DoE with Drinking

Today I learned people work on statistical experiment design by mixing alcohol. Its a journal paper on mixing DoE.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2685100?seq=1

Polaroid Film

Today I learned how Polaroid film works. I mean the actual chemical reactions (at least on a basic level) and how 14 layers were required and activated by a strong base in the bottom white part that was squeezed onto the film when the film was ejected and how the die diffused up to the surface selectively! So cool!  Also the fact that this process took 14 years to develop - something that would never be funded in industry today.

Define: Polysemy

Today I learned the word polysemy: the coexistence of many possible meanings for a word or phrase, or as described in this talk (http://www.ted.com/talks/erin_mckean_redefines_the_dictionary.html) "the greedy habit some words have of taking more than one meaning for themselves".

Where we live

Today I learned that Ken Jennings (Jeopardy star, I hope you all already knew that) has an obsession with maps, and that in his quest to learn more about geography/maps/map quirks, he discovered an old official map of Michigan where the illustrator added imaginary cities "Goblu" and "Beatosu" in northern Ohio. It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine.

Hips don't lie

Today I learned that backwards "cuban motion" in ballroom dancing is similar to moon-walking, and that I'm really bad at it. asian ≠ latina

Double-Double Rainbow!

Today I learned that quadruple rainbows exist! Even though I don't quite understand... I think the extra ones are behind you when you see the double rainbow?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/pictures/111007-first-quadruple-rainbow-triple-science-optics/#/triple-quadruple-rainbows-spotted-four-field_41572_600x450.jpg

Being old has its advantages?

Today I learned that when you're a grad student, there are such things as "free wine tastings" on campus grounds ... I feel a little old, but who can say no to free booze?