Mosquito Neural Netting: To identify the sound of a single mosquito

A complex new attack on mosquitoes, sort of, is outlined in this new study about identifying the sound of a single mosquito: “Mosquito Detection with Neural Networks: The Buzz of Deep Learning,” Ivan Kiskin, Bernardo Pérez Orozco, Theo Windebank, Davide Zilli, Marianne Sinka, Kathy Willis, Stephen Roberts, arXiv:1705.05180, May 15, 2017. The paper points out, especially, a limitation […]

Report of the scientific investigation: Can farts be lit on fire by a laser?

There was indeed a scientific investigation after the (widely reported) fire that ignited during a patient’s cervical conization procedure at the University of Tokyo Hospital, causing “a wide range of burns [to the] thighs [and] rear” to the patient. That scientific report is lavishly illustrated with photographs. To determine whether the accident could have been caused by an […]

Playing with pigs and lasers

Pigs, like humans, can get bored. Perhaps they’d like to play a game to amuse themselves? Even better, with interacting humans? A project designed to examine such possibilities is underway at Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht and Wageningen University Livestock Research Department in The Netherlands. It’s called ‘Playing With Pigs’ and is “researching the complex […]

Boxes for rocks — their own story

Boxes for rocks grow from much thought and careful effort, what with the desire that each box fit snugly and well in enclosing a particular rock. Ann Macmillan, say those who know, “creates cardboard boxes for rocks that are designed to fit each rock’s individual surface. After 3D scanning them and unfolding the rock’s geometry, the […]

Voyeurs swooping beneath Nottingham

The good folks at the Nottingham Caves Survey marry spelunking, archaeology, laser scanning, and computer-generated-imagery to record and display some of the hidden wonders — caves and tunnels and other passageways — that statically wriggle and wander beneath the streets and buildings and hills of Nottingham, England. The video below is one of several they […]