[QUOTE=Xyzzy;392985][url]http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/science/more-progress-made-toward-learning-contents-of-herculaneum-scrolls.html[/url][/QUOTE]

Have only been reading this thread sporadically of late, was about to post link about this, decided to search in page for 'scroll' first - ya beat me to it. Here is 2nd link anyway:

[url=www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150122114405.htm]Major breakthrough in reading ancient scrolls[/url] - Software and advanced imaging used to read un-openable (because carbonized by extreme heat) scrolls at Herculaneum.

[i]"Professor, great news! We began reading the first scroll, it opens with a discussion about '[url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/quotes]what have the Romans ever done for us?[/url]' -- truly remarkable material!"[/i]

[URL="http://www.nature.com/news/i-can-haz-genomes-cats-claw-their-way-into-genetics-1.16708"]‘I can haz genomes’: cats claw their way into genetics.[/URL] The cat genome is out of the bag (well, for a while already), and has already helped to pinpoint a gene involved in kidney disease.

[URL="http://www.nature.com/news/sodium-s-explosive-secrets-revealed-1.16771"]Sodium's explosive secrets revealed[/URL] - "The spectacular reaction of alkali metals with water was poorly understood — despite being a staple of chemistry classes."

According to this, the metal quickly loses electrons to water and then metal clusters of positive ions burst apart due to repulsion.

[QUOTE=only_human;393680][URL="http://www.nature.com/news/sodium-s-explosive-secrets-revealed-1.16771"]Sodium's explosive secrets revealed[/URL] - "The spectacular reaction of alkali metals with water was poorly understood — despite being a staple of chemistry classes."

According to this, the metal quickly loses electrons to water and then metal clusters of positive ions burst apart due to repulsion.[/QUOTE]

Amazing!

[QUOTE=kladner;393682]Amazing![/QUOTE]The video is very cool too. High speed cameras. Argon gas. Liquid drops of sodium/potasium alloy. Persuasive.

[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31001936"]Exoplanet with giant ring system[/URL]

[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31001665"]Near asteroid 2004 BL86 has a moon[/URL]

[QUOTE=Batalov;393679][URL="http://www.nature.com/news/i-can-haz-genomes-cats-claw-their-way-into-genetics-1.16708"]‘I can haz genomes’: cats claw their way into genetics.[/URL] The cat genome is out of the bag (well, for a while already), and has already helped to pinpoint a gene involved in kidney disease.[/QUOTE]

Wonder if the kidney-disease-proneness (admittedly this may be more a function of domestic cats living much longer than their wild ancestors/brethren) is related to the marvelous adaptation that allows most cat species to drink salt water if fresh is in short supply?


[QUOTE=ewmayer;393456][url=www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150122114405.htm]Major breakthrough in reading ancient scrolls[/url] - Software and advanced imaging used to read un-openable (because carbonized by extreme heat) scrolls at Herculaneum.[/QUOTE]

More on the subject of "recovering ancient writings from thought-lost scrolls":

[url=www.livescience.com/49543-sappho-new-poems-discovery.html]Sappho's New Poems: The Tangled Tale of Their Discovery[/url]

[url]http://www.mercurynews.com/pets-animals/ci_27418341/rare-sierra-nevada-red-fox-spotted-yosemite-park[/url]

Redd Foxx is playing Yosemite? Interesting...

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;393941][url]http://www.mercurynews.com/pets-animals/ci_27418341/rare-sierra-nevada-red-fox-spotted-yosemite-park[/url][/QUOTE]
Somewhat related:
[url]http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/02/16/this-will-shatter-your-view-of-apex-predators-how-wolves-change-rivers/[/url]

[url=http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27419553/driest-january-history-bay-area-swings-from-boom]Driest January in history: Bay Area swings from boom to bust after wettest December[/url] - San Jose Mercury News

So much for the record rains in December being prologue to a drought-busting winter.