geekosystem

Why would you even do that?

Who lives in a pineapple under a sea and apparently causes children to underperform at cognitive executive functions afterward? SpongeBob SquarePants! At least, that's what research led by Angeline S. Lillard published in the journal Pediatrics seems to indicate. In the study, 60 4-year-olds were randomly assigned a nine minute task. Some were allowed to draw and color freely, others were shown a slow-paced television cartoon from the Public Broadcasting educational lineup. The last group was shown nine minutes of a fast paced cartoon, which was apparently identified as “a very popular fantastical cartoon about an animated sponge that lives under the sea.” In their excellent report on the study, the Washington Post confirmed that the show in question was SpongeBob SquarePants.

NASA is prepping for the very last flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, which will mark the end of the entire Space Shuttle program this week. The crew of Atlantis will conduct a range of scientific experiments, among them (and most notable for the ew-factor) is a baggie-based urine recycling system that may make pee drinkable. Yes, that refreshing beverage, pee. But before you become completely repulsed, rest assured the astronauts themselves will not be drinking urine. At least not these astronauts, not yet. The test will be conducted with an experimental fluid, to test the ability of established pee recycling systems to work in space. The military already uses a similar technology to filter parasites, bacteria, and viruses out of dirty fluids (including urine) for sanitary reasons.

If you've ever thought the physical act of displaying your emotions was natural, according to an experiment, laughter and sighs of relief are the only instinctually occurring physical reactions, whereas crying or screams of terror are actually learned from other people. Read on for details.