Oh, Those Scientists!

Slow day today. I'm a little under the weather. So, here is an interesting (and short) video that recounts how mankind went from wondering where birds went in the winter to having a pretty good clue where they are all the time. There's new (or at least new to me) information in here, and I watch a lot of nature videos, so perhaps you'll enjoy it, too.

(With the cold we're having here in Chicago right now, I might have to fly south).

Animal Vision Versus Human Vision

I've always been fascinated (and sometimes scared) by the prospect of trying to inject myself into another being's experience. It's a big part of what writers do and the reason we can write about experiences we've never had. Admittedly, trying to feel what another person is feeling will never, ever be more than a shadow of the true experience, but I think it's always good to try to put ourselves in other's positions. Without that attempt, we tend to dismiss the other person's experience as "less than" our own.

That said, there are certain things that are nearly impossible to imagine. An animal's view of the world would fall into that category. And yet...here is a video attempting to demonstrate what an animal sees compared to what we humans see. Interesting.

Why Do We Kiss?

As a romance reader and writer, kissing is obviously something I spend a lot of time thinking about. Even the tamest romance novel has to at least end with a kiss (although I recently reread a series romance novel I'd read and enjoyed when I was rather young and was surprised to find that the hero and heroine merely held hands at the end. And no, that did not work for me anymore).

Still, despite the less than satisfying book mentioned above, there's clearly a lot of kissing going on in books, but more importantly, in the world at large. So...how did all of that get started? Why kissing? Well, Hank Green from Scishow explores those questions and more in the video below.

What Does Our Garbage Tell Others About How We Live?

With the advent of recycling, our garbage has changed a bit, and...let's face it, most of us don't really want to spend our time thinking about something as icky as garbage. But we've learned a lot about past civilizations by studying their garbage. Find out more in Minute Earth's Garbage Doesn't Lie.

The Heady, Romantic Scent of Rain

The scent of rain has been romanticized in books and film (I've done it myself) and...in a somewhat humorous way, in the video below. But what actually causes the scent of rain? Find out in this entertaining and very short (less than 2 minutes) A Moment of Science video from Indiana University.

Save Us, Bill Nye! (Bill Nye vs. the Asteroids)

I adore scientists. Two of my favorite scientists are Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye. Here Bill Nye explains to us how we locate asteroids and how we can protect ourselves from them.

Dyslexia Explained Through Animation

This TEDEducation video explains the whys and wherefores of dyslexia in an engaging and easy to understand manner (and in less than four and a half minutes).

How to Grow Plants after the Zombie Apocalypse

Or if you just want better results with your gardening now. (Maybe this is why my garden doesn't always live up to my hopes and dreams. I'm not practicing scarification).

Mr. Brown Thumb has more info with photos, instructions and a video.

How to Burn 200 Calories

In case you're trying to drop a pound or two (or three), here's what it takes to burn 200 calories (if you're into the unusual, that is). Or...maybe you'd rather just go for the more usual types of exercise.

A Pretend Gardener's Wishes

I've talked before about what a terrible gardener I am, so this video appealed to me.

Looks like fun! Just remember to be careful what you plant (no invasive species). 

What You Think You Know About Science May Not All Be True

Hank Green shines light on 50 Science Misconceptions (I love these videos)!

The Lake was...Pink!

If you live in Australia, you probably already know about Lake Hillier, but if you don't, then you may be wondering (as I was) what would make a lake turn pink. Here's the explanation.

What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

Okay, we all know that we can't eat as much of the fun stuff as we can of the healthy stuff, but how do they look side by side?

Are You a Rightie or a Lefty?

Hank explains why there are righties and lefties. In case you were wondering.

People Making a Difference: A Billboard that Produces Water

The University of Engineering and Technology built a billboard that produces potable water from air in the coastal desert of Peru. I love it when people come up with useful ideas like this one!

Instant Ice (So Much Fun)!

Grant Thompson shows us how to make ice in some amazing ways.

Fun with Marshmallows

You can do a number of fun things with marshmallows (s'mores, roasting marshmallows over a campfire), but this experiment below was especially fun. Since I don't have a fizz keeper, watching will have to be enough for me, but if you have one, give this a try.

World's Tiniest Movie

IBM stretches the boundaries by making the smallest movie ever...using atoms. Amazing (also cute. And short).

Gobstopper Science

There are 2 (or a minimum of 2) reasons I'm posting this Steve Spangler Science video. One is that I just wanted to be able to use the word Gobstopper, a word that is both awesome and slightly creepy. The other is probably more related to the romance writer side of me. There's something about the way this guy puts on his safety glasses that practically screams "hero" to me (but maybe that's a bit weird. Or maybe it's just my rule that heroes need to be caring of children's safety, so this works for me).

Oh, also there's a 3rd reason. I like the fact that he always includes Adult Supervision in the Here is What You Need list.

All About Cats

I've never had a cat, but I find them interesting. And I didn't know all of the facts in this video. So...enjoy the fun cat stuff below.