Derren Brown's Blog, page 86

How Brilliant Computer Scientists Solved the Bermuda Triangle Mystery

"Oceanographic surveyors of the sea floor in the area of the Bermuda Triangle and the North Sea region between continental Europe and Great Britain have discovered significant quantities of methane hydrates and older eruption sites.

According to two research scientists the mystery of vanished ships and airplanes in the region dubbed "The Bermuda Triangle" has been solved.

Step aside outer space aliens, time anomalies, submerged giant Atlantean pyramids and bizarre meteorological phenomena …...

The Fun Theory

The Fun Theory site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people's behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it's change for the better. We've blogged some of the videos in the past, but be sure to check out the full collection over at http://thefuntheory.com/.

Below is 'The Scratch Mat'.
"Most people enter a building without cleaning their shoes, ...

Supernova ejects material asymmetrically

"A team of astronomers based in Europe has obtained a three-dimensional view of the innermost material released by a supernova – something never before seen. The researchers discovered a turbulent environment where stellar material is being ejected in a highly asymmetric fashion.

The subject of the study is Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), located in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud. Due to its proximity to the Milky Way, SN 1987A has caused a flurry of astronomical interest since it first...

The Intelligence² Debate – Stephen Fry (Unedited)

Stephens speech from the Intelligence Debate held last year.

Via Daily Motion (Thanks Mattis)

Stunning new Hubble images of spiral galaxy

The galaxy, titled NGC 4911, lies more than 320 million light-years away in the "Coma Cluster" of about 1,000 galaxies and islands of stars similar to the Milky Way. Nasa said the stunning long-exposure picture, titled "Island Universe", shows the "majestic face-on spiral galaxy" in the northern constellation Coma Berenices amid a sea of stars.

The "natural-colour" image, released by the space agency combines data from 2006, 2007, and 2009. A high resolution copy of the image has also been...

Electron spin technology demonstrated for the first time

We've long known that encoding data using electron spin could revolutionize computer performance – and now it's been successfully demonstrated for the first time ever.

Ohio State researchers built a simple device as a test case for the new field they call "spintronics." They took a thin, organic-based magnet and layered it with iron-based magnets, then connected two electrical leads. They then managed to successfully record data on the device and – here's the critical part – retrieve the data ...

Oldest house in Britain discovered to be 11,500 years old

The home is so old that when it was built Britain was still part of Continental Europe. The circular structure near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, which dates back to the Stone Age 8,500 years BC, was found next to a former lake.

The house predates the dwelling previously thought to be Britain's oldest, at Howick, Northumberland, by at least 500 years. The team said they are also excavating a large wooden platform made of timbers which have been split and hewn. It is thought to be the earliest ...

Incredible Miniature Sculptures Carved From Pencil Tips

"Here at Inhabitat we are often impressed by innovative new applications for everyday materials, but artist Dalton Ghetti's tiny sculptures carved out of the fragile tips of pencils have truly knocked our socks off! From a miniature bust of Elvis Presley wearing shades to tiny hammers and old boots, his work is mind boggling. Get ready to be amazed by this unbelievable artwork!

Ghetti, who is originally from Brazil, uses his little lead canvases to explore all types of subjects. Getting...

Poo-powered car seen on the streets of Bristol

"A "poo-powered" VW Beetle has taken to the streets of Bristol in an attempt to encourage sustainable motoring. The Bio-Bug runs on processed methane gas generated as part of the raw sewage treatment process. Wessex Water engineers estimate the yearly waste from 70 average households would generate enough gas to run the car for 10,000 miles (16,100km).

Despite being powered by fuel created from sewage, the car does not smell unpleasant. "It performs like a normal car – you wouldn't know it...

The Brain's Secret to Sleeping Like a Log

"In this clamorous modern world, heavy sleepers have an advantage: They can snooze despite noisy neighbors and car alarms, and they're capable of conking out on a red-eye flight to awake refreshed and smiling.

But how do these sound sleepers do it? According to a neuroscience study published today in Current Biology, they're blessed with a type of brain activity that may essentially block out noise.

Sleep researchers from Harvard Medical School performed a slightly torturous experiment on 12...