Science Friday: Lovin Darwin, TV science, Ophelia, Venus, and Mars

Does TV sex-up or dumb-down science?  RTE's "The Enforcers" has been described as "Miami Vice in Mayo," with environmentalists in place of pink blazer-wearing American cops.  Ok, maybe it hasn't... but it's quantum physics compared to what's on the Science Channel in the US.  They're saying they can't possibly dumb down science any further.

Darwin+ Camera = Phwoar!

Back here in Dublin, Darwin-inspired music is going on all the time at the Science Gallery.  You see, we have the world's only Evolvaphone.  Try it out over your next half-caf skinny latte.  In the mean time, check out NPR's podcast "Darwin Had a Camera?" where they discuss Darwin being the first to use photographic illustrations in a science book.

Meanwhile, as February draws nearer, Science Gallery will be channeling the goddess Venus for Lovelab: The Science of Desire.  But Astronomy Ireland is watching Mars on January 29th all over the country.  Check here to see if there's a meetup near you.

And speaking of outer space...

There's a conference going on all about extra terrestrial life this week over at the Royal Society in London.  Some say that our signals are now too faint for aliens to even hear us.  Others say that they'll be here soon, and they'll look just like us.  Still others say that they'll be in our nose.  That's right-- aliens in your nose  Hopefully those last two will be mutually exclusive.

Stranger than fiction...

But why worry about what extraterrestrial life might look like when you can mess with life here on earth?  SEED magazine have a mind-blowing gallery of microbial art you can check out here.  It's all from the inspired minds over at microbialart.com.

Lastly, love apple or hate em, you've probably heard about this newfangled ebook type thing from apple. But here's one book that just… loses some of it's impact in ebook form.  In case you find yourself over in Londontown, it will be on display at the British Library this summer.