Happiness is Contagious

"Dinner: Mole in Hole and Diet Coke With a Side of Happiness," by Elizabeth McQuern, on Flickr.

As you can see on the computer screen in the photo, I'm spending my dinnertime researching the contagious nature of happiness, based on a re-examination of data from the Framingham Heart Study. Someone else re-examined the data, I mean. Not me. Heh.

So the Framingham (Massachusetts) Heart Study is this incredibly detailed and very close study of thousands of individuals that was begun in 1948, a project of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in collaboration with Boston University. Data gathered from it has been used in countless eye-opening studies.

Here's what I found out, courtesy of the BMJ:

"Clusters of happy and unhappy people are visible in the network, and the relationship between people’s happiness extends up to three degrees of separation (for example, to the friends of one’s friends’ friends). People who are surrounded by many happy people and those who are central in the network are more likely to become happy in the future."

I think it makes perfect sense that people who don't know each other directly affect each other's lives. I have seen that, especially in cases of people with dense social networks and frequent interaction, like me, we affect the lives of people two and three degrees out.

Also, this is really interesting: "Effects are not seen between coworkers." Maybe businesses are measurably full of crap when they say "We're all one big happy family here at Spacely Spork Inc!"

And this part is extra awesome: "Happiness is a fundamental object of human existence,¹ so much so that the World Health Organization is increasingly emphasising happiness as a component of health."

So, essentially, you're only as happy as your friends. So cheer up, you sad sacks of crap! Ha ha. Just kidding.

Large Hadron Collider Update

Besides "non-malicious" hacker issues, there were power problems involving a faulty transformer shortly after the initial test last week, which explains the lack of Twitter updates since then. I wonder why they didn't report it right away, though? The lack of explanation about the lack of updates was making me a little nervous.

According to Scientific American, it would take 3x10^-8 second (30 nanoseconds) for the LHC to defrost a frozen pizza.

Did you know that robots carried out the nearly 54 million precision welds needed to create the machine?

Also, riding bicycles is one favorite way of getting around the collider's 17 mile underground circle.

A New Science Obsession, a New Writing Hero

A Digg link led me to spend last Saturday evening snuggling with my Mac and ravenously reading science-y stuff instead of going out to comedy shows, partaking in Chicago street festivals, and taking advantage of a fancy Bucktown dinner invitation. I'm glad I did.

In 1951, a poor young black woman named Henrietta Lacks, married with 5 children, was diagnosed with cervical cancer and died in a segregated Baltimore hospital shortly thereafter. She unknowingly left a physical legacy to science that is staggering in scope.

Without her grieving family's permission, the hospital took samples of her cancer cells, cultivated them, and sent them to labs around the world, where they have been a staple cell line, instrumental in developing the polio vaccine, researching leukemia and cancer, studying protein synthesis, viral growth, and much more.

Her cells, named "HeLa," multiply with fierce speed, crawling up the sides of test tubes and defying the Hayflick Limit (the normal number of times a cell line will divide), and are the first human cells to survive and replicate indefinitely independent of the human body. Left to their own devices, the HeLa cells could easily overtake all other life forms on Earth.

The HeLa cells have been part of zero-g experiments in space, been present at nuclear test sites around the world, and have evolved into a self-replicating, single-cell life-form which some biologists would like to classify as its own species. Astonishingly, more HeLa cells thrive today than when Mrs. Lacks herself was still alive -- they outnumber her original physical mass many times over.

In 2001, A Radcliffe Institute fellow, Charlene Gilbert, made the film "Colored Bodies" exploring the ethical issues involved in Mrs. Lacks' story, according to this piece in the Harvard Gazette: "Neither Henrietta nor the Lacks family gave permission for her cells to be used for research; in fact, the family didn't learn about the proliferation of HeLa cells until the early 1970s. The Lacks family - still poor and struggling to access health care - has not been compensated for the use of Henrietta's cells."

This brings us to Rebecca Skloot, my new writing hero. She writes engaging and brilliant pieces for Popular Science, The New York Times, and Discover Magazine, and is a correspondent for PBS's NOVA scienceNOW. She's written several articles about Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells, and will soon publish a book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

As a newbie writer struggling to land enough work just to stay afloat, I am really inspired by this example of someone who follows her curiosities and explores her world through writing, and now I'm thinking more seriously about pursuing creative non-fiction. Thanks for being so awesome, Rebecca.

I hope you sell the movie rights to your book for a kajillion dollars and the amazing story of Henrietta Lacks can be shared with a wide audience.

Ovulation Caught on Camera During Surgery

Amazing!

Who knew that ovaries look like little plump nipples?

And that eggs look like little fruity Tic-Tacs?

The series of pictures look sort of like a beanbag barfing.

It's beautiful and incredible, and yet still makes me feel a little bit like throwing up. That's probably normal.

Useful Application of Technology To Kittycats

Scientists in South Korea have cloned cats who glow in the dark.

In the daylight, they're adorable fluffy white little babykins.

In the dark, they look like little rabid pigbats. If I saw one of those on my front porch at 4:30 AM I'd think it was a sick possum and try to whack it with a shovel out of sheer terror.

Science, we need to have a talk. Hold my hand, it's okay.

Science, you know I love you, right? Once I made that transition from early childhood science fiction to real science, and I went from the joys of Asimov to the humbling beauty of Tsiolkovsky, and then I had that incredible science professor, Father Leo, at Marian back in Indiana, you know it's only been about me and you, right? I mean, I know that official piece of paper says "history" and not "science," but a piece of paper can't tell you anything about love, sugar.

I love you, science. But here's the thing: you're starting to scare me a little. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Slow down there, fella.

SWF, Freckles, Sloping Forehead, Stooped Gait, Loves Long Walks and Laughter

Neanderthals were my peeps, so says the journal Science, yo:

"Some Neanderthals may have had fair skin and red hair, giving them an appearance resembling modern Europeans, an international team of researchers said on Thursday."

Maybe it was the lack of Coppertone that ultimately did them in?

Splashosaurus, Seeing Red, Bad Celebrity Parents, Fug Mermaids, More

Evidence that many dinosaurs swam. Evidence that many humans are stupid, which is to say, a $27 million creationist museum has opened in Kentucky, asserting that dinosaurs were on Noah's Ark.

The evolutionary roots of red hair are revealed. “'It looks like red skin and hair became a sexual preference,'” said evolutionary biologist Molly Morris... it’s still socially—and sexually—relevant for an ape to see red.'" That must be why we're all so fascinated by the red butts on those mandrills when we go to the zoo.

Lindsay Lohan, recently released from detox at Wonderland into that honeymoon retox period, has been busted for DUI. (Oh, yeah, and she had cocaine in the car.) Her dumb dad has therefore been clamoring for cameras to blab at, since that's the only channel of communication he has with his daughter. Does this remind anyone else of Eminem's mom's "let's mend fences" rap a few years ago?

In 1493, somewhere near Haiti, Christopher Columbus saw three mermaids, and was disappointed by their lack of hotness. No, wait, those were manatees. Silly explorer.

Okay, cicadas are annoying and plentiful - to us humans. To zoo animals? They are yummy, yummy snacks.

A cool guy on YouTube is posting "how to" videos for people with prosthetic arms. Wanna know how to tie your shoe with one fleshly hand and one hook? He'll show you. With a smile.

Bullies, Lina Medina, Capgras Syndrome, and Dogme 95

What do you do when you have insomnia issues? The sheep thing has never worked for me. I read random stuff online. Here's what I read about last night.

From Slate: "A study says 90 percent of third- to sixth-graders have been bullied...bullying and victimization were widespread, as 89.5% of children experienced some form of victimization and 59.0% of students participated in some form of bullying...Bullying has become an epidemic that can harm kids' mental health." What do they mean "become an epidemic?" I don't think this is a recent development in human sociology.

Lina Medina was born September 27, 1933 in Peru. Her son Gerardo was born five years, seven months, and twenty-one days later. Not urban legend.

Second City (Toronto) vet and SNL comedian Tony Rosato has apparently been suffering from Capgras Syndrome,"a rare disorder in which a person holds a delusional belief that an acquaintance, usually a spouse or other close family member, has been replaced by an identical looking impostor." According to the Toronto Star, he complained to police that his wife and newborn son had been replaced with false doubles. "Tony told friends he was connected to higher energies and had 'information to save the planet,' says his long-time friend Derek McGrath, who plays Rev. Magee in Little Mosque on the Prairie. Rosato believes he is 'the guardian of light,' adds McGrath, who worked with Rosato at Second City and has supported the beleaguered actor through his legal travails..."

Danish director Lars Von Trier is too depressed to continue with his film career. Or is he faking it? In either case, this list of standards for the Dogme 95 an avant-garde filmmaking movement is interesting.

1. Filming must be done on location.
2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa.
3. The camera must be a hand-held camera.
   
4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable.
   
5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
6. The film must not contain superficial action.
   
7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden.
8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
9. The final picture must be transferred to the Academy 35mm film, with an aspect ratio of 4:3, that is, not widescreen.
10. The director must not be credited.

Extradimensional Christmas Songs and Tootsie Roll Pops

Lisa Randall is on Charlie Rose right now, talking about her work in physics. The subject is fascinating, and her passion is so engaging. Extra dimensions? Energy transfers between them? Humans trapped in a pocket of localized gravity? The universe is not what we think it is. She's got a new book out - Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions. I'd love to read it. Here she is as a guest on another show.

A few holiday observations: in retail and commercial settings, Christmas music is enough to make me want to change locations. I'd rather go home hungry or without urgently-needed household items than sit through another rendition of Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time." And I like Paul McCartney.

I'm not a grinch. And I don't hate music. But that repetition of the small number of songs that exist in that genre really hurts my brain. And it makes me feel sorry for workers who have to hear that stuff for eight hours at a time. They hate it. I know, because I ask them.

Also, just out of curiousity, around the holidays, how much time do we spend in consumer pursuits of goods/decorating/party planning versus time spent in actual religious observation, or with family? I don't think our behaviors ring true with what we purport the holiday to be about. I know this isn't a bold new assertion. I'm just sayin'.

Old Gay Picasso Cream Puffs and Evolving Chimp Hairstyles

Remember that charming English geriatric YouTuber? Now there's a 92-year old blogger. He was a Canadian tv host. And he's quite funny. Here's what he had to say about cannibalism: "In times past, among some of the Pacific Islands peoples, since a butchered human very much resembled a butchered pig, it was referred to as "long pig". I presume these cannibals ate only their enemies, not their family members, no matter how tasty they may have looked." (via BoingBoing)

More evidence that the womb environment makes men gay. "It adds further weight to the argument that lesbian and gay people should be treated equally in society and not discriminated against for something that's just as inherent as skin colour." (via BBC)

Oh, crap, I hate it when I accidentally punch a hole in my Picasso.

Dude, if I ever get married, it's going to be in a wedding dress made of cream puffs.

Watch your back, homo sapiens. Chimps are more like us than apes...and they're evolving faster than we are. "..our clock began to slow down about 1 million years ago, and today it is 3 percent slower than that of the chimp and 11 percent slower than in the gorilla.. (via MSNBC/Live Science)

Today's style specials include Great Big Hair, and the Feathered Back Hair Site. Doesn't it make you nostalgic for the days of Aqua Net and Paul Mitchell?

Happy Birthday, Snuppy!

The world's first cloned puppy, an afghan named Snuppy (which stands for Seoul National University Puppy), is celebrating his first birthday. Snuppy is healthy and weighs in at about 64 pounds, perhaps a bit more after his birthday treat of ice cream and sausages. Of course I have ethical and moral concerns about cloning, but that's not Snuppy's fault. And the fact that he might represent the destruction of the eternal soul doesn't diminish his adorableness one little bit.

(Via CNN)

RIP Scott Crossfield

If you grew up in an aviation family like I did, you read Chuck Yeager's biography at least twice, saw "The Right Stuff" as many times as you saw "Airplane," and you darn well know who Scott Crossfield was. He was a hot dog test pilot who played Mach-tag with Chuck Yeager for years. Yeager hit Mach 1, Crossfield hit Mach 2, Yeager hit Mach 2.1, and so on.

Scotty flew almost all of the experimental planes that were tested at Edwards AFB, including performing amazing things in the X-15, the first rocket-powered plane, which was particularly dangerous and unstable because it was pretty much full on, or full off.

He died alone in a single engine aircraft this week, a Cessna 210A, to be exact. RIP, Scotty.

Mars Orbiter - Death By Metrics

Lockheed Martin used meters and kilograms, and the NASA team used feet and pounds.

Result: $125 million spacecraft hit the planet and blew apart.

Dudes:
1 pound of force = 0.225 newtons
4.448 pounds of force= 1 newton

Seed

There's a new science magazine on the racks. Seed. Their tagline is "Seed: Science is Culture." I haven't had a chance to look at a copy yet. Anyone read it?

"SEED defines the science of contemporary urban
culture," writes founder and editor Adam Bly in his first editor's
note. In an interview from his office in Montreal, the young scientist
says his provocative first cover shows that science is sexy. It's not
only "for lab-coat wearing, frizzy-haired geeks. This is about showing
science as pop culture."

(Via CSM)

I, Nanobot

Alan H. Goldstein's concerns about the evolution of nanotech and its implications for the definition of life itself.

Scientists are on the verge of breaking the carbon barrier -- creating
artificial life and changing forever what it means to be human. And
we're not ready.

(Via Salon)

Wired's Top Ten Accidental Discoveries

Featuring many of my personal favorites: potato chips, Viagra, LSD, and penicillin. Yummy.