Scanning Electronic Microscopes for All!

A few of my fellow bloggers have already picked this story up, but ASPEX is giving all of you out there in Readerland the opportunity to send something to them and have it photographed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). If my gecko ever sheds again (before she dies...*sigh*), I intend to send them a sample of her skin. Check out their contest at "Send Us Your Sample." A word of caution, however: be mindful that whatever you send to them, they will not send back. So don't send things like wedding rings or rare fossils.

Here's how to do it: First, print out this submission form. Fill that sucker out and mail it along with your sample to:
ASPEX Corporation
Free Sample Submissions
175 Sheffield Drive
Delmont, PA 156256

It takes about two weeks to get your sample onto the website. ASPEX will notify you via email once it's been posted.

You can see some of their awesome work here. It really is pretty cool. I love SEM pictures. Also of interest, a video showing you how to demo a desktop SEM.

Shit Be Funny, Yo.

This is the funniest things I've seen all week.

Go Forth and Do Science!

Ever wanted to get your name on a scientific publication? Now you can! Andrew Farke, Matt Wedel, and Mike Taylor (one part Open Source Paleontologist, two parts SV-POW) are hoping to figure out what made ornithischians go down on all fours so very often. Three separate times, in fact! To figure this puzzle out, they are trying to get limb bone measurements from as many ornithischians as they can, and YOU CAN HELP! Head over to The Open Dinosaur Project and find out how! It's a very exciting prospect, and I'm going to dredge up a few ornithischians later tonight. SCIENCE!