O Ben, O Rly?

NOO LOEZ = NOO LOLZ via lolebrity

Human parasite’s goody two shoes cousin helps coral

Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases under study today. It has been with us since early medical history, and still persists as a major global threat.

The disease is caused by a parasite – a multicellular microorganism. Not just a simple bacteria, the malaria plasmodium is a complex critter that still remains quite mysterious. It is very hard to work with in the laboratory: it doesn’t culture well and the risks involved are immense.

The discovery of a non-infectious relative (albeit, rather distant) by Australian researchers is exciting news for many.

Paydirt hasn’t quite been hit as far as medical research. However the fun isn’t just for medicos, but the evolutionary biologists as well.

Chromera velia is clearly related to Plasmodium parasites, but rather than being a blood-borne obligate parasite of mammals and insects that rarely sees light of day, it is a plankton-like photosynthesising obligate symbiont of corals.

These long-lost cousins are so very different, it could almost make the ghost script of the next Wil Farrell comedy (or not, besides its been done before).

Can they really be from the same origin?

The evidence is convincing.

For more information, take a read of a great interview (it says so in the title) with the scientists responsible for the discovery, as well as the University of Sydney press release.

Image: Copyright University of Sydney. Use only for non-commercial and educational purposes with attribution.

Back to the feeding cage with you

via Pundit Kitchen.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Dolphins on tippy-toes

BBC and Canberra Times.

via deepseanews

A dolphin in South Australia picked up the walking-on-her-tail trick while spending time recovering at an aquarium theme park. Now, back in the wild she is teaching other local dolphins the trick. The craze has been proving popular with many members of Billie’s pod joining in.

This shows two key things, personality and culture, amongst our marine cousins. Not only do the dolphins appear to enjoy this activity in some way, but they also are able to learn and encourage observed behaviours. The most interesting part is that Billie did not receive any training in the trick herself, but appears to have picked it up through casual observation during her time at the park.

Marine biologist Mike Bossley: It’s the first time dolphins in the wild have been observed learning tricks behaviour with no natural function from each other. While the pod’s antics are entertaining, they also point to possible evidence of culturally learned behaviour among dolphins, similar to learning dance moves or a language.

Dolphins off the coast of Western Australia were filmed recently teaching their young to use sea sponges to gather food, but learning to tail-walk is not a survival skill.

It’s just porn mum

One of my co-workers mentioned how she found a bit more than she bargained for while looking for a downloaded copy of Juno on her brother’s computer. C’mon guys, don’t you know how to use hidden folders.

Some people however aren’t so understanding of male habits.

Case in point: 50-something wife finds 50-something husband’s porno cds and loses it. Big time.

She smashes glass on his motorbike, scratches a pornstar’s name in his car’s paintwork, oh, and shot her husband dead, shooting him six times.

What would she have done if he was actually cheating on her?

Gulp! Burmese Python 1, Bio student 0

I did a small volunteer stint at Rockhampton Zoo after I came back from Japan.

I always thought it weird that snakes and reptiles were the most popular job for cadets.

Now we have the warning tale of Erick Arreita.

I doubt it will change things much. All the cool animals can eat you.

How do virus move?

Another awesome science question answered by scienceblog’s ERV.

An ERV-ling asks how do viruses get about without some sort of motility structure, like flagella or cilia?

This is an excellent question, especially as someone who grew up in the world before 2008, viruses used to be considered barely above complex chemicals.

In true virus free-loader fashion, the methods of movement usually entail getting some other living thing to do all the hard work for them. Actin rocket packs sound cool though.

Monkeys and Shakespeare, your love was forbidden

I have now pretty much imported all the links I was going to from my old Kickin’ Moron Ass sidebar.

One of the things that didn’t make the cut was the almighty Monkey Shakspeare Simulator. An online project attempting to test out Infinite Monkey Theroeom.

A non-working archive can be seen here for those after a whif of nostalgia.

A summary detailing the background and scope the Shakespeare simulator can be found at Everything2 – included below the fold for your pleasure.

The MSS even got a mention on USA Today.

Firefox 3.0

While I’m still getting used to the new skin. I am liking some of the features of Firefox 3.0.

Something cool I noticed is the ability to autocomplete, not just from browsing history, but also offer suggestions from Bookmarks and Subscribed feeds.

Also like one click bookmarking. Handy for the blogger who is ever so wary about these “share on wordpress/facebook” buttons.

There are probably ways to further tweak this. But I guess I will discover that out in future.

You can get your own Firefox buttons here. (It took me a while to locate them).

Two shams for the price of one

hattip: Group Sects.

Slimeball of the week:

Michael Guglielmucci.

Doing his part to help show Australian’s that religion here too can be a cesspool of rotters and nutters, The Gug-ster not only decided to scam the faithful of their money, he did so while pretending to have cancer, for two years. (Gospel of lies, the Australian)

Hundreds if not thousands of Australians are now shocked to discover that a person who spoke to an invisible almighty force at the hand of creation, was actually a a little koo-koo, and possibly not the best person to give away their savings. (Duped Christians want their money back, news.com.au)

Perhaps this is an elaborate life lesson. The Gug-ster is just showing the pentecostal community that money truly is the root of all evil. Afterall, it made him such a dick.

Unsurprisingly the pentecostal community is protecting the Gug-ster from harm. It’s difficult to tell whether their we-are-all-sinners schtick is marked with sincerety, or an attempt to cash in on the publicity-is-puclicity racket. Perhaps Googs’ exclusive deal to discuss the matter with Today Tonight migt help illuminate it all.

The spin appears to have somehwat successfully shifted the focus away from Hillsong and its kindred amongst the growing superchurch movement in Australia, and to use a fairly stock standard scapegoat of pornography. Thanks Dad, what a save. (Disgraced pastor porn addict – Dad, the Australian)

Be careful it bites

I didn’t realise venus flytraps had flowers. It’s quite pretty.

image Venus Flytrap close-Up, by malcolmhair, (CC-SSAAND)

Dance: Harder, Faster, Stronger

Kind of fitting as we bid goodbye to the Olympics.

Apparently there are quite a few similar videos out there.

Hattip: Dave.

TARDIS-shaped tent || tent-shaped TARDIS

I know a certain Pineapple-Princess-to-be who might squeal at the idea of this.

What’s a TARDIS?

It’s what Mr Who goes around in.

Who’s Mr Who?

Dr Who’s under-qualified brother.

Searching in vain

It’s a little depressing when a vanity search turns up someone else’s vanity search…

Ainu pride parade

Japan Today reports about an Ainu Revival Parade in Hokkaido.

Combining modern J-Hip-Hop and traditional Ainu garb and dance, young persons troupe Ainu Rebels is hoping to instill pride in local indigenous peoples and awareness of the cultural heritage the Ainu hold.

The article details some of the mixed progress being made since the official recognition by the Japanese government of Ainu as “an indigenous people with a distinct language, religion and culture”. Discrimination, awareness and native pride still remain large issues. The governments committee on Ainu futures only contains one self-identified Ainu member.

Positive developments have been the positive response amongst the nation’s youth about cultural awareness. Apparently ethnic is “hip”. I’m not sure if this entirely great news, but maybe it is something? I’m also unsure about the increase in ethnic minorities amongst popular entertainers, it leans towards exploitation and fad movements, rather than anything more solid. I’d be more impressed if statistics were produced detailing increased literacy levels in Japanese language amongst minorities, college acceptance rates, or numbers in fields such as science, health, politics, engineering and education.

Below the fold I’ve included a short summary of my very limited and malinformed Ainu knowledge.

For some real information please visit The Ainu Association of Hokkaido’s English website.