Today's scientific reading

Gosh, there are some interesting things on the internet!

If you're not already, you should really be reading the Derren Brown Blog. Derren Brown is, of course, a man who cannot be summed up in a few sentences. If you don't know who he is, google him. Right now. He will challenge your thinking in ways it's never been challenged before.

So I was reading Derren's blog today (faithfully maintained by a whole team of interesting people) and found some truly interesting links that I thought I'd share with you.

Firstly - amazing discovery! A science historian has cracked the hidden codes in Plato's writing and unearthed the most interesting thing: Plato's books were written according to the Greek system of a twelve-note musical scale, his words echoing the harmony, consonance and dissonance of the notes! Isn't that fascinating? It's amazing, because all these modern historians were always, "Oh, there's no hidden codes in Plato's writing! You nincompoops! You've all been reading too much Dan Brown." Well, now they have to eat their words, don't they? There ARE hidden codes! Apparently, it will take a generation to really understand all the hidden codes and meanings, so I'm very much looking forward to following this as it unfolds and learning what Plato had to say about life. I hadn't realised, for example, that he was a feminist! Or that he was the first great defender of romantic love (a grand new favourite topic of mine), as opposed to marriage for financial gain. He was a defender of homosexuality! And he was captured by pirates, at one point, and sold into slavery. What a guy! (Arnold Rimmer? Who? I'm talking about PLATO.) Words from the science historian who discovered this:

Dr Kennedy recalls: "There was no Rosetta Stone. To announce a result like this I needed rigorous, independent proofs based on crystal-clear evidence. The result was amazing - it was like opening a tomb and finding new set of gospels written by Jesus Christ himself. Plato is smiling. He sent us a time capsule."

Fabulous! Such an exciting discovery.

Secondly, a really interesting scientific discovery made recently (also publicised on the Derren Brown Blog) is to do with why human beings dream. Apparently, according to this new research, it's to enable our minds to think about problems that we cannot solve when we're awake. Interesting, really, as that's why astrologers/dream analysers have been saying for years, isn't it? I have always been aware that my dreams were a tool for my subconscious and conscious mind to reconcile themselves to answers to problems that I couldn't otherwise solve. But now there's scientific proof! Very interesting. Read the article here.

Today, I logged into the 1 Million Women website and have learned that I have managed to save 113kg of CO2 deposits by the changes I've made in my lifestyle to date. Interesting, huh? Apparently, 1000kg would fill 2000 balloons! (I may have remembered that figure wrong.) Amazing what a difference one person can make.

Keep well, cherubs. Winter is upon us, and it's wretchedly cold in Canberra!