Scientists have found that humans subconsciously time their blinks so not to miss useful information.  Dr Tamami Nakano, of Tokyo University:

We seem to be unconsciously searching for a good timing for a blink to minimize the chance of losing critical information during the blink.

In related news, scientists think they’ve figured out why humans swing their arms.  Steven Collins, of Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands:

This puts to rest the theory that arm swinging is a vestigial relic from our quadrupedal ancestors.

Now, we just need to tackle that pesky “Why do we yawn?” thing.

The dye used in M&M’s has been found to be helpful to patients suffering from spinal injuries.

CNN:

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that when they injected the compound Brilliant Blue G (BBG) into rats suffering spinal cord injuries, the rodents were able to walk again, albeit with a limp.

The only side effect was that the treated mice temporarily turned blue.

I was never happy with blue M&M’s since that color really can’t be found in nature, but this news makes it OK to tolerate them.  Any ongoing studies on the green ones?

The Manhattan Airport Foundation seeks to replace Central Park with an airport.

Davenport, Iowa has an airport. Tallahassee has one. And so does Lexington, Kentucky. But New York City doesn’t. Amazingly, there is still a large, undeveloped and underutilized site in the center of New York City. In fact, this site has remained undeveloped for so long that many of us forget it even exists.  It’s called Central Park.

They’re tearing down Yankee Stadium, why shouldn’t Central Park be next?

A previously unknown image of Phineas Gage has been found.  Gage, in 1848, was working as a construction foreman when a freak accident sent an iron rod clear through his head.  He survived for 11 years, but had major personality changes.  It’s the stuff of textbooks.

Thomas H. Maugh II writes for the LA Times:

The daguerreotype has been in the possession of Jack and Beverly Wilgus for 30 years, although they do not know its origin. They thought it was an image of a whaler holding his harpoon, but whaling experts viewing it online told them it was not. Then an anonymous tipster suggested it was Gage.

‘The Big Picture’ marks the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 with some great photos.

Is it me or does the assistant in #6 look really bored?

Martin Wilson shoots film in sequence so that when contact sheets are made, art appears.

My favorite is Look Both Ways.

Sears starts Christmas sales in July.

July?  I was a month off.

Since I finally got around to seeing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I’ve been able to scour the web for reviews, critiques, etc.  Topless Robot’s FAQ sums up the movie better than most, and if you haven’t seen the movie and plan on it, be careful following the link (there be spoilers).

Some gems included are:

And why couldn’t an Autobot translate these symbols?
Because Bumblebee is mute and the Racist Twins are poor black robots from the slums of Cybertron who never learned how to read. It’s a sad commentary on Cybertronian society. Like The Wire, actually.

and

Can you explain Megan Fox’s appeal?
Yes. She looks like a porn star and has the same acting talent as one, yet for some reason she makes mainstream movies. This tonal disconnect is what’s so appealing about her.

Breeding turtles shut down JFK runway for 90 minutes

That’s a new one.  Usually the delay is some bullshit like weather, or my favorite: “there’s no empty gate at our destination”.

The city of Boston has developed an iPhone app that allows users to send in complaints about potholes, trash issues, etc., and will use GPS positioning (if available) to pinpoint the location and allow users to send photos of the nuisances.  How cool.

Excellent use of technology, and a statement on how the iPhone, as a platform, is kicking people’s imaginations into high gear.  The ability to make the same application for other platforms is a few years old, but it took the “sexiness” of the iPhone to make it happen.