"This will be the one pictured in the textbooks for the next hundred years"

An amazing discovery that will change the way we see our development as a species. Spectacular!

From the details:
• Ida is believed to be the most complete primate fossil ever discovered. She is 95% intact and so well preserved that her tissues, hair and even her stomach contents are visible. By comparison, the much more recent fossil "Lucy" from Ethiopia is only 40% complete.

• She died 47m years ago in the Eocene epoch and was discovered in Messel pit, a world-renowed fossil site near Darmstadt in Germany, in 1983.

• The Messel site has yielded thousands of superbly preserved fossils including eight species of crocodile, 20 or so snakes, more than 60 specimens of pygmy horse, the largest ant ever to crawl the planet and eight fragmentary primate specimens.

• Ida is named after the daughter of the researcher who assembled the team of scientists that have spent the last two years studying her in secret. Her formal scientific name is Darwinius masillae in honour of Charles Darwin's 200th anniversary year.

• Ida is obviously a primate because she has nails on her digits rather than claws and she has opposable thumbs and big toes.

• Ida is female because she doesn't have a baculum, or penis bone.

• She dates from around the time that our branch of the primates (the haplorhines) which includes monkeys and apes split from a second group including the lemurs, lorises, pottos and bush babies (the strepsirrhines).

• Key features of her skeleton suggest she is not an ancient lemur. She has no "grooming claw" on her second toe, a feature that all lemurs share. She also does not have a set of fused teeth in the middle of her bottom jaw called a "tooth comb". Finally, the tarsus bone in her ankle is shaped like our ancestors. So it is likely that she is a very early haplorhine primate.

• Ida's left wrist was broken, but had partly healed. The researchers believe this injury would have hampered her climbing and may have contributed to her death.

• Ida's large eye holes in her skull suggest she was probably adapted for night vision and so was nocturnal.

• Her milk teeth are in place with adult teeth forming behind, indicating that she was still a juvenile – probably six to nine months old.

• Ida's last meal is visible in her preserved stomach contents. It contained fruit and leaves, but no insects.

Milky Way Rising

Quite possibly the greatest video I've ever seen. Here is time-lapsed footage of the Milky Way's galactic center rising over the Texas landscape. You may think it's fake, but it is not. This just shows what we miss with all our city lighting filtering out our sky at night.

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.

Reason #778 Why Japan Rules

Words...OMG, there are no words.

Reason #485 Why Japan Rules

Sometimes I walk into my kitchen and find the most curious things that my wife has procured from Japan. This was pretty crazy I thought...and a good idea!

Disney Nori - tiny pieces of Nori to add to a child's rice shaped like Mickey and Minnie parts!


It comes in different shapes:


Here is a close up of the actual nori...the shapes are punched out and removable in each square.

A Special Song for a Special Someone

Jaw Hits Floor

There are no words.

Teabagging on Tax Day

Seriously, not only is this Tea Bag thing the most ridiculous display of pure WRONGheadedness I've seen, but is every so-called conservative naive?

Thank you MSNBC for making the jokes that I wanted to make.


(watch til the end)

1001 Rules for My Unborn Son

a fantastic collection of valuable advice for ALL men, not just children. The world would be a better place if more men adhered to some of these rules. (for example, guys, please stop wearing sports/gym clothes outside sports or the gym. please!)

Crossfit - a Great Explanation

I get asked alot what the new workout is that I'm doing. Crossfit is pretty great, but different and hard to explain (at least for me. Im not pithy.). My coach sent me a great quote from Crossfit Santa Cruz. Wanted to share it with ya. This is what Crossfit is all about.

Intensity–The CrossFit Manifesto

Intensity is the CrossFit manifesto, its El Dorado, its Holy Grail. In CrossFit we are engaged in a constant quest for higher intensity. Intensity translates into results–faster times, heavier weights, more reps, greater fitness. Intensity is what separates us from all the other gyms. We have no machines, no mirrors, no cables, no chrome, no supplements, no gimmicks, no 7 minute ab routines. In short, no bullshit. We have intensity. We teach technique, stress proper form, write the workout on the wall, click the start button on the stopwatch, and set you free. And while you may not set any records, you are in the fight of your life. Each and every workout. Your heart will bounce off your ribcage, your muscles will betray you, your spirit will struggle, and afterwards, when you get off the floor–beat, tired, a smile on your face–you will have conquered. That is what we mean by intensity.

Welcome to CrossFit West Santa Cruz. We are serious, savage even, about our fitness. Real fitness. Functional fitness. Fitness that will make you stronger, faster, leaner, and healthier than you could dream of. You will also work harder than you ever dreamt you could and see results you never thought possible. Come check us out. You will either love it or hate it. If you love it, jump down the rabbit hole with us. If not, walk away, go back to your split routines, your body part days, your machines, always knowing in the back of your mind, that there is something out there that might be better and could change your life if you choose to accept the challenge.

Welcome PZ Myers

PZ Myers, genius behind Pharnygula, is coming to speak here in Ashland! I'm very excited! He'll be here on April 23rd at SOU. For those who dont know PZ (from the Jefferson Center):

P. Z. is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Minnesota - Morris and author of the popular science blog, Pharyngula, which covers culture, politics, religion, and most notably, the evolution/intelligent design debate. He was named the world's top science blogger by Nature magazine. He is an outspoken member of the scientific community against creationism and the promotion of "intelligent design."
Dr. Myers has been selected as one of four scientists to write for the London Guardian newspaper's science Web site. The American Humanist Association will award P.Z. the "Humanist of the Year Award" at their June 2009 national conference in Phoenix, Arizona.