In the subway, at the laundromat, in public libraries, even in the restroom—the seemingly asocial spaces of modern life—we are constantly, silently negotiating with strangers. Half-glances, polite smiles, unconscious sidesteps. In 1963, the sociologist Erving Goffman coined a term for this quiet discourse: civil inattention.

While civil inattention’s specific gestures—a quick, open gaze across the swimming pool, a pursing of the lips down the train aisle& … Read More → "There’s a name for that awkward dance you do with strangers in the elevator"

The season we’re born in can have far-reaching consequences. For instance, Spring babies are more likely than others to develop schizophrenia later in life, whereas Summer babies tend to grow up to be more sensation seeking. There are many more of these so-called season of birth effects. Scientists aren’t sure, but they think such patterns could be due (among other things) to mothers’ and infants’ exposure to viruses over the Winter period, or to the amount of daylight they’re exposed to, either or both of which could … Read More → "How your season of birth is etched in your brain"

 In case knowing the name of your Domino’s Delivery person wasn’t enough future for you, Pizza Hut might elevate their dine-in experience with touchscreens. Yesterday the chain’s Youtube channel released a concept video showing young, hip customers spinning pizza and playing games on an “Interactive Concept Table” like a couple of personal pan DJs.
via < … Read More → "Pizza Hut may soon have touchscreen interactive tables"

Surgeons have used metal screws to reassemble broken bones for years, but there are drawbacks: if the metal corrodes, they’ve gotta come out. Biodegradable screws aren’t as strong, and can cause inflammation. So a team of Harvard and Tufts scientists came up with screws and plates that are as tough as metal, but biodegradable. The trick? They’re … Read More → "Someday, surgeons might fix your broken bones with screws made of silk"

While you were peacefully sleeping last night, NASA announced that they had detected a 100 foot-wide asteroid that will fly closer to Earth than the Moon today around 1 pm PST and 4 pm EST. NASA predicts that the asteroid will pass us without event, but just in case they’re wrong, you might want to knock out that bucket list in the next 5 hours.
via Read More → "NASA announced asteroid will fly by Earth closer than the Moon today"

A physicist and mathematician sat down at lunch one day and discussed a complicated human problem: shared custody of children with ex-spouses.

By the end of that meal, they had transformed it into a “classical glass theory problem” and solved it.

The resulting study, published in The European Physical Journal B this month, offers a levelheaded, fair way of scheduling custody of … Read More → "Can physics solve custody battles?"

Whether it is gays in the Olympics, or anabolic steroids and A-Rod, our assessment of athletics is dramatically colored by our beliefs about sex, gender identity, and the role steroid hormones play in that mix. In fact, steroids are the epicenter of two distinct controversies shaking the world of elite sports:

• Should intersex women who have naturally elevated levels of steroids called androgens be eligible to compete as women?
• Should … Read More → "Why are synthetic hormones off-limits in sports?"

Here’s some fun you can have at home with little to no effort: make a mini crossbow from a bottle cap, two popsicle sticks and a rubber band. You can fire off flaming arrows, toothpicks, skewers, Q-tips and more with just your thumb.
via Sploid/Gizmodo

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Researchers at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital aim to grow a human ear via stem cells taken from a patient’s fat tissue. Relatively little attention has been given to the reconstruction of damaged cartilage around the cranial area, however the new method is hoped to modernize this area of reconstructive surgery.
via Gizmag

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Etsy seller Casey the Crafter has the perfect ring for you. She also makes food miniatures as standalone pieces and charms.
via Neatorama

Read More → "Miniature food rings"