'Puppy trafficking' campaign (vid) with a very GOOD dog called Molly.

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New Radiohead video is shot with lasers, not cameras. I shouldn't need to explain why this one is awesome. Frickin' lasers.

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The sun's sphere of influence, the 'heliosphere', is not spherical but sort of oviform. And the edges are wibbly. This is awesome because we haven't sent anyone outside it before, meaning we've never had a clear view of things without old Sol figuratively leaning over our shoulders and breathing on the glass. And then of course [spoilers for Star Trek: The Motion Picture] which will be freaking immense.

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Cow 'burps' 'help' climate study. I don't see why this should be considered any more acceptable than
tapping moon bears' bile ducts, personally...

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What the eff, Japan?

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Downing Street rescues kestrel (vid) (apologies for patronising presenters)

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Outsourced hydroponics franchises on Mars draw one step closer to the inevitability horizon with the discovery that Mars's soil is pretty suitable for Earth-style life. This is awesome despite the little drawback that there's no sign of any carbon (essential for pencils, diamonds, carbohydrates, hydrocarbons and by definition anything organic, so pretty important, one would assume).

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Torture through music, following up on David Gray's polite complaint, which I linked a week or so ago. (Rick Astley, note.)

It's a rather clever technique, really, because most people who hear about it will react like that vapid NBC anchor they quote, trivialising the whole thing—just like waterboarding doesn't really sound that bad (see an article I've linked previously in which a journalist volunteered to undergo it to see what it's really like). That in mind, it's worth reading the full article.

Someone in the comments links this example of how the US media covers it. I don't know about you, but this makes me shudder. "Hey, ha ha, you like my tunes? I'll write you some more." I think I'll not be reading his book.

Although, want to know a secret? The first article is actually stealth torture-lite. There's at least one song in their quoted list that you know, and now it's in your head. Eee-xit light, en-ter night, grain of sand...

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Registrar wins same-sex tribunal. Every secular, gay-friendly or generally non-bigoted person should be AFRAID right now. WTF, Britain?

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Early Aussie tattoos match rock art. This is awesome because it's further proof that the tradition of people mutilating themselves while other people like me crow "It'll still be there when you're 70, moron!" is nothing new. And it's interesting in terms of cultural identity, impressionability and ritual. Also, they cut them directly into the skin. Brutal. (Please don't do such things to yourself as a result of reading this, or you're probably a moron and/or in need of help. Really. Even if it's a flaming dog skull. Although those are cool.)

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Women 'using web for abortions'

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Blind trek to the South Pole (vid)

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Video of that beautiful Welsh ghost slug I linked yesterday. That guy has a tremor like mine and he's still getting to play with slugs. Good on him.

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Black tie arts festival.

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Dogs' new trick: finding mobile phones—and I'm trying to watch the vid, but it's crashing everything in sight. Probably just my machine...

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(not news) Random awesome picture.