cornerofmadness, posts by tag: science - LiveJournal

First off let me say Happy birthday to lordgloria and happy belated birthday to evil_little_dog

Today is the first of 4 cons in a row. This is a small con mostly run by friends of mine. I went in the afternoon because I wanted to put in for the raffle. Unfortunately they've not had a lot of luck getting panels off the ground so it's mostly a vendor room inside the community gym. Still, it's always a nice time.

I didn't get out of there without promising to help next year. I can do that but not all day and that was fine. There were some repeat vendors that I knew and others I hadn't met before. I met a young author who was very enthusiastic about his book and since it was a mystery/fantasy inspired by his trans masc friend (who was the sensitivity reader) and I bought it. Later in the day my friend MKF mentioned a mutual friend (who I hadn't seen in a long while) was 'over there' talking to his son in law. turns out it was this young author.

I got a few other things, mostly little things for friends and some more hazbin art from an artist I bought from before, mostly because she gave me mochi because I was having a hypoglycemic episode which made NO sense because I had pancit (noodles) for lunch and had forgotten my insulin. Luckily right next to them was my friend PQ (from last week's post) who in addition to beer makes sarsaparilla and he gave me some so I was okay.

I did get the most adorable shaker keychain with Husk and Angel from the mochi ladies and then realized I could never USE it because it's delicate but in the shaker are tiny hearts and playing cards and it's so damn adorable.

I also got shell earrings with tiny little octopi in them. I picked up another SF book from an indie author but I was also getting too tired. I didn't make it to the end. Still I had a good time.

Let's have science Saturday


Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding over famous Viking raid site in UK

Strange mammal ancestor laid huge, leathery eggs —‬ and it was key to surviving the world's worst mass extinction

Stephen Hawking's black hole information paradox could be solved — if the universe has 7 dimensions

Physicists entangle two moving atoms for the first time, validating 'spooky' quantum theory

Physicists just witnessed pinpricks of darkness moving faster than the speed of light ‪—‬ without breaking the laws of relativity

Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (On one hand, cool on the other hand it's a little strange and concerning we can rearrange plastic chemicals into medicine)

High School Student’s Low-Cost Teabag Solution For Millions Threatened By Arsenic Passes Peer Review

It started out good. I got up early (for me) attended a good free workshop on writing fear and then went to Jackson with the plan to go to the author's book festival at the library, go to the coffee shop and write and maybe go out to Lake Alma to hike around the lake since it was beautiful out.

I had already talked myself out of trying to go to the Sip and Thrift in the opposite direction down in Gallipolis. I get to the book fest and talk to my first author and I like the sound of his mystery. Yes sir, I'll buy one. Just as he gets ready to sign it I realize something horrible.

My wallet is by my desk top computer where I used my credit card to buy those Amazing Digital Circus theater tickets because Paypal kept putting me into a loop that I couldn't get out of.

Yeah, my money and my driver's license are now 15 miles away in my apartment because I didn't put the wallet back after I used it. Son of a bitch. No books. No coffee. No hiking.

Embarrassed I trundle on home but now it's 1:20. I could make the sip and thrift which started at one (but it'll take me 20 minutes to get there) and I don't have time to go back to the book fest. I decide I do not in any way shape or form need more clothing thrifted or not and I definitely don't need upcycled bullcrap in my house (I appreciate and approve of upcycling but I'm trying to down size my crap not get more)

I just stay home and try to clean because I have like 4 festivals in the next 5 weeks. I regret not going now because in spite of FB sending me festivals in a 50 mile radius it didn't tell me one thing about the first annual cherry blossom festival in Point Pleasant. I could have done the sip and thrift and then that. Ah well.

Have some science saturday links


Artemis II: NASA's first crewed mission to the moon since 1972
I wanted to be more excited by this (but it felt like a distraction from everything else this nightmare administration has done)

Fossil site in China reveals bevy of complex creatures lived prior to the Cambrian explosion, including a 'Dune'-like sandworm

We went to Finland to hear about the new 'sand battery' that will turn stored renewable energy back into power for the electrical grid

'No one knows what they are': Researchers discover new type of cell that's seen only during pregnancy

AI 'mirages' mean tools used to analyze medical scans could fabricate their findings How about this? How about we don't fucking USE Ai for this

New Step Towards Male Contraception As Sperm Production Blocked Safely And Reversibly Without Hormones

Trump’s 2027 Budget Proposes Multi-Billion-Dollar Cuts For Climate And Environmental Programs Because he's a fucking nightmare

Can Magic Be Used As A Tool In Science?

went well. What didn't is I went to Jackson twice in two days and neither time I managed to remember to go to the bank for quarters for the laundry (I'm out, guess who ain't washing clothes this weekend) and the fact that I wanted to stop at the Glazed Apple for the ceramic egg painting thing. Yay me.

Still mulling the vacation and I looked Eureka Springs AK is like 4 hours from Kansas City. If I can get a room at the Crescent hotel (haunted) I might just make THAT my vacation. Go to work conference. Do stuff at KC for a few days drive to Eureka Springs do stuff for a few days, call it a vacation. Because I'm also doing Gettysburg and Louisville too And if I have to go to Cleveland Clinic I'll make that a few days trip too because there are so many things there now that weren't when I lived there like the Rock n Roll hall of fame.

But I got a few things started short story wise. I did sign up for some open call sites on FB (did I mention that yesterday) there are a lot. I might regret this. I do wish some of my existing stories would fit other calls better but alas.

Science Saturday

3 Simple Daily Changes Could Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack And Stroke Where am I getting an extra hour for exercise I have no idea


US Cardiologists Have Just Published New Guidelines For Managing Cholesterol I really want to tackle the sleep apnea before I hit up a ton more pills

It's Official: NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Has Launched – Latest Pics, Details I wish this brought me more joy, it feels like a distraction


Native Americans invented dice and games of chance more than 12,000 years ago, archaeological study reveals

Scientists cured type 1 diabetes in mice by creating a blended immune system

Chemists make hydrogen from breadcrumbs in groundbreaking reaction that could replace some fossil fuels

Scientists discover why cancer drugs don’t work for everyone

This dangerous combo in your body could raise death risk by 83% (as I tell my students I am overweight and I am not negative about it but I have to admit it does cause some health issues)

I had to be up before the sun to get to the SE Ohio prelims for the State Science Fair. I don't actually mind. It's good to see kids excited for science rather than what I usually get. I teamed up with my coworker DM and we had three teams of kids, two from 8th grade and one from 5th.

One group of 8th grade girls was experimenting with the molding of clarinet/sax reeds and the other set did one we're going to steal (as did they) and modify, the effect of musical genres on heart rate. That's right up my alley. The 10 year old boys did one entitled 'the effect of rollercoasters on 10 year old boys.' Their parents took them on park hopper passes to Disney/Epicot/Isles of Adventure and they tested their heart rates before and after the rides, making predictions on which would get their hearts pumping more. they came armed with specs on drop heights and speed and talked to us for vagal tone and heart rate.

Who wants to bet my students miss the vagus nerve in two weeks? We were impressed with all of them. A couple of them will go on to state.


After that I went to my coffee shop near campus to write and have a rose/lavender macha latte (I had this and three cups of coffee in about 3 hours. bet that gave the Holter monitor something to talk about). From there I went to point pleasant. I wanted to try the ice cream place. I did. I got the Indira Cold (go research him, it's interesting) chocolate peanut butter ice cream with recees' cups jammed in, a chocolate peanut butter moonpie kinda cookie and recees pieces with whipped cream. So much sweets but after this week I deserved a treat.

Look at it. NOTHING about this helps my blood sugar or weight loss but I figure I'm not going to be there every week.




From there I hit the Mason Jar the antique store in PP. They had a surprisingly large collection of uranium glass this time. They had a few sets I didn't want to pay the price for but they were lovely (and I didn't want to break up the set by getting just one) These aren't owned by the store which basically has multiple vendors and there were 3 vendors for the various bits of Ur glass I wanted and it felt like too much trouble contacting them to see if they'd haggle. I did get two Ur glass sherbet cups that were pretty.

I also finally tried Ichiban2 the Japanese restaurant in PP that I mistakenly thought was the dinner and a show type but wasn't. Then had a two roll lunch that was affordable and for the first time I tried sweet potato roll and it was delicious. i must have that again





It was a good, tiring day and now I have a cat chin on my elbow as I type because that's not awkward.



And we can't have science day without science links


What Do Blue Crabs, Spotted Salamanders, And Birds Have In Common? They’ve Got Some Of Nature’s Weirdest Eggs

Sperm Loses Its Sense Of Direction In Microgravity – No Space Babies For Us Just Yet

After Hopes Of Eradication, The World's Deadliest Infection Is Creeping Back In The US With A Vengeance (It's TB and it's back and nastier yet)

The Landscape of Skin and Wounds: Exploring the Role of the Microbiome in Podiatric Health and Chronic Wound Healing again if you're not reading on gut biome stuff, you should.

Repair Workers Accidentally Stumble Upon Lost Remains of Legendary ‘Fourth Musketeer’ From Betty

Fossil with well-preserved soft tissue seems to prove Darwin was right all along From JK

Massive Iron Age hoards discovered in England may be from funeral of powerful Celtic queen

Drought could fuel the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs as climate change worsens, new research suggests

I was at ground zero for the AIDS epidemic. RFK's cuts could fuel a new pandemic, just when elimination seemed within reach.

A gene carried by 99% of humanity raises Alzheimer's risk dramatically. Could gene therapy correct it?

Not only did three dozen shingles go flying, the top vent of the garage went bye bye too leaving a hole in the garage's roof. Luckily the roofer's been here already got half of it finished. Will finish tomorrow. I also head back home tomorrow. I wonder if any of my apartment is even there after all this weather (tornados were in my area)

I picked up the branches blown down into the yard plus 2 birch trees. Well kinda. There were WAY too many to get on my own but I got a lot. Gonna have a bonfire eventually with all that stuff (it's all too small to do much else with)


Went to see my aunt and collected another of my grandparents' things from the house (while I can). I didn't know this old Bavarian cuckoo clock was one of my grandfather's prized possessions until today. The cuckoo no longer works (thankfully) but it's a pretty clock with some damage besides that. Those weights for it are so heavy you could brain someone with them.

Went to my brother's and his wife, played with the cats, drank some rye. It was nice.

Wow finally watching an Inspector George Gently mystery where I don't want Bacchus dead. It's S4E1, its taken him four seasons to not say something misogynistic, racist or homophobic. eye rolls.

I also sent in two stories to different places, the latter of which evil_little_dog and justphoenix were huge helps with. Thank you very much. It's very appreciated.

So I was looking around for today's mention for Women's History and I remembered picking up my non-major biology book and seeing Rosalind Franklin in regards to DNA and thinking WTH is this? The answer is another woman written out of her discoveries for years and along with her there's Marthe Gautier someone I had not heard of until today but did most of the work to illuminate the genetic component to Down's syndrome, and another woman with stolen research. And while I'm mentioning Rosalind, want to know when I found out there was an university named for her, yeah today.


Dr Rosalind Franklin

Dr Marthe Gautier


And have some links for Science Saturday

ChatGPT as a cognitive crutch: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial on knowledge retention

1,900-year-old double Scythian burial in Ukraine contains toxic red mineral

'Blackwater' lakes and rivers in the Congo Basin are now emitting ancient carbon into the atmosphere

'Interstellar messenger' 3I/ATLAS could be nearly as old as the universe itself, James Webb telescope observations reveal

2,000-year-old Phoenician coin was used as bus fare in England, but 'how it got there will always be a mystery'

'More advanced' farming women married hunter-gatherer men in Europe thousands of years ago, ancient DNA reveals

Scientists tracked faint signals from the stars — and may have turned up hundreds of undiscovered planets

Could gut microbes hold the secret to aging well? A researcher unpacks the emerging science If you haven't looked at all the gut microbe articles coming out, you should. It's fascinating

I was going to shop around Jackson but once I got there apparently everyone in a 100 mile radius showed up. It was hilariously crowded so I cut my day in half. I did get to the coffee house and like the jackass I am saw one open table and three people in line so I threw my shit on that table got all comfy then got in line. I wrote. I finish that chapter I've been trying to finish for a month. I started a new story. I might share it tomorrow to see if it feels like it would draw you in.

I couldn't recycle today because it looked like none of the 8 dumpsters had been emptied since I was there last week. People were trying to toss stuff a top the mountains. I noped out of that, hit the library and Kroger (I guess this snow tomorrow is going to be worse than I heard?) which was packed to the gills.

I also managed to hit Tractor Supply. I now own six black ducklings and a dozen of mixed peeps. Okay not really but probably only because I love to travel and can't take care of farm animals. I did get onion sets though and my brush on a stick so I can clean the kitchen floor. This is a Liberman (like my broom) 15$. All the other brands were 40$ and up. I'm like dudes, it's a brush on a stick. I can buy two of this one for one of yours and yours didn't seem considerably better.

There was a handmade lemonade 'food' truck in the parking lot. I got the holy water lemonade (strawberry, peach, something I'm forgetting and blue curacao and I nearly drank it all in one go I ate the lemons in it to. Have I mentioned I love lemons? (bought another half dozen of them today)

I saw a facebook announcement that the Bourbon City steampunk already has their panels filled up and I didn't get an email so I guess I ain't one of them. What sucks is I have the tickets but its on graduation. BUT they're also doing a writing thing so I am going to try that too. Who knows. I might just tell my bosses I have a convention. Do they need to know what kind?

And I am already sending my panel ideas to the Gettysburg steampunk thing. I mean I left it too long on Bourbon but it's early days for Gettysburg.

Science Saturday time


Unprecedented spike in atmospheric methane during the COVID-19 pandemic has a troubling explanation

Astronauts' brains physically shift in their heads during spaceflight

Sleep deprivation harms the gut via the vagus nerve, early study reveals

5,500 years ago, a teenage girl was buried with her father's bones on her chest, new DNA study reveals

Our adorable, noodle-like ancestor had 4 eyes, half-a-billion-year-old fossils reveal

95 million-year-old Spinosaurus had a scimitar-shaped head crest and waded through the Sahara's rivers like a 'hell heron'

Iron Age Surgeons Fixed a Woman’s Shattered Jaw With Primitive Prosthetic—and She Survived

City-size, cold-volcano comet transforms into a glowing 'snail shell' after major explosive outburst

I got to sleep in, I received the most lovely collage card from [Bad username: stonepicnicking_okapi ] (thank you!!) for the holiday (I was crap at sending any out) I went to the coffee shop to have a chocolate covered strawberry mocha for the holiday fearing it would be packed. It wasn't. yay.

I sat down to write. First up, I sent my vampire story out for consideration and then went looking in my blog and that's when the bottom fell out. I was thinking about reaching out tonight to spikedluv because I haven't heard from her in nearly two weeks and I usually hear from her daily. Her mother was in extremely failing health and I thought maybe she had passed and it's always weird with the do I reach out now or do I wait a bit thing.

And then I ran across kingstoken's blog to let us know spikedluv had passed away. I was stunned to say the least, gutted. I couldn't quite take it in. Someone had posted in Spiked's last blog entry
here about her death and her obituary. It was sudden and I am going to miss her. She was a big supporter of me (sent me lovely things when I was hospitalized), loved talking writing and had just gotten into Murder, She Wrote and was happy to have someone to talk to about it with.

So I was pretty much sad the rest of the day and the parentals didn't help. Dad can't be wrong. About anything. Ever. It was the dumbest conversation about the youtube algorithm and then mom called me back to tell me about a show she thought I might like. We're not on the phone 60 seconds and he's in the background screaming at her to shut up he's trying to watch his show (which he could just fucking pause and he knows this) this is the man who will give you stink eye if you even dare sneeze when he's watching tv but thinks NOTHING of coming in when you're watching a show and talking to you so you can't. She hung up on me to go scream back at him.

Things I learned today both Dracula (1931) and Silence of the Lambs were both released on Valentine's Day and Svengoolie is showing the former tonight. Why do I love both of these movies so?

Some things from science Saturday


The Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree Is Unique, Psychedelic, And Very Real I've wanted one for so long

Mercury: The “Cure” That Killed

Studying Music Can Increase Brain Gray Matter In Older Adults

Viking Age mass grave holds mysterious mix of dismembered human remains and complete skeletons, including a 'giant' who'd had brain surgery

Scientists infiltrated volunteers' dreams to boost their creative thinking

Canada could remove 5 times its annual carbon emissions by planting trees on edge of boreal forest, study finds

Or at least that's how the snow looked in the bright sunshine. I didn't try to get out of here today but I should have apparently. It's supposed to snow again tomorrow.

I am struggling to do the declutter thing but I did get the top of the jewelry box cleaned off and untangled about a dozen necklaces. Also realized the jewelry box on top the big jewelry box (I love jewelry so I have lots) was empty. It's now filled with anime fandom pins. I need to find a display for them.

This whole day seemed to slip past me in a very unsatisfying way. So I have little to report so have science Saturday


RFK Jr. Once Celebrated Raw Milk. Now, A Baby Has Died From Bacteria Linked To Unpasteurized Dairy Guess th is is going on the micro discussion board for class

Review Of 52 Studies Finds No Fitness Advantage For Trans Women Over Cis Women There are admitted flaws to the study but it does make a good point (that will be ignored by those who don't want it to be true)

A Subterranean City Of Salt Has Been Preserved Within This Cave-Like Mine For Centuries This has been on my bucket list for years

Heard The Rumor Earth Will Lose Gravity For 7 Seconds On August 12, 2026? Here’s Why It’s Rubbish FFS


Dry Scooping: Scientists Have Warned Against A Potentially Deadly TikTok Challenge.

When Vampire Bats Become Close Friends, They Start ‘Talking’ Like Each Other

Physicists push thousands of atoms to a 'Schrödinger's cat' state — bringing the quantum world closer to reality than ever before

Preserved hair reveals just how bad lead exposure was in the 20th century

James Webb telescope solves mystery of 'forever young' vampire stars from the dawn of time

More than 43,000 years ago, Neanderthals spent centuries collecting animal skulls in a cave; but archaeologists aren't sure why

Don't get me wrong, I don't care what people wear or try to police it. On the other hand I did my time working in an ER and I don't get this trend of men wearing basketball shorts and short sleeves, no coat, in the dead of winter. It was 19 today and as I'm trying to park at Kroger two men, a few minutes apart come out dressed like this and I used to see this in teens but one guy was 30-40 and the other 50+ For that matter last week I told my students I guess I don't have to tell you no flipflops/slippers in our lab (it's a safety issue) since it's so cold but thursday I had to say okay I guess I DO have to say it because what did I see walking down the hall but a girl in backless flipflop styles slippers. I'm like are you actually serious? You're going to bust your skull open when you fall on the ice but okay you do you

I feel like a crotchety old woman.

Oh wait....

I did get to Jackson. I got to Tractor Supply, to Kroger, to the library and to the coffee shop (had to embed myself in an ice floe for that). Speaking of which I did decide I can't safely do the chocolate walk next Thursday. There's too much ice to do it in the dark. I will die. And I'd have been alone in the cold. two friends didn't want to and I would rather never go anywhere with L again and TH...he couldn't manage this walk. Ah well. I didn't go last year either for pretty much the same reason. This leg, the gift that keeps on giving.


I did start a vampire story I've been wanting to write but I need to keep moving because the deadline (I found yesterday) is in 2 weeks.



Science Saturday


Female Doctors May Offer Better Patient Outcomes, Especially To Women I've always said this. Been accused of bias (well duh) but this is not a small study.



South Carolina's measles outbreak nears 790 cases — making it the biggest in decades Pointing this out to my class...which by the way I'm not supposed to do according to OH gov. God I hope we end up with a dem governor this year


New triple-drug treatment stops pancreatic cancer in its tracks, a mouse study finds

Wistman’s Wood: An Ancient Temperate Rainforest That Feels Like A Tolkien Fantasy


Imposter Syndrome Is Common In Perfectionists – But Not If They're Also Narcissistic some how this feel obvious

so my brain doesn't spiral out thinking about yet another ICE murder which is bad enough but it's the entire Trump admin (him included) trying to paint the victims as the violent aggressors. He had a legal carrier permit (which is something the right loves until they don't apparently) And what good does FBI resignations do when all that leaves is Trump's minions?

Or the fact that my student loans want me to slam my head into a wall. I tried to pay them last night and I had to update my account. I didn't want the multfactorial verification be a text because I often can't get texts here. I selected Email but it doesn't work. And doesn't work. And doesn't work. Okay fine I'll do text. I can't change it without calling them. I call today only to find out they don't work weekends. HOW are people who work all day expected to call you? Fine, I'll call next week but I gotta pay now. Phone option it is. I try that. and it keeps trying to delete my bank account. It takes me calling back and going thru it all four times before it works.

So what IS positive?

Well it's going on midnight but it's not snowing yet. (with my luck it means the power will go out over night. I can not leave it this hot in here and sleep. Ugh. I have it hot so it'll take longer to cool if I DO lose power)

Since it wasn't snowing I pay for the online Abney Park Dark Academia concert with like 20 minutes before it airs. It was actually really good. He's getting good at creating storylines for his concerts.

I had orange/peach ketel one vodka/St Germaine elderflower martinis with a twist of orange not lemon because of the infused vodka. Yum. I put all my liquor on the porch so it was icy. that was nice.

I made a call to my college friend who lost her dad about two weeks ago. I think I need to call more often. As with ELD who I talk to often, there is just something nice about actually talking to people.

I was able to cook off all the things I wanted to. The one mistake was the Aldi's struesel which I cooked to the package instructions to the least time suggested. Mom was right. I should have done less heat, longer cook. The outside had begun to burn, the goo came out but the inside puff pastry is near to raw. On the other hand it IS tasty and I would get this for company (and cook it lower and slower)

I finished the class work. I need to clean tomorrow if I have power. Here's hoping. (I suspect no one is going to work on Monday anywhere east of Kansad)

I forgot to share my story yesterday so have it now.

Title: Wake Up Your Dream

Summary: Emotional hurt and drained, Angel escapes to the carousel outside the hotel. Heaven is going to be barred to him, he just knows it. He’ll never see Molly again. What is even the point? He’s ready to give up but his friends have a different idea.

Rating: teen

Notes:Written for the allbingo prompt of Sing You Sinners and the lyrical titles bingo prompt of Lyric with "sleep" or "wake". I chose Wake Up by Julie and the Phantoms
Also written for spikesgirl58’s 6 word challenge. The 6 words were Subway, Proposal, Carpet, Priority, Nap, & Spend

( storyCollapse )


And it's Science Saturday


Arctic blast probably won't cause trees to explode in the cold — but here's what happens if and when they do go boom since this was clickbait all over the place this week, here is what it is.

Scientists may be approaching a 'fundamental breakthrough in cosmology and particle physics' — if dark matter and 'ghost particles' can interact

'Pain sponge' derived from stem cells could soak up pain signals before they reach the brain this would be game changing

2,400-year-old Hercules shrine and elite tombs discovered outside ancient Rome's walls

Medieval 'super ship' found wrecked off Denmark is largest vessel of its kind

'Goddess of dawn': James Webb telescope spies one of the oldest supernovas in the early universe
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cosmic-ring-cosmology-principle?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-ushttps://cornerofmadness.dreamwidth.org/2190354.html"> A massive cosmic ring may challenge a key assumption about the universe</a>