The Geekly with a Twist: November 4th-10th
Heyo all, Annaleigh here. I hope you all have awoken from your post-Halloween candy-induced stupor because it’s time for your favorite segment of the week here on SciFi4Me. So, onward with the history! (Also, side note, the first person to mention Christmas may just be attacked by angry, flying monkeys. Just saying. The next holiday is Veteran’s Day…then Thanksgiving.)
November 4th, 1981: A second scheduled flight of the space shuttle Columbia is cancelled with only 31 seconds left in the countdown when a computer detected an increase in oil pressure in two of the three auxiliary power units.
November 4th, 2010: Microsoft launches the Kinect.
November 6th, 1972: The actress who would grace the big screen as both Mystique and, soon, Cheetara, Rebecca Romijn is born in Berkeley, California.
November 6th, 1990: The Universal Studios backlot in California is set on fire. About 20% of the property is destroyed.
November 7th, 1867: A pioneer in science (as well as a pioneer for women), Marie Curie, is born in Warsaw in Russian Poland. She would later go on to be the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only woman to win two, and the only person at all to win in multiple fields of science.
November 8th, 1656: Astronomer-mathmatician Edmond Halley is born in the London area of England. Halley is best known for the comet named after him.
November 8th, 1847: Irish novelist and author of what can be deemed “early science fiction,” Bram Stoker (yup, the guy that wrote Dracula), is born in Dublin, Ireland.
November 9th, 1967: The first successful test flight of a Saturn V rocket is carried out from Cape Kennedy. This flight, and all of the knowledge and success from it, helped pave the way for the flight of man into space.
In honor of Marie Curie’s research on radioactivity, this week’s Twist looks a bit suspect.
The Hpnotist
- Image Courtesy Hpnotiq
- 2 oz Hpnotiq
- 1 oz Vodka
- Splash of Lemon juice
Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lit glow stick (you can find mini ones all over, I usually get them from gumball machines).
And for The Garnish, what better way to end a post with a huge science overtone than with a way for you to fund the science of the future!
Okay, while I’m not talking about time-travelling Deloreans, I am meaning the #SciFund Challenge over at RocketHub. RocketHub is a crowdfunding site similar to IndieGoGo where the money raised goes to the project regardless of how much is raised. The #SciFund Challenge is just a specific program dedicated to the funding of science programs throughout the world (we’re talking everything from research on how climate change affects coral to “zombie” research). It won’t be around very long, so head on over and help science!
Until next week, geek on!
What is Hpnotiq? I have never heard of it. Not that it means much. But I had to ask.
Hpnotiq is a liqueur that is available at most liquor stores. It’s got a sort of exotic fruity taste and is quite yummy (but not nearly as sweet as the color might suggest).
Thank you for the information.