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Nitrocellulose Pwns Lance Burton

Hey, Cotton...Nitric and sulfuric acids OWN your ass! The aforementioned cellular ass-owning was recently demonstrated by Dr. Chris Schrempp and myself on Wired Science. While this experiment would have no doubt led to accusations of witchcraft and bodily crushing by stones as directed by a 17th-century Middlesex court, today's Science has rendered its exhibitors little more powerful than a party clown. Lance Burton was unable to comment, mainly because we never asked him to.

Adam Rogers Labs Out Loud!

I just wanted to throw out a quick plug for my good friend, Adam Rogers, who also happens to be my editor at Wired Mag as well as our delightful roving field geek on Wired Science. He recently chatted with the National Science Teachers Association on their podcast, Lab Out Loud. The NSTA is located in Virginia and boasts a 55,000+ membership. Their main goal involves promoting not just science literacy but scientific excellence in our schools. They also advise Congress on relevant education issues involving science, and help focus attention on the scientific questions that society and its educators need to be asking.

Mr. Rogers II (as I like to call him) is not only blindingly smart but also a naturally charming personality and great presenter. Please enjoy his sit-down with the NSTA on the podosphere here.

Venterview

Craig Venter exists to define the word "Maverick." Drafted into Vietnam as a young surfer lacking direction, he received a crash course in battlefield surgery. Upon his return to the States, he leapfrogged his way through the education system with a number of honorable distinctions and ultimately became the guy who mapped the human genome. Currently, he's studying millions of microbial DNA strands---many of which he discovered---in the hopes of synthesizing a clean burning biofuel. I'm skipping volumes of information, of course, because chunks of it are contained in the interview with Craig for Wired Science which is hovering mere inches from this very text. The piece was taped aboard his science vessel, the Sorcerer II, which is also the subject of a piece I wrote for the January issue of Wired because it happens to be for sale to the tune of 5.25 million dollars.

Some have labeled Craig an arrogant man but I found him to be nothing but a gracious host, a generous interviewee and a fascinating presence. This experience was like eating Manna in a Nerd's Paradise and I hurl much appreciation and thanks to WiSci (That's how we abbreviate it on the show. Who has time to say Wired Science? Except for me just now.) and to Dr. J. Craig Venter.

I recommend his autobiography A Life Decoded to anyone who may be interested in learning how a person can break the rules and carve his own path in life. Also, it contains the most sex of any scientist's autobiography I have read to date.

El Rey!

 

Last night's El Rey show with Ask A Ninja and Patton Oswalt was FANTASTIC. The theater was jammed, the audience was worked into a foamy froth and we had an absolute blast. Thanks so much to Kent and the Ninja for putting on such a stellar event. The Ninja was on fire, Patton was his usual gale-force of comedy and Olivia Munn, my new co-worker at G4, was a kick-ass hostess. Another blob of appreciation goes out to our pal Dragon Boy Suede, who showed up to rap his part during "Pi." The makeshift nerd-thrill meter I hastily constructed out of a Gaussmeter and an old calculator registered an "E" on the LCD from sheer overload. If you were there, thank you! You brought it!