giving up, give up emo episodes and mute my moaning. Its not pleasant, no one wants to know so shut the fuck up.

For reference this made me think of it

Weird how peoples inspiration comes from odd things

From now on don't expect any of it.

Spur of the moment

Have you ever felt like you were living in a move? Where life seems so wonderful, set to perfect music, great cinematography but more importantly and fundamentally the actors.


Now as one would expect I'm not going to go on about an area where my knowledge is weak, this is a metaphor. I feel as though things have really come out right at the moment.


To be honest this is where my head initially run out of ideas, and life does have an uncanny irony of knocking you down from your high horse, but even that at the moment is treated more with hilarity than annoyance or pain.

Now with some neuroscience, this is a bonus for me as I'm supposed to be studying it and I think this counts, maybe.

Brains. Our brains are almost at peak condition which means we don't have any excuse for forgetting anything, unless told during times of great stress. Fortunately or unfortunately at the age of 27 our brain begins its decline into the mush that is currently in all our parents heads and the baby food inside our grandparents. Luckily alcohol doesn't kill brain cells, only slows growth so don't always drink. Drugs on the other hand cause a whole host of problems but that is why they are so good, isn't it? Another interesting fact is you know those day to day tasks that you sometimes mess up, drinks, passing things sometimes you are just a bit clumsy. I know I am, and quite a few poeple I know are. These mistakes can be detected in the brain upto 30 seconds before they happen, while that isn't long; I do hear you ask, why don't we stop ourselves. To be honest I don't know nor do I care, but it is to do with in built tasks being repeated and if we 'switch off' they go wrong. SO next time you mess something up blame the mundanity of the work

Concoction

This weekend has been truly amazing.

Visited London, actually grown some balls, had an amazing night at fabric despite a fall, watched Man U and France get beat, and spent the weekend with the best people around.

Right back from the autopsy, now not to sound like a over sensitive hypochondriac but i went to A & E today. Only because my flat insisted and then the minor injuries nurse sent me there, even though my basic knowledge of concussion and brain physiology told me I was fine, I needed to be told it by a Doctor and a smirking uni doctor.... Just cause I do biomedical science does not make me thick.

However on with the science, I feel obliged as this story did prove particularly that there a quickly decreasing amount of things science cannot solve.

This one is for blokes really but, you know in these days of tight fitting shirts and t-shirts worn to clubs and the advert of drunken dancing by vodka and electro mean you may sweat. This may not stink as the repulsive smell known colloquially as BO is actually caused by bacteria feeding of all the lovely things in sweat, like ions and urea - yes the same stuff that is in urine, lush. However urea is only small amounts so don't worry, there is a BIG difference between being sweaty and performing diuresis on one's head.

Moving on though a Rob Brydon a chef from Guildford thought that his excess sweat was becoming a problem and had the glands removed in a minimally invasive, and considering the price of other cosmetic surgery cheap price of £3500.

Oh and one heads up, salt makes you feel better, that is why we have so much even though we're apparently dieing from the consequences. Except as I have been told the kidneys are so good at getting rid of it it doesn't really matter.

Just thought I'd highlight the skill of DJ Yoda, very topical as well with the black and white man.

The Key is Continuity

As most football fans keep saying, keeping the same manager is a good idea, look at SAF and Wenger, David Moyes etc They have been at their clubs for many years, and look at the success it brings. Now I support Newcastle United, defenders of St. James Park in the North-East of England. Upholding the standard of football in that area, well it is not hard, although current league positions do not reflect well on us at all. But don't be mistaken into thinking this is about football, no I hide my favourite team under smoke and canvas due to embarrassment at the fact managers are in a revolving door and they get spat out cockney

The point of this is continuity is good, so I thought I'd put a bit on this blog. Also I though I should live up to the title, info on owls will come later. I will however be informing you of important scientific updates, some that you'll want to know, some that are funny (fart gas hydrogen sulphide may be the new Viagra) and stuff that you should just know.

Right so here goes.... as many I for one am a teenager and I seem to suffer a problem where my circadian rhythm (You're biological clock) is later than other people's, late nights, late risings and a need to nap. The older generations will accuse me of being lazy, partly true but it appears there is a reason for this, which is to do with those things that cause mood swings and horrible tempers for little reason, yes hormones. I should have 9 hours sleep a night, I would love that, but sleeping is a problem, until late that is, especially in university with loads of other people around and the 'amazing nights out' with '£1 drinks' serving as a giant magnet for the still maturing teenager keen to form social interactions. I am no different, I have to say I prefer my flat sanctuary, much more appealing than some load oppressive club.

However heed this warning, as with all of this, this does not mean going to bed late is good, although I don't really need to say that do I? It increases your risk of diabetes, reduction in cognitive ability. So get to bed earlier, and contrary to popular belief don't do anything, listen to music or read. It reduces your ability to drop off, so give your brain a rest because no matter what older generations say we are using them, it is still maturing.

Don't worry though, those who either fast tracked through puberty or started early you'll be out of this soon, others like myself, well lazy days could be there for a while.

oh and as an aside

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MORNING PERSON

To go with this

Not only a great song, also a weird video for all you interested in that stuff. Although I suspect now I will be knocked back down for my paltry second-rate knowledge on animation, but hey go ahead