Dark Galaxy, Nature Nukes & Ancient Bacteria

February 25, 2005 9:37 AM

First starless, “dark galaxy” discovered.
Natural nuclear reactor found in Gabon.
NASA scientists revive 32,000 year-old bacterium.
Gin.
posted by mcgraw (21 comments total)

The future is frikin' awesome!
posted by Capn at 9:53 AM on February 25, 2005

Free word association?
Double post?
Context?
Ham sandwich?
posted by nyterrant at 9:55 AM on February 25, 2005

Free word association possibly NSFW
posted by nyterrant at 9:56 AM on February 25, 2005

In other news: The Dolphins Are Gone.
posted by spock at 9:59 AM on February 25, 2005

So long, and thanks for all the fish?
posted by icey at 10:01 AM on February 25, 2005

Gin??!!

Nope. Awwww, I thought that five was a diamond, not a heart.
posted by mcgraw at 10:20 AM on February 25, 2005

chain (11 words): dwarves, hat, beanie, jam, traffic, soup, sick, rat, ugly, cat, pet
posted by svidrigailov23 at 10:21 AM on February 25, 2005

I rise in support of the mcgraw. Viva la science updates!
posted by moonbird at 10:29 AM on February 25, 2005

Natural nuclear reactor found in Gabon 30 years ago.
posted by edd at 10:36 AM on February 25, 2005

Gin

mcgraw is God, checking to see how smart we are.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:45 AM on February 25, 2005

*squeezes Aunt Bea*
posted by mcgraw at 10:47 AM on February 25, 2005

mcgraw:

you are truly my muse.
posted by exlotuseater at 10:55 AM on February 25, 2005

But too much can create marine "dead zones" as the photosynthesising plants draw all the oxygen from the waters, which can suffocate other sea creatures.

I'm sure NewScientist knows what they're talking about, but don't photosynthesising plants produce oxygen, not draw it?
posted by ewagoner at 12:11 PM on February 25, 2005

Nice post. And every single article in my opinion is an example of the beginning of our end! The dark galaxy shows that we probably have more matter than calculated and that means Omega is actually greater then 1, so someday we will all smash into each other like a reverse big bang. THEN you add the natural nuclear reactor, and well that just sounds dangerous. And speaking of dangerous, how about bringing back to life ancient bacteria! Then, with all this phylo sea creatures sucking up the oxygen in the ocean, all sea life will die, and surely we all will suffer as an eventual result. Awesome doomy post! Thank you!
posted by blackankh at 12:18 PM on February 25, 2005

The word mcgraw is looking for is "Boink." Scientific progress goes "Boink" not "Gin."
posted by The Bellman at 12:21 PM on February 25, 2005

Good show, good show.
posted by Quartermass at 1:00 PM on February 25, 2005

Natural nuclear reactor found in Gabon--Wow, not like we heard about that
only nine days ago or nothin'.
posted by y2karl at 1:23 PM on February 25, 2005

Yes, y2. Yep.
posted by mcgraw at 1:38 PM on February 25, 2005

Well, had #2 been, say, Titanic methane rainbows, it would have been an unredundant, double post free apparently random asociation. If, on the other hand, there's a method to the madness involved, it's always prudent to check to see if any link has been previously posted and always polite to give props to the previous poster.
posted by y2karl at 2:45 PM on February 25, 2005

ewagoner: don't photosynthesising plants produce oxygen, not draw it?

I was curious about that too. Apparently:

"Like many other plants, phytoplankton take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the day and convert it into oxygen. At night, they do just the opposite, using up oxygen in the water to produce carbon dioxide during respiration."

"during the night, heavy plankton blooms consume large amounts of dissolved oxygen and may cause oxygen depletion before the next morning."
posted by Bort at 4:27 PM on February 25, 2005

I don't understand this post at all.

At all.

Sorry, but I had to say that.
posted by dfowler at 6:37 AM on March 23, 2005