Archive for April, 2009

Mario 3 Cross Stitch

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Blink190 has just finished World 8…

world8crossstitch

and started work on World 2…

world-2

not even a warp whistle can manage that…

(Via Sprite Stitch)

HIV Vaccine

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

There’s an amazing paper that’s just been published on PLoS biology…

Basically, they studied the genes of Old world monkeys which had been found to be resistant to HIV infection, the resistance is caused by the recently identified theta-defensins (cyclic peptides which prevent viruses entering cells).

They then found theta-defensin genes (89.4% intact!) in human ‘junk’ DNA (genes which over our evolution have become inactive due to a ‘nonsense’ mutation).

Astonishingly, they were able to reactivate the gene using aminoglycosides to ignore the nonsense mutation, and produced functional peptides which are active against HIV (in vitro).

Not only is this a great step towards HIV protection but the techniques could unlock all manner of genetic fuctions that we are currently unaware of.

95% of our DNA is inactive ‘junk’ DNA- that’s a lot of potential.
Perhaps we’ll finally be getting that race of super mutants that sci-fi has so thoroughly prepared us for…

Zanis Waldheim

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

I thought I’d give this up and coming geometric abstract artist his big break…

zanis-2

I think it’s due, he was born in 1909…

Head in the Clouds?

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Check out Worth1000s current photoshop contest which is all about clouds… if you want, it’s optional. You know what, forget it, you had your chance.

clouds

Awesome NES concept mouse

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

nes_mouse

It’s just a concept right now but if Nintendo have any sense (and they do), we’ll be seeing some Nes style peripherals in the near future…

(Via Technabob)

This Is Not By Masao…

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

thomas_zelda

…although the artist Retoruto certainly shares Masao’s love for bizarre mash-ups, vintage gaming and, er, Thomas the Tank Engine.

Check out his gallery for more.

Beautiful Radioactive Ghosts

Friday, April 24th, 2009

han3

Beautiful Radioactive Ghosts

Friday, April 17th, 2009

weird1

Lego News

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

”What has occured in the world of Lego?” roared the maniacal hoards..

Peter Reid has made this post apocalyptic wasteland…
which isn’t weird,
lego-apoc

A church in Sweden made a big lego Jesus for Easter…
which isn’t weird,
swedish-church-unveils-lego
(Via Gear)

and this middle aged man has made himself a lego Boba Fett costume, which definitely isn’t weird.

boba_fett_2

That is all.

Some New Words

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Cracked has a nice article, featuring coined phrases from overseas…
which includes… Esprit d’escalier,

(The wit of the staircase)

When you think of the perfect verbal comeback… much too late.

(Via Geeklikeme)