The Lumpen Proletarian

William T. Vollmann, an Author Without Borders - NYTimes.com

William T. Vollmann’s new book, about the vast, flat, arid region in the southeastern part of California, is an extreme production.

Cinematic Cuisine That Would Make Even Julia Child Proud - NYTimes.com

The new movie “Julie & Julia” is the latest film to feature food that is edible and even delicious — no half-cooked turkeys colored with motor oil or ice cream carved from Crisco.

Out on a limb: Arm-swinging riddle is answered

Biomedical researchers on Wednesday said they could explain why we swing our arms when we walk, a practice that has long piqued scientific curiosity.

Scent of fear puts brain in emergency mode - life - 29 July 2009 - New Scientist
If you have ever felt fear when stuck in a crowded lift or on an aircraft flying through turbulence, you might have been responding to other people's fear

Jellyfish May Affect Climate by Stirring Oceans: Discovery News

A small, fist-sized jellyfish pulsating through the water seems like an unlikely candidate to alter Earth's climate. But its motion, combined with all the swimming creatures in the sea, could stir things up enough to do exactly that, according to a new study.

Pueblo Journal - Energy Shifts Inject Hope in Colorado Town With Steel Tradition - NYTimes.com

With a steelmaking history that dates to the days of the railroad barons, Pueblo may be heading to a second act with the arrival of a factory tied to the emerging renewable-energy industry.

When Auto Plants Close, White Elephants Remain - NYTimes.com

Communities are haunted by the huge empty buildings — which find few takers — that have been left behind by the automakers.

Advertising - Pepsi Occupies a Special Place in Quebecers’ Hearts - NYTimes.com

Quebec is one of the few places in the world where Pepsi holds a larger market share than Coca-Cola.

By Degrees - White Roofs Catch On as Energy Cost Cutters - Series - NYTimes.com

Some homeowners are embracing so-called “cool roofs” that reflect heat as an affordable tool against climate change.

The New Antiquarians - Cultivating a Late 19th-Century Style at Home - NYTimes.com
Taxidermy, clubby insignia and ancestral portraits have been decorative staples at trendy restaurants and clothing stores for a while, but now they are catching on at home.

Patent Models Record Inventions in Miniature | Wired Science | Wired.com

<< previous image | next image >> From 1790 until 1870, U.S. patent law required inventors to

Mysteriously High Tides on East Coast Perplex Scientists | Wired Science | Wired.com

From Maine to Florida, the Atlantic seaboard has experienced higher tides than expected this summer. At their peak in mid-June, the tides at some locations

Mosquitoes deliver malaria 'vaccine' through bites - Yahoo! News

In a daring experiment in Europe, scientists used mosquitoes as flying needles to deliver a

Monkey Herds Goats; Farmer Approves

On a farm in India, Mani the monkey uses her own mysterious methods to tend dozens of goats without any supervision or training, according to the Associated Press. <i>Video.</i>

Did an ice age boost human brain size? - life - 29 July 2009 - New Scientist
Why did we humans evolve such big brains? Two new studies suggest it is no fluke that a big boom in brain size coincided with the onset of an ice age

MedImmune’s Nasal Vaccine May Join War on Swine Flu - NYTimes.com

As the nation girds for a possible swine flu pandemic, one of the big weapons may come from an unexpected source — a vaccine squirted or dropped into the nose.

The People Versus The People? China Accepts First Environmental Lawsuit Against the Government : TreeHugger

photo:Jason Taellious via flick Chinese government owning up to some of its less savory acts, or even admitting that those might ever exist in the first place, doesn't happen all the time. So, news of a Chinese court accepting

Technology Review: A New Approach to Fusion

A startup snags funding to start early work on a low-budget test reactor.

Study shows how college major and religious faith affect each other

(PhysOrg.com) -- College students who major in the social sciences and humanities are likely to become less religious, while those majoring in education are likely to become more religious.

Where Is Xu Zhiyong?: Letter from China : The New Yorker

Dispatches by Evan Osnos

Max Manus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia