From ZME Science - Not Exactly Rocket Science:The idea for this article hit me while I was writing this post about awesome landscapes. I was doing some research, and when I found the amazing things hot water springs can create, it was obvious that this article had to come.Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Springs, Pamukkale Springs ... all the cool ones are here.H/T/ Andrea Kuszewski

Of all the aviation tech emerging from the Farnborough International Airshow, Airbus’ futurist visions are among the coolest.   Their 2030 Concept Plane may have a self-cleaning cabin and be more efficient, whatever, sure, but ...... also ... see-through walls for  a scary 360-degree view and holographic projections of virtual decors, allowing travelers to transform their private cabin into an office or a ... bedroom.   Read it all at Popular Science.

Check out ArcAttack's musical Tesla-coil performance at Maker Faire 2010.  'Pitch of spark'?  Outstanding!   Why don't they die?   For the same reason Tesla didn't and you don't if lightning hits your car - Faraday.H/T Andrea Kuszewsky

A Massachusetts man who was rushed to hospital with a collapsed lung came home with an unusual diagnosis: a pea plant was growing in his lung.

"Open Access - Open Data" is an expert conference being held December 13th-14th in Cologne that will take a closer look how the Open Access movement has developed within the last five years and what is going to happen within the next five to ten years. Additionally, it will investigate the "Open Data Movement" that is gaining acceptance (see Jean-Claude Bradley).

Four verses about recombinant protein expression, NMR spectroscopy, X-ray Crystallography and Cryo-Electron Microscopy.   Really, what more do you need to know?H/T Paul Shin

Having surveyed Russian language media sources, JOTMAN.COM contributor Sanjuro reports on the fires sweeping across Russia:

Yes, a song you would probably never hear otherwise, "Bad Romance", by an artist you will never listen to, Lady Gaga (think Katy Perry, except with no talent) ... except made awesome because it is played on beakers in the lab.

So supposedly this girl quits her job using a dry erase board instead of keeping it simple with an email to the boss and emails her entire office 33 Photos explaining it all ...  here's one:Funny stuff, but given the credibility of the site, this hit 8.5 on my B.S. Richter scale.

Among the great disappointments of modern life is the fact that something as fun as a giant inflatable slide springing from the side of a massive flying machine exists—but may only be used in near-death situations, when one is least inclined to enjoy it.