Shockingly, scientists have discovered a trench under the ice of Antartica that is nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Though not quite as wide or long as the Grand Canyon, the Ellsworth Trench is nearly two miles deep at its lowest point and dips an astonishing 6500 ft. below sea level. The trench was discovered while reviewing 3 years worth of geological survey data.
I think my ice maker may need to work a little over time for this job.
What completely blows my mind is that this whole thing is encased in ice. Try picturing the Grand Canyon completely filled with ice and then realize that this goes even deeper.
The World Health Organization is nearly ready to declare India polio free. Thanks to a massive vaccination effort it has been three years since India has had a reported case of the dibilitating virus. The WHO has been working to eradicate polio since 1988, when 200,000 cases were reported in India alone. With the help of local Rotary organizations even skeptical rural communities have been treated. One of the biggest helps in the fight as been the advocacy of popular Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan. The WHO is hoping to replicate its success in Pakistan and Nigeria using popular actors and cricket players.
When we really put our minds to something, it’s impressive what we can accomplish; Polio has been almost wiped out in my life time.
For most of its existance the internet has been about connecting people to other people through things like email, forums and now more recently social media. Recently the internet has been connecting people to things. You can now control your theromostat, lights, and even door locks right from your cellphone, all thanks to the internet. In the near future however, the internet may become more about connecting devices to other devices. Several tech companies have gotten together to begin developing an open source language for all of these devices to communicate with each other. The hope is that this will improve the ability to interconnect all of these devices and increase the security by adding transparency.
An example of the future of technology.
I’m good with this as long as the fridge and toaster oven don’t start conspiring against me. I don’t trust that toaster oven.
John Brockman asked a number of the world’s leading thinkers “What scientific idea is ready for retirement?” and he got some very interesting answers. My favorite comes from Freeman Dyson (known for his idea of a Dyson Sphere) who wants to do away with the idea of a collapsing wave form. What made me love it was his description of what a probability really is. Dyson says “a probability is a statement of ignorance”, which is something I had never thought about, though he is absolutely right. There are wide variety of responses, some of which are even over my head (probably why these guys are the world’s leading thinkers).
John Brockman
I find it comforting that we can ask this question and that we aren’t afraid to discard outdated scientific models when we’ve decided they are no longer useful.
Continuing on with the Therefore I Geek discussion of influences, today we’re talking about movies and television shows that have influenced us. I have loved movies since I was a little kid. When I’m feeling down and need a pick me up, I turn to movies. They are one of my favorite forms of escapism entertainment—not quite as immersive as books, but also requiring less active thought. They are perfect for those days when I’m feeling brain dead, which occurs more often than I would like. Television shows are great because every week has the same cast of characters involved in some different adventure or dilemma. After a while, the audience starts to feel like they know them as actual people and are part of their lives. These are just a few of the movies and TV shows that have had an impact on my life.
Therefore I Geek 