Cosmic Log

Betting on a future market

Alan Boyle — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:22:00 GMT

Prediction markets have been known to outdo the pollsters when it comes to handicapping political campaigns, and they can also be used to predict how bad the next flu epidemic can get, how well the next product will sell - or even how long the latest celebrity marriage will last. (Are you listening, Mariah Carey?)

But are these markets legit? That’s what researchers and regulators want to find out.

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Wonder and whimsy on the Web

Alan Boyle — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:20:00 GMT

Space.com: Bizarre star gets stranger Improbable Research: Lead vs. feathers The Onion: Biologists apologize for release of winged serpents Cracked: Most frequently quoted bogus statistics (rated PG-13) ...(read more)

Play with a purpose

Alan Boyle — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:05:00 GMT

GWAP.com / CMU

The Squigl game involves having two players outline
the same object in an online picture. Points are
awarded based on how close their outlines match.

Researchers are enlisting Internet users to try out a new set of games that will help them develop smarter search engines and sharper-eyed machines. It’s kind of like playing "Hot or Not" … for a scientific cause.

Games With a Purpose, or GWAP, is the brainchild of computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University - including Luis von Ahn, one of the creators of the CAPTCHA filter to distinguish between real humans and machines. As part of their plan to elevate machines to the next level of human-style intelligence, von Ahn and his colleagues hope to capitalize on the all-too-human desire to get to a multiplayer game's next level.

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Must-see science on the Web

Alan Boyle — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Nature: Sloths aren't so slothful after all See a life-size whale on the Web (via Slashdot) Wired: The first genetically modified human embryo Neatorama: 5 scientists behind scientific laws (via GeekPress) ...(read more)

Download a new telescope

Alan Boyle — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:01:00 GMT

msnbc.com

Click for video: Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports
on the beta release of the WorldWide Telescope.

After years of thinking and months of internal testing (and occasional tears), Microsoft Research is releasing its WorldWide Telescope software for the public to download and play with. The program requires more computer firepower than other free online astronomy guides, such as Google Sky or Stellarium. But the payoff for the eyes, ears and mind is high enough to make me think about upgrading my hardware.

The last time I caught upgrade fever, the motivation was to watch online video without the computer going into a stall. This time, I'll need to get more memory for my home computer so I don't miss out on the audio and text as I take a tour of the final frontier.

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Sixth birthday for the blog

Alan Boyle — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Today marks the sixth anniversary of Cosmic Log's founding. In the past year, we've set new records for visitors and comments, thanks in part to those darn glowing cats and other scientific weirdness. In honor of the birthday, I'll point you to the same old quiz I've run over the past few years. How well do you know your Cosmic Log lore? Take the quiz and find out. Then check out these links to some of my favorite subjects: Popular Mechanics: NASA opens arms to private industry New Scientist:...(read more)

Quakes by the numbers

Alan Boyle — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:34:00 GMT

You can't always judge a quake by its numbers. Two of the magnitude-7-plus quakes recorded in the past six months illustrate the complexities behind scientific statistics. As terrible as it was, last November's magnitude-7.7 quake in Chile ended up killing two people. In contrast, the estimated death toll from today's magnitude-7.9 quake in China, which doesn't sound as if it should be that much stronger, is at 8,500 and rapidly rising.

Although magnitude figures are an easy way to quantify the power of a quake in a headline, it takes something more to tell the whole story of an earthquake's strength.

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Your daily dose of science on the Web

Alan Boyle — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:46:00 GMT

Ethiopia Review: Queen of Sheba's palace discovered PhysOrg: Hubble data from space is cheaper than texting Aviation.com: NORAD marks its 50th birthday Slashdot: Where are the space advocates? ...(read more)

A new captain boldly goes

Alan Boyle — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:45:00 GMT

Perimeter Institute

During a presentation on big-bang physics, cosmologist Neil Turok stands in front
of a slide showing Raphael's painting of ancient thinkers, "The School of Athens."

A theoretical physics institute must be a bit like a science-fiction starship, in that you actually have to take concepts like extradimensional wormholes and inflationary multiverses seriously. If that's the case, then give a "Star Trek" salute to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics' new captain: cosmologist Neil Turok.

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Weekend field trips on the Web

Alan Boyle — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:22:00 GMT

Science @ NASA: Space station tricorder analyzes microbes Pangea Day: Join a global film event on Saturday Slashdot: Play a protein-folding game online 'Nova' on PBS: 'A Walk to Beautiful' ...(read more)