Todd Boss

This is beyond cool. Stellarium lets you view the stars from any location on Earth (and off Earth, I’ve found) at any time. You can zoom WAY in to see nebulas and rotating planets. Stellarium will also label and outline the constellations. Free download, available for Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Note: Stellarium comes preloaded with lots of stars, but if you explore the options menu, you can download 5 more catalogs, each with progressively more stars.

Found this as a result of a conversation I had yesterday with a couple of folks (a little older than me) who laughed when I said that we’d live to see the end of sending documents via “snail mail.”

“Not only poor people should experience this.”

-Bill Gates

This could be a big step up from corn-based ethanol. Using switchgrass instead of corn raises yields by utilizing the entire plant instead of just the kernels. It also eliminates the food supply concerns created by using a staple food for fuel.

Scientists have learned how to make stem cells by ‘reprogramming’ human skin cells. This discovery could nullify the ethical concerns surrounding stem cell research by removing the need for human embryos.