“My dad sent me an email on the history and facts surrounding the US one dollar bill and told me that he thought it was something that all Americans should know. I agreed, but thought that, in addition to some much needed fact checking, the information could be presented in a more interesting manner. Hence, Secrets of the US one dollar bill was born.” — IAmDanZinn

“What’s that in your fancy, expensive digital SLR camera: 40 megapixels? Yawn. Researchers have designed a camera that could take 50,000-megapixel shots. Though the team has currently built and tested only a 1,000-megapixel (one gigapixel) camera, they are constructing a 10,000-megapixel version and foresee future cameras with much higher resolution.” — asnavas

“The answer begins with the spider’s ability to transform liquid silk inside its special glands into solid threads. The spider does this by physically pulling the spider silk through its spinnnerets – silk-secreting organs on its abdomen. Once the thread is started, the spider lifts its spinnerets into the breeze. It’s the breeze that is the secret to the spider’s ability to spin a web from tree to another.” w/ photos

“It will come as no surprise that an animal’s view of the world is different to our own, but what isn’t so clear is exactly what they see. A new exhibition at the Royal Society is shows images that illustrate what our pets and other animals see when they look at each other and when they look at us. The fascinating insight shows the latest research into the color vision of animals, many of which can see ultraviolet, or colors that we can’t see, making their world view completely different to ours. Birds, for example, can see ultraviolet so a peacock looking at a potential mate would not see the beautiful rainbow of greens and blues that we behold, but a plainer yet more brightly colored display of plumage.” w/ photos

“Microbes found on seaweed could provide an unexpected weapon in the fight against tooth decay, scientists have said. They used an enzyme isolated from the marine bacterium Bacillus licheniformis which they were originally researching for cleaning ships’ hulls. Newcastle University scientists claim that the enzyme can ‘cut through’ plaque on teeth and clean hard-to-reach areas. Instead, the Newcastle University team will tell the Society for Applied Microbiology Summer Conference that it could have a range of medical applications, including teeth cleaning. While toothpastes are effective, there are still hard-to-reach areas between teeth where the bacteria in plaque can erode enamel, causing cavities. Dr Nicholas Jakubovics of Newcastle University’s School of Dental Sciences believes better products offering more effective treatment can be made using the enzyme.” w/ photos

“Some people will go to extreme measures to save money these days, as the residents of one southern state have proven. South Carolinians are celebrating a new law coming into force, allowing them to drive fuel-efficient golf carts up to four miles from their homes. Previously the buggies were allowed to be driven just two miles on public roads, but Governor Nikki Haley has signed the law and it will come into effect from October. Owners of the open-sided vehicles will be let loose on the streets among cars and trucks, and the change has been welcomed by residents, eager to ditch their gas-guzzling vehicles in favor of the carts.” w/ photos + video

“Here we present a short study into James Bond’s personal style, meeting award winning costume designer, Lindy Hemming; and a handful of bespoke tailors who have been instrumental in shaping and crafting this icon of style over 50 years.”

“This film focuses on the creation of the iconic world inhabited by James Bond over 50 years. We spend time with award winning set designer, Sir Ken Adam; as well as Aston Martin’s Head of Design; along with the designers and the makers of the legendary Golden Gun.” — Barbican Centre

“This is really hard to watch. I’ve spent a while on the internet. I’ve seen some horrifying things… watching this, however, I had to look away on numerous occasions.” — O.ikiIuda

“At nearly 14,000 years old, the ruins of Puma Punku are the oldest and most baffling on the face of the Earth. No one knows who designed and built this complex of sophisticated inter-locking blocks, and then vanished. Researchers investigate the ruins on-location in Peru and present new computer analyses. Forensic evidence on the ground, together with local myths and legends, suggest this site may have been designed and even once inhabited by a species of extraterrestrials.”