Latest Science Videos Sifted at VideoSift.com

Swiss Microrobot Playing "Pac Man"

srd (http://science.videosift.com/member/srd) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:53:11 -0700

(14 votes - 0 comments - 256 views)
YT: A gold/nickel microrobot of 300x300x70 micrometer (10^-6 m) dashing through a maze of photoresist walls.
The robot is controlled by visual servoing, i.e. the user clicks a spot and the computer steers it there.

The robot and required system was built by a team of researches at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and won the RoboCup in the Nanogram League 2007.

For more information see other videos and comments, our webpage (http://www.iris.ethz.ch/msrl/research/special/nanogram/) or Google it.

Neurons and how they work

videosiftbannedme (http://science.videosift.com/member/videosiftbannedme) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:53:43 -0700

(14 votes - 3 comments - 193 views)
I'm taking Psy101 and found this great video detailing how the ol' grey matter works. Enjoy.

Shuttle Launch from Commercial Flight

aspartam (http://science.videosift.com/member/aspartam) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:42:45 -0700

(49 votes - 10 comments - 633 views)
"On board Air Canada 981 bound to Toronto from Nassau we saw the launch of the shuttle."

Demonstration of Nasa's Solar Sail (soon to be launched)

joemawlma (http://science.videosift.com/member/joemawlma) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:35:47 -0700

(15 votes - 7 comments - 182 views)
Falcon 1 is set to take off as early as July 29, 2008. One of the "piggyback" payloads will be a 4 kg (less than 10 lbs) NASA satellite about the size of a bread box that can unfurl into a 10 meter square solar sail on orbit. This video shows the sail in action.

It took the nuclear powered Voyager probes 30 years to get to the edge of the solar system where they are still traveling outward further every day. Although slower to get started, a solar sail could potentially catch up with a Voyager spacecraft in a single decade using only sun. The radiation pressure on the mirrors provide a minuscule amount of thrust by reflecting photons.

Bad Astronomer - Why do black holes have so much gravity?

dbalsdon (http://science.videosift.com/member/dbalsdon) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:32:12 -0700

(65 votes - 11 comments - 1048 views)
Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer, explains why a black hole has so much gravity.

Richard Dawkins On Al Jazeera English

dead_tofu (http://science.videosift.com/member/dead_tofu) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:56:10 -0700

(28 votes - 5 comments - 459 views)
Sorry about the pic quality, but the subject is solid. Please give it a chance until the muslim calls in, with a great theory!

Rüdiger Gamm, the human calculator

kulpims (http://science.videosift.com/member/kulpims) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:29:29 -0700

(18 votes - 8 comments - 307 views)
Rüdiger Gamm is a German “mental calculator”. He attained his ability to calculate (memorize most of the time) complex mathematics in his head at the age of 21. As well, he can also speak backwards in complete sentences, and calculate calendars.
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqxhxIuEGRw

The Ashera: 20-30k Dollar Leopard-like House Cat

Doc_M (http://science.videosift.com/member/Doc_M) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:34:35 -0700

(14 votes - 7 comments - 327 views)
A newish breed of cat developed to be large, beautiful, but also tame and playful. Oh, and they're also available as a transgenic which is hypoallergenic (if you have 30k to spare).
Me want.

The humane society dude is such a killjoy. Frankenkitties?! Give me a break, it's breeding, genius. It's genius breeding even. These cats look like they rock.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Opening a Model Rocket

syncron (http://science.videosift.com/member/syncron) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:34:48 -0700

(23 votes - 5 comments - 261 views)
Neil deGrasse Tyson excitingly opens his new toy, a model Saturn V rocket, at his office.

Masturbation, oral sex, and more from the animal kingdom

chilaxe (http://science.videosift.com/member/chilaxe) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:42:58 -0700

(13 votes - 4 comments - 401 views)
Evolutionary biologist Olivia Judson is the author of the international best-selling book Dr Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation.

"Written in the style of a sex-advice column to animals, the book details the variety of sexual practices in the natural world and provides the reader with an overview of the evolutionary biology of sex. The book was praised by critics as being witty and engaging, without compromising its scientific integrity." -Wiki