Einstein's Relativity Made Easy

A great video explaining Einstein's theory of relativity.


Light Artworks

Using your camera, you not only can take a good picture but create amazing artworks like this:






If you are good enough, you can take several pictures of an artwork and stack it so that it looks alive. Something like this:

You can find how to create a light graffiti here.

Fingers to Tell Your Sex Orientation

Nowadays, it is hard to differentiate transvestite with normal people. But don't worry, biologist Zhengui Zheng at Howard Hughes Medical institute at Florida recently published an article that may uncover the relationship between finger growth and hormone level during embryonic development.

The study suggests that fingers are associated with hormone such as estrogen and testosterone. The study also will be continued with the link between finger length and health problem, aggression, musical talent and sexual orientation. 

For men, the ring finger is usually longer than their index finger and the opposite is true for women. This is because the prenatal hormonal environment can affect the digit proportions. For example, high testosterone level will affect the proportion of ring finger and high estrogen on the other hand affect the proportion of index finger. 

Typical women will tend to have their 2D to 4D either high or equal. 

Typical men will tend to have their 2D shorter than their 4D. 

**The picture is for illustration purposes only. It may not be true in all cases.

The study also lead to a point where outside events may leave a signature that can cause the hormonal imbalance and may link to diseases which can be diagnose at its early stage. Although the team only proved that 2D and 4D are affected by hormonal imbalance, we might aware of what this imbalance may cause especially in studying the behavioral trait. 

Read the full story here

53 Crazy Laws


Seriously???

**Many of these laws were established during the end of the 1800s and early 1900s, when the United States was rapidly changing from an agricultural to industrial nation. Some of the laws went out of date or were repealed. Many are still on the books but not enforced.
    chicken crossingIt is illegal for chickens to cross the road in Quitman, Georgia
  1. In Quitman, Georgia, chickens may not cross the road.c
  2. Before 1920, it was illegal for women in the United States to vote. When women’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony tried to vote in the 1872 election, she was arrested and fined $100.c
  3. It’s illegal to ride an ugly horse in Wilbur, Washington.c
  4. In Mohave County, Arizona, if anyone is caught stealing soap, he must wash himself with it until the soap is gone.c
  5. First cousins may marry in Utah, but only after they’re 65 years old.a
  6. In North Dakota, no one can be arrested on the Fourth of July, a holiday that is commonly known there as “Five Finger Discount Day.”a
  7. In Tennessee, it is illegal for children to play games on Sunday without a license.b
  8. It is illegal in Tennessee for an atheist to hold office.b
  9. In Indiana, it is illegal for a man to be sexually aroused in public.a
  10. It is illegal in California to lick toads. Apparently, some people were licking toads to get high. Unfortunately, some people were being harmed by the toads’ poison.d
  11. It is against Michigan state law to tie a crocodile to a fire hydrant.a
  12. An old Colorado law states that a person mush have a doctor’s prescription before taking a bath.c
  13. Colorado law states that a man cannot marry his wife’s grandmother.b
  14. In Kansas, when two trains meet at a crossing, “both shall come to full stop and neither shall start up again until the other has gone.”c
  15. A woman in a housecoat is forbidden to drive a car in California.b
  16. According to Minneapolis law, a person who double parks a car will be put on a chain gang with only bread and water to eat.b
  17. woman's hairIn Michigan, husbands legally own their wives’ hair
  18. In Michigan, a woman’s hair belongs to her husband.b
  19. In Morrisville, Pennsylvania, it is illegal for a woman to wear cosmetics without a permit.b
  20. A man is forbidden to kiss a woman while she’s asleep in Logan County, Colorado.d
  21. In Challis, Idaho, it is illegal to walk down the street with another man’s wife.b
  22. Flirting in Little Rock, Arkansas, can land someone in jail for 30 days.c
  23. In Truro, Mississippi, a man must prove himself worthy before getting married by hunting and killing either six blackbirds or three crows.b
  24. There are still laws in Pueblo, Colorado, stating that it is illegal to grow dandelions.b
  25. A woman in Memphis, Tennessee, is not allowed to drive a car unless a man is in front of the car waving a red flag to warn people and other cars.b
  26. It is illegal for children under the age of 12 to talk on the telephone unless accompanied by a parent in Blue Earth, Minnesota.b
  27. In Kalispell, Montana, children must have a doctor’s note if they want to buy a lollipop.b
  28. A representative from Oklahoma, Linda Larsen attempted to lower the divorce rate by proposing a law that would require the following before a marriage license would be issued: neither party should snore, at least one meal a week should be prepared by the non-primary cook, toothpaste should be squeezed from the bottom of the tube, pantyhose shouldn’t be left hanging in the shower, and the toilet seat should always be down when not being used.b
  29. guy mustacheMen with mustaches are forbidden to kiss women in Eureka, Nevada
  30. In Eureka, Nevada, it is illegal for men who have mustaches to kiss women.b
  31. It is illegal in Waco, Texas, to throw a banana peel onto the street because a horse could slip.d
  32. In Texas, the Encyclopedia Britannica was banned because it contained a formula for making beer.b
  33. Pickles were outlawed in Los Angeles because the smell might offend people.b
  34. It’s illegal in St. Louis, Missouri, for a fireman to rescue a woman wearing a nightgown. If she wants to be rescued, she must be fully clothed.b
  35. Hartford, Connecticut, banned men from kissing their wives on Sundays.d
  36. Buying ice cream on Sundays was illegal in Ohio because it was thought to be frivolous and “luxurious.” Consequently, ice cream vendors would put fruit on top of the ice cream to make it more nutritious, creating the ice cream sundae.b
  37. A woman wearing shorts, a halter top, or a bathing suit to a political rally in Wheatfield, Indiana, could be charged with a misdemeanor.d
  38. In Lander, Wyoming, it is illegal for adults to take a bath more than once a month once the cold weather arrives. Children cannot take a bath at all during the winter.b
  39. According to Florida law, anyone who takes a bath must wear clothes.b
  40. Motorists in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, cannot park a car for more than two hours unless it is hitched to a horse.b
  41. Women in Whitesville, Delaware, could be charged with disorderly conduct if they propose marriage to a man.b
  42. In Kentucky, it is against the law to remarry the same man four times.a
  43. There is a law in South Carolina that allows a husband to beat his wife on the courthouse steps on a Sunday.b
  44. In Arizona, oral sex is considered sodomy.b
  45. In Arizona, a man may legally beat his wife once a month, but no more.b
  46. girl flirtingA girl may not ask a boy for a date over the phone in Dyersburg, Tennessee
  47. In Dyersburg, Tennessee, it is against the law for a girl to telephone a boy to ask for a date.b
  48. In Kentucky, a woman is forbidden to wear a bathing suit on a highway unless she is armed with a club or is escorted by at least two officers. The amendment says that the provisions of this statue “shall not apply to a female weighing less than 90 pounds or exceeding 200 pounds.”b
  49. According to an Atlanta, Georgia, ordinance, “smelly people” are not allowed to ride public streetcars.a
  50. Massachusetts passed a law in 1648 that allowed a parent to put to death a stubborn or rebellious son. The law has been repealed by the legislature.b
  51. In Massachusetts, a person could be fined up to $200 for denying the existence of God.d
  52. In 1659, Massachusetts outlawed Christmas. According to state law, anybody observing Christmas would be fined five shillings.b
  53. In California, ostrich steaks are exempt from state sales tax.b
  54. In Lexington, Kentucky, it is against the law to carry an ice cream cone in a pocket.c
  55. Policemen are allowed to bite a dog if they think it will calm the dog down in Paulding, Ohio.c
  56. In Zeigler, Illinois, only the first four firemen to arrive at a fire will be paid.c

Sandstone Road

If you drive along the road, i believe you'll see black asphalt which is commonly used as road pavement. As the world now moves towards a greener alternative, Thomas Kosbau and Andrew Wetzler have a great alternative to black asphalt which creates a lot of problems.

The winner of Incheon International Design Award which was organized by designboom in collaboration with Incheon metropolitan city has created road pavement made from sand and microbes. The microbes are used to alter the properties of loose sand and turn it into a stabilized sandstone. The result is a pavement material that is greener and, quoting the designer's own words "mitigating the harmful effect of asphalt."



All the materials and pictures are taken from designboom site. 

Viking - The Scandinavian Warriors

From wikipedia, Viking is a term given to Norse warriors, merchants, explorers or pirates who raided Europe, Asia and North Atlantic island during 8th to 11th century. 

Ragnarok ( The end of the world ), Yggdrasil ( The mystical tree ), Ginnungagap ( The Great Abyss ) are among what historians believed originated from this tribe. You can read about viking's history here.

As i've shared with you series of information regarding ancient Norse God, almost all of them are wearing a hat-like thingy on their head. 

Now, something far amazing than headgear with two horns has been invented. Personally, it's far more attractive and it certainly can drive people off of you. 


Female Scientists Who Changed The World

Marie Curie
Together with her husband, they performed ground breaking and risky procedures in their laboratory. On the heels of the discovery of radiation by Henri Becquerel in 1896, she developed ways to separate radium from radiation leading to many current practices, including chemotherapy. Later in life, she became the Director of the Curie Laboratory in the Radium Institute of the University of Paris. For her work, she was awarded various prizes, including the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 and again for chemistry in 1911.

Ada Byron
Also known as Lady Lovelace, she was the daughter of world renowned poet, Lord Byron. Although she strived to be an analyst and metaphysician, her father’s gift of imagination and creativity led her to see the then Analytical Engine as something far more profound. After her translation of the engines creator’s work took on a life of its own, she suggested a plan for how the engine could calculate Bernoulli numbers. This plan, developed in 1843, would then be regarded as the first ever computer program.

Rosalind Franklin
Born in Great Britain in 1920, Rosalind decided to be a scientist at the age of 15. However, she hit a speed bump when her father refused to pay for higher education, believing women were unfit for it. With some prodding from family members, Rosalind was finally able to go where she was able to assist in making amazing breakthroughs in DNA research. She was able to adjust x-ray equipment to produce a fine beam and extract DNA fibers like never before. Unfortunately, her life was cut short at the age 37 by ovarian cancer. But her name and work still live on the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Illinois.

Lisa Meitner
Born in 1878 in Austria, she was the third of eight children. After obtaining a doctorate from the University of Vienna, she went on to study with noted chemist Otto Hahn who would later go on to win the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1944 for their collaborated work. It led to the discovery of a new element protactinium, the Auger effect, and eventually discovered the process of nuclear fission with her nephew. Being of Jewish descent, her work was interrupted by the Nazi invasion, but she survived to continue her work.

Hypatia of Alexandria
Born at approximately 360 A.D. in Alexandria, Egypt, she is considered the first female mathematician. Along with her father, they collaborated together on impressive works such as “Arithmetica,” “Almagest,” and “Elements.” She is also believed to have written “The Astronomical Canon.” Hypatia also did work in philosophy, accounting, and astronomy. She is even credited with the charting of celestial bodies, the invention of the hydrometer, and more.

Dorothy Hodgkin
Born in Cairo in 1910, this British scientist is noted with discovering protein crystallography, which is a method of x-rays that can determine the arrangement of atoms. She became interested in chemistry and in crystals at about the age of ten and was encouraged by a friend of her parents who gave her chemicals and helped her analyze them. When returning to Oxford in 1934, she would continue the work that earned her a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964. Her work was also vital in the studies of insulin and penicillin.

Sophie Germain
She was born in France in 1776 to an era of revolution. Thirteen years later, her country would undergo its own revolution, and due to her confinement at home, she became interested in mathematics. Although her parents objected to a female learning mathematics, Sophie continued to read on the subject and teach herself. Unable to attend institutions of higher education, Sophie found ways to study by obtaining lecture notes, using a pseudonym to write to scientists, and even attending academic functions. Her work ultimately led to the theory of elasticity and noted advances in number theory.

Barbara McClintock
Born in 1902, this American was one of the world’s most noted cytogeneticists, a geneticist who studies the structure and function of the cell with particular interest in chromosomes. She attended Cornell University in 1927 where she received a PhD in botany. However, after an undergraduate course in genetics, she found herself fascinated by the subject. Barbara devoted her studies to seeing how chromosomes change during the reproduction process. It was during this work that she discovered that genes could move between and on chromosomes, leading to many other important discoveries. For this, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983.

Rachel Carson
She was a writer, scientist, and ecologist born in Pennsylvania in 1907. After obtaining a MA in Zoology from Hon Hopkins University, she was hired by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries to write radio scripts during the depression and feature articles on natural history for the “Baltimore Sun.” After becoming concerned by the use of synthetic chemical pesticides after World War II, Carson changed her focus in order to warn the public about the long term effects of misusing pesticides. One of the very first environmentalists, she changed the world by inspiring a host of present and future ones.

**Materials taken from here. Continue reading to see the remaining six who's still alive.

Beautiful Flowers for Girls

Some of the most beautiful flowers that you can choose for your date, wedding, gift, or even to flirt. Just for reminder guys, these flowers are beautiful, hence they're harder to maintain. Plus, they come with their own natural risks, so make sure you guys understand the flower first before deciding to pluck them.

1. Peony

Was name after the Paeon, the student of Asclepius, the Greek God of medicine who went rampage because of his jealousy towards his pupil. Zeus turned Paeon to flower to save him from the wrath of Asclepius.

2. Hydrangea

Popular as wedding bouquet, Hydrangea is found in eastern Asia, and was introduced to Azores island in Portugal. Despite of its innocent and beautiful appearance, Hydrangeas contain cyanide which is very harmful if consumed. 

3. Colorado Columbine

Columbine, which is derived from Latin, Columba meaning "dove", the Colorado Columbine is what awaits the hikers at the top of Rocky Mountain. Rangers in here will give you fine if they saw you plucking/destroying the wild Colorado Columbine.

4. Roses

Well, needless to say, this is the most favorite, classic and cliche flowers. For men, don't just choose roses. Find out about other flowers too. They're all equally amazing and beautiful.

5. Lily Stargazer

This hybrid flower, created by Leslie Woodriff in California, was known for its heavenly scent. The name stargazer was given because this flower bloomed towards the sky. But beware, report says that this flower is toxic to cats.

6. Cherry Blossoms

Well known in Japan as "Sakura", this flower is indigenous in East Asian countries like Japan, Korea and China. Having widespread through many countries by travellers who bring the seed back from these 3 countries, Cherry Blossom now exists in Australia, Brazil, Canada, UK, US, Germany and even Turkey.

7. Begonia

Honouring French former governor Michel Begon, this flower is cultivated because of its flashy colors and attractive marked leaves. First introduced in England in 1777, Begonia is now one of the most famous flowers in the United States.

8. Lotus

The symbol of beauty, grace, fertility, wealth, knowledge and serenity, this flower is a sacred flower for Buddhists and is a national flower in India. Commonly mistaken as water-lily, this flower is not the main choice for bouquet but would produce a nice scenery in an artificial pond/zen garden in your house.

9. Strelitzia

The flower was given the name strelitzia in honor of the birthplace of Queen Charlotte, Mecklenburg-Strelitz.  The common name for this genus is bird of paradise flower, given because of its resemblance to a bird of paradise.

10. Dahlia


Was named after Swedish botanist, Anders Dahl, this flower is cultivated by Aztecs for food, ceremonies and decorative purposes. Comes in dizzying array of shapes and size, each variation of its petal signify its own beauty. The colors varied from one solid colors of red, orange, yellow, pink and white two a combination or mix between two or three colors.

Source: here and here.

JUNO The Spacecraft

As most of you know, Juno is one of the famous movie about a teenage girl with unplanned pregnancy struggle in her life in order to give birth and send her baby for adoption. But no, we're not discussing about Juno the film, but Juno the spacecraft.

As most of you didn't know, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has sent a spacecraft whose purpose is discovering more about the planet Jupiter. The spacecraft was given the name Juno, following the goddess as well as wife of the God Jupiter who can see Jupiter's true nature even after thick cloud drew by him to hide his behavior. Read the meaning of the planet names here.


Juno was sent in order to gain data about the planet gravity field, magnetic field, planet composition, the solid rocky core, the presence of water and many more. Basically, to understand the secret of the husband, we ask the wife. Below is a video explaining what Juno does, its mission and the astrophysicists hope it can achieved.


ATM Theft

For those who probably aren't aware of this, ATM theft is actually quite easy to do because it is cheaper and well, easier. First of all, what you need to know is that some credit cards are equipped with RFID technology which make them easier to use and also easier to clone as well.

Example of a card that has RFID technology embedded in it
But the problem with cloning a card is the password needed in order to use the card. Thanks to researchers from University of California, San Diego, they revealed the way to detect the password by using cameras capable of getting thermal imaging. 

Image showing the residual heat from your fingers.
Thermal imaging simply reads the residual heat that left after some hot body is in contact with a less hot body. In this case, it reads the residual heat that you left on the button of the ATM. The "flaw" in this method is that the numbers aren't in order but with high end cameras, you can somehow guess which button is first and which is last. It certainly easier if the numbers are repeated. 

Certainly there's a debate whether or not thermal imaging can be used in crime because of few reasons. But with time and with technology that evolves everyday, certainly it causes crime fighters a headache. And i think using thermal image is far easier than doing something like this:


Hence, next time you're in the ATM, make sure you use your pen or stylus, or put your hands on the keypad so that the thermal can't read which button has been pressed. I think for what it's worth, electronic advancement will need to pay the price. 

Communication Made Easier

Sign language, as most probably know is used usually by hearing impaired people but there are some disabilities that also required the use of sign language to communicate. This sign language, although is widely seen, is not used by normal people, which causing them a hard time to communicate with these special people. But thanks to Luise Pescheck, a design student in University of Applied Sciences Schwäbisch Gmünd, communicating with sign language is no longer a dream.

The basic of sign language. 
Pescheck, with the desire to translate gesture into acoustic, created a muscle movement detector where it is used to detect the arm movement of a sign language user. Then, the iPhone application will translate these gestures where ultimately produce acoustic sound so that the normal people can understand them. A written text on a projected screen can also be used to enhance the process of understanding the language. 


The first picture shows the projected screen for written text
The second shows the arm muscle movement detector.
In his idea, what makes it almost impossible is the projected screen, which is beyond our knowledge today, but may be possible in the future. But personally, i think if you can convert the sign into sound, that is great enough. Plus, if you kind of write the text onto a screen, its better to read the text typed directly, without the sign language. But anyway, it is still a great idea and i do hope with it, the realm of communication will loss its boundaries and make us possible to communicate with everyone, everywhere. 

You can watch the video of this concept here

Smart Straw for Girls

The world nowadays, is full with fucked up guys who look at girls as a sex object, which in turn causing sex crime to increase. The common use of pepper spray or krav maga or both in protecting oneself from being raped certainly makes the male antagonist to be creative, hence, the date and rape drug.

In Malaysia, i believe the use of alcohol is not so often, plus people kinda look weird on you if you consume alcohol without medical purposes. Hence, the fucked up men now use some kind of strong sleeping pills which i think is legally obtained. But rest assured girls, with the new smart straw will help you in ID-ing whether your drink is drugged or not.

Drugs in pills or powder form is used in date rape drug. 
From Tel Aviv university's school of chemistry, Professor Fernando Patolsky and Doctor Michael Ioffe have designed a sensor which looks like a straw or stirrer that will test the presence of drugs by sucking a small amount of the drink and the chemical reaction that follows will change the color of the sensor.

Just dip the sensor in your drink and voila, you'll know. 
According to the experiment done so far, a 100% in accuracy for GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid) and ketamine. The next step will be rohypnol, another common date rape drug. All of these were odorless, colorless and tasteless, well obviously or else you'll change your drink. 

The formula for the sensor is inexpensive and marketable but in order to communicate the danger of the drink, scientists may need to add features, for example a message text to your phone when the danger is present. Or else, the asshole may notice that the straw changes its color and this will spook him off. 

Well, though first date is supposed to be a happy date, having this will surely become a mood killer for you. Anyway, it's for your safety.