Caterpillars "Gut Slide" to Get Around
Free-floating guts in caterpillars act like pistons helping the insects move. Researchers say this newly described form of locomotion, dubbed “gut sliding,” could aid in the design of soft-bodied robots. Jorge Ribas explains.
Wikileaks, Russian Spies, King James: July 2010 Buzz
by Vera H-C Chan Leaks stayed a theme in July, as the Gulf of Mexico oil spill passed the 100 day mark and a whistleblowing website posted secret war papers. The revelations kept coming in the Russian spy network, with one more potential Mata Hari surfacing…from Texas? Turns out the month’s best kept secret may have been where one not-so-small forward would establish his new basketball reign. Below, the buzz that would not stay quiet on Yahoo! searches and beyond. Stemming the leaks A cap finally clamped down on the gushing flow of crude into the Gulf of Mexico, the real hero of the mission may ultimately be oil-eating bacteria . But, as China suffered its own catastrophic oil spill , U.S. attention shifted to a very different kind of leak: Whistleblowing site Wikileaks (+1,187% rise in searches) posted 92,000 classified documents on the Afghanistan war . The information—the U.S and its allies caused civilian casualties and some Pakistani agents helped the Taliban—turned out to be nothing new and yet everything new, and many sought to put the documents in context . A war of words is now erupting between founder Julian Assange and press secretary Robert Gates , among others. More leaks on ” military abuses ” are planned, as the government figures out both damage control and what damage might’ve been done to exposed sources. Welcome to the Federation As Angelina Jolie brought the sexy back in Cold War relations with her action flick “Salt,” Rossiyskaya …
Dual Survival – Don’t Drink the Water | Split Up
Meet Dave and Cody, two men with completely different styles of survival skills. Can they survive together? Dont miss the ALL NEW series, Dual Survival, Friday at 10 PM e/p, only on Discovery! For more Dual Survival, check out: dsc.discovery.com In the Arizona desert, Cody and Dave manage to find water, but it is infested with insect larvae.
The Colony – Security Breach | New Beginning
The new season of The Colony begins Tuesday, July 27 at 10PM e/p, only on Discovery! Catch up on Season 1 at dsc.discovery.com The security of the Colonists is threatened when they must contend with intruders.
Butch Patrick Is Getting Married
by Mike Krumboltz You know the saying “there’s someone for everyone”? Well, it’s true. Butch Patrick , 57, who played young Eddie Munster on ” The Munsters ” TV show in the ’60s, is getting married. And not to just anybody. He’ll tie the knot with his self-described “biggest fan,” with whom he used to correspond when they were kids. News of the impending nuptials sent Web searches on the groom sky high. But not even the surge of interest in all things Butch Patrick (his signature widow’s-peak hairdo is particularly popular in the Search box) could match the level of lookups for his betrothed, Donna McCall . Here’s the story: When Mr. Patrick starred on “The Munsters,” he and Ms. McCall would write back and forth to each other. Donna, it turns out, was a big fan and had a massive crush on the youngest Munster. According to My Fox Philly , years passed and the two fell out of touch. Then, Ms. McCall, now 55, tracked him down on the Internet. The two exchanged phone numbers, talked, and agreed to meet for the first time at “Dracula Con II” in Philadelphia. Next thing you know, they’re engaged. Ms. McCall is a former cheerleader with the Philadelphia Eagles, a fact that helped contribute to the booming searches on “donna mccall eagles” and “donna mccall cheerleader.” In an article for Philly.com, Mr. Patrick joked that while he does hear from female fans fairly often, not many are cheerleaders. Says the future Mrs. Munster : “My…
Chewbacca Riding Squirrel = Awesome
by Mike Krumboltz Some art is just OK. You know, stuff like Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” or the “Mona Lisa” by ol’ whatshisface. They’re cool if you’re into that whole “masterpiece” thing. Then there are paintings that open up a worm hole through space and time by shear power of their awesomeness. These are very rare indeed. The best example we can think of: The highly acclaimed (by us) ” Chewbacca riding a Giant Squirrel while fighting Nazis .” We’re not sure if that really is the painting’s name, but it should be. For in the painting, the Star Wars character is howling atop a giant (and bemused) rodent, while Nazi soldiers fall by the wayside. It’s over-the-top ridiculous that manages to be bring a smile to just about everyone who looks at it. The painting has been making the rounds on the Web for several days, but nobody seemed to know anything about the mad genius behind the image. Fortunately, the maniacs at StarWars.com tracked down the artist , a chap named Tyler Edlin. As it turns out, the story of how (and why) the painting came into existence is nearly as cool as the painting itself. In the interview, Mr. Edlin explains that he created the painting for a friend who was getting married. The friend, who we one day would love to meet, apparently requested a painting of Chewbacca riding a squirrel for his wedding gift (no word on what his future wife thought of the idea)…
Deadliest Catch – Hansen Man to Man | Endless
Don’t miss the SEASON FINALE of Deadliest Catch, TONIGHT at 9PM e/p, only on Discovery. Catch MORE Deadliest Catch at dsc.discovery.com Sig and Edgar have a man to man discussion about his future.
What Would Happen If Sharks Disappeared?
Shark populations worldwide are under enormous pressure due to overfishing. So what happens to an ecosystem when apex predators like sharks disappear? We talk to Discovery Channel shark advisor Andy DeHart to find out.
‘Dinner for Schmucks,’ ‘Charlie St. Cloud,’ ‘Cats and Dogs 2′: Movie Review Roundup
by Claudine Zap This weekend, you can choose movies about men acting like frat boys, or pets acting like people. Or just feast your eyes on a teen heartthrob acting serious. The critics are less than thrilled with this trio of summer stinkers. Maybe the best advice is to see ” Inception ” again. Here’s a roundup of critical — highly critical — reviews … Charlie St. Cloud This drama starring hearththrob Zac Efron (“High School Musical”) and directed by Burr Steers (“17 Again”) is about a college-age sailing champ dealing with the death of his younger brother. The Boston Globe’s Wesley Morris gives the movie a scant 1½-star rating and writes that the movie is “very much dead already.” Although that may not bother the teen fans of Efron, Morris is unmoved by the young actor: “The camera watches him and appears to nod off. That’s understandable. Every medium close-up of him squinting in a snug T-shirt at dusk is a Jockey ad.” Sean O’Connell from Filmcritic.com gave the movie just 1 star and calls it “a melodramatic and hopelessly disorganized feature-length episode of CBS’s ‘The Ghost Whisperer’ that trots out an exhausted ‘Sixth Sense’ escape clause after painting itself into one too many narrative corners.” Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman grades the film a weak C- and says its young star “demonstrates that looks will get you only so far.” Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reports puts the nail in this movie’s coffin: “The film doesn’t just …
Dual Survival – Wonders of Agave | Split Up
Meet Dave and Cody, two men with completely different styles of survival skills. Can they survive together? Dont miss the ALL NEW series, Dual Survival, Friday at 10 PM e/p, only on Discovery! For more Dual Survival, check out: dsc.discovery.com Aside from its many uses, Cody creates a water canteen from an agave stalk.