Last June, researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology published the results of an experiment that proved that light does not move faster than light —specifically, that single protons can’t move faster than the official speed of light under certain conditions. Today, Skulls in the Stars—the nom de Internet of a UNC Charlotte physics professor—has a really great blog post up about this paper . It’s very much worth a read

This is a such a fun project. Steve Hobley make a “ball whacker” that uses a simple circuit consisting of a 555 timer chip and a photoresitor to create a feedback loop. When a ball (or a plastic egg) suspended from a string blocks the light source from the photoresistor built into the arm, the circuit triggers the arm to hit the ball, which exposes the light on the photoresistor. When the ball swings back, it gets another whack

In one small win for Einstein, one giant win for mankind, scientists at the Niels Bohr Institute have proved his General Theory of Relativity on a cosmic scale through their research of large galaxy clusters. Accordingly, the clusters — which are the largest known gravity-bound objects — have such a strong pull that they should cause light to “redshift,” or proportionally increase in wavelength, shifting towards the red end of the visible spectrum. To test it, researchers measured beams from 8,000 clusters, revealing that they do indeed cause a change in light’s wavelength, supporting Einstein’s theory to a T. One good turn deserves another, right Albert

Comfort and ergonomics are very important when working a laptop. Ideally, it should be on a desk or table, but the WorkEZ Professional adjustable stand is made for those who are using the laptop on the bed, sofa, chair, floor, or small table. The aluminum stand can hold a load of 13 pounds. The secret of the WorkEZ Professional’s success is its adjustable joints, which are made to lock in place every 15 degrees.

In this video, a Danish comedian does a convulsively funny routine about the swimming rules posted by Norwegian beaches. The subtitles were done by someone whose English is a little imperfect, but combined with the translator’s footnotes and the comedian’s affect, it’s still pretty goddamned hilarious. ( via Making Light )