The Cool Science Stuff Thread

So I have a question about eyes. The simple eye lens produces an inverted image on the retina, so the theory is a baby sees the world 'upside down' for a few weeks until their brain flips it the 'right way up'. But why does the brain even bother to do that? If it goes to all the bother of flipping it, why not save the energy and work with images that are reversed and learn to coordinate that way? Who said what we see as adults is correct? What evolutionary advantage is there in doing the optical gymnastics?

Postcards would be fine.

I've been thinking on this. I've done some searching and what makes most sense to me is, your brain flips the image to match your sensory map. Since gravity puts a down force on our bodies, the the brain may perceive that as the right way. Maybe? I could be completely wrong. I would think it would be akin to why the brain fills in images. Either blank spots between your eyes, or replacing things it thinks should be there.

Sorry, didn't know where to send the postcard.
 
After (climate) Alarmism

After Alarmism

In this article, the author, a climate alarmist, regretfully admits that there is reason for hope. In my mind, he, like most activists, seems to misdiagnose the underlying reason for this emergence of hope, clinging to the fantasy that hearts and minds have changed. Instead, technology rescued us: sustainable energy is now cheaper than coal/fossil fuels. As an example, he cites India, which a year ago forecast their upcoming energy needs (and the carbon it would produce). Now that carbon footprint is down 86%, all because sustainable energy is now cheaper than coal. Yay technology!
 
Disruptive Innovation 2021: These 15 big ideas are most likely to change the world
ARK Big Ideas 2021 include the following:

Deep Learning
The Reinvention of the Data Center
Virtual Worlds
Digital Wallets
Bitcoin Fundamentals
Bitcoin: Preparing For Institutions
Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Automation
Autonomous Ride-Hailing
Delivery Drones
Orbital Aerospace
3D Printing
Long Read Sequencing
Multi-Cancer Screening
Cell and Gene Therapy: Generation 2
 
Interesting observation with no deep meaning

The buildup of radon in basements is a problem across our area. Like many others, we have a sub-basement fan system running 24/7 which vents through a 5" pipe at about knee-height, aimed downward at a brick patio. Instead of the small amounts of radon gas building up inside, it just gets released into the open air, as it would eventually anyway.

When it's cold (say, -10°C/14°F) and has snowed, before it gets shoveled, very often the air from the vent melts a circle in the snow, leaving bare bricks.

When it's very cold like now (-30°C/-20°F) and the patio has been shoveled, the moisture in the vented air freezes on the bricks, forming a shallow dome of fluffy-looking ice crystals.
 
The buildup of radon in basements is a problem across our area. Like many others, we have a sub-basement fan system running 24/7 which vents through a 5" pipe at about knee-height, aimed downward at a brick patio.

Funny (for me) story: Dayton, OH, was one of those places. Also a place with asbestos for insulation. Now, asbestos fibers are *really* bad, radon...meh. Go to an open house. Agent proudly tells us they have a radon vent system. We observe in the basement, by the wash machine, an asbestos coated pipe directly under the laundry chute, with the protective coating completely ablated. We passed. Sold the following week.
 
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