Gravitas - Supercomputer generated simulations of intergalactic interactions. Looks like it could be quite a ride.

Halo/Metroid Movie Mashup more inside

Nope, that's not a typo. From the Elder Days through assorted other ages Tolkien's work, brought to life (or undeath, not trying to be vitalist) as Sims.

Here we go ....a smoke crescent hangs over eastern Victoria. This may be the worst weekend ever. more inside

Bactrian gold. Feared lost when the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the 21,000 pieces were discovered safe inside a vault of the Afghanistan bank protected by a key fragment purposefully broken off in the lock. A sample of the collection is currently on display in Paris.

How to write good sex scenes. As counterpoint to Wendell's post, via this thread on Making Light, is this series on good sex scene writing. more inside

Pencil collectors society (One of, American)

The Top 20; a celebration of the first five years of the Very Large Telescope. more inside

The Mt Wilson 100 inch primary stripped of its reflective coating. Poured in sections, bubbles of air were trapped in swirls and waves, many very close to the polished surface. Edwin Hubble used this telescope to show that our galaxy was not the whole universe.

Hypothermia Hyperthermia Levels of Consciousness and Slush! more inside

The Defence of Duffers Drift "Now if they had given me a job,...like fighting the Battle of Waterloo, I knew all about that, as I had crammed it up..."

UK university lecturers to be asked to keep eyes open for angry radical students. more inside

Life at Low Reynolds Number "Some essential hand waving could not be reproduced." more inside

Afghanistan, marijuana and white phosphorous. O_O

In 1954 an article looking at the health of UK doctors was published. Richard Doll was one of the authors. It was to become a landmark, with regular follow ups over the next 50 years, and Richard Doll was on the author list to the end. more inside

"You know, I think I'd like to see a hippo on one of those." And one hundred and forty four pieces of individually painted Royal Copenhagen porcelain later, he can. more inside

The battle of Long Tan. On August 18th 1966 at 3:40 in the afternoon 11th Platoon, D Company, while patrolling in the rubber plantations around Nui Dat, encountered six Viet Cong who then fled east. more inside

It's back. One of three thoroughly smashed earlier this year by a museum regular who was subsequently banned indefinitely for his Norman Wisdom moment has been repaired and is back on display. more inside

Composed in 1963 by the late Mr Sydney Carter the Lord of the Dance was based on a Quaker song Simple Gifts more inside

The Head of Vecna more inside