archiemcphee: Here’s further proof that science and scientists...

archiemcphee:

Here’s further proof that science and scientists are awesome:

A 7-year-old girl named Sophie wrote a lovely letter to the scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, politely asking if they could work on creating a dragon for her. She even included a drawing to help them out. (click here to read Sophie’s entire letter)

The scientists at CSIRO wrote back to Sophie:

We’ve been doing science since 1926 and we’re quite proud of what we have achieved. We’ve put polymer banknotes in your wallet, insect repellent on your limbs and Wi-Fi in your devices. But we’ve missed something. There are no dragons.

Over the past 87 odd years we have not been able to create a dragon or dragon eggs. We have sighted an eastern bearded dragon at one of our telescopes, observed dragonflies and even measured body temperatures of the mallee dragon. But our work has never ventured into dragons of the mythical, fire breathing variety. And for this Australia, we are sorry.

(click here to read the agency’s complete response)

But then something truly awesome happened. The scientists had a bit of a think, as scientists are wont to do, and decided to rapidly accelerate their Dragon R&D Program. That’s right, they made a dragon for Sophie - Toothless, a 3D printed titanium dragon, blue, female, species: Seadragonus giganticus maximus.

“Being that electron beams were used to 3D print her, we are certainly glad she didn’t come out breathing them … instead of fire,” said Chad Henry, our Additive Manufacturing Operations Manager. “Titanium is super strong and lightweight, so Toothless will be a very capable flyer.”

Toothless is currently en route from Lab 22 in Melbourne to Sophie’s home in Brisbane.

Now Sophie wants to work at CSIRO when she grows up.

Click here to watch a video of the creation of Sophie’s dragon.

[via Geeks are Sexy and Neatorama]

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Photo

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laughterkey: jamiekatewrites: I WANT ALL THE BABIES I wanna...

laughterkey:

jamiekatewrites:

I WANT ALL THE BABIES

I wanna go home and play with MY baby. =3

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lymeandcoconut: corwincub: Love this But this will make the...

lymeandcoconut:

corwincub:

Love this

But this will make the aliens think we are an advanced and peaceful race when we’re really a bunch of shitheads.

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deviantart: Who can relate? nateswinehart: Every time.

deviantart:

Who can relate?

nateswinehart:

Every time.

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zdarsky: Guys, my most serious article ever. WHY THOR IS THE...

zdarsky:

Guys, my most serious article ever. WHY THOR IS THE NEW SUPERMAN.

nparts:

Cultural Lessons of 2013: Thor is the new Superman


Thor smiles; naturally, even. The new Superman smiles with sad eyes, like it’s a bone thrown to the audience to let them know that this isn’t just a flying Batman. Thor battles the bad guys with a sense of fun, even though, and here’s the interesting part, he’s a warrior who surely kills people. So, do I have a double standard here? Why is it OK for fictional alien do-gooder No. 1 to kill people and not the other guy? Well, it’s all in the execution, so to speak. Superman unleashed holy hell in a dark, painfully contrived, no-win scenario, culminating in a disturbing snapping of a person’s neck. Thor threw his super-hammer at a rock monster in a daylight battle, smashing it to pieces, and then delivering a fun quip. Did that rock monster have a rock family? A little rock monster at home, wondering where rock daddy is? I don’t know. Who cares? It was gleeful and ludicrous and unreal, like a comic book. Bloodless and bright: natpo.st/1f0nkYS

[Illustration by Steve Murray]

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Mike Mann on Extreme Cold and Climate Change (by...

Mike Mann on Extreme Cold and Climate Change (by greenmanbucket)

Because I think some people need to be reminded of the larger picture about now.

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cracked: [via]

cracked:

[via]

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archiemcphee: During a recent cold snap, Washington-based...

archiemcphee:

During a recent cold snap, Washington-based photographer Angela Kelly and her son used homemade soap bubble solution and her camera to create an awesome series of photos entitled Frozen in a Bubble.

In an interview with KOMO News, Kelly explains, “We blew the bubbles across the top of our frozen patio table and also upon the hood of my car and then we watched in awe as each individual bubble froze with their own unique patterns. We noted how they would freeze completely before the sun rose but that once the sun was in view they would defrost along the tops or cease freezing altogether. We also noted how they would begin to deflate and implode in on themselves making them look like alien shapes or in some cases shatter completely leaving them to look like a cracked egg.”

Visit Angela Kelly’s Flickr stream to view more of her magical winter photos. She also has some prints available via Etsy.

[via My Modern Metropolis]

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