The blogosphere is ablaze with news that they seem to have detected neutrinos traveling faster than light.  If true, it would be the biggest science news of the century, overturning one of the most fundamental concepts in physics.  There is obviously much skepticism amongst scientists.  For a typically insightful explanation, check out Bad Astronomer Phil Plait‘s post:  Faster-than-light travel discovered? Slow down, folks

The Twitter fun began when a discussion between two physicist/mathematician-types, Blake Stacey (@blakestacey) and S.C. Kavassalis (@sc_k) led Blake to tweet:

@sc_k Maybe we need to counterbalance the HEP blogohedron with a Twitter meme? e.g., #mundaneneutrinoexplanations

Then he spun out a few funny examples of more mundane explanations for the unusual neutrino measurement:

• #CERN physicists did arithmetic on old Pentium computers
• #CERN physicists let undergrads near the experiment
• Calculations done by visiting Americans who still don’t get the metric system.

…  all with the #mundaneneutrinoexplanations hashtag appended.

I think I was the first one to follow his lead with:

• Forgot to carry the one
• Confused neutrino with one sent later
• Study published by Wakefield et al

Then @drskyskull and @physicsdavid and others joined in (even astophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and the Bad Astronomer) and, before you know it, the Twitterverse was alive with funny explanations, some of which may be as likely as superluminal neutrinos.  I ended up spitting out about 25 of them, which I present here, as they were tweeted, in reverse chronological order (so start from the bottom).  Enjoy!

Click for bigger version at Time.com

Link:
My Love Affair with Space on Time.com

A little while ago, one of the top results included a surprising definition of “lunar eclipse” from Wikipedia:

According to Wikipedia:

Lunar eclipse: A lunar eclipse is when the moon turns black and explodes, releasing a poisonous gas, killing all of humanity.  Of course this can occur only when the Sun, …

The page had already been corrected by the time I saw it.  But the false definition was apparently cached and showing up in Google’s search results, until a little while ago.

I love Wikipedia. But it’s still funny.

Check out the page devoted to Google Doodles.

The video complements Lev Grossman’s new Time Magazine feature story on Ray Kurzweil.

Link:
When Robots Attack! Should We Fear a Singularity?

I have two(2) big San Francisco shows coming up – plus, a bonus appearance at Ignite SF.  One show is this week, part of SF Sketchfest – the others are just around the corner:  February 8 and 9.  Details and links… to more details and links:

This Wednesday, January 26, see two one-man shows for the price of one.  At the Eureka Theatre, comedian and cartoonist Michael Capozzola will present his food-themed multimedia show ”Regurgitated,” and I’ll be doing my latest science comedy: “Spontaneous Emissions.”  Joining us will be the amazing Mike Meehan for a special cameo.

Wednesday, February 9, join me at the San Francisco Punch Line Comedy Club for an evening of science humor – again, “Spontaneous Emissions.”  My good friend Ngaio Bealum will join me as a guest performer.  Call the club and make reservations in advance!  This show will sell out.

And for something a little different…  the 2nd Annual Global Ignite Week is coming.  I’ll be participating in the San Francisco event at Public Works on Tuesday, February 8.  Ignite is an evening of 5-minute talks with 20 slides each, that auto-advance every 15 seconds.  Presentations are by artists, technologists, and other thinkers – designed to be of interest to geeks.  16 speakers!  A huge variety of topics.  My presentation will be called “How Wine Saved the World.”  True story.  Be there!

And, seriously – even if you’re not in the SF Bay Area, please forward this link to someone who is!  Thanks!

Sketchfest is an amazing annual event – actually three weeks of events – each January in San Francisco.  This year’s performers include…

Dan Aykroyd, Candice Bergen, James L. Brooks, David Byrne, Neil Patrick Harris, Garry Shandling, Eugene Mirman, Nerdist Chris Hardwick, Kevin Pollak, Greg Proops, RiffTrax, Will Durst, Bob Goldthwait, Brendon Small, The Sound of Young America, Paul F. Tompkins, Marc Maron, Todd Barry, Bob Odenkirk, Maria Bamford, Greg Behrendt, Doug Benson, Moby, Jimmy Pardo, and many many more.

Oh yeah:  I’m performing along with comedian and cartoonist Michael Capozzola on Wednesday, January 26th, 8pm at the Eureka Theater. Come enjoy an evening featuring two comedic performances! Mike will be doing his food-themed show and I’ll be doing my thing…

Brian Malow – Spontaneous Emissions
and
Michael Capozzola – Regurgitated

8pm, Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
Eureka Theatre
215 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
$15

Tickets are available here

You can also choose the option to buy a pass for all Sketchfest events being held at the Eureka Theatre on this page

I am participating in a synthetic biology conference called “Here Be Dragons: Governing a Technologically Uncertain Future.”

Stellar cast of speakers from science AND science fiction:  Drew Endy, Andrew Hessel, George Church, Robert J. Sawyer, Neal Stephenson, Bruce Sterling, Robert Wright, and many more!

Part of the Future Tense series, the event is co-sponsored by Slate magazine, Arizona State University, and the New America Foundation, and will explore governance issues surrounding new, rapidly-developing fields of science.

How do we proceed when we have no maps for these unexplored territories?

*****************

Thursday, February 3, 2011 – 8:30am - Friday, February 4, 2011 – 1:30pm

Google, DC
1101 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005

Link to video on YouTube

Link to video on FORA.tv

The opening act was the hilariously geeky Nick Pettigrew (link is to a previous set of his), and I did a whopping hour and forty minutes, including some Q&A.  I’ll be putting more clips online soon.  Here’s the first.

My fever-dream inspired by the unbearable heat of an Arizona summer.  Some might fantasize of bikinis and water sports; I can only imagine global devastation, mutation, human extinction…

Link:  Science Comedian Brian Malow – 125 Degrees