Geekend Update: Asteroids, Wind-Blown Bomb Squads, and Poop Shields

[Ashley Esqueda]

Asteroids, Wind-Blown Bomb Squads, and Poop Shields

Your weekly look at the most interesting science stories in the ever-expanding universe.

To submit your favorite science stories or intro suggestions, send us an email here: [email protected]

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[Arakasi]

I really don't think the mine detinator thing will work very well, by the looks of it it has a low surface area at the bottom, and being powered by wind means it can't exactly plot out an area to check for mines. It would probably streak across one field, making a thin strip of safe land, then get stuck in a fence.

Then again, I haven't exactly looked into it beyond this video.

 

[Quaxar]

the ever-expanding universe.

Now, now, that's only one hypothesis.

And I'll stay with it, this windy thing couldn't reach a proper mine clearing machine's coolness if it was made out of lightsabres. I mean look at that!
<youtube=Jlg-RUe9FTU>

 

[Ramith]

Geekend, really?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

That mine detonator thing doesn't sound very efficient.

 

[wolf thing]

That mine detonator thing doesn't sound very efficient.

its probably more efficient than expensive robots and not as time consuming as dining up the mines and disarming them by hand. not to mention the low price means small community's could afford to remover there mine problem.

 

[wolf thing]

Posting science new it cool and I look forward to the next episode. don't like the title much though, it makes it out that science is only of interest to "geeks" which it is not, science news is useful to all, but i doubt many people outside this site will see it so many of whom call them self's geeks. still i think re-branding science in a more wide reaching state is a good thing.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

That mine detonator thing doesn't sound very efficient.

its probably more efficient than expensive robots and not as time consuming as dining up the mines and disarming them by hand. not to mention the low price means small community's could afford to remover there mine problem.

Dining up the mines? I don't know, all that wine and caviar could get quite expensive.
j/k I know what you meant.
I suppose that's true. I guess it's be less time consuming and safer than having a guy go over it with a metal detector.

 

[wolf thing]

That mine detonator thing doesn't sound very efficient.

its probably more efficient than expensive robots and not as time consuming as dining up the mines and disarming them by hand. not to mention the low price means small community's could afford to remover there mine problem.

Dining up the mines? I don't know, all that wine and caviar could get quite expensive.
j/k I know what you meant.
I suppose that's true. I guess it's be less time consuming and safer than having a guy go over it with a metal detector.

and who knows it may get improved to provent the wind from blowing it way past the land mines

 

[Canadamus Prime]

That mine detonator thing doesn't sound very efficient.

its probably more efficient than expensive robots and not as time consuming as dining up the mines and disarming them by hand. not to mention the low price means small community's could afford to remover there mine problem.

Dining up the mines? I don't know, all that wine and caviar could get quite expensive.
j/k I know what you meant.
I suppose that's true. I guess it's be less time consuming and safer than having a guy go over it with a metal detector.

and who knows it may get improved to provent the wind from blowing it way past the land mines

Yep, it's certainly a possibility. And at least it's cost effective.

 

[Dr.Susse]

I loved the pause before saying crapshoot; Good puns need time to get prepared for them.

At first I had that familiar escapists fear of new videos syndrome but I think this'll find a nice niche here.

 

[Rogjah]

I loved the pause before saying crapshoot; Good puns need time to get prepared for them.

At first I had that familiar escapists fear of new videos syndrome but I think this'll find a nice niche here.

I hear you. I find I end up judging every new video series that shows up here. I used to enjoy reading Lauren Admire's Science articles here, so this could end up being something good. I've felt pretty 'meh' about the latest video additions (with the exception of Reel Physics), but I think I'll keep watching this one.

 

[Ashley Esqueda]

I loved the pause before saying crapshoot; Good puns need time to get prepared for them.

At first I had that familiar escapists fear of new videos syndrome but I think this'll find a nice niche here.

This makes me feel very good about how hard we worked on producing this!

Also, I would like to ask you about Grim Fandango (even though I already know all about it because I worship at the altar of Schafer). Mostly because Manny Calavera is one of my favorite protagonists of all time! Have you seen the Deluxe version fans are working on?

 

[Dr.Susse]

I loved the pause before saying crapshoot; Good puns need time to get prepared for them.

At first I had that familiar escapists fear of new videos syndrome but I think this'll find a nice niche here.

This makes me feel very good about how hard we worked on producing this!

Also, I would like to ask you about Grim Fandango (even though I already know all about it because I worship at the altar of Schafer). Mostly because Manny Calavera is one of my favorite protagonists of all time! Have you seen the Deluxe version fans are working on?

I have now.
It certainly looks good from a video they had up. I wouldn't be against them making that ticket stub bit a tad more obvious either. That took me so very long to work out.

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

Saw this on the main page, watched it and I actually had to double check that this was a new show and that I hadn't just been missing out for a while.

Usually the newer shows take a while to hit their stride while Escapists...helpfully "encourage" the creators (by making them run a gauntlet of bile, fire and aversion to change) but this was so well put together, with the spliced in footage and great title sequence, that I think you might already be there right out of the gate. Impressive. The writing and pacing were very well done and it flowed nicely.

I'm really quite surprised that there aren't more comments here yet; science, humour and news are usually a big hits separately so I was expecting more people here in the comments.

Regardless, credit where credit is due, very well done. A lot of effort clearly went into this and it paid off.

OT:

Cosmic distances always make me laugh. 600,000 miles being relatively 'close' is pretty mind boggling. That live feed does sound interesting, hopefully I won't forget about it.

I saw those tumbleweed lookalike mine-clearing-things back when they were being kickstarted and thought it was a pretty neat idea. I'm glad to see that it's actually made it into production. I'm curious about why the designer is using bamboo spokes though, guessing it's to do with some form of weight to strength to cost ratio.

As for that last story, it's an...I'd like to say "an elegant solution" but I just can't bring myself to use the word elegant in combination with a solution that basically involves plastering the walls with poop...I think I'll say..."a novel solution".

 

[Eric the Orange]

If I can make a suggestion. the transitions feel rather jarring and unnecessary. I would suggest removing them altogether.

 

[Ashley Esqueda]

Usually the newer shows take a while to hit their stride while Escapists...helpfully "encourage" the creators (by making them run a gauntlet of bile, fire and aversion to change) but this was so well put together, with the spliced in footage and great title sequence, that I think you might already be there right out of the gate. Impressive. The writing and pacing were very well done and it flowed nicely.

I'm really quite surprised that there aren't more comments here yet; science, humour and news are usually a big hits separately so I was expecting more people here in the comments.

Regardless, credit where credit is due, very well done. A lot of effort clearly went into this and it paid off.

Thank you SO much! I write the show (with the help of Josh and Jon to clarify any questions I might have during the process), shoot the show in my apartment, and my editor puts it together between his full time job -- so that praise means an awful lot.

We'll be polishing the show more and more as time goes on, and I'm sure I'll get more comfortable on camera, too (whenever I start a new show, I'm always nervous because I want smart, discerning viewers like all of you here at The Escapist to enjoy the show)!

 

[Daedrin]

I only have one minor complaint. Other than that, it was pretty much flawless.

Links! You need to have proper show notes below the video, as well as on-screen text when you mention a website. How can I find cool science stuff if I am LAZY!?

 

[Susan Arendt]

I only have one minor complaint. Other than that, it was pretty much flawless.

Links! You need to have proper show notes below the video, as well as on-screen text when you mention a website. How can I find cool science stuff if I am LAZY!?

This is the one suggestion we've received that has me slapping my forehead in frustration. I can't believe we missed such an obviously good idea. Sorry about that.

Links forthcoming for future episodes!