Feb. 4, 5:13 p.m. — Did the North Korean regime recently carry out two covert nuclear tests? Some extensive detective work is being done by nuclear scientists who measured atmospheric isotopes associated with nuclear weapons testing twice in 2010. But the isotopes appear to point to nuclear fusion-boosted fission bombs — a potential indicator that the North Korean military is bolstering its fledgling nuclear arsenal. via Nature
Feb. 3, 9:56 a.m. — Tens of dolphins (81 as of this morning) have died on Cape Cod since early January, according to CNN. NOAA isn’t sure what’s causing the deaths. Strandings on Cape Cod aren’t uncommon, NOAA says (about 120 a year), but the deaths, combined with over 100 strandings already this year, are unusual. NOAA is moving the live stranded dolphins to a place where they have open access to the water. via CNN
Feb. 2, 5:02 p.m. — After 15 years of research, Huang Ah-hsien of the Agricultural Research Institute in Taiwan has created the world’s largest orange. He calls it “The King,” and with good reason. It weighs 1.32 lbs and measures 4.2 inches in diameter. via InventorSpot
Feb. 2, 1:50 p.m. — A new Gallup Poll asked the question: Does Science Have a Positive Effect on Society? And it found that 88 percent of GOP voters believe science “contributes positively to society, while only 83 percent of Democrats thought so (84 percent of independents agreed),” according to The Atlantic. To see the full chart, click here. via the Atlantic
Feb. 2, 11:58 a.m. — The Atlantic sturgeon has been listed as endangered by the U.S. government. The gigantic fish is very slow to mature; it takes the species up to 10 times longer than others of its ilk to reach sexual maturity and reproduce. The further north the fish live, the longer it takes. Some northern fish don’t mature until they’re 34! That, combined with environment-creep, as well as historical overfishing and subsequent by-catch issues, prompted the listing. via NOAA
Feb. 2, 10:20 a.m. — This is pure eye candy: a time lapse of Lake Tahoe scenery. Perfect for a Thursday morning, wouldn’t you say? Catch it below:
T A H O E from Shortt and Epic Productions on Vimeo.
Feb. 2, 3:07 a.m. — When you grab a table at a trendy restaurant, do you a) read the menu like a book or, b) notice your eyes hover over the middle of the right-hand page? According to a professor at San Francisco State University, the majority of people do (a), contradicting the long-held belief that there is a “sweet spot” on the menu that customers’ eyes gravitate to. Being cheap dates, however, the DNews staff do neither (a) or (b); we scan through the menu to find the least expensive dish. Oh, and a glass of the house Cabernet with that, thanks! via Physorg.com
Feb. 1, 2:30 p.m. — This just in: Sub-zero temperatures caused the Mannequin-Pis in Brussels, Belgium, to stop peeing. The statue of a young boy urinating has been turned off by the city to preserve its inner machanisms until the temperature rises to safer levels. The statue has stood on the corner in Brussels since the 1600s. via Reuters
Feb. 1, 11:05 a.m. — This winter is setting a record for warm temperatures in the Northeast — averaging 5 degrees above normal. Warmer winters before this year include early winter of 2001-02 and early winter of 1931-32. — via Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University
Feb. 1, 10:35 a.m. — If you were waiting to wave hello to your Windows machine, today is your day. The motion capture revolution for the Xbox360 is now available for your PC. Kinect for Windows debuts today. Grab one for $250 (unless you’re an educational institution then, $150). via Engadget
Jan. 31, 9:42 a.m. — This 1865 letter from a former slave to his former master is priceless. Jourdan Anderson’s ex-master wrote to him to request that he return to the farm where he’d been a slave and where the master had more than once shot him. Anderson was by that time a free man, living with his family in Ohio. Make sure to read the whole letter. via lettersofnote.com and @brainpicker
Jan. 30, 4:20 p.m. — Entrepreneur Scott Crider has gotten some recent exposure on the Fox News show “The Five,” as well as on the Andrew Sullivan’s “The Dish” for his blog, Dogs Against Romney. Crider’s blog is in response to information that surfaced during the 2008 election that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney drove to Canada on a family trip with the dog inside a crate that was strapped to the roof of the car. Look out, because these dogs have a “super pack.” via Examiner
Jan. 30, 3:45 p.m. — Being obese may be uncomfortable — physically and socially — but here’s a new one: It hurts. A study that looked at more than 1 million Americans identified a clear link between being grossly overweight and being in pain. Yet another reason to work on shedding those winter pounds. via Futurity
Jan. 30, 2:53 p.m. — Who doesn’t love free movies that haven’t won any Rotten Tomatoes? “Revenge of the Electric Car,” the sequel to the popular “Who Killed the Electric Car?” is as of today available for free on Hulu. It’s also going to be on PBS on April 19 and the DVD goes on sale today. Seems like a can’t miss! You can watch it here, in fact, if you want to.
Jan. 30, 1:20 p.m. — 2011 comes in at number nine in the top 10 warmest years since 1880, according to NASA. The 21st century has shown a trend of topping the global average surface temperature record. In fact, the only year not from the 21st century in the top 10 warmest years on record is 1998. via @randyrieland
Jan. 30, 12 p.m. — The United States is moving to limit fishing in the Caribbean waters it controls, reports the AP. As of today, anglers of spiny lobster, queen conch and angelfish, among other species, will be restricted as to how much they’re allowed to bring in. The move is an effort to keep Caribbean fish sustainable, which they aren’t at the moment. via Marin Independent Journal/Underwater Times
