Frivolity Break: Chef Boyardee Ravioli vs. Molten Lava

Because it's fascinating, that's why.

 

Frivolty Break: Bird Murmuration in Ireland

Ahhhhh.... Maw Nature. She's too cool.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Science is Cool WEIRD: Zombie Caterpillers!

This is freaky. A virus that compels a caterpillar to essentially commit suicide. It's like that incredibly bad movie, The Happening, if Marky Mark were a caterpiller. But the way the dead caterpillar then infects his family and friends? Well, that's just brutal. Mother Nature is a mean ol' biddy.

[Excerpt]

"I'ma kill you. . .right after I kill myself."
Image from source, Live Science

Zombie Caterpillars Rain Death From Treetops

A single gene in a caterpillar virus sends its victims running for the treetops, where they die and their bodies liquefy, sending an ooze of virus particles on their brothers and sisters below. . .

Read more at: Live Science


Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

What Happens (Close to) Vegas: Dust Storm Eats Boulder City!

I thought it looked kinda dark down in the south east. This explains it. For some strange reason, this video isn't popping up like it should. If you click the headline above, it should display properly.

Rare Earthquake Hits Virginia, DC Area

I have felt only two earthquakes in my life, that I was aware of. The first was in Ohio in either my late teens or early 20s, and wasn't much of anything. The house was vibrating, but the ground itself didn't seem to be. The second one I felt was a major aftershock to the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake. This one was something like a 5.3, and it was a real rumbler. I was with my friend Dona at a Star Trek convention in Pasadena. It was a little disorienting, and possibly a little scary, though I don't remember fear being a primary emotion. Now, I realize that both of my experiences were before 9/11, and that the world has changed. But in neither previous event did I wonder what was going on. Earthquake, sure as shootin.' Earthquake. So I doing quite a bit of eye rolling at all the "scared" people pictures flooding the internets. Still, I hope there aren't any people with severely damaged property, or serious injuries. I'm sure it's possible that someone out there was in actual peril.

[Excerpt]

Rare earthquake shakes and shocks Eastern Seaboard

There were no major injuries reported nor severe damage, but the 45-second earthquake that hit the East Coast Tuesday afternoon gave millions of people a thorough and efficient education in what Westerners already know: earthquakes are frightening. . . 

Read more at: USA Today

Science is Cool: 20-Million-Year-Old Ape Skull Discovered

In Uganda, on July 18th, French & Ugandan scientists discovered a 20-million-year-old ape skull.

To put the age of the ape skull in context; humans (homo-sapiens) evolved into our current form roughly 100,000 years ago. Which took over 2.5 million years to accomplish from a 5-7 million year old chimpanzee blueprint. A proverbial snap of Ma Nature's fingers.

Mother Nature has always fascinated me. Her beauty is unquestionable; her ferocity is unmatched. Whether it is the ocean, the land, the weather, the moon or the countless stars... She is an awe inspiring sight.

It is impossible to imagine the trillions upon trillions of cleverly evolved living things that she has given birth to. From microscopic amoeba to monstrous reptiles. From the tiniest particle to the tallest tree.

Our tiny little speck of a planet alone is over four billion years old. Embedded with a rich history of numerable creations striving, surviving, developing & dying. And to think Mother Nature has been doing this much longer than our stupid monkey brains can comprehend... on a universal scale.

Discoveries like these serve to remind me that all of "it" is so much bigger, older & more complex than we are. And that there is so much more for us to discover about nature & ultimately ourselves.

I will always be a great admirer of the infinite creativity Mother Nature possess & nurtures. Respectful of the fearless cataclysmic force she wields. And hopeful she will finally create a NON-self-destructing monkey on this planet.

We're all lucky to be part of Mother Nature's plans... good or bad. We're lucky to be alive... for now.


For more awe inspiring work from Mother Nature check out the latest news on Mars.

Serial Killer Whale(s)

I dunno??? Something called a "Killer Whale" seems to be something not to be trifled with. It is a large brained, thinking, hunting, killing, pack mammal. It is capable of forethought & afterthought. (Obviously not Republicans...)
For some reason we land lubber monkeys feel we must "save" them, "train" them & "tame" them. Like all of the endangered species, we endangered. There really isn't much we can do for any of them. Sure we'll save a few, it's just our own nature is far too destructive, until proven otherwise.
Alas, the animal world needn't fear... Ma Nature will figure a way to best us; be it animal, parasite or asteroid. She'll snuff every last one of us out. With pleasure.
I guess sometimes the other mammals on this planet just lose their patience with her... and kill a "trainer" at a sea park... for a third time... in front of hundreds.
Playing with large animals, especially intelligent ones, is like playing Russian Roulette with a semi-automatic pistol. Stupid, stupid monkeys.
Read on...

Stupid Monkey Quandary

Am I the only stupid monkey that finds a certain bit of irony in a hurricane named "IKE" hitting TEXAS during a presidential election cycle? Although this year's campaign slogan would be slightly altered... "I Don't Like Ike"...
What exactly is Ma Nature (or God, if you must) saying here?

Hey Buddy, I think you've blown a seal...

Photo credit to LiveScience.com
"Seal Tries Sex with Penguin"
A seal has been caught on camera trying to have sex with a penguin.

This seems to be the first known example of a sexual escapade between a mammal and another kind of vertebrate such as a bird, reptile or fish, "although some mammals are known to have attempted sexual relief with inanimate — including dead things — objects," said researcher Nico de Bruyn, a mammal ecologist at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

Not much more this monkey can say... at least it wasn't a politician, thus far. I do find the eternal words of Bugs Bunny coming to mind... "Penguins are practically chicken..."

Click on photo for better view of the action... More penguin porn available at LiveScience.com

Hey, Mr. Editor... I think this story calls for a celebratory Kip Adotta 'Wet Dream' post... is it #2500??? (Guess my monkey math is off somewhere.)

10,000+ Lives Lost to China Quake

Photo Credit to NASA
Mother Nature is the most fearsome 'creature' of this planet. She is a constant reminder, albeit often ignored, of how small & insignificant we stupid monkeys really are. We cannot fight her, predict her or beat her... We can tell you what she does, when she does it & what we think she might do & then suffer the consequences. She will always be the dominate force upon this planet & universe... and she has no mercy.
With that said, I cannot fathom the sadness she brings with the toll she takes. My thoughts are with those in China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Cuba, Central America, Mexico & the U.S.A.

Please remember, Ma Nature will take us all out one of these days... be it the sun (our star), volcano, flood, plague, famine, asteroid or comet... she will rid herself & this planet of us stupid, stupid monkeys. Like the dinosaurs we too get to check out.

Read about the earthquake in China at ABC...
If you want to help Unicef or American Friends Service Committee are great places to start.