It’s Carl Sagan Day, Motherfuckers
That is all.
That is not actually all.
Robots drink pee
4th grade Jim is cackling inside me, but it’s true. Researchers in Bristol have created the EcoBot, which pumps urine into a tank of micro-organisms that break it down into electricity. Hypothetically you could use your pee to run your Xbox, but they’re actually looking at using them for pollution monitoring and other boring things that are actually super-necessary.
Starstuff
It wouldn’t be Carl Sagan Day without some a space article. NASA telescopes have spotted a dying asteroid with no less than six tails. It’s a gorgeous thing, slowly falling to bits. The origins of its tails, according to David Jewitt of the University of California, is a little mysterious. Just the way Carl would like it.
Skill focus (high-rise weaving)
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is in the process of designing copter drones that will tow strong plastic cables and weave skyscrapers. I’m just gonna say that again. They weave skyscrapers. From the article on the New Scientist, “One end of the cable can be secured by making several turns around a pole. The drones are positioned and directed autonomously from the ground by a central computer fitted with a camera that watches them as they fly. For example, to loop cables around each other, the computer directs two drones to fly through certain points at an exact time. In this way, the fleet can tie complicated knots and form large, regularly repeating patterns strung between fixed structures.” Designed by people who have never watched Billy’s Balloon.
Drinking buddies
Because sometimes you just have to get drunk with a llama. Okay, they were probably drunk when they met the llama. But it’s okay. Serge, the llama in question, seems super chilled about the whole affair.
Thoughts on unsticking
We do love Ze Frank, and so today I want to finish up with a video of his where he gives some great advice on brainstorming and generating ideas.
And that’s it. Have a great Cal Sagan Day, eat some apple pie, and wonder.
