The Grosjean brothers have just released the second part of their modern day Skyrim advendure. If you’ve missed part I, be sure to check it out right here.
2012 Star Wars Super Bowl Ad [Video]
Star Trek: TNG Will Look AWESOME on Blu-Ray [Video]
Don’t believe me? Check this out!
One of the most popular series in the STAR TREK franchise, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION® celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012. It premiered in first-run syndication during the week of September 28, 1987 and ran through 1994.
[Star Trek: The Next Generation – Next Level: A Taste of TNG in HD]
Attack of the Clones: The Future of Medical Research
The original clone Dolly, preserved forever at the National Museum of Scotland. Photo Credit: Shelley Bernstein
I’m sure we all remember Dolly, the world’s first successfully cloned mammal, a lovely little sheep in Edinburgh 16 years ago. Well, from the makers of Dolly, comes a whole new epic: Brain Tissue.
The cloning of Dolly spurred on the stem cell revolution, that led scientists to discover that adult cells could be turned into stem cells, which could then be encouraged to grow into any other cell in the human body.
The four actual applications of creating stem cells are:
- To test the toxicity of drugs
- To create tissue for transplanting
- To boost levels of stem cells to help fight diseases
- To create models of diseases in order to create drugs to fight them.
It is the last of these that the researchers at Edinburgh’s Centre of Regenerative Medicine have focused on. The aim? To try and understand what’s going on in the brain of those suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar depression, and other mental illnesses. The best way to research any disease is to examine the live tissue of the affected organ. Of course, you can’t just do a biopsy on a brain, and autopsies just don’t cut it.
So our Scottish cloning geniuses have managed to take a little scrap of skin from these patients, made stem cells from them, and then directed these stem cells to become brain cells – genetically identical to the brain cells within the patient. Hey presto – live tissue for medical scientists to get their fingers into!
Generating lines of these cells helps us with number 4 up there – with brain cells of those suffering from mental illnesses, the scientists can begin testing new drugs on them without having to endanger the lives of patients.
It’s a bit of a far cry from a clone army taking over the world, but I’m sure there would be some who would be wary of this sort of progress. In the world of medicine, however, this technology can swing open doors that have been frustratingly closed for years. Cloning the cells of any part of the body using only a scraping of skin will give medical practitioners access to parts previously inaccessible.
It’s a major breakthrough for medical research. But more importantly, for anyone who knows someone, or has lost someone, to illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease (the disease Stephen Hawking suffers from); this is a glorious glimmer of hope on the horizon.
[Via The Guardian]
Amazing Time-Lapse Video Takes Fascinating Look at Very Large Array Radiotelescope
Time-lapse footage taken at the Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, New Mexico; one of the largest Radio Astronomy Observatories in the world.
Man Arrested for Lightsaber Assault at Toys R Us
As a massive Star Wars Geek, I cannot lie that when I walk into department stores with automatic doors, I have on occasion pretended that I had the Force and that by the power of my mind alone, these doors flew from my path like Gamorrean Guards.
Now when I go into a Toys R Us, I do make a point of seeing what Star Wars toys… er… collectibles are available. You know… because I have kids.
However the last thing I would think of is to grab a couple of lightsabers and start having it out with complete strangers in the store. I imagine if I did, it would likely play out like this wannabe Sith.
WorstPreviews shares:
Portland police said that 33-year-old David Allen Canterbury went to a local Toys R Us store, grabbed toy “Star Wars” lightsabers in each hand and started to hit customers with them. He then carried the lightsabers outside the store and swung at police. Officers tried to use a Taser to subdue him, but Canterbury successfully deflected one of the wires away.
It doesn’t sound like this guy was all there to begin with, but you have to admire his ability to deflect the incoming taser attack with his lightsaber. The Force is strong in this one!
Well, until he was subdued by the police and put away for his reckless acts.
Comic Book Nerd Rage: The New DC Comics Logo
You won’t like comic book fans when they’re angry. From the guys at Bleeding Cool, comes an inside look at how many reacted the day DC Comics logo died… and a new one rose from the ashes.
I’m sorry but I just had to add a Marvel reference in there… because I’m such a terrible person.
The Simpsons Theme – A Capella Style [Video]
This is my tribute to Matt Groening and my favorite TV show! The recording is 100% vocals and 100% my own voice. In order to perform this song, I actually had to write out the entire orchestration from a recording and perform every part, which ended up being over 30! The violin runs were the most fun to record :)
[Via The Awesomer]