“Bill describes how metals like aluminum and titanium are made resistant to corrosion by growing an oxide layer into the metals. These is the same process used on many Apple products.” — engineerguyvideo

“We use them every day – but what are the mysterious origins of these symbols we take for granted? Here are few short explanations to demystify the meanings of our favorite symbols.” w/ photos

“In this new RSAnimate, renowned psychiatrist and writer Iain McGilchrist explains how our ‘divided brain’ has profoundly altered human behavior, culture and society. Taken from a lecture given by Iain McGilchrist as part of the RSA’s free public events programme.” — theRSAorg

“Getting a shot at the doctor’s office may become less painful in the not-too-distant future. MIT researchers have engineered a device that delivers a tiny, high-pressure jet of medicine through the skin without the use of a hypodermic needle. The device can be programmed to deliver a range of doses to various depths… an improvement over similar jet-injection systems that are now commercially available.” — MITNewsOffice

“George Costanza was wrong. This isn’t the first time that statement’s been uttered and it certainly won’t be the last, as long as Seinfeld continues to be culturally relevant… Did people ever even talk about double dipping before this scene? Prior to watching the show, I’d never considered its potential bacterial consequences or social unacceptability. Frankly, I was more concerned with getting the most dip mileage out of every chip, which probably led to my committing the aforementioned offense from time to time. Now I view bowls of salsa and onion dip at parties with some suspicion, but is my skepticism based on a real threat? Was George actually spreading dangerous germs with every double dip?… time to find out.” w/ photos

“Warlords, soldiers, and child laborers all toil over a mineral you’ve never even heard of. Coltan is a conflict mineral in nearly every cell phone, laptop, and electronic device. It’s also tied to the deaths of over 5 million people in Congo since 1990.” — vice

“When it comes to finding a mate, men may not be looking for charm and intelligence, but rather a woman who looks dumb – or drunk – enough for a one-night-stand, according to a new study. In an article in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, University of Texas at Austin graduate student Cari Goetz and her team focused on the so-called sexual exploitability hypothesis – the idea that men are genetically programmed to look for ‘easy’ sex. Tests on 76 male students found that they rated vulnerable-looking women as attractive – lending weight to the idea… The study has revealed that the images of fat or short women had no effect. The participants of the study did not view them as either easy to bed or appealing as partners.” w/ photos

“Paparazzi make a living by chasing down celebrities and shoving cameras in their faces and up their skirts. We decided to hunt a few down and give them a taste of their own disgusting medicine.” — vice

“Apples that won’t go brown could be could be planted in Canada as early as 2014. Canadian biotech company Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. has applied to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for permission to grow and market its ‘arctic granny’ and ‘arctic golden’ apples. The genetically engineered fruit, initially developed in Australia, was created with its gene responsible for enzymatic browning turned off, or ‘silenced.’ There are other varieties of apples, such as empires, that keep their white flesh even when exposed for several hours, but the arctics are completely non-browning, and will remain white for several days, even weeks. Okanagan Specialty Fruits hopes to complete the approval process by this summer in Canada and the United States so it can begin planting its trees next year. The company said test fruit could be expected the year after.” w/ photo

“There are a couple things at play here, some involving the paper, some involving your skin. For one thing, what part of your body comes in contact with paper the most? Right, the majority of paper cuts happen on the fingers and hands. Your hands are pretty complex sensory instruments, and they’re absolutely jam-packed with nerve fibers called nociceptors. These guys sense temperature, pressure and pain, and there are more of them per square inch in your hands and fingers than most other parts of your body. Injuries there are noticed much more than similar injuries elsewhere. The same small paper cut on a less nerve-dense area, such as, say, your leg, won’t send nearly as many pain signals to your brain.” w/ photo