Informative Links

At the intersection of science and science fiction, you get SETI-Con, August 13-15. The theme of the event is, "Are we alone in the universe?" (via Science Not Fiction)

Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don’t Know How It Works. Group therapy may be a more important component than the twelve steps, buy then again, who knows? (via Metafilter)

Sam Kean is starting a series of posts on the periodic table of elements, meaning he is writing a separate post about each of about two-dozen of the most interesting elements. Antimony and hydrogen are leading the parade.

More on the ScienceBlogs blow up over the addition of a Pepsi blog. The Loom is keeping up with the ScienceBloggers who are leaving over the issue.

What would happen if the earth stopped spinning? We'd be able to drive around the world, except we couldn't visit Canada or Siberia without a submarine.

How about a nice frozen bloodsicle? It's one of the imaginative ways zoos are keeping their animals cool in the east coast heat wave.

Whiskey Business: The Many Myths of Jack Daniel. We separate the truth from the legends so you'll be armed the next time you have a friendly debate over shots.

Japanese artist maps 1945-1998's nuclear explosions. Maybe you are familiar with the first test and those two that ended World War II, but how about those other 2,050 nuclear explosions?