Track Santa

A fun thing to do with kids and adults. On Christmas Eve head over to Norad Santa Tracker and track Santa live on Christmas Eve. They even have a tie into Google Earth so you can track Santa in 3d. A very clever site that is definitely work a visit.

Dolphin mothers carrying their young

Do you get tired carrying your child? Imagine carrying one underwater. Results of a two-year study by Shawn Noren of UC Santa Cruz show how mothers "carry" their newborn young by assisting their swimming in an "eschelon" formation. Much like how bicycle racers can draft off pack leaders, the young calf benefits from staying in their mother's slipstream. They can move faster than the could alone, say to stay with the dolphin pod, and even take a break to save energy for growing up. The study analyzed underwater video measured the speeds of mother and calf alone and together. The paper is published in Functional Ecology but has also been highlighted in The Economist and on the Quirks & Quarks CBC Podcast.

Comet 17P/Holmes

Another interesting and exciting comet has appeared in our night skies. On October 24, 2007, Comet Holmes had a spectacular eruption. It is now a 3rd magnitude object and can be seen by the naked sky in the constellation of Perseus after sunset.

Visit a great collection of photos at the SpaceWeather.com photo gallery.

Watch out for the sun!

Science@NASA had a great article yesterday about a comet's tail being ripped off by a solar eruption. NASA's STEREO-A probe was at the right place at the right time and caught footage of Comet Encke's demise.

To see the video visit The Sun Rips Off a Comet's Tail.

Girls into Math

A recent NPR Science Friday podcast interviews mathematician/actress Danica McKellar, Harvey Mudd College President Maria Klawe, and the US Girls Math Team to share the latest developments, like McKellar's new book "Math Doesn't Suck", and speak on overcoming outdated stereotypes.

Lunar Eclipse

If you missed the beautiful lunar eclipse last night, head over to Wired Science Blog . They have a great round up of images from Flickr.

Hydrogen-powered car - toy size

Dubbed the "best selling fuel cell car", the H-Racer comes with a solar-powered hydrogen station that uses the sun to break ordinary water into Hydrogen and Oxygen to power this fuel-cell car. I'd buy for my son, but I'll have to wait: Ages 12 and up.

Plant a Tree, but Where?

A new article by LLNL climate scientist Govindasamy Bala presents results of simulations suggesting the location of new trees could actually warm the planet, or cool it, depending on where in the world it's planted. Discussed recently in both the Economist article "A new tree line" and on an NPR Science Friday Podcast on carbon emissions, the article prompts a double-take on an seemingly good-sounding idea.

B-flat's in the Universe

Are there B-flat notes all over? Robert Krulwitch describes in story and podcast in song from crocodiles to black holes where B-flat notes can be found. I'm just surprised he didn't mention the biggest note in the universe resonating in the cosmic background radiation flat of B.

Track US Flight Traffic

Flight Aware has a neat visualization of where all traffic of flights in the US is. They've assembled a movie of a day of flight data showing the ebb and flow of planes over 24 hours. See how the East coast wakes up a few hours earlier and flows as the West coast awakes.

Fat or Thin? Check the Gut Microbes

The top of the recent Quirks and Quarks podcast describes how obesity is not simply a balance of calories but is strongly determined by the performance of microbes in the stomach. Swapping these microbes between mice stomachs demonstrates the effect. Listen here.

Total Lunar Eclipse, March 3rd

View a total lunar eclipse of the Moon, Saturday March 3, 2007. Visible from parts of all seven continents, including the eastern half of the United States.

Read more about the lunar eclipse and find the best time to view where you live at NASA Science News.

Birthday Calendar

Fun site if you have some downtime...enter your birth date in the birthday calendar and fun statistics and astrological data will be presented.

Free Physics Textbook

The 20th edition of The Free Physics Textbook was just released from Galilean motion to general relativity, and classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. This downloadable 1380-page tome, 10 years in the making, is meant to share modern physics to students and teachers in emerging economies.

Listen to Podcasts for free on any phone

A great way to listen to your favorite podcasts while away from a computer. Enter the rss feed url on the website and a unique phone number is created which you can then call from any phone. They also have an ever expanding directory of podcasts you can browse.

Check it out at Podlinez.net

What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

A series of photographs representing 200 calories of different types of food. This will definitely make me think about what I eat next.

Read more at wisegeek.com.

Endangered Species Ringtones

Ringtones of endangered species available from Biological Diversity for environmental awareness of species. Featured on NPR, these sound samples of a Blue-throated Macaw, Beluga Whale, and others can help your phone sound unique.