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Top 25 Science Stories of 2002

1.Nc3 writes "Scientific American has released a list of their top 25 featured science stories of 2002. From Cryptography to Entomology to Astronomy, a lot of neat stuff happened this year."

16 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot releases its top 10 "top 10" stories for dec 31st.

    This replaces all the "top 10" stories released on Dec 25,26,27,28,29 & 30th.

  2. clone by slothdog · · Score: 5, Funny

    ok, so it's not technically a dupe since the previous story referred to an article referring to the article instead of referring to the article itself. It's just an inferior clone. The editors must be having an off day.

  3. Saddened by the loss of 118 by drunkmonk · · Score: 5, Funny

    How many more superheavy elements will be born only to die in their first milliseconds of life before we realize we CAN'T PLAY GOD?! Poor Ununoctium never even had a chance at a normal life. :)

  4. Dont' forget Raelian Brigitte!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    How could they forget the story that some sexy French UFO babe claims she cloned the first human? Must have been too late for the presses...

  5. gah! by SweetAndSourJesus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sexy?

    Man, you need to get out more often. Or stay in more often. Something. All I know is that whatever you're doing, you're doing it wrong.

    --

    --
    the strongest word is still the word "free"
    1. Re:gah! by rppp01 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm still shaken up from that pic. Don't ever do that again. Please. I won't beg, I'll just send you mod points when I get them.

      --
      They stuck me in an institution, said it was the only solution, to...protect me from the enemy, myself
  6. Spiders replace Kevlar by 403Forbidden · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Article Link Here

    It says that Yet pound for pound, the sturdiest spider silks are stronger than steel and stretchier than nylon.

    I heard that while back the Army made a vest out of Spider Silk rather than Kevlar and it was able to stop even small rifle bullets O_o.

    This could be very revolutionary. I wonder how it compares to silk?

    1. Re:Spiders replace Kevlar by drunkmonk · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can see it now...

      "Whether you're in New York or Nablus, the Strip or the Gaza Strip, the Victoria's Secret Naughty Protector (TM) spider-silk teddy is for you. It feels like silk to you and eighteen inches of steel plate to stray rifle rounds!"

    2. Re:Spiders replace Kevlar by wytcld · · Score: 4, Interesting

      able to stop even small rifle bullets

      The Mongol Hordes wore silk vs. the European's armor. Being lighter they could move much faster, and when an arrow struck it would penetrate the skin but take the silk with it, so by pulling on the silk they could pull the arrow out cleanly.

      --
      "with their freedom lost all virtue lose" - Milton
  7. BEC the winner! by airrage · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I really think the winner is the SCIENTIFIC METHOD, and in such, that no matter how much you falsify and market your claims, i.e. fusion in coca-cola, cloned humans, flying pigs, altering gravity, you eventually have to publish and MORE IMPORTANTLY you have to have someone be able to REPRODUCE your results.

    To wit, I think those good-old boys who spent many a Saturday night figuring out how to get atoms to realize "damn it's cold" and stop and all huddle together at the bottom of a beaker -- well that takes the prize for me. Because it's little breakthroughs like this which fork into other areas of research and discovery. You take all the others and rip up the Noble Prize submission form, this one takes the cake.

    --
    "This isn't a study in computer science, its a study in human behavior"
  8. Scientist Report Card by nakaduct · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sequencing of genome this or DNA that: A
    Detection of ice and dirt way out in space: B+
    Detection and fanciful naming of really old bones: A
    Armies of telekinesis-powered robots: B
    Detection of life-ending asteroids: F
    Thinking one thing, then thinking the opposite thing: A
    Faster porn delivery: B
    Flying cars: F
    Teledildonics: F
    Collies that can cook, play poker, and/or defend you with mouth-mounted lasers: F
    A laptop that feels like a desktop: D-

    FINAL GRADE: C-

  9. The REAL scoop .... by mustangdavis · · Score: 4, Funny

    Here are some original opinions (hopefully ou agree) about the so called "Top 25 stories" of the scientific community:

    25.) Controlling Robots with the Mind - Are these in stores yet? When do I get to do this? Did anyone else hear about this?

    24.) Scientists Sequence Genomes of Malarial Parasite and Mosquito - Big news for people in Africa ... but I think they have a bigger problem ... its called AIDS!

    23.) Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation's Polarization Detected at Last - Oh goody ... raditation old enough to collect social security!

    22.) Mouse Genome Sequenced - those poor hairless mice .... how are they gonna pick up a mouse chick if they don't even have their hair when they are young? Considering m own personal situation, I can say I feel for them ('m loosing my hair!)

    21.) Astronomers Discover Icy World Far Past Pluto - 'bout time all that investment into telescopes got us something! We now have 10 planets!!! .... *yea*

    20.) Stamp-Size Plastic Chip Provides New Approach to Cryptography - A new mountain for te hackers to climb! Sounds pretty cool though ...

    19.) Meet the Oldest Member of the Human Family - This is depressing ... this helps to further prove that you and I are nothing more than a chimp!

    18.) Attacking Anthrax - Yea! Eat that bin Laden!! That idea won't work on the U.S.!

    17.) Crafty Crow Rivals Primates in Toolmaking - Proves you can teach an old bird new tricks ... nothing neat hear ... move on

    16.) New Findings Fan Debate over Origin of Vinland Map - Just sell the damn thing on Ebay and debate this later .... face it fokes, its a fake :)

    15.) Avoiding the Impact - Ok, this is news ... people!! wake up! We need to defend ourselves as a race, as a planet, from this kind of ,really bad shit! This should be in the top 3!!!

    14.) Element 118 Dropped from Periodic Table - I needed some of this stuff next week ... again, nice to see how "real" some of these so called findings are, but even better to see that someone was honest enough to retract their false findings! Way to embarass the community!!

    13.) First Humans to Leave Africa Weren't Necessarily a Brainy Bunch - I disagree! They won't get infected with AIDS!

    12.) Study Casts Doubt on Cell from Hell's Role in Fish Kills - *yawn*

    11.) Light's Information-Carrying Capacity Doubles - So now more senceless data from Microshaft can travel at "the speed of light" ... great!

    10.) Study Shows How Far GM Pollen Spreads - and three eyed fish will roan the seven seas .... right ... nothing here .. move on!

    9.) Gladiators: A New Order of Insect - They're going to get us, just like in Starship Troopers!! We're all gonna die!!! Seriously, this is worthy of its position in the top stories of the year.

    8.) Scientists Sequence Rice Genome - Don't need the Chineese anymore!

    7.) Climate Warming Causes Collapse of Antarctic Ice Shelf - So put less stuff on it! (end bad joke) This is VERY serious! However, this may be a natural phenomenon. No need to panic .. yet

    6.) Chinese Fossil May Be Mother of All Placental Mammals - Grandma!

    5.) Scientists Spin Spidery Silk - in other news, silk prices bottom out! New silk that doesn't have to be washed in the "gental" cycle is now available!

    4.) Physicists Create a New State of Matter - Sorry, call me short sighted, but I just don't see how this is useful

    3.) T. rex Not Fleet of Foot, Study Shows - Time to remake Jurasic Park!

    2.) Scientists Succeed in Transplanting Cloned Cow Tissue Moo! Moo! (in sync ... Moo!!!!)

    ... and finally ...

    1.) Mars Odyssey's Measurements Reveal a Wet, Red Planet - This is huge! See #15!! If we get hit by a large rock from space, the ability to have the human race move forward would be nice. However, in order for humans to live, we need water! Also, if we get too stupid and nuke most of the planet, we still might have a second chance! I agree that this is the #1 story ... and that is about all that I agree with when it comes to their rankings.

    The end.

    If you don't agree, please post ... don't moderate!


    1. Re:The REAL scoop .... by RatBastard · · Score: 5, Interesting
      24.) Scientists Sequence Genomes of Malarial Parasite and Mosquito - Big news for people in Africa ... but I think they have a bigger problem ... its called AIDS!

      And scientists and medical researchers are already researching AIDS. The AIDS problem in Africa is not scientific, it's cultural and political.

      19.) Meet the Oldest Member of the Human Family - This is depressing ... this helps to further prove that you and I are nothing more than a chimp!

      And? We are animals. Nothing more. We are not special. Deal with it. Yes, we are the top of the food chain for now and we are the most competent tool users and the most comunicative species ever to walk the earth, but we are still animals. You and I are special to our friends, family and loved ones. Is that not enough?

      18.) Attacking Anthrax - Yea! Eat that bin Laden!! That idea won't work on the U.S.!

      Bin Laden didn't have anything to do with the anthrax attacks. That was the work of home grown American nutjobs.

      17.) Crafty Crow Rivals Primates in Toolmaking - Proves you can teach an old bird new tricks ... nothing neat hear ... move on

      There is something "neat" here. Corvids (crows, ravens, magpies) are the smartest birds on the planet. The fact that they may be smarter (in some areas) that chimpanzees could radically change how we view animal intellegence.

      14.) Element 118 Dropped from Periodic Table - I needed some of this stuff next week ... again, nice to see how "real" some of these so called findings are, but even better to see that someone was honest enough to retract their false findings! Way to embarass the community!!

      No. Being honest is not an embarrassment. The embarrassment would come from the scientists refusing to retract their work. I respect and trust a scientist who has the integrety to admit a mistake.

      11.) Light's Information-Carrying Capacity Doubles - So now more senceless data from Microshaft can travel at "the speed of light" ... great!

      Please. Grow up. This kind of crap is cool if you are 14-years old.

      4.) Physicists Create a New State of Matter - Sorry, call me short sighted, but I just don't see how this is useful

      Many new discoveries are not useful at first. It was hundreds of years after Leonardo first thought up the helicopter before anyone could build one that actually worked. It took a better understanding of aerodynamics, better building materials and a lightweight, yet powerful engine in order to do it. Each piece of the puzzle found by someone else. Many inventions are made not by inventing the thing out of whole cloth, but by piecing together the discoveries of others into something new. Usually something never invisioned by those who discovered the pieces. That is the beauty of Abstract Knowledge: you never know what the pieces you've found will eventually make.

      --
      Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
    2. Re:The REAL scoop .... by juuri · · Score: 4, Interesting

      There is something "neat" here. Corvids (crows, ravens, magpies) are the smartest birds on the planet. The fact that they may be smarter (in some areas) that chimpanzees could radically change how we view animal intellegence.

      Lots of birds can use tools. However I recall that it is now wildly believed that the kia bird of New Zealand is by far the world's smartest bird. They not only have great independent intelligence but have some amazing learned group behaviours. Unlike most birds that can use tools for a single purpose, kia birds can use tools "stacked" together.

      --
      --- I do not moderate.
  10. Troll Report Card by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 4, Funny

    To sum up the performance of Slashdot's 2002 trolls... (*wink* you know who you are)

    Natalie Portman. C-
    In Soviet Russia. A+
    First post! B
    All your base. D
    Stephen King dead. F
    Goatsex man. F
    #3 Profit! B

    Overall summary:
    Trolls, your quest has only become more challenging, with more lameness filtering, competition from thousands of troll wannabees, and PR smearing you as juvenile retards with no sense of humor and vandalous personality. Even so, I'm afraid I can't give you a passing grade, when dozens of articles go by with not even one goatsex link or poorly written "all your base" parody. You keep chasing ancient Yakov Smirnoff jokes, which can only lead to trouble. You need to work harder so you can be accepted into either Comedy University or your local mental health facility.

  11. How could they miss this? by rfischer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The biggest story is obviously the sad tale of Jan-Hendrik Schon, and his falsified data. This one really rocked the science world because it calls into question the whole peer-review process.