SNIBOR is a firm in south-west England that offers 鈥渂uilding in every dimension鈥�. Have they found, Brian Hellyer asks, a way to exceed the conventional three? Or is it a promise to make use of all available dimensions, unlike those who skimp and make do with fewer?
Feedback, still dealing with builders skilled in extending the time dimension, prefers the latter suggestion.
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FRIENDS in the patent world have just tipped us off to an opportunity to embarrass or harass the US government. A couple of years ago the US army applied for, and won, a patent for a 鈥渞ifle-launched non-lethal cargo dispenser鈥�. This grenade can be used to control crowds by releasing an aerosol of, for example, a lacrymogen. But whoever drafted the patent either got carried away or was too honest: it suggests several times that the invention can be used to fire 鈥渂iological/chemical agents鈥�.
This kind of research and development violates chemical and biological weapon conventions. So the army is now asking the US patent office to delete the words that appear to admit government guilt.
Although the US patent office is also part of the government, its wheels grind slowly. At the time of writing, the original incriminating wording is still available for anyone to read, download and, if they wish, make mischief with. All they have to do is go to the US patent office website and search for patent number 6523478.
鈥� offers the Wonderglobe for those who 鈥渄on鈥檛 have enough room for a full-sized globe鈥� 鈥� everyone, Greg Eaton presumes, except Dr Who鈥�
Sick-making press release award
LAST week we nominated the SETI League for the 鈥渃lever press release of the week鈥� award. This week a different nomination 鈥� for the 鈥渟ick-making press release of the week award鈥� 鈥� goes to The Journal of Clinical Investigation for its announcement headed 鈥淭he phlegm-de-la-phlegm of airway obstruction鈥�.
OXYGEN is necessary to human life, so the more the better, right? Angela Grassick alerts us to , which is selling Oxygen 4 Life, 鈥渁 revolutionary new charged liquid oxygen supplement that provides massive amounts of bio-available oxygen to the bloodstream鈥�. Grassick had assumed that normal air is 鈥減H balanced, non-toxic, drug-free and made of only natural ingredients鈥�, and that breathing is an adequate means of ingestion. Now she asks: 鈥淲ould I be killed if I drank the whole bottle by mistake?鈥�
Oxygen 4 Life 鈥渃ontains 12.5 per cent v/v (125,000 parts per million) bio-available oxygen at manufacture鈥︹�� This is odd enough to make Feedback reach for the calculator. What, apart from air, is the most readily available source of oxygen? That鈥檒l be hydrogen peroxide, the staple ingredient of over-the-counter hair bleach, which is usually a 6 per cent solution. How does Oxygen 4 Life compare with it?
We could choose to believe that figure of 125,000 parts of oxygen per million 鈥� which translates to a 27 per cent solution of hydrogen peroxide 鈥� but here are extracts from the hydrogen peroxide hazard data at : ingestion of solutions stronger than 3 per cent may lead to 鈥淟ethargy, coma, convulsions鈥� Gastrointestinal bleeding and burns to the stomach and duodenum may occur.鈥� Yep, that鈥檇 give you an energy boost of sorts.
On the other hand, if we take the website鈥檚 鈥�12.5 per cent v/v鈥� to mean that a volume of one litre of Oxygen 4 Life liquid gives off one-eighth of a litre of gaseous oxygen, then what they鈥檙e selling is roughly equivalent to a relatively harmless 0.02 per cent solution of hydrogen peroxide. We reckon we can make that solution for a penny a litre, retail. Or we could pay AU$48.95 for a quarter litre of Oxygen 4 Life 鈥� which is 拢80 per litre or $540 per US gallon.
We do not recommend buying any to find out what the stuff actually is.
OUR most upsetting scientific paper title this week is 鈥淐astration-induced vocalisation in domestic piglets, Sus scrofa: Complex and specific alterations of the vocal quality鈥� by B. Puppe, P. C. Schon, A. Tuchscherer and G. Manteuffel in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol 95, p 67.
Yes, they really did study the squeals piglets make when their testicles are chopped off. They conclude, somewhat unsurprisingly, that: 鈥淭he observed changes of acoustical parameters during the surgical period can be interpreted as vocal indicators for experienced pain and suffering.鈥�
FINALLY 鈥� really 鈥� we have banished streets with no name. Laura Halliday writes helpfully to tell us that British Columbia has none. But it does have a creek named Damfino Creek.
Curiosity aroused, we fall for the bait and read on. It got its name, she continues, when the official surveyor asked one of the locals what the name of the creek was. The answer was: 鈥淒amned if I know.鈥� Presumably it was said quite quickly.