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Science reveals the secret to the perfect beer pour When it comes to getting an unbubbly pour, today's single-hole, pop-top beer cans may be inferior to old-time counterparts.
The Guinness Brewery says that the perfect pour for their beer is so difficult an operation that you really can’t get a perfect Guinness from anyone other than an authorized pouring expert — and some say it decreases in quality the moment you leave the Brewery itself. However, most beers (and fans) are not so persnickety as Guinness. In most cases, the perfect pour is centered around achieving the perfect amount of foam (or “head”) at the top of the beer. Hong Luo, physics chair at the University at Buffalo recently explained the science behind a good beer-pour, which turns out to be both simpler and more advanced than you…
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Fun sounding techniques for measuring horrible things When something goes horribly wrong, there are people out there who get paid to measure just how bad things actually are.
The world is full of tragedy and sadness. We’re sorry to hit you with such a downer of an opening line, but there’s no reason to sugar coat things. Life is just absolutely full of misery. But with every storm cloud comes a reason to stay home and drink on the couch instead of mowing the lawn. We call that a “silver lining.” Is there a silver lining when it comes to the rampant suffering that people endure on a daily basis, though? Of course. For one thing, from tragedy sometimes comes opportunity. Like when something goes horribly wrong, there are people out there who get paid to measure just…
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5 scientific ways strangers can tell you’re gay (even if you’re in the closet) We don't endorse stereotypes unless they're funny or we have science on our side, and the data is in: the "gaydar" is anything but a myth.
You’ve heard the term. You know the concept. It’s been around about as long as gay culture has permeated mainstream pop culture. In that time, it’s usually been the fodder of lame sitcoms and urban legends—something at the expense of which we’ve all shared a lame Adam Sandler-laugh or two. We’re talking about Gaydar, of course. Gay + Radar = Gaydar = the innate ability to pick the gay person out of the hetero herd sans any physical confirmation, like an ass-pinching or a dance-off. Science being science, it was only a matter of time before they got bored and lent some credence to the idea that gaydar isn’t just…
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6 baffling phenomena that have surprisingly simple medical explanations "Supernatural" mysteries can pass down generations after they’ve actually been solved, as is the case with the following six “unsolvable” mysteries.
Baffling phenomena create gossip. Solving baffling phenomena, for some odd reason, tends to create less gossip. Which is why “supernatural” mysteries can be passed down generations after they’ve actually been solved, as is the case with the following six “unsolvable” mysteries: 1. Alien Abduction What’s this? Oval-headed, bug-eyed, gray visitors from another planet. They immobilize a research target in bed, enter their room and kidnap them. Then they flash bright lights at the subject and fool around with the subject’s butt because Earthling anuses are simply hilarious. A freaky amount of people have reported this experience. That’s proof positive that aliens exist, right? So what is it, Doctor? Sleep paralysis.…
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10 freaky animals with real super powers Many superheroes are based on things found in nature—for a reason.
Animals are cool. They can do tricks for our amusement, eat a sugar cube out of our hand and then provide delicious nourishment when we tire with their shenanigans. It’s true some of them are a bit creepy (we’re not too crazy about snakes), but all things considered, humans are way up the evolutionary chain, proudly displaying our opposable thumbs and fat brains. At least that’s how we felt before we found out about the animals on this list. These creatures are not only amazing, they are superheroes taken straight out of a Marvel comic. If you don’t believe us just take a look at the superpowers they have, such…
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Powerful x-rays made from…sticky tape?! Mind blown.
If I hadn’t watched a video of two science guys I’ve never met, performing this experiment and speaking with authoritative voices, I would never have believed it. Because that’s the kind of solid proof I need. (It’s real though) Watch this video on YouTube Who would’ve thought something so simple and seemingly innocent would be fraught with such hidden dangers? Also – I’ve been using sticky tape for years, does that mean I’ve got radiation poisoning? I’m sure my bones have weakened slightly, only yesterday I was walking up some stairs when my left fibula shattered and I fell over, only to put my hand out to break the fall,…
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Stroke me, I’m a primate Now more than ever, we need to touch each other.
Dr. Nina Jablonski, a primatologist, evolutionary biologist, and paleontologist, is professor and head of anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. She kicks off Saturday at Pop!Tech with a talk on the meaning of human skin, the subject of her book, Skin: A Natural History. She starts by noting what “a phenomenal and exceptional group of primates” she has for an audience. She asks each of us to look to his or her neighbor, and touch for about 20 seconds. She suspects that some of us haven’t done much touching this morning; she worries that we are too wired, surrounded by our cell phones and technology to even think about the great…
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10 absurd inventions that prove you should never drink while inventing These are all real inventions and the illustrations are taken directly from their official patents.
People are always looking for ways to make other people’s lives easier, keep us from killing ourselves, and make us more attractive to women – and also make a buck in the process (of course). But sometimes a few of us definitely go a little too far when channeling our inner Thomas Edison (who was kind of an asshole, btw). Here are some real, honest-to-goodness patented inventions unearthed by Scott Seegert in his recently published book, It’s a Guy Thing: Awesome Real Innovations From the Underdeveloped Male Mind. The illustrations are the inventors’ actual drawings, taken directly from the official paperwork filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office. What…