Some people think they’re out of circulation. Others think they’re all counterfeit. Some consider them collectable; others, merely oddities. The American two-dollar bill is a source of legend, confusion and activism.
The two-dollar bill is a unit of United States currency best known (when known at all) for its rarity. It is infrequently printed, infrequently distributed, infrequently used and, therefore, infrequently seen. This has made it the stuff of legend.
For the first time, researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have depicted Mount Everest, the ‘Roof of the World’, in 3D using optical satellite data at a maximum resolution of just half a metre.
These 3D images are the outcome of a collaborative venture between the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics and the companies 3D RealityMaps GmbH and DigitalGlobe. A video allows the viewer to follow the route taken by 15 mountaineers on a current expedition to the summit of the world’s highest mountain.
The culprit is natural marijuana-like chemicals in the body called endocannabinoids, researchers from University of California, Irvine found.
They discovered that when rats tasted something fatty, cells in their upper gut started producing endocannabinoids. Sugars and proteins, the researchers noted, did not have this effect.
The process starts on the tongue, where fats in food generate a signal that travels first to the brain and then through a nerve bundle called the vagus to the intestines.
As of about a week ago (when I last checked), seven is still the global favorite, dominating every class, nationality, gender, religion and age category. (Though this is all very preliminary. The real data mining doesn’t begin till the fall.)
Seven isn’t a shoe-in. It’s being chased by a small pack of prime numbers, especially 11 and 13.
So that’s the horserace. But the real fun is in the heart race; why do people choose the numbers they do?
For the bacon + breakfast lover in all of us…
Ingredients:
1 package bacon
1 box of eggs
Shredded cheddar, crumbled goat cheese, or any cheese you like
Chopped herbs such as chives, dill, thyme
1. On medium heat, fry bacon on a skillet until slightly browned on each side, but still pliable – don’t let them get crispy
2. Drain on paper towels and let cool
3. Preheat oven to 400
4. Line muffin cups (or ramekins) with bacon slices, making sure to cover the bottom too (tear off chunks of bacon to fill the bottom)
5. Crack an egg into each cup
6. Add cheese on top
7. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and freshly cracked pepper
8. Bake until set, approx 15 min
9. Carefully run a knife around each to loosen from the cup and remove
