Frights At The Museum

Marvel at these medical and scientific wonders at museums and exhibits across the U.S. where getting grossed-out is just part of the educational experience.

Bodily functions and body parts are on full display at The Mutter Museum.
Most of us have dissected a frog or coaxed lava to spew from a vinegar volcano. But for many people, scientific exploration ends on graduation day. Sadly, it's easy to lose touch with the natural world -- to take gravity for granted and let the periodic table fade from memory, one element at a time.

To help rediscover your inner science geek, we've featured eight of country's weirdest, wackiest and at times -- grotesque science-related destinations.
The Mütter Museum (Philadelphia)
In 1858, retired surgeon Thomas Dent Mütter donated his collection of medical equipment and pathology specimens to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Mütter intended his gift to educate future doctors, but today his eponymous museum enlightens the public on human anatomy and disease. Visitors can cringe at antique surgical tools, or gawk at President Grover Cleveland's tumor. But the Mütter's most intriguing displays are as much carnival as medical: a 40 pound colon, a woman whose body turned to soap, and a plaster cast of Siamese twins joined at the liver are just some of the highlights.

 The Exploratorium (San Francisco)
Ever wonder what the world would sound like if your ears were reversed? At San Francisco's Exploratorium you can find out. Billed as a "museum of science, art and human perception," the Exploratorium was opened in 1969 by Frank Oppenheimer, a professor, high school teacher, cattle rancher, and experimental physicist who felt people could learn to understand the world around them through fun, interactive experimentation. A day at the Exploratorium is a far cry from memorizing physics equations. Exhibits are divided into five categories: seeing, hearing, traits of life, the material world and the mind. Visitors can analyze their own DNA, learn how the eyes and ears work through various perceptual tricks and hallucinations, or experience the tension between reason and emotion by drinking from a water fountain shaped like a toilet.
Strange surgical devices

 Mingle with the medical immortals at the International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago.
International Museum of Surgical Science (Chicago)
Chicago's collection of all things surgical may not be on the usual list of Windy City tourist essentials (deep dish pizza, Wrigley Field, Millennium Park, etc.) but it's just as worthwhile for anyone with an interest in weird science or medicine, or in staging a pleasantly creepy afternoon. The 56 year-old museum is housed in a gorgeous old stone mansion overlooking Lake Michigan -- think marble floors, grand staircases and a cold starkness right out of a Poe story. Exhibits rotate but expect iron lungs, antique surgical and x-ray equipment, and a collection of skulls once treated with trepanning, the archaic practice of drilling holes into a patient's skull to treat neurologic disorders. Medical art -- old and new -- lines the walls and a turn of the century apothecary shop replica will have you wishing your local pharmacy dabbled in homemade tinctures, salves and pills.

Marfa Lights (Marfa, Texas)
Everyone loves a mysterious light phenomenon. The aurora borealis. UFO sightings. And in Texas, it's the Marfa lights. Nine miles outside the little desert town of Marfa, visitors gather on a viewing platform to witness this odd and eerie event: on most clear nights, spheres of light in various colors appear to hover in the distance; they disappear, reappear, lazily creep across the horizon, and, sometimes, dart hastily back and forth. Various explanations have been suggested: distant ranch lights, traffic lights from nearby Highway 67, a mirage caused by a hot and cold air gradient. But still no one knows for sure what causes the mysterious light show. And it's probably better that way.

 See what you spy in the Microscopy Hall of the Museum of Jurassic Technology.
The Museum of Jurassic Technology (Culver City, Calif.)
The Museum of Jurassic Technology is hard to decipher. Is it for real? A playful farce? Something in between? The museum bills itself as an "educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the public appreciation of the Lower Jurassic." But you won't find any relics from the Jurassic age. Instead visitors browse odd scientific, artistic and historical exhibits that may or may not be rooted in fact: horned humans, a bat-like creature that can supposedly pass through objects, and an entire display devoted to dogs of the Soviet space program. Be sure to view the Mosaics of Henry Dalton exhibit, featuring colorful micromosaics made from individual butterfly wing scales. The bottom line is this quirky institution is more about warped, poetic wonder than scientific accuracy.
Makes your skin crawl

 A psychograph, seen at The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices, was an antique phrenology machine.
 The Bodies Exhibit (Cities across the U.S.)
Now in its fifth year, this controversial anatomy exhibit continues to shock and intrigue across the US and abroad. It's part grotesque, part med school lab, and mostly just a really, really interesting way to appreciate how our arms and legs work. Bodies features whole human cadavers dissected to demonstrate the various bodily systems; some stand frozen in real-life positions -- playing volleyball, conducting an orchestra -- introducing a playful element to what could be an otherwise frightening display.
The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices (St. Paul, Minn.)
Weight loss glasses. A vibrating chair for constipation. An "energy accumulator" to cure the common cold. These are just a few of the medical oddities housed in The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices. The museum was the brainchild of Robert McCoy, a steel salesman with an interest in weird and wacky medical gizmos and "remedies" that never quite lived up to their inventor's claims. McCoy retired in 2002 and donated his collection to the Science Museum of Minnesota, where a portion of it is currently on display.

Grand Central Station Whispering Gallery (New York)
Shhhh. Watch what you say beneath the bustling concourses of New York City's Grand Central Station: here, sound travels in funny ways. Near the entrance to GCS's legendary Oyster Bar is a massive ceramic tiled archway, colloquially known as the whispering gallery. Grab a friend and stand at opposite ends of the arch. Then let out your softest whisper and chances are your pal will hear you loud and clear, as the ceiling carries even the faintest sound along the arch and down theother side. Stick around long enough and you'll likely catch one of the spot's frequent hushed marriage proposals.


Bret Stetka is a science, medical and food writer based in Brooklyn, N.Y. He recently authored the Eat Manhattan iPhone app, a guide to essential Manhattan dining.

10 Most Popular Haircuts of All Time

It's no secret that many of us take our beauty cues from celebrities. Recently a poll from hair company Goody officially confirmed it by counting down the six most popular celeb-inspired hairstyles. We've added a few iconic styles of our own to make up the 10 best hairstyles of all time — some of which still work today

Jennifer Aniston's "Rachel" Cut
Since Aniston debuted this style as the character Rachel on Friends in the '90s, more than 11 million woman have tried the cut. Fifteen years later it's still a frequent request, making the "Rachel" one of the most popular hairstyles of all time.

 

Meg Ryan's Shag
Ryan's made a career out of portraying the silly but sexy, quirky girl — a persona best embodied by this choppy, peppy shag. This look was first runner-up in Goody's poll.

Dannii Minogue's Sleek Bob

Minogue's flawless bob is both sophisticated and confident — the perfect complement for any edgy, no-nonsense woman.

Princess Diana's Royal Do

During her short, tragic life, Diana reached the pinnacle of elegance and carved out one of the most recognizable and coveted styles. According to the poll, her cut is still popular with women in all age groups.

Victoria Beckham's Posh Pageboy

When Victoria Beckham decided to shed her "Posh" skin, she took the shears to her locks and catapulted herself into icon status with this structured style. Her asymmetrical cut is another favorite with women in every demographic.

Farrah Fawcett's Feathered Flip

No one has ever done more for the "feathered" look. While the '70s and Fawcett are no longer with us, this vintage style is still a favorite with ladies everywhere.

Michelle Obama's Classic Cut

In 2007, Obama was an unknown political wife. Since ascending to the White House, she's handled the spotlight with confidence and grace, thanks in part to her elegance, character, and this timeless and flattering cut.

Marilyn Monroe's Blonde Curls

In the history of hair color there is no blonde more famous than Marilyn Monroe. She may not have invented this look, but she certainly owned it. If you've got the guts to go bottle blonde, this style still guarantees sex appeal.

Mia Farrow's Pixie Crop

In 1968, after Vidal Sassoon gave Mia Farrow this extreme haircut for the film Rosemary's Baby, thousands of woman ran to salons, eager to shed inches of hair, along with traditional standards of feminine beauty.

Blake Lively's Layered Locks

Poised to topple the popularity of the "Rachel," Blake Lively's long, blonde Gossip Girl tresses have become one of the most requested styles in salons across American — even prompting a New York Times article chronicling the craze.

Lady Gaga Plagued by Spirits

With rumors flying that Lady Gaga is intensely interested in the occult, the musician is quickly gaining notoriety as this generation's connection to the strange and otherworldly. And yet her outfits are not the only thing that seem to be gaining her a reputation as a savant of the strange. It would seem her fascination and sensitivity to the concept of death has sent her searching for equipment that will assist her in both understanding and avoiding "negative energy"


Lady Gaga is rumored to have told those around her that a mysterious energy is following her. Some have even used the term "evil spirits." But the forces at work here are not simply following her. They are actually interfering with the musician's ability to perform while off stage. Dan Webb, an aid of hers has said that the kit she brought manifests energy everywhere she goes so the paranormal phenomena appears to be emanating from Lady Gaga herself. With the assistance of Electromagnetic Radiation detectors and other implements of ghost detection. Temperatures are reported to fluctuate in Gaga's presence, and the musician herself reports that she was afraid that she may have had a mental breakdown.

Some are reportedly concerned over the hauntings. There is a long history of hauntings associated with famous musicians. Elvis Presley, throughout his life said he was in constant contact with his twin brother who died long before he was born. But this energy following Lady Gaga is apparently of a more "sinister" nature. She reportedly was so concerned with the apparitions appearing to her, she thought she had somehow developed a mental imbalance, but was relieved when others around her also reported seeing strange happenings in her presence. There is no confirmation that the strange activity has subsided since her taking a more proactive role in response to the activity. The "bad energy" may still be following her on tour, or it may have been successfully dealt with by the tools and the cleansing she has begun to use.

Being called the "ghostbuster device" by the general media, she will no doubt be considered an eccentric for its use, but those who have lived with the presence of spiritual energy they cannot explain will not be adding anything but sympathy and well wishes for the star as she puts on her poker face for the skeptics out there.

Other celebrities who have been haunted by ghosts are Sammy Hagar, Janis Joplin, Nicholas Cage, Keanu Reeves, Matthew McCaunoghey, Dan Aykroyd of Ghostbusters fame, and scores more. Uma Thurmon was driven from the house of her dreams by a mysterious entity that haunted her and her husband Ethan Hawke. Ex Beatle Paul McCartney along with the two other surviving Beatles reported the ghost of John Lennon appearing around them and causing his usual brand of mischief. It seems fame is not something that will protect you from the paranormal, though it may give you the resources to deal with the problem in more ways than the average person.

Japanese Probe Returning from Asteroid

The unmanned Hayabusa space probe built to fly off and intercept the asteroid Itokawa is now on its way back home after firing off the final rocket that will bring the craft back home. JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency has been very ambitious in both its exploration of space and its planning of future projects, such as the Lunar robot base it hopes to have built by 2020.

The probe first visited Otokawa in 2005, but ran into some difficulty after a technical error in its hardware resulted in it being unable to communicate with Earth for an extended period of time. After a long period of held breaths and waiting to see if the satellite would be able to recover it is now heading back
to Earth with a possible interesting cargo in tow. Scientists are suggesting that if the probe was a success, it will be able to bring back material from the asteroid and give us a clear view of a sampling of its composition. Of course without any way to confirm if it actually acquired the sample from the asteroid, scientists will have to depend on its safe arrival back on Earth in order to confirm whether or not it contains pieces of Itokawa.

After a leak in the rocket engines emptied out the tanks, the Hayabusa was prepared and used its ion engine thrusters to carry it the rest of the way home. There was some doubt that an ion based engine would work, but the solar sails turned light into electricity, which was then turned into a stream of ions which propelled the craft forward to its destination, albeit far slower.

The second Trajectory Correction Maneuver successfully guided the spacecraft on a course for Earth's "outer rim." The hope is it will be able to move from that position to the Earth's surface and give us insight into the resources of a slow moving nearby asteroid.

But the entire vessel will not be entering Earth's atmosphere. As Jaxa officials explained, the only part that is necessary will be the "sample return capsule" which will be jettisoned from the craft before it enters the atmosphere. The probe will at this point have shed most of its original body and return to Earth with its mission accomplished after five long years. The touchdown of the craft was never captured on film, but it did so amid the mathematical estimations and sensors from Jaxa's ground control in 2005. And prior to its return mission it spent another two years actually getting from Earth to the asteroid. On May 09, 2003 the "Falcon" was launched from Kagoshima Space Center after years of planning and research. Clearly, this is the final stage in a great number of scientific achievements. And soon we will know if it actually paid off with a sample from an asteroid.

But even if it doesn't, the craft still made great discoveries from far off as it scanned the surface and studied it electronically. Ultimately, whether the Hayabusa was a success, it has already proven it was worth the funding based on the data it sent back. Now we just have to see if it is worth more.

Japan's Moon Base Plans

JAXA, the Japanese space agency has announced it has plans to build the first functional Lunar base by the year 2020. The moon base has been a dream of science fiction writers for decades now, but Japan says no humans will be at this research lab.The humanoid robots designed in Japan are some of the most cutting edge advanced on the market today. And yet even these will be dwarfed in ability by what is projected to come in the next ten years. Power systems, articulation, and information processing will allow the robots of the future to be more capable in their environments, require less information to function, and have more advanced automated systems to help them take care of emergency situations should they lose contact with Earth for moments or even days.


One of the most important technologies that will have to be developed in the near future will be power supply and collection. The robots proposed for the Lunar base will largely acquire their electrical power from solar cells, which will feed battery reserves. Because the base will be located at the moon's North Pole, there will be long periods of sunlight that the robots would be able to take advantage of. Unfortunately, there will also be the prospect of Lunar eclipses for the moon to deal with. Of course the power supplies will have to be substantial enough for them to survive through these periods of darkness. And speaking of times of darkness, it appears the block on robotics that has been plaguing the 21st century is quickly coming to an end. As Japan's robotics industry booms, for the first time robots are being accepted by the mainstream of society in order to do jobs beyond the assembly line. Already Japan has implemented the use of robots to greet travelers, help around the home, and even perform wedding ceremonies. But will they be able to sustain themselves for long periods of time far from Earth?

The average weight of the robots is projected to be around 660 lbs. Rather than legs which have many moving parts and therefore many opportunities for problems, they will depend upon massive treads that will grip the ground and push them along the Lunar surface. And will humans eventually join their alloy allies? For now there aren't any concrete plans for humans to inhabit this particular moon base, but the research from the surface of the moon will be of great value to anyone who wishes to consider a long-term stay on the moon's surface. This would go for Japanese explorers, or those of any nationality.

Recently it was proposed that the pursuit of alloys may be of great interest to space agencies and mining operations in space if specific rare minerals come into great demand and resources on Earth dwindle. An asteroid could potentially contain trillions of dollars worth of natural resources unobtainable on Earth, but in order to pursue this it would require a better understanding of how to extract minerals through robotic means.

The Man Who Never Sleeps‏

Thai Ngoc is a man that medical modern science says should have died in 1976 when he was robbed of the ability to sleep. The Vietnamese man, born in 1942 in a small village called Trung Ha in the Quang Nam Province said one of his greatest aspirations in life was to one day have a dream. And yet dreams have never come.

The man was the subject of two separate investigations looking into his strange condition. Some would say the potential for productivity one man can have utilizing all 24 hours in the day without sleep would be an immense boon while others say it is a cruel curse placed on him by nature. The investigations operating out of the United Kingdom and Thailand both independently concluded that Thai Ngoc was the genuine article as they followed him for several days independently with cameras around the clock.
As the sun set, Ngoc continued to work tirelessly, tending to the small farm he lived on. Investigators even took the study a step further, hiding nine objects of Ngoc's around the house and asking the elderly man to describe them and indicate which objects were missing. He did so without missing a beat, demonstrating an incredible amount of alertness.

The brain needs what is known as "REM sleep" also known as "dream sleep." REM sleep is said to be one of the most powerful changes the human mind will undertake throughout a natural lifetime. And it is supposed to happen once every REM cycle in a 24 hour day. Without REM sleep subjects in sleep studies show a decreased level of performance in both cognitive functioning and verbal aptitude. And with time, a lack of REM sleep is often forcibly fought by the body with increased lethargy ultimately leading to a deep sleep lasting several hours. Studies where REM sleep was prevented often resulted in symptoms reminiscent of sufferers of schizophrenia.

And yet Ngoc, while observed, seemed perfectly reasonable and lucid. He would work around the clock with no ill effects. Since he never slept, he had no bed in his house. Visitors had to sleep on mats which Ngoc poured boiling water around in order to fight off the constant tide of ants in the area.

Though his lack of sleep was widely documented by news crews, he declined an invitation to travel abroad for 18 months in order to be studied, saying he was afraid of tests and had not left his home town for over 60 years. In addition, he says that no doctor has been able to help him thus far. Medicines intended to allow him to sleep have no effect on him. He has had several jobs playing drums at night in order to remind the other villagers that someone is still out there watching over the village in the dead of night. And yet no one is able to explain how Ngoc is alive or how he can sustain such long hours without sleep. He has been keeping his pace for a long time and wishes for nothing more than a half hour nap.

Conjoined Twins Krista and Tatiana (10 photos)

They walk, talk and amaze the experts. Krista and Tatiana - conjoined twins, fused heads. Girls three and a half years, they go - awkwardly, but pretty quickly - talk and charm all around. Even before his birthday on Oct. 25, 2006 Twins spotlight. The family signed a contract with the company «National Geographic» and channel «Discovery» to shoot a documentary. My mother and grandmother had seen some scenes from the movie and were pleasantly surprised by "valid, scientific approach", which had directed them to the problem. That is why the family refused to participate in the popular reality show - they do not want fame, just a documentary about conjoined twins can help many who have faced the same problem.

Conjoined twins Tatiana and Krista Hogan are with their mother Felicia Simms, a new home in Vernon, British Columbia. The twins, considered in Canada this medical miracle, three years, and their health does not cause any problems.

Krista and Tatiana Hogan in her new home in Vernon on Sept. 21, 2009.

Pope disguised as Tatiana and Christy Hogan in their new home in Vernon, which recently moved their large family.

Conjoined twins Tatiana and Krista have lunch with her a large family.

The earliest case dates back to the birth of conjoined twins 945 a year, when the Siamese brothers originally from Armenia were brought to Constantinople for medical evaluation.

Krista and Tatiana Hogan have moved into their new home.

Typically, if one dies diplopagus, the second death occurs within hours or days.

Tatiana and Krista Hogan are with their mother Filishiey Simms in their home in New Vernon.

Some of conjoined twins are able to bear children.

There are cases of separation of Siamese twins. But at the same time, it can lead to fatal consequences.

Animals In News‏

Spot the dalmatian gave his owner Heinrich Lehrer a shock when he spotted something rustling around in the bushes in Ratingen, Germany - and chased out this 50 kilo porker. Lehrer said: "I thought it was a wild pig and I know they can be really dangerous so I was terrified. A Rattingen police spokesman said: "We quickly realised this animal was a pet - it was actually a potbellied pig - not a wild boar"

A reed warbler feeds a cuckoo chick which it has raised as its own. Female cuckoos lay their eggs in another bird's nest and then leave them to hatch and be brought up by smaller birds

Little rhinoceros bull Jammbo keeps close to mother Numbi at the zoo in Erfurt, Germany

Laska the dog plays with two-week-old Alice, one of two abandoned baby wild boars found by the Hecker family in the forests near Hamburg, Germany

Nah Fun, a nine-month-old clouded leopard, grooms his mate Chai Li in the Asia Day Room at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, USA

Two of the four cheetah cubs, the first to be born wild in the UAE for 38 years, are pictured at the Sir Bani Yas Island Wildlife Park near Abu Dhabi

A tiger jumps at a performer on a 130-metre-long tightrope some nine metres above the tiger enclosure at a zoo in Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu province

A polar bear cub clings to the side of its mum like velcro as she takes a stroll across a snow-covered tundra

With a grizzly bear hot on his heels this man appears to be seconds away from becoming lunch. But he is actually a zoo keeper playing a game of chase at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Arizona, USA.

One of the newest arrivals to Bronx Zoo, Ares, the new baby Coquerel's sifaka, clings to his mother's back as they spring from tree to tree in the zoo's Madagascar enclosure

A seal enjoys the sun at the beach of the island Helgoland, northern Germany

A young hand-reared meerkat sniffs a Spring daffodil at Axe Valley Bird and Animal Park in Axminster, Devon

A swan walks through a field of daffodils in Schagerbrug in northwestern Netherlands

A Gentoo penguin is seemingly transfixed by his own reflection in a puddle on on Gourdin Island in the Antarctic. The image was captured by PR Consultancy Managing Director Edward Dixon in February as he toured the region with the non-profit Ocean Geographic Society

A snorkeller strokes a sperm whale off the island of Dominica in the Caribbean. The picture was taken by Dr Peter G Allinson, from Florida, who says: "When they interact with us they approach us very closely, rolling over again and again, trying to get us to rub their abdomens and bodies"

A black crowned crane from East Africa looks into the camera as it parades in the Bird Park in Walsrode, northern Germany

A pug looks up after a brief hail storm in Clarence, a suburb of Buffalo, New York

A Labrador puppy holds a rose in its mouth at the Guide Dogs Breeding and Training Centre in Brisbane. To commemorate Guide Dogs Queensland's 50th Anniversary, a new rose, the Brindabella Gold, has been developed and will be unveiled at the Brisbane Gardening Australia Expo, with sale proceeds to help turn more puppies into guide dogs