How beautiful the enemy

This incredible piece of art is actually a 3-dimensional model of the H1N1 "swine" flu virus. It was designed by artist Luke Jerram as part of a series of microbial pathogens. Jerram has this to say about this collection:

Its great to be exploring the edges of scientific understanding and visualisation of a virus. Scientists aren't able to answer many of the questions I ask them, such as how the RNA is exactly fitted within the Capsid? At the moment, camera technology can't answer these questions either. I'm also pushing the boundaries of glassblowing. Some of my designs simply can't be created in glass. Some are simply too fragile and gravity would cause them to collapse under their own weight. So there's a very careful balancing act that needs to take place, between exploring current scientific knowledge and the limitations of glassblowing techniques.

A video of HIV being "made":
(Via Freakonomics)

Wasps

And then there's this:

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) — More than two dozen students and teachers at a Cranston middle school were stung by wasps during a fire drill, and one child was taken to the hospital.

Cranston Schools Superintendent Peter Nero said about 30 students and teachers at the Western Hills Middle School were stung Monday morning — some multiple times — when a yellow jacket nest was disturbed as students were walking outside.

He says the school contacted the parents of all children who were stung and recommended out of caution that they be sent home for the day.

Nero said the school has canceled all physical education classes for the day, and that exterminators applied a non-toxic chemical spray on the hive.

iPod Shuffle

"Bobby McGee" performed by the man who wrote it (Kris Kristofferson) along with Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Nora Jones, and John Mellencamp. Enjoy: