Arthur's Seat

A wonder in the jungle

Days after scientists in Laos discovered "...a friendly, furry creature about the size of a squirrel that waddles a bit like a duck", Mrs Seat wishes it to be known that her husband did return with her from holiday in the region.

The BBC reports that images have been obtained of a live Laotian rock rat, the animal science now believes to be the sole survivor of an ancient group of rodents.

Bird flu - dead bird was illegal immigrant

...is probably how the Mail would have it. The current theory is that the swan found at Cellardyke died somewhere else - perhaps on the Danish north sea coast and was then carried by the tides over to Scotland.

Keep eating your porridge.
ps Just in case you needed to know, the BBC has produced a handy recognition chart of the birds most likely to bring bird flu into the UK.

Gas from coal

At the bottom of the garden at Mr Seat's grandmother's house is a small brick building where her forbear, Archibald Cochrane, experimented with coal, producing gas to light his house in 1782. (Granny came from a long line of amateur inventors - her father is credited with making Oxo the way it is today...). Now, the ceo of Jet Blue is looking to coal gas to power his aircraft.

Another product of the Scottish enlightenment?

Yes, but will it do the ironing?

Microsoft unveils its latest gadget.

Ain't nature blooming luvverly..? 2

Proof, if proof were needed, that this planet is a remarkable place; and a slap in the face with a wet herring to the doomsayers out there.

Ain't nature blooming luvverly..?

A break from fatwas, feringhis and wilful fireraising.

An international team of scientists says it has found a "lost world" in the Indonesian jungle that is home to dozens of new animal and plant species.

A summary of the team's main discoveries:

• A new species of honeyeater, the first new bird species discovered on the island of New Guinea since 1939
• The formerly unknown breeding grounds of a "lost" bird of paradise - the six-wired bird of paradise (Parotia berlepschi)
• First photographs of the golden-fronted bowerbird displaying at its bower.
• A new large mammal for Indonesia, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus)
• More than 20 new species of frogs, including a tiny microhylid frog less than 14mm long
• A series of previously undescribed plant species, including five new species of palms
• A remarkable white-flowered rhododendron with flower about 15cm across
• Four new butterfly species

Meanwhile, out in space...

As the world gets all medieval, let us turn our eyes to heaven for science at its low-tech/high-tech best.

We could sit in a room all day and play with Lego

These terribly bright ladies are full of kind words about boys who play with lego - but surely the plural of lego is lego?

Can one man ever know too much?

The Pedant-General displays his knowledge of bird droppings. Not one for the squeamish. Further research material can be found here.

Splitting the atom

Behind all the guff, hypocrisy and bad science that dominates discussion on the issue of climate change lurk stories of real scientific and engineering interest.

This one seems to represent real progress, but undoubtedly will be attacked by the high priests of climate change as the stuff of multinational fantasy.

Perhaps the experts over at Knowledge Problem can cast their sceptical eye over the project and give us their view.