If you only have time to read five stories this week, let them be these five:
5. Mesoamericans Invented
Rubber
Not only did Mesoamericans use natural latex to create rubber, they figured out how to manufacture different kinds of rubber for different purposes. Uh, 3,500 years before modern processes were (re)invented.
Natural latex comes from a tree that grows in Mesoamerica (roughly Mexico down to Nicaragua). When it's mixed with the juice of morning glories, Mesoamericans discovered, they could make it as stretchy or bouncy as they wanted.
A 50-50 latex/morning glory blend produced maximum bounciness, perfect for rubber balls. Pure latex worked best for rubber bands and adhesives. A three-to-one mix of latex to morning glory created the most durable rubber, perfect for sandals.
Why did dinosaurs accessorize so largely? That's what I want to know.
A newly found rhino-sized dino had horns that were 4 feet long. The wonderfully-named Coahuilaceratops magnacuerna, or "great horned horny face," was extra horny, with a small one on its nose in addition to the two honkers above its eyes.
The dinosaur probably used its huge horns to attract the ladies and fight off the competition.
3. Hurricane Could Spread Gulf Spill Far and Wide
In the bad timing category, I choose hurricane season and oil spills. A busy hurricane season is predicted, and storms could hit the Gulf like an immersion blender, mixing the oil down hundreds of meters and scattering oil three sheets to the wind.
Experts have seen tropical storms move intact globs of oil many hundreds of miles. They expect the same to happen if hurricanes churn through the Gulf oil spill, possibly carrying oil as far north as Cape Cod.
4. Florida Coast: Hot Spot for Shark Attacks
We aim to be helpful here at Discovery News, so here's some news you can surely use.
Twenty-one percent of shark attacks in the world happen along a 47-mile strip of land in Volusia County, Fla. Maybe don't go swimming there.
But if you must, don't splash around, wear a black-and-white suit, or swim on a Sunday, among other things.
You're welcome.
1. Guy Infects Himself with Computer
Virus
It's just one of the creepiest things I've ever heard. A British researcher managed to introduce a virus into a tiny computer chip in his body, which THEN infected a computer outside his body with the same virus.
What's creepy about it? 1. He's micro-chipped. 2. A totally human-made virus can pass into a person and back out again. 3. He's micro-chipped.
I agree that it's time I came into the now. And the researcher, Mark Gasson from the University of Reading in the U.K., said: "By infecting my own implant with a computer virus we have demonstrated how advanced these technologies are becoming and also had a glimpse at the problems of tomorrow."
Uh, chah.
Those were the top five stories I liked most. Now here are the most popular articles of the past seven days, according to your clicks:
5. Could Kevin Costner's Machine Work on the Oil Spill?
Mr. Costner is promoting a machine that uses centrifugal forces to help clean up oil spills. Is it legit? Yep, it's legit. Just kind of small.
4. Intergalactic Travel is Possible
I, for one, am very happy to hear this. All we have to do to escape our world, once it's, you know, dead, is to be shot out of our galaxy by the gravitational sling of a black hole! Wait: How does that work, exactly?
3. Beautiful Supernova Violence
We all know it's better to look good than to feel good. And this beautiful supernova surely knows the meaning of that, since it ripped apart 5,000 years ago.
2. Divers Explore Sunken Ruins of Cleopatra's Palace
Ah Cleopatra, forever evoking beauty and power. Divers are finally starting to excavate her sunken palace, and coming up with all sorts of stunning artifacts from around 30 B.C.
1. Sharks Can Become Invisible
As if they weren't scary enough, sharks can be even super-sneakier than we thought. Some species can emit light, creating an optical illusion that makes them invisible to other creatures.
Which stories were your favorites? Weigh in below.
Tags: Animals, Archaeology, Dinosaurs, Earth, Humans
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