Spider silk spun by the rufous net-casting spider (Asianopis subrufa) can stretch up to 24 times its extruded length without breaking.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/silk-net-casting-spiders-prey-web
Remote
Ray N. Franklin 🇺🇸
@rnf@mindly.social
mastodon 4.5.18Author: Kid's science; Adult horror, SciFi, palindromes. Retired engineer/programmer, PHP/SQL fan. Colorado resident, 2nd-gen TX native (missing the wildly varied landforms). Generalist, liberal, gardener, bird watcher, dog lover, cat-tolerant, health nut, syncopated, eccentric to a fault. 0-7 toots/day.
Profile pic=selfie. Header=heart of Milky Way by NASA.
127 Followers
146 Following
23 Posts
Joined December 20, 2022
Author site:
Palindromes:
#ScribesAndMakers 7 May: When did you think of the idea for your current project? Do you remember how it came about?
Nine years ago, I critiqued a horror short story by a better writer than I. He thought my comments were so helpful, he suggested I try writing horror.
I thanked him, basked in his generosity for a while, and privately dismissed the idea at first. But it wouldn't let go of me. So I asked, what is most horrific? Being eaten, not necessarily alive.
Using that idea, I wrote the first chapter of my current WIP as a 3.5k-word short story for Pseudopod. The editor said I "hit all the right beats for horror (on several different levels)," and almost bought it, but passed because it was just too weird.
Now, it's a decent novel I'm editing per critique comments. Will it sell? My plan is to find out later this year.
@Binder@petrous.vislae.town
Cheer I learned in High School:
Secant, Tangent, Cosine, Sine!
Three point one four one five nine!
#ScribesAndMakers Jan 4
"And the face of Jess Viscosie
Turned a whiter shade of pale."
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harem.
The library ebook market has evolved into a complex mess that serves no one but the big five publishers. Some librarians are looking to a legislative fix.
The Internet Archive linked to the story above in their newsletter. You can subscribe here: https://empoweringlibraries.org/#getinvolved-module
One way authors could influence this unsustainable situation, is to offer their ebooks to libraries as a permanent purchase. A downloadable file, not a restrictive and expensive licensed lending agreement.
Quantum security keeps improving. Science News reports that scientists have used photon entanglement to demonstrate 'quantum position verification' for the first time.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/quantum-physics-location-security
It means an information recipient can know the actual location of the information sender. Thus, we may ultimately be able to dox all the spammers and scammers! 👹 🍄
United Citizens Defeating Citizens United!
Here is State Representative Kanani Souza, speaking in support of Hawai'i bill that bans corporations from spending money in the state to influence elections. This bill effectively overturns the Citizens United decision by the US Supreme Court. 14 states are preparing similar legislation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CApkYPUsJ1A
Starts at 1:44:18, ends at 1:50:14
In more videos, Velshi interviewed Representative Souza and Tom Moore, the architect of the legal principles on which the bills are founded.
#today 27 Jigsaw puzzle end game. Sky pieces sorted by shade and partially by shape. Chaotic water flowers sorted by shape and oriented with tall, spiky leaves vertical. No clear patterns remain. It's a search for one piece at a time.
Replying to
@c_dan4th
This is outstanding! Thanks for spreading the word. I used to use the 'Advanced Search' form, but never took the time to learn all the features. Now I know more that I ever guessed was possible.
ProWritingAid is sponsoring a writing contest called Novel Beginnings. Submit the first 5,000 words of your work in progress for a chance to win the $50,000 grand prize or one of the $5,000 shortlisted awards. Any unrepresented, unpublished fiction writers in any genre. If you have self-published you're still eligible. Read the rules for details. Entry costs $20. It's free if you have a paid ProWritingAid plan.
Entries close: 23:59 GMT on March 31st, 2026
The business world sees the US losing the AI energy race. We could probably catch up if we decided ALL forms of energy development are on the table.
Satellite view of one of the world's largest solar farms in China, west of the Longyang Gorge reservoir.
Lately, individual projects hold the record of largest for only a few years. Dubai, India, and China’s Ningxia are all in the marathon and pass the trophy amongst themselves. The US has fallen far behind these world leaders in renewable energy development.
Replying to
@Hagukh Fascinating close-up! The little green plates are amazing, and it appears they eventually turn into white-rimmed cups.
Asgard archaea might be the precursors to all eukaryotic life on Earth. And the proposed process is so simple, it suggests the galaxy is teeming with complex life! 🦠
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cells-origin-of-life-asgard-archaea
Replying to
@intransitivelie
"descended to the apron" is even more fraught.
Thanks for the story. Nice work!
I want fewer "mathy maths" (the gas-guzzlers formerly known as generative AI) and more predictive AI, please.
Point a predictive AI at scammers, spammers, and malware mobsters, and make them go poof!!
Replying to
@edwin@mastodon.me.uk @weaniejeanie53@mas.to
When you mentioned the edges, I noted that the paper is not square; top is wider than bottom. The text seems skewed relative to the page. It does look faked, and it remains quite funny!
Holographic Metasurface Nano-Lithography is today's new buzzword.
It describes a way to package and interconnect multiple IC (integrated circuit) chips in a single step. The optical mask projects a precision hologram into a hybrid metal-polymer liquid. The result is a custom selection of chips sintered into one circuit.
Watch Artemis II lift off in 10 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eMVaWoJtE0
And cue Major Tom,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMDbX1zksgI
Cartoon by Amy Hwang, a prolific New Yorker cartoonist. From my photo of a New Yorker promotional post card.
https://www.amyhwang.com/
She also appears in the 'Women Laughing' documentary.
https://www.womenlaughingfilm.com/screenings
Replying to
@Blueteamsherpa
Loved the oxford comma, malapropism and dyslexic.
"Nobody wants you casting your nasturtiums around here..." Garrison Keillor.
Vampire Weekend's "Oxford Comma" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_i1xk07o4g
Canada's boreal forests are burning bigger than ever. And, yes, the reason is climate change. The article is worth viewing just for the animated image of swirling smoke from the arc of active fires during 1 week. It's also loaded with scientific facts that refute Trump's blaming of Canada. Image by NASA Scientific Visualization Studio.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/what-blame-canada-wildfires-toxic-smoke
Good news for women:
NIST researcher is working on a pain-free mammogram technology.
https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/my-research-working-toward-pain-free-mammogram-alternative