scientific shruggery

A species of 440-pound jellyfish — did Jacques Cousteau ever cover this?

no such thing as unleaded blood

If you were born in 1970 or later, you may wonder why gas is referred to as “unleaded.” It’s hard to believe that a substance so toxic that it disrupts almost every neurotransmitter in the human brain was once poured into every gas tank and burned in every car engine around the world, pumping lead into the air we breathe. Why? Lead reduces engine knocking. (This breakthrough brought to you by the marvels of modern science.)

Now that lead has been removed from gasoline and interior paint, we’re all safe, right? Think again.

noise kills

Two recent studies reveal the effect of noise on health.

First, researchers have shown that excessive environmental noise (from airports, loud workplaces, etc.) increases a man’s risk of heart attack by 50%, and a woman’s by a full 300%. Regular exposure to levels as low as 60 decibels are dangerous:

Times Online: Noise link to danger of heart attack

Other research into marine life shows that whales and dolphins are exhibiting hearing loss and bleeding inside the brain and ears, thanks to Navy sonar. In addition, sonar has been linked to dolphin and whale beachings (here’s one article and another), and may be preventing the animals from finding each other to mate:

CNN: Marine life suffering from ocean noise

sign of a weak economy?

We wasted no time polluting outer space, did we?

Science Daily: 200,000 'marbles' threaten space flights

It wouldn't be difficult for a rogue nation like North Korea to scuttle satellite technology for the rest of the world by deliberately exploding numerous shrapnel explosives in orbit.