It's time for your semi-regular does of music reviews though a tenuous scientific lens.
Science?"If I had eyes", sings Jack Johnson, "then I would be living on the surface", for you see young Jack is a blind cave fish.
The review bit: Yawn
Showing posts with label science singles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science singles. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Science Singles: Late feb 2008
There has been muttering that my choices for these reviews have been too obscure. So in order to rectify this, I'm now picking reviews from the home of all that's popular, youth and hip: the BBC Radio 1 playlist, and the A-List at that. You have been warned
What's It Gonna Be by H Two O Feat. Platinum
Science? H2O will lead to the oxidation of many metals. Leave an iron bolt out in the rain for long enough and it will become encrusted with rust as negative hydroxide ions react with the positive Iron ions ( Fe2+) to form the iron oxides that make up rust. Platinum however won't oxidise with water and so doesn't easily corrode, a property which gives platinum it's high value.
For a two-step speed garage crew, H Two O is a pretty good name. However, I wouldn't collaborate with a group called Platinum. H Two O and Platinum don't react. I'd want my speed garage hits to be under a moniker that sounds vibrant and exciting. H Two O Featuring Iron is a bit better, but evocative of rust, corrosion and death. What you want is H Two O featuring some exciting alkali metal. Like Caesium. Yeah, H Two O featuring Caesium, that' be skill.
Science? I'm a scientist. In about 10 minutes it'll be "after hours" in my lab. I won't be here though. I'll be in the pub. We Are Scientists are not scientists though, which is a shame. More rock stars should be scientists. I bet Brain Cox would never sing "Time means nothing".
Is it any good? This the acceptable face of safe and slightly dull US indie rock and roll. Take notes The Killers, you could learn a thing or two.
What's It Gonna Be by H Two O Feat. Platinum
Science? H2O will lead to the oxidation of many metals. Leave an iron bolt out in the rain for long enough and it will become encrusted with rust as negative hydroxide ions react with the positive Iron ions ( Fe2+) to form the iron oxides that make up rust. Platinum however won't oxidise with water and so doesn't easily corrode, a property which gives platinum it's high value.
For a two-step speed garage crew, H Two O is a pretty good name. However, I wouldn't collaborate with a group called Platinum. H Two O and Platinum don't react. I'd want my speed garage hits to be under a moniker that sounds vibrant and exciting. H Two O Featuring Iron is a bit better, but evocative of rust, corrosion and death. What you want is H Two O featuring some exciting alkali metal. Like Caesium. Yeah, H Two O featuring Caesium, that' be skill.
Is it any good? Oh no. Please no. Is this what gets played on day time radio 1? I thought speed garage died with DJ Luck and MC Neat. What happened? No one sent me the memo.
Next!
We Are Scientists with After Hours
Science? I'm a scientist. In about 10 minutes it'll be "after hours" in my lab. I won't be here though. I'll be in the pub. We Are Scientists are not scientists though, which is a shame. More rock stars should be scientists. I bet Brain Cox would never sing "Time means nothing".
Is it any good? This the acceptable face of safe and slightly dull US indie rock and roll. Take notes The Killers, you could learn a thing or two.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Science Singles: Back once again
Yep, it's back .
Let's see what sciencey pop songs I've missed while I was stuck in a hole writing up.
Kaiser Chiefs - "Love's Not A Competition (but I'm winning)"
Science?: If one takes the rather unromantic and reductionist view that the concept of romantic love is nothing but the complex manifestation of basic mating urges combined with a strong pair bonding instinct, then love is indeed a competition. Many animals compete to win a mate, or to win valuable access to favourable mating grounds. From stag beetles to elephant seals, they're all at it. Zoologists consider the successful males those that have their share of successful copulations with fecund females, resulting in the birth of progeny. Is Ricky Kaiser Chiefs winning? Wikipedia no mention of Ricky Wilson having successfully copulated with a fecund females resulting the birth of progeny. Therefore, this hard boiled Darwinian blog considers him not a winner, but a loser.
Let's see what sciencey pop songs I've missed while I was stuck in a hole writing up.
Kaiser Chiefs - "Love's Not A Competition (but I'm winning)"
Science?: If one takes the rather unromantic and reductionist view that the concept of romantic love is nothing but the complex manifestation of basic mating urges combined with a strong pair bonding instinct, then love is indeed a competition. Many animals compete to win a mate, or to win valuable access to favourable mating grounds. From stag beetles to elephant seals, they're all at it. Zoologists consider the successful males those that have their share of successful copulations with fecund females, resulting in the birth of progeny. Is Ricky Kaiser Chiefs winning? Wikipedia no mention of Ricky Wilson having successfully copulated with a fecund females resulting the birth of progeny. Therefore, this hard boiled Darwinian blog considers him not a winner, but a loser.
What's it like?: When I first heard this I was convinced it was a cover of some 80s tune by Duran Duran or some such (apparently it's not). That should act as all the review you need.
Pendulum - "Granite"
Science?: Pendulums are part of a bit of science known as "Physics". This type of science, considered by many to be a dark art practised by black hearted necromancers, is so obtuse and arcane that no mortal can understand its ways without first going mad. The diagram below showing the key components of a pendulum clearly demonstrates this, as each elements sounds as if it belongs in a piece of gritty social realism theatre about life in a 1960s prison rather than a weight swinging about on a piece of string.
What's it like?: Granite is a common type of igneous rock, and this tune most certainly does (rock that is, not igneous. This tune igneouses would make no sense). It manages to achieve sounding great, whilst simultaneously sounding like a late 1990s dance remix of a slightly gothic metal song. Quite how this is done without sounding shite is a mystery only bettered by that of physics. Also there are X-Files-esque aliens in the video, which earns extra geek points and make me slightly scared. Well done.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Science Singles
I've just realised that the name for this sounds a bit like a dating service for lab workers... oh well, let's get on with it.
CSS with Alcohol
Science? "Hey hey hey hey hey, do you want to drink some alcohol?" Well, it's 11:30 on a Monday morning, so it's probably not the best time to be getting drunk, but in the name of science and rock'n'roll I will. Ethanol (the alcohol you'd hope to have in your beverages) acts on the brain as a depressant. It decreases the activity of the nervous system by inhibiting (amongst others) the NDMA class of glutamate receptors and GABA receptors. These receptors are important in cognition, memory and motor skills, which is why you become a malcoordinated, forgetful fool after several pints. Mine's a brown ale.
Is it any good? Its a great pop tune with drunk bunnies in the video. I like good pop tunes. More good pop tunes please. And more drunkbunnies.
CSS with Alcohol
Science? "Hey hey hey hey hey, do you want to drink some alcohol?" Well, it's 11:30 on a Monday morning, so it's probably not the best time to be getting drunk, but in the name of science and rock'n'roll I will. Ethanol (the alcohol you'd hope to have in your beverages) acts on the brain as a depressant. It decreases the activity of the nervous system by inhibiting (amongst others) the NDMA class of glutamate receptors and GABA receptors. These receptors are important in cognition, memory and motor skills, which is why you become a malcoordinated, forgetful fool after several pints. Mine's a brown ale.
Is it any good? Its a great pop tune with drunk bunnies in the video. I like good pop tunes. More good pop tunes please. And more drunkbunnies.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Science Singles
will.i.am (seriously, "will.i.am"...) with I got it from my momma (Genetics)
Science? Here's a brief synopsis of the entire lyrical content of this song: "I say my dear, how is it that you have such a pleasingly proportioned body?" "Why, my dear old mother is similarly blessed with a fine figure" "Oh I see. It must an inherited trait. Let's have sex"
The thing is, whilst attractiveness has a genetic element, environment plays a very big role. The lady will.i.am is chatting to no doubt works out, has a good diet, and (on the strength of the video) has had plastic surgery (maybe her mother paid for it?). And anyway, if it was genetic you've got to take in the father into account too.
Is it any good? It makes me sigh and feel slightly more empty inside.
Kate Nash with Mouthwash
Science? Good oral hygiene is obviously important to Kate "flavour of the month" Nash. She uses both mouthwash and dental floss, which our dentists tell us help prevent periodontal diseases and dental caries. Mouthwashes are often antiseptic and antibacterial, and so are claimed help to reduce the number of plaque-causing bacteria. Similarly, we are told by dentists that flossing is really important in reducing dental caries. However, one recent systematic review suggests that flossing at home is not all that effective.
Is it any good? Damn you Nash, damn you to hades. Despite my best efforts, I cannot help but find my self warming to Kate Nash's music. It's catchy dammit.
Science? Here's a brief synopsis of the entire lyrical content of this song: "I say my dear, how is it that you have such a pleasingly proportioned body?" "Why, my dear old mother is similarly blessed with a fine figure" "Oh I see. It must an inherited trait. Let's have sex"
The thing is, whilst attractiveness has a genetic element, environment plays a very big role. The lady will.i.am is chatting to no doubt works out, has a good diet, and (on the strength of the video) has had plastic surgery (maybe her mother paid for it?). And anyway, if it was genetic you've got to take in the father into account too.
Is it any good? It makes me sigh and feel slightly more empty inside.
Kate Nash with Mouthwash
Science? Good oral hygiene is obviously important to Kate "flavour of the month" Nash. She uses both mouthwash and dental floss, which our dentists tell us help prevent periodontal diseases and dental caries. Mouthwashes are often antiseptic and antibacterial, and so are claimed help to reduce the number of plaque-causing bacteria. Similarly, we are told by dentists that flossing is really important in reducing dental caries. However, one recent systematic review suggests that flossing at home is not all that effective.
Is it any good? Damn you Nash, damn you to hades. Despite my best efforts, I cannot help but find my self warming to Kate Nash's music. It's catchy dammit.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Big Up Science Singles
It's Monday. Let's see what we've got here then....
The big release for me this week is Chemical Brothers with The Salmon Dance
Science? They are called the Chemical Brothers, but that's not all. This song is jam packed with salmon facts, all presented in a handy hip-hop format by Sammy the Salmon:
Fact 1: "All my peeps spend part of their life in fresh water and part of their life in salt water... They change round a couple of days after spawning, then we die."
Indeed, at around 2 years of age, young salmon leave their river habitats and migrate to the sea. They then return to the river after a year or so to spawn. However, they don't then die, instead they go back to the sea and return to the river gain around every 18 months to spawn. I'm disappointed in that factual error Sammy the Salmon.
Fact 2: "Most of our friends find home waters by sense of smell, which is even more key than that of a dog or a bear."
Salmon which were imprinted to Morpholine (C4H9NO), a heterocyclic amine, could detect the chemical at concentrations below 5.7x 10-10 M.
Fact 3: "My family also rely on ocean currents, tides, the gravitational pull of the moon."
There is also a theory that some salmon species can detect the earth's magnetic field.
Fact 4" "Polluted water can kill both baby salmon that are developing and the adult salmon that are on their way to spawn."
Epigenetic factors, such a water pollution, can affect the development of salmon, or indeed any fish; not just killing the developing fish, but also leading to malformations. This of particular importance when you consider the economic value of farmed species such as salmon.
Is it any good? It like a novelty record, and I suppose it is. However, the Chemical Brothers arn't about to release any old rubbish. It's novelty in the Lemon Jelly style, rather than the Mr Blobby one, and unlike Mr Blobby the guest rapper, Fatlip who used to be in the Pharcyde, is ace. Not to mention that salmon are a type of fish. Fish are still cool right?
HIM and The kiss of dawn
Science? The HIM proteins , or "High Incidence of Males", are a group of 19 proteins found in the C. elegans. Interesting huh?
Is it any good? As much as I'm not into worm genetics, I'd rather would enjoy sitting though a 5 day conference on gene-protein interaction in C. elegans than waste another 3 minutes 55 seconds of my precious life listening to this again.
The big release for me this week is Chemical Brothers with The Salmon Dance
Science? They are called the Chemical Brothers, but that's not all. This song is jam packed with salmon facts, all presented in a handy hip-hop format by Sammy the Salmon:
Fact 1: "All my peeps spend part of their life in fresh water and part of their life in salt water... They change round a couple of days after spawning, then we die."
Indeed, at around 2 years of age, young salmon leave their river habitats and migrate to the sea. They then return to the river after a year or so to spawn. However, they don't then die, instead they go back to the sea and return to the river gain around every 18 months to spawn. I'm disappointed in that factual error Sammy the Salmon.
Fact 2: "Most of our friends find home waters by sense of smell, which is even more key than that of a dog or a bear."
Salmon which were imprinted to Morpholine (C4H9NO), a heterocyclic amine, could detect the chemical at concentrations below 5.7x 10-10 M.
Fact 3: "My family also rely on ocean currents, tides, the gravitational pull of the moon."
There is also a theory that some salmon species can detect the earth's magnetic field.
Fact 4" "Polluted water can kill both baby salmon that are developing and the adult salmon that are on their way to spawn."
Epigenetic factors, such a water pollution, can affect the development of salmon, or indeed any fish; not just killing the developing fish, but also leading to malformations. This of particular importance when you consider the economic value of farmed species such as salmon.
Is it any good? It like a novelty record, and I suppose it is. However, the Chemical Brothers arn't about to release any old rubbish. It's novelty in the Lemon Jelly style, rather than the Mr Blobby one, and unlike Mr Blobby the guest rapper, Fatlip who used to be in the Pharcyde, is ace. Not to mention that salmon are a type of fish. Fish are still cool right?
HIM and The kiss of dawn
Science? The HIM proteins , or "High Incidence of Males", are a group of 19 proteins found in the C. elegans. Interesting huh?
Is it any good? As much as I'm not into worm genetics, I'd rather would enjoy sitting though a 5 day conference on gene-protein interaction in C. elegans than waste another 3 minutes 55 seconds of my precious life listening to this again.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Science Singles, as seen on the famous internets
Here you go, have reviews of two of this weeks singles with a scientific meaning crowbarred in.
First it's the ever-lovely Magic Numbers with Undecided
Science? Bear with me here, it's going to get a bit nuclear physics. The nucleus of an atom is made up of two types of subatomic particle, protons and neutrons, known collectively as nucleons. According to the shell model of the nucleus, these particles are arranged according to energy levels in to "shells", much like the way we think about the arrangement of electrons orbiting the nucleus. When these shells are full, the nucleus is stable, and the number of nucleons needed to fill each shell is knows as a magic number (phew! we got there in the end). At the present time, science knows the following magic numbers: 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 and 126. The band the Magic Numbers hail from west London, and are made up of two pairs of hippy brother and sisters . At the present time, science doesn't know if the Magic Numbers know anything about nuclear physics.
What does it sound like? It's oddly familiar. Like when you try on a new pair of jeans, and you instantly feel comfortable in them. It's only when you get home that you realise they are remarkably similar all you other jeans. It's one of those Magic Numbers songs: it has a fairly driven bit, a slower quite bit, an a cappella break bit, and a drum pick up bit back up the driven bit. Not original, but it works.
It's that Emma Pollock with Acid Test
Science? The term "acid test", meaning a decisive test, is used for all sorts of things these days. Back in the day it was only used to test if gold was gold. Due to it's complete outer shell of electrons, gold cannot easily give away or receive electrons, and as such it is inert. Put nitric acid on most metals and you will oxidise it, that is to say give away spare electrons. This results in the formation a metal nitrate salt, nitrogen dioxide and water. Since the salt is soluble, the treated metal will dissolve It will not, however, react with gold (or for that matter platinum, which is also inert).
What does it sound like? Meh, I never really was into the Delgados (she used to be their singer), and this leaves me unmoved. It's perfectly nice and everything, but it doesn't really have that something that other non-cutting edge people, such as the afore mentioned the Magic Numbers, have. In her favour, however, is the fact that she had a single called Adrenaline and the Delgados were signed to the Chemikal Underground label, both factoids being suitably almost sciencey for me. And pollocks are a type of fish. Fish are cool right?
First it's the ever-lovely Magic Numbers with Undecided
Science? Bear with me here, it's going to get a bit nuclear physics. The nucleus of an atom is made up of two types of subatomic particle, protons and neutrons, known collectively as nucleons. According to the shell model of the nucleus, these particles are arranged according to energy levels in to "shells", much like the way we think about the arrangement of electrons orbiting the nucleus. When these shells are full, the nucleus is stable, and the number of nucleons needed to fill each shell is knows as a magic number (phew! we got there in the end). At the present time, science knows the following magic numbers: 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 and 126. The band the Magic Numbers hail from west London, and are made up of two pairs of hippy brother and sisters . At the present time, science doesn't know if the Magic Numbers know anything about nuclear physics.
What does it sound like? It's oddly familiar. Like when you try on a new pair of jeans, and you instantly feel comfortable in them. It's only when you get home that you realise they are remarkably similar all you other jeans. It's one of those Magic Numbers songs: it has a fairly driven bit, a slower quite bit, an a cappella break bit, and a drum pick up bit back up the driven bit. Not original, but it works.
It's that Emma Pollock with Acid Test
Science? The term "acid test", meaning a decisive test, is used for all sorts of things these days. Back in the day it was only used to test if gold was gold. Due to it's complete outer shell of electrons, gold cannot easily give away or receive electrons, and as such it is inert. Put nitric acid on most metals and you will oxidise it, that is to say give away spare electrons. This results in the formation a metal nitrate salt, nitrogen dioxide and water. Since the salt is soluble, the treated metal will dissolve It will not, however, react with gold (or for that matter platinum, which is also inert).
What does it sound like? Meh, I never really was into the Delgados (she used to be their singer), and this leaves me unmoved. It's perfectly nice and everything, but it doesn't really have that something that other non-cutting edge people, such as the afore mentioned the Magic Numbers, have. In her favour, however, is the fact that she had a single called Adrenaline and the Delgados were signed to the Chemikal Underground label, both factoids being suitably almost sciencey for me. And pollocks are a type of fish. Fish are cool right?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Science Singles, what what.
I know this is late, but hey, it's been a bank holiday, and I've got a paper that needs writing.
This a top week for sciencey pop music. Behold:
Amylase by Cajun Dance Party
Science? This one is an absolute gift. Amylases are genuine enzymes (biological catalysts) with a genuinely important roles in physiology. No spurious links here, ho ho ho, no siree bob . The amylases (there are three different classes, alpha, beta and gamma) are enzymes that breakdown boring old starches into tasty, tasty glucose. You produce alpha amylase in your pancreas, to break down starches in your intestine, and in your saliva (see picture below) so you can start get the glucose form starch whilst you chew. Beta amylase is produced by plants, including ripening fruit, to break down their starches to sweet glucose. I'm not 100% sure what gamma amylase does. Something in the liver. Possibly to do with glycogen. Anybody?
Is is any good? La la la, jingle jangle, nice middle class boys and girls with messy hair, trendy jeans and guitars. So far so hip and down with the kids (gah, I'm getting old). "We need a catalyst" they sing. Ah, well, what catalyst would you like? Look, they are running through the country side. They must mean beta amylase, to ripen all that grain. "You're the catalyst that makes things faster, amylase will dry out the plaster". Huh? Amylase does what? How? Who? Where? Gah, I'm sure I'd know if this was balls if I'd just sat my GCSEs, as they have. Oh to be a teenager again. But not me when I was a teenager. Oh to be a popular, cool and attractive teenager.
Next are Múm and the improbably titles They Made Frogs Smoke Til The Exploded
Sceince? Obvioulsy Múm have been reading this research, "Adaptation of an amphibian mucociliary clearance model to evaluate early effects of tobacco smoke exposure" by Zyas et al, Respiratory Research 2004, 5:9, and then added they exploding bit to make it more exciting. Well done Múm for championing esoteric research articles that observe how bullfrog palates are affected by tobacco smoke.
Is is any good? Yes! Its like the happy dreams of a Texas Instruments Speak & Spell.
This a top week for sciencey pop music. Behold:
Amylase by Cajun Dance Party
Science? This one is an absolute gift. Amylases are genuine enzymes (biological catalysts) with a genuinely important roles in physiology. No spurious links here, ho ho ho, no siree bob . The amylases (there are three different classes, alpha, beta and gamma) are enzymes that breakdown boring old starches into tasty, tasty glucose. You produce alpha amylase in your pancreas, to break down starches in your intestine, and in your saliva (see picture below) so you can start get the glucose form starch whilst you chew. Beta amylase is produced by plants, including ripening fruit, to break down their starches to sweet glucose. I'm not 100% sure what gamma amylase does. Something in the liver. Possibly to do with glycogen. Anybody?
Is is any good? La la la, jingle jangle, nice middle class boys and girls with messy hair, trendy jeans and guitars. So far so hip and down with the kids (gah, I'm getting old). "We need a catalyst" they sing. Ah, well, what catalyst would you like? Look, they are running through the country side. They must mean beta amylase, to ripen all that grain. "You're the catalyst that makes things faster, amylase will dry out the plaster". Huh? Amylase does what? How? Who? Where? Gah, I'm sure I'd know if this was balls if I'd just sat my GCSEs, as they have. Oh to be a teenager again. But not me when I was a teenager. Oh to be a popular, cool and attractive teenager.
Next are Múm and the improbably titles They Made Frogs Smoke Til The Exploded
Sceince? Obvioulsy Múm have been reading this research, "Adaptation of an amphibian mucociliary clearance model to evaluate early effects of tobacco smoke exposure" by Zyas et al, Respiratory Research 2004, 5:9, and then added they exploding bit to make it more exciting. Well done Múm for championing esoteric research articles that observe how bullfrog palates are affected by tobacco smoke.
Is is any good? Yes! Its like the happy dreams of a Texas Instruments Speak & Spell.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Science Singles, innit
Oh dear god no, first up is Linkin Park with Bleed It Out
How the hell are you going to tell me this is sciencey? Back in the day, before the advent of modern medicine, it seems that those trusted with the treatment of ailments seemed to be more interested in hurting their patients. One way they did this was by blood letting, which remained stupidly popular up until the 18th century, a long time after William Harvey had told everyone it was a bad idea. Obviously idiot kiddie metalers Linkin Bizkit (or whatever they are called) are joining the call for a return to pre-enlightenment medicine. Other songs off their forthcoming album include "Mustard Compress", "I'm Not Schizophrenic, I'm Just Possessed" and "Fuck Antiretrovirals, See a Faith Healer".
But is it any good? No. It is no good. It is bad.
Hurray! it's Aqualung with Pressure Suit
Science? Once again: hurray! Both the name and the title are sciencey. An aqua-lung is one of the original names for SCUBA diving equipment. Unlike earlier diving suits, aqua-lungs, developed partly by Jaques Cousteau (with no little help from the engineer Emile Gagnan), were an open system. Air was passed from the tanks, to the diver, then released out into the water. This allowed for a lighter, more portable set or equipment, and led to modern sub-aqua exploration.
Pressure suits are are worn by pilots who fly at such altitudes that the air pressure if so low that to try and breath even pure oxygen they'd cark it. This includes astronauts' suit.
Is it good? Actually, it's a bit dull.
How the hell are you going to tell me this is sciencey? Back in the day, before the advent of modern medicine, it seems that those trusted with the treatment of ailments seemed to be more interested in hurting their patients. One way they did this was by blood letting, which remained stupidly popular up until the 18th century, a long time after William Harvey had told everyone it was a bad idea. Obviously idiot kiddie metalers Linkin Bizkit (or whatever they are called) are joining the call for a return to pre-enlightenment medicine. Other songs off their forthcoming album include "Mustard Compress", "I'm Not Schizophrenic, I'm Just Possessed" and "Fuck Antiretrovirals, See a Faith Healer".
But is it any good? No. It is no good. It is bad.
Hurray! it's Aqualung with Pressure Suit
Science? Once again: hurray! Both the name and the title are sciencey. An aqua-lung is one of the original names for SCUBA diving equipment. Unlike earlier diving suits, aqua-lungs, developed partly by Jaques Cousteau (with no little help from the engineer Emile Gagnan), were an open system. Air was passed from the tanks, to the diver, then released out into the water. This allowed for a lighter, more portable set or equipment, and led to modern sub-aqua exploration.
Pressure suits are are worn by pilots who fly at such altitudes that the air pressure if so low that to try and breath even pure oxygen they'd cark it. This includes astronauts' suit.
Is it good? Actually, it's a bit dull.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Science singles
I'm comin' up, so you'd better get this party started (gosh, I never noticed the blatant class-A meaning of that song before), here's this weeks almost sciencey tracks.
From Yesterday by 30 Seconds to Mars
Science? To get to Mars in 30 seconds would involve you travelling at least 1 900 000 000 metres per second, assuming you take a straight line when Mars it at its closest to Earth, which is around 57 million kilometres away. This, the black-hearted necromancers tell us, is impossible as it exceeds the speed of light (299 792 458 metres per second).
How does it sound? Gash.
How Do I Breath? by Mario
Science? "How", silver voiced Mario asks, "do I breath?" . Who'd have thought that behind that smooth RnB front, Mario is an inquiring soul crying out for knowledge about human physiology. Well Mario, contraction of the diaphragm pulls the abdomen downward, there by increasing the volume of the ribcage. The resulting negative pressure gradient pulls air into the lungs where it oxygenates the blood via the alveoli of the lungs. Relaxation of the diaphragm makes the thorax small, forcing the air back out the respiratory tract. So now you know Mario.
How does it sound? Virtually unlistenable.
From Yesterday by 30 Seconds to Mars
Science? To get to Mars in 30 seconds would involve you travelling at least 1 900 000 000 metres per second, assuming you take a straight line when Mars it at its closest to Earth, which is around 57 million kilometres away. This, the black-hearted necromancers tell us, is impossible as it exceeds the speed of light (299 792 458 metres per second).
How does it sound? Gash.
How Do I Breath? by Mario
Science? "How", silver voiced Mario asks, "do I breath?" . Who'd have thought that behind that smooth RnB front, Mario is an inquiring soul crying out for knowledge about human physiology. Well Mario, contraction of the diaphragm pulls the abdomen downward, there by increasing the volume of the ribcage. The resulting negative pressure gradient pulls air into the lungs where it oxygenates the blood via the alveoli of the lungs. Relaxation of the diaphragm makes the thorax small, forcing the air back out the respiratory tract. So now you know Mario.
How does it sound? Virtually unlistenable.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Science singles
If there's one thing we love here at Big Up Science (and I say "we love", but I mean "I love", the Scientician's Accomplice has been oddly silent for some time. I'm worried, should I call the police?) it's science cropping up in "the arts" and "popular culture", whatever those words actually mean.
Starting this week we'll (I say "we'll"...) be compiling a list of any sciencey things, no matter how tenuous, in any newly released UK singles. What with the iTunes led death of the music single being heralded by all the trend watchers, I'm once again on the cutting edge of the Zeitgeist of UK popular culture music scene...
Here are the science singles for the week beginning 6/08/2007.
First up is Get Up by Elektrons.
Here comes the science bit: "Elektrons" is electrons, negitivly charged sub-atomic particles, but with a k where the c should be. Clever.
How does it sound?: Other than the band name, I'm not hearing any science, but I'll let it off by being a good tune. And it has Soup from Jurassic 5 on it. And a giant cartoon robot in the video.
The other sciencey release this week is Bench Sleeping by My Little Problem.
Here comes the science bit: "Bench Sleeping" is what you do when you've not got enough sleep before going into the lab. After setting up an experiment, you decide to flout all health and safety rules and get 40 winks at your bench.
How does it sound?: Disappointingly this is not the tale recalling events like those suggested above. It's quite nice though, but it's so gentle might make me fall asleep at the bench.
Starting this week we'll (I say "we'll"...) be compiling a list of any sciencey things, no matter how tenuous, in any newly released UK singles. What with the iTunes led death of the music single being heralded by all the trend watchers, I'm once again on the cutting edge of the Zeitgeist of UK popular culture music scene...
Here are the science singles for the week beginning 6/08/2007.
First up is Get Up by Elektrons.
Here comes the science bit: "Elektrons" is electrons, negitivly charged sub-atomic particles, but with a k where the c should be. Clever.
How does it sound?: Other than the band name, I'm not hearing any science, but I'll let it off by being a good tune. And it has Soup from Jurassic 5 on it. And a giant cartoon robot in the video.
The other sciencey release this week is Bench Sleeping by My Little Problem.
Here comes the science bit: "Bench Sleeping" is what you do when you've not got enough sleep before going into the lab. After setting up an experiment, you decide to flout all health and safety rules and get 40 winks at your bench.
How does it sound?: Disappointingly this is not the tale recalling events like those suggested above. It's quite nice though, but it's so gentle might make me fall asleep at the bench.
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