IronSilk - Slashdot User

Parasites in Your Brain Make You Sexy and Fearless (at a Price)-> 2

Submitted by

IronSilk

on Wednesday February 15, @04:02PM

IronSilk writes "Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that lives in cats and cycles through rats, manipulating their brain chemistry to make them attracted to cats and thus eaten, completing the parasitic life cycle. But T. plasmodii also infects humans (maybe you) subtly influencing our behavior--differently for men and women. This Atlantic Monthly article gives the latest dope (or dopamine) on cat pee, schitzophrenia, extroverted women and introverted men. FYI, around 20% of Americans and 55% of French are infected..."
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Comment: Consciousness Might Explain Quantum Theory (Score 1) 729

by IronSilk on Thursday May 26 2011, @07:12PM (#36257618) Attached to: Does Quantum Theory Explain Consciousness?

Consider the reverse: only consciousness itself could propose quantum theory, let alone explain it. Consciousness is prior. Isn't that obvious? Any "explanation" of consciousness by quantum theory would necessarily be contained in consciousness, which would make the "explanation" less than, or incomplete. Unless physicists are proposing an epistemology based on a theory of unconsciousness, which would necessarily be, well, stupid.

Son Sues Mother Over Facebook Posts 428

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday April 07 2010, @02:58PM
from the check-your-family-status dept.

Most kids hate having their parents join in on a discussion on Facebook, but one 16-year-old in Arkansas hates it so much he has filed suit against his mother, charging her with harassment. From the article: "An Arkadelphia mother is charged with harassment for making entries on her son's Facebook page. Denise New's 16-year-old son filed charges against her last month and requested a no-contact order after he claims she posted slanderous entries about him on the social networking site. New says she was just trying to monitor what he was posting." Seems like he could just unfriend her.

Scientists To Breed the Auroch From Extinction 277

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 21 2010, @12:18AM
from the back-by-popular-demand dept.

ImNotARealPerson writes "Scientists in Italy are hoping to breed back from extinction the mighty auroch, a bovine species which has been extinct since 1627. The auroch weighed 2,200 pounds (1000kg) and its shoulders stood at 6'6". The beasts once roamed most of Asia and northern Africa. The animal was depicted in cave paintings and Julius Caesar described it as being a little less in size than an elephant. A member of the Consortium for Experimental Biotechnology suggests that 99% of the auroch's DNA can be recreated from genetic material found in surviving bone material. Wikipedia mentions that researchers in Poland are working on the same problem."

Duke Nukem Forever Not Dead? (Yes, This Again) 195

Posted by Soulskill on Saturday January 09 2010, @07:21AM
from the you-didn't-think-it-was-over-did-you? dept.

kaychoro writes "There may be hope for Duke Nukem Forever (again). 'Jon St. John, better known as the voice of Duke Nukem, said some interesting words during a panel discussion at the Music and Games Festival (MAGFest) that took place January 1 – 4 in Alexandria, Virginia, according to Pixel Enemy. Answering a question from the crowd regarding DNF, St. John said: "... let me go ahead and tell you right now that I'm not allowed to talk about Duke Nukem Forever. No, no, don't be disappointed, read between the lines — why am I not allowed to talk about it?"'"

Comment: War costs the world 7.2 trillion (Score 1) 242

by IronSilk on Monday December 28 2009, @12:06PM (#30571888) Attached to: One Expert Pegs Yearly Cost of IT Failure At $6.2 Trillion

The Institute of Economics and Peace reports that the global peace dividend would be $7.2 trillion per year, or about 8.1% of the global economy. http://www.visionofhumanity.org/causes-value-peace/economic-growth.php

Comment: Re:Who says "we" are drawn to it? (Score 1) 870

by IronSilk on Monday December 28 2009, @12:00PM (#30571804) Attached to: Anti-Technology Themes in James Cameron's Avatar

Why comment on it when you don't have the slightest interest in it? I think you have a slight interest. Also while you are right that the main plot has been done before, this movie adds a lot of nuance, and a thoughtful environmental message. Anyway, the movie is worth seeing for the sheer beauty of it. Go see it!

Comment: Re:it's called "entertainment" (Score 3, Interesting) 870

by IronSilk on Monday December 28 2009, @11:55AM (#30571754) Attached to: Anti-Technology Themes in James Cameron's Avatar

Objected. "Just entertainment" has powerful effects on humans, including me and you. There are tons of examples of movies that shifted society and how we think about it. Movies are art--some of it bad, some of it great, like Avatar. The fact that it is commercial art doesn't make it less artful--it's just a constraint of the medium.

This movie actually is deep, and merits a deep discussion.

Comment: Re:Who said it was anti-technology? (Score 3, Insightful) 870

by IronSilk on Monday December 28 2009, @11:47AM (#30571644) Attached to: Anti-Technology Themes in James Cameron's Avatar

Agreed. The film was not anti-technology. I thought it was anti-ugly. The local "technology" of plugging into trees and animals was a lot like USB.

The film was multi-layered and nuanced. The main message was to wake up, respect, and deal with the consequences of ecosystems, local cultures, and other ways of seeing. I loved it.

The Best Robots of 2009 51

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday December 23 2009, @09:59PM
from the best-of-show dept.

kkleiner writes "Singularity Hub has just unveiled its second annual roundup of the best robots of the year. In 2009 robots continued their advance towards world domination with several impressive breakouts in areas such as walking, automation, and agility, while still lacking in adaptability and reasoning ability. It will be several years until robots can gain the artificial intelligence that will truly make them remarkable, but in the meantime they are still pretty awesome."