Bees Can Fly

In another significant blow to Intelligent Design, CalTech rehearchers have found that it is physically possible for bees to fly. I'm glad they've got this sorted out. IDologues will say silly things, such as "We don't even know how bees fly" in a pathetic attempt to undermine the authority of science.

"Well, we haven't ever sat down to figure out how bees fly, but you know what - fine. If it's really that important to you, we'll figure out how bees fly. Jackasses."

The new knowledge could be useful for future aircraft design, as well as in understanding the behavior of other bee-like creatures.

Yahoo story here.

"The Root of All Evil?"

Richard Dawkins has a new two-part television series out: The Root of All Evil? It is billed as a challenge to contemporary religious belief systems, examining religion's destructive force in the modern world.

The first episode - "The God Delusion" - aired last night at 8:00pm GMT on BBC 4, which I am downloading [via bittorrent] as I type this. You can find the torrent file here (don't worry about what the tracker says, I picked up 28 seeds and 52 peers). The next and final segment airs Monday the 16th, same time and channel.

On a barely related note - the hermit crabs arrived today from Iowa! Yay!!! I welcome these stalwart nomads to our California life of light and warmth.

Very Sad News

Last night, a friend of mine died. He was in the care of another friend, and she did everything possible for him over the last several months.

Since early in July, Darwin - the perfect little Siberian Dwarf Hamster - had been dealing with what was apparently an incurable genital hernia, and a consistent series of infections throughout his body which it seemed to spur. Amanda - the human friend, and the actual incarnation of Dr. Doolittle if there ever was one - had been taking care of him in Iowa since the end of May.

After the hernia occurred (its cause is still a mystery) she stayed up with him all night on occasion administering antibiotics and even hydration injections, when he was too sick to even drink or move. He had been at the brink of death several times since the onset of the hernia, and every time, Amanda brought him back from it. He would soon again be curious as ever, exploring the room, forraging for his food, rummaging around his large cage underneath his bedding.

I met Darwin at PetSmart in Jacksonville, FL as I was on my way to purchase some hermit crab food. (The hermit crabs are also staying with Amanda for the time being.) He ran up to the side of the glass enclosure, and standing on his hind legs, excitedly said, "Hello!!" From that point forward, he was endlessly entertaining, novel and sweet. He was far and away the most inquisitive and fun hamster of the bunch, or of any bunch I'd ever seen, so I got a three-story house for him and his curiosity. He refused to use the hamster ball, insisting on being the little explorer out in the open. For these reasons, I named him "Darwin."

You can find a post with pictures of Darwin on the sidebar.

Amanda, thank you for taking such attentive care of him the last few months. You'd not only repeatedly quickened him from death's door, but made him happy and comfortable in what, for a hamster in anyone else's care, would have been very painful and immediately terminal times. Although he was my best friend and roommate, you were truly the best friend he ever had, and did more for him than I or anyone else ever could have. You provided absolutely unconditional care for him. I wish I could be there with you and Darwin to say goodbye. I'm so sorry that I can't be, and that you have to bury him, and dismantle the cage...

This is so sad...