Science!

[VenomMacbeth]

Who loves it?

Me, I'm partial to biology, particularly entomology, but I find all kinds of science interesting as long as someone other than myself gets to do all the math.

Anyway, I've been fascinated by insects since I was a child.  I always said I'd be an entomologist, but unfortunately there aren't many careers in the field that interest me.  Maybe I just haven't looked into it deeply enough.

lately, I've been conducting an experiment where I'm measuring the dung beetle population in my suburban neighborhood.  There are no pastures or significant sources of poop nearby that I'm aware of, so I was curious as to whether or not they'd be here at all.  Sure enough, they are!  I didn't find the species I was looking for, but I did find a bunch of these little guys:


Onthophagus Hecate - the scooped scarab

And this big, handsome fellow:

Deltochilum Gibbosum - the hump-backed scarab

I've been doing some coordinating & I'd like to set up some traps in some other locations, to get a better idea of what all species there are in the area.  If you'd like to help, I'll gladly except beetle specimens alive or dead...though I doubt anyone here really wants to go digging for poop bugs. 

I also make displays with the insects that I catch.  Many I keep, but I sell some depending on availability of specimens.  If you're interested in owning some nifty wall art, send me a PM & maybe I can put something together for you. ^-^

So yeah.  Anyone else love science?  Or better yet, anyone here have a career in a scientific field?  Share your data, comrades!

[MotherGunner]

I believe in SAI-YENSE! Tu!

hark .com/images/000/333/662/333662/original.jpg

On a more serious note, the one subject that intrigues me is the work going into prosthesis research. 

I can't say I like that it's DARPA though.

https://engineering.wustl.edu/news/Pages/Device-developed-at-WashU-may-allow-sensations-in-prosthetic-hands.aspx

[esteban]

Like most of you, I am a big supporter of science fiction.

[NecroPhile]

I used to like science, but then it blinded me.

[MotherGunner]

Or it got weird.

[crazydean]

I like science. I am currently going back to school for a physics degree.

As for cool bugs, have you checked out the tardigrade? It's like the superman of the bug world. Also, are you taking close up pictures of poop?

[glazball]

I was a zoology major and took an Entomology course - absolutely LOVED it!  I still regard it as one of my favorite classes ever... not even sure why, but insects are truly fascinating.  And I fucking HATE it when people call any insect, or even spiders, "bugs."  (Because of course, there is only 1 order of true "bugs", Hemiptera.)

But yea, unless you want to teach entomology, most of the careers in that field are in the business of killing them.

Edit: Crazydean - looks like you've been watching Cosmos!  Tyson brings up tardigrades in I think 2 episodes, maybe more.

Edit #2: Anyone seen the debate between Bill Nye The Science Guy and John(?) Ham, the creationist.  I can feel Nye's frustration trying to debate someone who's only answer is "the Bible says..."  After all we've learned, will STILL have to debate this??

[Otaking]

I used to subscribe to the New Scientist magazine, which was fascinating.

The areas that most interests me is physics, theoretical physics and cosmology. Things like quantum mechanics, string theory, m-theory.
It started when I read the Stephen Hawking book A Brief History of Time, which is the best book I have ever read as among other things introduced me to the Einstein's theory of relativity. This blew my mind and made me look at the universe in a completely different way.

[VenomMacbeth]

I like science. I am currently going back to school for a physics degree.

As for cool bugs, have you checked out the tardigrade? It's like the superman of the bug world. Also, are you taking close up pictures of poop?

And rotting chicken, yes.  It may even be my poop.  That or the cat's.

[NecroPhile]

And I fucking HATE it when people call any insect, or even spiders, "bugs."

Would you say that it ..... pregnant pause ..... bugs you?



I'll be showing myself the door now.

[esteban]

Since we are talking about insects/bugs, I might as well share a pet peeve with y'all:

I hate it when folks arbitrarily kill insects. I relocate the damn things when they are indoors. Moths, aphids, fruit flies, crickets, flies, etc. all get relocated.

Spiders can stay indoors because I love spiders, even the scary ones that freak me out.

Of course, I'm not perfect: I will kill a mosquito, wasp, hornet, yellow jacket if they are in my house and I can't easily push them out a window. Similarly, I'm no fan of fleas/mites/etc.

I don't know why bees don't freak me out, but wasps/hornets/yellow jackets scare me.

I'm not a fan of carpenter bees because the bastards are destroying my home. But, I don't kill them. I just try to prevent them from burrowing into my damn garage.

Sadly, I could keep writing about this topic.

For example, a handful of ants don't bother me. But, hundreds and hundreds of ants invading my home will make me into Mr. Genocide (this has happened in every apt./home I've had....)

So, again, I'm not perfect.

[VenomMacbeth]

I totally understand, Esteban.  We get these huge spiders here though (about 3-4 inch leg span) and I'm not okay with those crawling on my kid, so I eradicate.  I do the same with hornets and wasps because those bastards can remember your face.  I only kill em in the house, though.

Last hornet I smashed, I left his decapitated head on the floor as a warning to all his friends not to fuck with my crib.  Bugs better recognize.

But yes, I hate when people kill bugs for no good reason other than that "they're creepy".  I hope some giant dude comes along & squishes you because he thinks you're creepy, jerk.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Edit #2: Anyone seen the debate between Bill Nye The Science Guy and John(?) Ham, the creationist.  I can feel Nye's frustration trying to debate someone who's only answer is "the Bible says..."  After all we've learned, will STILL have to debate this??

Guys like Ken Ham always bugs me, as it's not like the Bible lays out a scientific formula for HOW things were made.  That's up to humans to try to grasp by what processes all things came about.  Even though I believe in creation(Old Earth), I find no reason for it to be taught in schools.  It's just very simply put that God started making X during this time period(or day) & then started making Y during this time period.  It doesn't get into how long the Earth was there before the first period of terraforming the Earth, not to mention how long ago the universe was started, or by what process.  For now, I favor the Big Bang, it makes the most sense to me, but I could be totally wrong in that.  Some seem to be going back to the theory of the universe always being here.  1000 years from now we'll have had many alternative theories & discoveries that may hopefully bring us closer to understanding the processes needed for the universe & all the laws needed for it to exist.

[ClodBusted]

When I was a child, I was fascinated in dinosaurs and wanted to become a paleontologist.

[wildfruit]

I love science. I had planned to do an open university degree I astrophysics once I could afford the £4000 approximate fee. Then stupid government took away funding and same degree costs about £20000.
Sigh

[TR0N]

[xcrement5x]

When I was a child, I was fascinated in dinosaurs and wanted to become a paleontologist.

Same here, though I think Jurassic Park had a lot to do with it as well.  I held that idea up until maybe early high school until I realized that there was no money in the field so I went with the next thing I enjoyed, computer science. 

And now I want to watch this movie again with young Kelly LeBrock.  Also, I wish there was a way to watch the USA TV show, that was a pretty fun show.

[glazball]

@PD - I agree that in 1000 years, we will certainly (hopefully!) know a lot more about where we as humans came from as well as the universe itself.  However, there's a good chance that even with a million years, we may never be able to discover all the answers.  That's why guys like Ken Ham bug me too.  He knows that if you assert yourself and -pretend- to know the answer, -some- number of people are going to agree with you, even with a complete lack of evidence.

However, I'm not sure I follow what you meant that you "believe in creation (old earth)."  Luckily though, beliefs have nothing to do with math and science.

More science!  Found this video linked in a Cracked article the other day.  Radio waves from the rings of Saturn picked up by the Cassini spacecraft.  How awesome is this!?

Here's the Cracked article in case my link doesn't work (I'm at work and YT is blocked)
http://www.cracked.com/article_22388_5-insane-things-hiding-just-outside-human-perception.html

[MotherGunner]

If anyone is interested in Physics, there are some great arXiv papers to read through.

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/537506/other-interesting-arxiv-papers-week-ending-may-16-2015/