Argon is my home-boy

medicalschool: In the hippocampus, neural stem cells (green)...

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:01:50 -0400

In the hippocampus, neural stem cells (green) sit in a layer below their progeny, the granule neurons (red). When activated by extrinsic stimuli, they enter mitosis and generate neuron progenitor cells, which eventually mature into neurons and migrate into the layer above. The number of neural stem cells in the hippocampus decreases over time, possibly contributing to the cognitive impairment associated with aging. One hypothesis is that, after a rapid series of divisions, these neural stem cells disappear via their conversion into astrocytes.

Image: Section of a mouse hippocampus imaged with Zeiss LSM 50 confocal microscope with a 40X C-Apochromat water-immersion objective lens (N.A. value 1.2, working distance 220 microns) at 62x magnification. Brain slices were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, immunolabeled, and then cleared in FocusClear (CelExplorer, Taiwan).

The hippocampus wraps around the brainstem, and while it’s not responsible for storing memory (frontal lobes/neocortex and USB drives have that covered), it helps memories initially form and prosper. National Geographic has an excellent article featuring a man wherein a herpes simplex virus had completely eaten out his hippocampus, the results are both horrifying and facinating.

Additionally, Alzheimer’s results in atrophy to the hippocampus significantly, which explains why new memories no longer stick. Brain cross sections of Alzheimer sufferers can be clearly identified by this.

elleblr: anderjak: my mood is like women’s armor in fantasy games almost totally unreasonable...

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:16:37 -0400

elleblr:

anderjak:

my mood is like women’s armor in fantasy games

almost totally unreasonable given my setting and circumstances, and doesn’t help me actually deal with a goddamn thing

accurate

Do you get a +4 Dex bonus and +6 on each initiative roll?

nybg: uglytomatoes: jojoworksout: isnaberoman: -My Nerdy...

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:24:32 -0400

nybg:

uglytomatoes:

jojoworksout:

isnaberoman:

-My Nerdy Nerdiness expresses itself :)

As a chemist, this makes me smile!

Huh, kinda interesting in a “I have no idea what this means” sort of way.

I will admit to having looked a few of these up to be sure I was interpreting them correctly. What you see are the chemical formulas of various substances used to mimic plant-based aromas and flavors. Pretty, and pretty neat. ~AR

Dat aromaticity

Photo

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:23:09 -0400

blujayonthewing: ezliconfuzzed: It’s a conspiracy AHAAA! I...

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:13:37 -0400

blujayonthewing:

ezliconfuzzed:

It’s a conspiracy

AHAAA!

I can always use me some more Zubats

"Atoms aren’t just small: they’re really really small. 10^23 is an astonishingly large number. The..."

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:09:34 -0400

“Atoms aren’t just small: they’re really really small.
10^23 is an astonishingly large number. The number of grains of sand in all the beaches in the world is around 10^18. The number of stars in our galaxy is about 10^11. The number of stars in the entire visible Universe is probably around 10^22. And yet the
number of water molecules in a cup of tea is more than 10^23.”

- David Tong - Lecturer in statistical physics - University of Cambridge (via thecraftychemist)

smgoetter: Dungeon’s cleared! Where’s my prize?

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:34:15 -0400

smgoetter:

Dungeon’s cleared!

Where’s my prize?

thefrogman: I felt sorry for this polar bear so I made him look...

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:09:45 -0400

thefrogman:

I felt sorry for this polar bear so I made him look cooler.

Photo

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:37:02 -0400

Running through the woods or running past a graveyard while...

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:39:52 -0400

Running through the woods or running past a graveyard while contemplating your ability to avoid zombies, whatever it takes to find that peace of mind

maxcapacity: i was just getting mad about this a minute...

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:24:14 -0400

maxcapacity:

i was just getting mad about this a minute ago

The Atlantic published this article about how cheap our generation has become, and how it’s slowing growth and reducing consumerism.

The top comment for the article is priceless:

“You mean the generation that paid three times as much for college to enter a job market with triple the unemployment isn’t interested in purchasing the assets of the generation who just blew an enormous housing bubble and kept it from popping through quantitative easing and out-and-out federal support? Curious.”

Additionally I enjoy how our lowered rates of home-ownership, driving, and willingness to take on debt outside student loans is seen as worrisome for the economy. Perhaps my generation sees needless consumerism and buying too much on credit for the irresponsible practice it really is.

"The millennials are the people who’ve inherited the hangover from the baby boomers’ party: a warming..."

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:17:44 -0400

“The millennials are the people who’ve inherited the hangover from the baby boomers’ party: a warming planet, a dysfunctional global financial system that rewards the rich and screws the poor, a polarized political class that’s moved so far to the right that a centrist like Barack Obama can be described with a straight face as “a socialist.” Millennials may be “narcissistic, materialistic and addicted to technology,” as Stein alleges early in his article; they’re also drowning in college debt, slaves to an internship “system” that demands ever-increasing work for no pay, and entrants into a job market that’s replaced employment rights with the “flexibility” of never being able to afford health insurance.”

- Why Time’s Millennials Cover Story Says More About Joel Stein Than It Does About Millennials

(via theniftiestnomad)

odditiesoflife: The Glowing Spider-Worms of New Zealand For...

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:12:09 -0400

odditiesoflife:

The Glowing Spider-Worms of New Zealand

For over one hundred years, millions of tourists have flocked to the ancient limestone Waitomo Caves on New Zealand’s North Island, where a stunning species of fungus gnat called Arachnocampa luminosa live.

Unique to New Zealand and Australia, they are found in caves, grottoes, and other sheltered places. Arachnocampa means ‘spider-worm,’ as the gnat is known for the way their larvae hang strong vertical silk threads from their underground habitats. Since the larvae are luminescent, the thousands of tiny threads light up cave ceilings like a starry sky.

These guys appear on the Caves section of the Planet Earth documentary series. It’s even cooler to see them in action.

labphoto: A reaction after quenching it with some KI3. The...

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:16:04 -0400

labphoto:

A reaction after quenching it with some KI3. The carbon-mercury bond breaks, a carbon-iodine bond forms and this red mercury-iodide separates.

Isn’t it pretty?

fandomsandfeminism: sebuttstian: storieswithinastory: If you’re “mature” enough to have sex,...

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:12:35 -0400

fandomsandfeminism:

sebuttstian:

storieswithinastory:

If you’re “mature” enough to have sex, you’re mature enough to deliver the baby you’ll possibly create, abortion isn’t an option.

if you’re “mature” enough to own a gun, you’re mature enough to die from being fucking shot. medical care isn’t an option.

If you’re “mature” enough to eat, you’re mature enough to get food poisoning. Going to the hospital isn’t an option.

I hear ya, buddy

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:11:58 -0400

I hear ya, buddy

NPR-The Myth Of Multitasking

Sat, 11 May 2013 12:30:29 -0400

NPR-The Myth Of Multitasking:

From the interview with Dr. Nass

“Our brains are built to receive many stimuli at one time, but they’re related stimuli. >The problem with multitasking is not that we’re writing a report of Abraham Lincoln in here, see pictures of Abraham Lincoln and read words of Abraham Lincoln and see photos of Abraham.

The problem is we’re doing report in Abraham Lincoln and tweeting about last night and watching a YouTube video about cats playing the piano, et cetera.

That’s where the detriment comes in. It’s extremely healthy for your brain to do integrative things. It’s extremely destructive for your brain to do non-integrative things.”

Pertinent points in the interview

People who think they are good at multi-tasking are still horrible at it.
It’s difficult to get people to remove themselves from multi-tasking with media because the behavior is so seducitively addicting.
The top 25% of Stanford students use 4 or more types of media every time they engage in using media.

Fascinating article

scinerds: odditiesoflife: Alcohol Under a Microscope The...

Fri, 10 May 2013 06:11:29 -0400

scinerds:

odditiesoflife:

Alcohol Under a Microscope

The latest art? No, but one could argue the point. Its actually different types of alcohol photographed under a microscope. The photographs are taken after the liquid has crystallized on a slide and then shot under a polarized light microscope. Fascinating results. The company that undertook this venture is called Bevshots. “art. distilled.”

American Draft Beer

Champagne

Tennessee Whiskey

Tequila

Red Wine

White Wine

Gin

Vodka

We’ve had these on here before, but this is a scinerds favorite ;)

"If there is a God, He will have to beg my forgiveness."

Thu, 09 May 2013 20:58:01 -0400

““If there is a God, He will have to beg my forgiveness.””

- A phrase that was carved on the walls of a concentration camp cell during WWII by a Jewish prisoner (via milktree)

ilovecharts: The Scientific 7-Minute Workout

Thu, 09 May 2013 20:32:25 -0400

ilovecharts:

The Scientific 7-Minute Workout