Hello there! Welcome to FF’s Lab Letters, the weekly science micro-post: VIDEO EDITION!
The 5 minute cancer diagnostic test
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Jack Andraka is a 15 year old high school freshman who was able to develop a technique to detect pancreatic, lung, and ovarian cancer using carbon nanotubes and antibodies. The paper strip sensors cost 3 cents and results are ready in 5 minutes.
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The McGurk effect is what occurs when visual and auditory inputs seem to clash. Try lip-reading while listening to the guy in the video above. This phenomenon is unique because even though one is aware that it is an illusion, the effect doesn’t change at all.
The other space rock last week
Although largely outshone by the meteorite that crashed in Russia, asteroid 2012 DA14 (predictably) glided by the Earth last February 15. Astrophotographer Colin Legg captured the moment on camera, with other stuff included (meteors, man-made satellites). 2012 DA14 can be seen travelling top to bottom on the left side of the screen. The orange burst of color on the right is a persistent train from an unrelated meteor.
Engineering for dummies
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(You can skip the intro and head on over to the 1:50 mark)
This is a short lecture from the Chevrolet Motor Division in the 1930s explaining how they solved a problem you may not even know existed in cars – by the ingenious use of differential gears. It’s the bee’s knees! Consider that the next time you take your jalopy out to pick up your squeeze.
That was quick and fun wasn’t it? I’ll see you next week for yet another edition of FF LL!
Abyssinia, ♥
