Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Smart People Do More Drugs--Because of Evolution

Evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa has this theory, which he calls the Savanna-IQ Interaction Hypothesis. Here's how it goes: intelligence evolved as a way to deal with "evolutionary novelties"--to help humans respond to things in their environment to which they were, as a species, unaccustomed. Thus, smart people are more likely to deal with new things and try them. Those new things seem to include drugs.

Why? Because, as Kanazawa explains, while "the use of opium dates back to about 5,000 years ago ... Other psychoactive drugs are 'chemical' (pharmacological, 17 ); they require modern chemistry to manufacture." Psychoactive drugs, therefore, are evolutionarily pretty new to humans. Which means that smart people, according to the theory, will be more likely to take psychoactive drugs. That's true even if the drugs are bad for them: "[the Hypothesis] does not predict that more intelligent individuals are more likely to engage in healthy and beneficial behavior, only that they are more likely to engage in evolutionarily novel behavior."

Kanazawa even finds a study with support:
Consistent with the prediction of the Hypothesis, the analysis of the National Child Development Study shows that more intelligent children in the United Kingdom are more likely to grow up to consume psychoactive drugs than less intelligent children. ... "Very bright" individuals (with IQs above 125) are roughly three-tenths of a standard deviation more likely to consume psychoactive drugs than "very dull" individuals (with IQs below 75).
If that pattern holds across societies, then it runs directly counter to a lot of our preconceived notions about both intelligence and drug use:
People--scientists and civilians alike--often associate intelligence with positive life outcomes. The fact that more intelligent individuals are more likely to consume alcohol, tobacco, and psychoactive drugs tampers this universally positive view of intelligence and intelligent individuals. Intelligent people don't always do the right thing, only the evolutionarily novel thing.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Rumor Sweeping World's Science Community that CERN's LHC has Detected the Higgs Boson

An article I found concerning the LHC, I thought it was pretty cool.
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A rumor has gone viral in the physics community that the world's largest atom smasher may have detected a long-sought subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, also known as the "God particle," based on an anonymous commentor posted an abstract of a leaked note on Columbia University physicist, Peter Woit's blog, Not Even Wrong.

The controversial rumor is based on what appears to be a leaked internal note from physicists at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a 17-mile-long particle accelerator near Geneva, Switzerland. It's not certain at this point if the memo is authentic, or what the data it refers to might mean — but the note has sent the physics community into full buzz mode.
Some physicists say the note may be a hoax, while others believe the "detection" is likely a statistical anomaly that will disappear upon further study. But the find would be one the century's great achievements, if it turns out to be valid.

Here's the note in full as it appeared on Woit's blog, Not Even Wrong:

Internal Note

Report number ATL-COM-PHYS-2011-415
Title Observation of a γγ resonance at a mass in the vicinity of 115 GeV/c2 at ATLAS and its Higgs interpretation
Author(s) Fang, Y (-) ; Flores Castillo, L R (-) ; Wang, H (-) ; Wu, S L (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Imprint 21 Apr 2011. – mult. p.
Subject category Detectors and Experimental Techniques
Accelerator/Facility, Experiment CERN LHC ; ATLAS
Free keywords Diphoton ; Resonance ; EWEAK ; HIGGS ; SUSY ; EXOTICS ; EGAMMA
Abstract Motivated by the result of the Higgs boson candidates at LEP with a mass of about 115~GeV/c2, the observation given in ATLAS note ATL-COM-PHYS-2010-935 (November 18, 2010) and the publication “Production of isolated Higgs particle at the Large Hadron Collider Physics” (Letters B 683 2010 354-357), we studied the γγ invariant mass distribution over the range of 80 to 150 GeV/c2. With 37.5~pb−1 data from 2010 and 26.0~pb−1 from 2011, we observe a γγ resonance around 115~GeV/c2 with a significance of 4σ. The event rate for this resonance is about thirty times larger than the expectation from Higgs to γγ in the standard model. This channel H→γγ is of great importance because the presence of new heavy particles can enhance strongly both the Higgs production cross section and the decay branching ratio. This large enhancement over the standard model rate implies that the present result is the first definitive observation of physics beyond the standard model. Exciting new physics, including new particles, may be expected to be found in the very near future.

Researchers on the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, reported in January that they have seen hints of what may be the hot, dense state of matter thought to have filled the universe in its first nanoseconds of existence. The CMS detector has captured a signal thought to represent this quark-gluon plasma. Quarks are generally trapped in groups of two or three by the gluons that bind them, but in the moments after the big bang, the universe was so hot that they could escape, becoming a fluid of free quarks and gluons.

Whether this really is a quark-gluon plasma is still unknown, but the CMS team hopes to find an answer shortly. "What is happening may be fully understood in the next few months or year," says CMS spokesman Guido Tonelli.

"We're within a billionth of a second of the Big Bang," CERN spokesman James Gillies told AFP back in March, 2010. The new stage, dubbed "First Physics", marks only the beginning of an initial 18- to 24-month series of billions of such collisions.

The LHC, which is located in a tunnel under the Franco-Swiss border, ground to halt with a major breakdown within days of its launch in 2008. But the huge scientific experiment then passed several groundbreaking milestones since it was restarted from repairs last November.

Scientists around the world will sift through and process the data on a giant computer network, searching for evidence of a theorised missing link called the Higgs Boson, commonly called the "God Particle".

"In this kind of physics, what's important in order to observe new phenomena is to collect statistics," said CERN scientist Despiona Hatzifotiadu. "It will give us a clue of how we were created in the beginning," she added. The experiment also aims to shed light on "dark matter" and subsequently "dark energy", invisible matter or forces that are thought to account together for some 96 percent of the cosmos.

At this stage the LHC is still running on only partial power. It is designed to run collisions at twice the current energy -- 14 TeV, equivalent to 99.99 percent of the speed of light.

CERN is aiming to cross that threshold with the giant, cryogenically-cooled machine after 2011.

At full power the detectors in cathedral sized chambers should capture some 600 million collisions every second among trillions of protons racing around the LHC 11,245 times a second.

CERN researchers plan to keep the LHC running until the end of 2012, rather than 2011 as previously scheduled. The 27-kilometre collider at the particle-physics laboratory CERN near Geneva, Switzerland, had endured delays and a crippling breakdown before finally surging to life late in 2009, and physicists say it is now performing above expectations.

Predictions of mini black holes forming at collision energies of a few teraelectronvolts (TeV) were based on theories that consider the gravitational effects of extra dimensions of space. Although the holes were expected to evaporate quickly, some suggested that they might linger long enough to consume the planet. But scientists at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector now say they found no signs of mini black holes at energies of 3.5–4.5 TeV. Physicist Guido Tonelli, the detector's spokesperson, says that by the end of the next run, the LHC should be able to exclude the creation of black holes almost entirely.

The possible creation of tiny, particle-sized black holes would be more exciting than the discovery of Higgs Boson, who's function is giving mass to the particles of matter. Real data from these experiments will rewrite the theorists' Guide to the Quantum Universe.

According to current physics these nano black holes could not be created at the energy levels the LHC is capable of producing. They could only be created if a parallel universe actually exists, providing the extra gravitation needed to generate the nano black holes.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Best Workout Songs

This is just a compiled list of good workout songs for different genre's. Enjoy!
Suggestions go in the comments! (Obviously song name first, followed by artist)

Rock Workout Songs

All along the watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Black betty - Ran Jam
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Break on Through  -The Doors
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Epic - Faith no More
Fire Woman - Cult
Hey joe - Jimi Hendrix
Hurt so Good - John Cougar Mellencamp
In Bloom - Nirvana
Jack and Dianne - John Cougar Mellancamp
Little Green Bag - George Baker Sellection
Low Rider - War
Paint it Black - Rolling Stones
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
Woman - Wolfmother


Metal and Harder Rock Workout Songs


Amerika - Rammstein
And Justice for All - Metallica
Back in Black - ACDC
Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit
Clown - Korn
Chop Suey - System of a Down
Cowboys from Hell - Pantera
Dragula - Rob Zombie
Freak on a Leash - Korn
Hells Bells - ACDC
Iron Man - Black Sabbath
Last Resort - Papa Roach
Orgasmatron - Sepultura
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
Psycho - System of a Down
Rollin - System of a Down
Stinkfist - Tool
Some Kind of Monster - Metallica
The Wicker Man - Iron Maiden
Two Minutes to Midnight - Iron Maiden
T.N.T. - ACDC
Walk - Pantera


Dance & Electronic Workout Songs

Around the World - Daft Punk
Better off Alone - Alice Deejay
Black Tarantula  - Pendulum
Blue - Eiffel 65
Blue Monday - New Order
Born Slippy - Underworld
Call on Me - Eric Prydz
Firestarter - Prodigy
Freestyler - Bomfunk MC’s
Harder Better Faster Stronger - Daft Punk
Hey Boy Hey Girl - Chemical Brothers
I see you Baby - Groove Armada
Nasty Girl - Inaya Day
Played-A-Live - Safri Duo
Push the Feeling On - Nightcrawlers
Right Here Right Now - Fatboy Slim
Sandstorm - Darude
Smack my Bitch Up - Prodigy
Superstylin - Groove Armada
Till I Come (9PM) - ATB
The Creeps - Camille vs Fed le Grand
Uprockin beats - Bomfunk MCs
You’re not Alone - Olive
Zombie Nation - Kernkraft


RnB / Rap / Hiphop Workout Songs

Bump-Spank Rock
Bring the Noise-Public Enemy
California Love-2 Pac and Dr Dre
Dare-Gorillaz
Get Low-Lil Jon and the Eastside B
Get Ure Freak On-Missy Elliot
Gold Digger-Kayne West
Hit em Up-2 Pac
In Da Club-50 Cent
Let me Clear my Throat-DJ Kool
Lose Yourself-Eminem
Pain is Love-Ja Rule
Party up in Here-DMX
Pump It-Black Eyed peas
Push it-Salt N Pepa
Maneater-Nelly Furtado
Work It-Missy Elliot
My Humps-Black Eyed Peas
Numb Encore-Jay Z Linken Park
Real Slim Shady-Eminem
Stronger-Kayne West
Temperature-Sean Paul
Work it Out-Jurassic 5 and D Mathews
When the s**t goes Down-Cypress Hill
You can do it-Ice Cube



Popular Workout Songs


Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley
Crazy in Love - Beyonce
Gotta Get Through This - Daniel Bedingfield
Final Countdown - Europe
Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5
Jump - Van Halen
Like a Prayer - Madonna
Give it to Me - Timbaland
Gonna Make You Sweat - C&C Music Factory
Mickey - Toni Basil
Naked Eye - Luscious Jackson
Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake
Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
Rendez Vu - Basement Jaxx
Sexyback - Justin Timberlake
Survivor - Destiny’s Child
Times Like These - Foo Fighters
U Can’t Touch This - MC Hammer
Under Pressure - David Bowie / Queen
You Sexy MF - Prince


Alternative / Indie Workout Songs

Aerials - System of a Down
7 Nation Army - White Stripes
American Idiot - Greenday
Closer - Nine Inch Nails
Creep - Radiohead
Du Hast - Rammstein
Go with the Flow - Queens of the Stone Age
Holiday - Greenday
I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
Jane Fonda - Mickey Avalon
Jeremy - Pearl Jam
Laid - James
Mammoth - Interpol
Meatplow - Stone Temple Pilots
More Human than Human - White Zombie
No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age
Perfect Drug - Nine Inch Nails
Ricochet - Faith No More
Sober - Tool
The Distance - Cake
Voodoo People - Prodigy
Wake Up - Rage against the Machine
You Only Live Once - The Strokes

HOW TO STAY AWAKE IN MEETINGS:

Do you keep falling asleep in meetings and seminars? What about those long
and boring conference calls? Here's a way to change all of that.

1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call,prepare
yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5"x 5" is a good size. Divide the
card into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.

2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block:
* synergy
* strategic fit
* core competencies
* best practice
* bottom line
* revisit
* expeditious
* to tell you the truth (or "the truth is")
* 24/7
* out of the loop
* benchmark
* value-added
* proactive
* win-win
* think outside the box
* fast track
* result-driven


* empower (or empowerment)
* knowledge base
* at the end of the day
* touch base
* mindset
* client focus(ed)
* paradigm
* game plan
* leverage


3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.

4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand
up and shout "BULLSHIT!"

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Marijuana Soda

One Colorado soda company has developed a line of sodas that have an unusual ingredient: marijuana. Dixie Elixirs has made their drinks available to anyone with a prescription for medical marijuana.

The drinks come in eight different flavors, including pink lemonade, root beer and grape. But if the company really wants to get their drinks into the hands of marijuana lovers, they may want to start working on pizza and nachos flavors.

It's an open secret that you can smoke marijuana and still be a valuable part of society. But when you think of smoking weed, you're more likely to think of Cheech and Chong than the people running the United States government. (Even though at least two U.S. presidents have admitted smoking it.)

The drink makers say part of the reason they developed their line of mary-jane drinks was to remove that "reefer madness" stigma associated with marijuana smokers.

If California voters decide to make recreational marijuana legal this November, you may start seeing these organic sodas (the drink makers really know their audience) in grocery stores and liquor stores right next to the stuff from Pepsi and Coke.

But if Coca-Cola's history is any sign of what the company might do next, they could return to the heady days of putting mind-altering substances in their sodas.

At a time of sagging soda sales, drink makers are looking for a way to boost sales, and marijuana might be the answer. Medical marijuana has already proven an effective way at boosting newspaper sales, of all things. The New York Times reports that medical marijuana ads in small Colorado newspapers boost revenues enough for it to increase the size of its staff.