Research to take to heart. While slacking off may be pushing it, neuroscience suggests that, perversely, workahaulics can maximize their output over time by working somewhat less often.

Via The Morning News

See also: 30 Minutes a Day.

If the temperature fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background (read: the universe) could be represented by a finite amount of water—and it can; as far as we know, the universe is finite—would drinking all of it at once be a danger to science?

Via New Scientist, the downside of knowing everything all at once.

Lost productivity during the recession has caused a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions roughly equivalent to the reduction that would result from shutting the planet down for three days.

NPR’s David Kestenbaum wonders whether it has left behind an ecological record—tree rings, ice gas-bubbles, etc—that could someday be ‘read’ by alien visitors.

Originally published in Seed Magazine in 2006: Noam Chomsky and Robert Trivers sit down for a lengthy discussion about deceit, self-deception and denial.

Here’s the transcript. Have at it, nerds!

The Large Hadron Collider finally worked.

Granted, it was only a low-power calibration run—pure bush league stuff. Stay tuned for the real, reality-ending stuff.

On a semi-related note, here’s your required viewing for the weekend: The Quiet Earth.

Yes, there will be an exam.

Blue means go, yellow means stop: controlling animal brains with genes from light-sensitive algae.

I know.

Hot news: a captive dolphin in Mississippi masters the market economy.

The end is (probably) near.

The Large Hadron Collider is stalled again. This time, one of its cooling units was mysteriously jammed up by a baguette sent from the future.

Also, Bill Bryson visited the LHC and wrote an article about it for The Times .

Last: In the Event That You Have Accidentally Swallowed the Higgs Boson.

If you ever meet a crow, keep this in mind: it’s got quite a memory for faces—apparently to the extent that it could pick you out of a crowd, follow you home and remember you for years.

While your mind is reeling, read this article. And then watch this video of a crow solving a puzzle that would leave a chimp scratching its head.

Thanks, Sam

Ever find yourself wondering how likely it is that you’ll be flattened by frozen, falling toilet waste from an airplane? Me too!