The Lumpen Proletarian

Living Root Bridges

The powerful and mysterious brain circuitry that makes us love Google, Twitter, and texting. - By Emily Yoffe - Slate Magazine

Seeking. You can't stop doing it. Sometimes it feels as if the basic drives for food, sex, and sleep have been overridden by a new need for endless nuggets of electronic information. We are so insatiably curious that we gather data even if it gets us in tr

Calgary researcher helps people who constantly get lost - The Globe and Mail

Those with developmental topographical disorientation have inability to navigate even daily trips from work to home

Technology Review: A Metal Coating That Repairs Itself

Electroplated metal could be used to make self-healing construction materials, car parts, and machinery.

Novelties - Mimicking Human Cartilage to Repair a Knee - NYTimes.com
An off-the-shelf plug inserted into the damaged area can guide formation of new bone and cartilage before dissolving in about six months.

Believers Invest in the Gospel of Getting Rich - NYTimes.com

Even in an economic downturn, preachers in the “prosperity gospel” movement are drawing sizable, adoring audiences.

Study finds 18- to 24-year-old group more politically active, but not more knowledgeable

A study by three Kansas State University graduate students finds that the 18- to 24-year-old demographic became more politically active during the 2008 U.S. election season through the use of new media, but that the young adults were not necessarily more knowledgeable about politics.

Climate models confirm more moisture in atmosphere attributed to humans

(PhysOrg.com) -- When it comes to using climate models to assess the causes of the increased amount of moisture in the atmosphere, it doesn't much matter if one model is better than the other.

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Deadly gun battle in Gaza mosque

At least 13 people are killed in a gun battle in Gaza between Hamas fighters and supporters of a radical Islamist cleric, emergency services say.

In China, DNA tests on kids ID genetic gifts, careers - CNN.com

At the Chongqing Children's Palace, experts are hoping to revolutionize child-rearing with the help of science. About 30 children aged 3 to 12 years old and their parents are participating in a new program that uses DNA testing to identify genetic gifts and predict the future.

Boeing Airborne Laser Team Completes 1st Airborne Test Against Instrumented Target Missile
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Aug. 13, 2009 – The Boeing Company

[NYSE: BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Aug. 10 successfully completed the Airborne Laser’s (ABL) first in-flight test against an instrumented target missile, achieving a historic milestone.

Atlanta Pitted Against Neighbors in Battle Over Water - NYTimes.com

A court defeat over water supply has left Atlanta howling that other states are trying to choke off its prosperity.

Idle Iraqi Date Farms Show Decline of Economy - NYTimes.com

A nation that once had a robust farming sector is becoming dependent on imports and oil to sustain itself.

Iceland: what ugly secrets are waiting to be exposed in the meltdown? - Telegraph

Almost a year since the collapse of the Icelandic banks, the rotten nature of
these financial corpses is slowly beginning to emerge.

Chemicals can turn genes on and off; new tests needed, scientists say. — Environmental Health News

A National Academies workshop examined the evidence of epigenetic effects and considered whether the thousands of chemicals in use today should be tested for them.
Some pollutants and chemicals don't kill cells or mutate DNA. Instead, they may be more subtle, muting genes or turning them on at the wrong time, which can lead to diseases that are passed on for generations. Asthma in New York City children exposed to traffic exhaust is an example, experts say.

'Killer spices' provide eco-friendly pesticides for organic fruits and veggies

Mention rosemary, thyme, clove, and mint and most people think of a delicious meal. Think bigger…acres bigger. These well-known spices are now becoming organic agriculture's key weapons against insect pests as the industry tries to satisfy demands for fruits and veggies among the growing portion of ...