Monday, October 30, 2006

Vampires a Mathematical Impossibility, Scientist Says


Vampires a Mathematical Impossibility, Scientist Says

A researcher has come up with some simple math that sucks the life out of the vampire myth, proving that these highly popular creatures can't exist.

University of Central Florida physics professor Costas Efthimiou's work debunks pseudoscientific ideas, such as vampires and zombies, in an attempt to enhance public literacy. Not only does the public believe in such topics, but the percentages are at dangerously high level, Efthimiou told LiveScience.

Legend has it that vampires feed on human blood and once bitten a person turns into a vampire and starts feasting on the blood of others.

Efthimiou's debunking logic: On Jan 1, 1600, the human population was 536,870,911. If the first vampire came into existence that day and bit one person a month, there would have been two vampires by Feb. 1, 1600. A month later there would have been four, and so on. In just two-and-a-half years the original human population would all have become vampires with nobody left to feed on.

If mortality rates were taken into consideration, the population would disappear much faster. Even an unrealistically high reproduction rate couldn't counteract this effect.

"In the long run, humans cannot survive under these conditions, even if our population were doubling each month," Efthimiou said. "And doubling is clearly way beyond the human capacity of reproduction."

So whatever you think you see prowling around on Oct. 31, it most certainly won't turn you into a vampire.

Ok, vampires aren't real, I get that. But what about ghosts? Whether or not you believe in the living dead, you still might run into a few recently deceased "stay the course" speeches over the next couple months...so be on the look-see.

[link credit]

Punk's Not Dead

According to Punknews.org,

"The documentary Punk's Not Dead has updated their "cast" page to reflect the final list of bands participating in the doc. In the editing process, the producers removed some interviews but expect much of the cut footage to reappear on the eventual DVD release."

You can check out the final list here.

As previously reported, "the documentary focuses on the past 30 years in punk rock, with the social impact it has shown on everything from the orginal counter-culture, through its marketable image of today. The cast consists of a wide variety of bands, labels and personalities; providing both interviews and performances. Current stars like Green Day, Good Charlotte and Yellowcard; punk staples such as Bad Religion, Pennywise, Rancid and the Casualties; and pioneers like the Ramones, Minor Threat and the Dead Kennedys are just some of groups featured in the presentation."

Good Charlotte is a punk band? When did that happen? Just hearing them mentioned along bands like Minor Threat makes me want to throw up or punch some teenager in the face.

Hot Water Music - "God Deciding"

Last but not least...

You asked for it again, so here's your pre-Halloween treat...

Cash/Nirvana - "Hurts Like Teen Spirit" remix

Good television tonight if you're up that late. I'm not:

Cat Power on Conan O'Brien
Yeah Yeah Yeahs on Jimmy Kimmel


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2 Comments:

At 7:51 PM, Anonymous Slyer said...

I have vampire friends who eats only animal flesh, eat a human over a few decades, or are vegetarians.

 
At 4:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And what if people aren't turned by being bitten? What if its like Anne Rice's books, the person must ingest the vampire blood in order to be turned.

 

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