Posts by Bruce

An unthinking programmer's guide to the new C++

This is all well and good...

... but what does Kevlin think?

Japanese boffin designs glasses for the absent minded

errr....

....ok, now where did I put my glasses?

Alcoholic rats' boozing slashed by mutant superpower drug

ethanal wind that blows....

liver () {

AlcoholDehydrogenase(substrate) {

if (substrate == alcohol)

return acetaldehyde;

}

AldehydeDehydrogenase(substrate) {

if (substrate == acetaldehyde)

return acetic acid;

}

}

In heavy drinkers (this means you) the first function is a lot more efficient than the second, leading to a build up of acetaldehyde in the body when alcohol is consumed.

One way in which alcohol can become addictive is thought to be because acetaldehyde interacts with some neurotransmitters so as to mimic the effects of endorphins or opiates on the reward pathways of the brain, thus inducing a positive mood.

The boffins are suggesting that with his Aldehyde Dehydrogenase completely disabled by the drug, the hardened boozer would get his 'aldehyde high' from half a shandy, and thus not go on to consume the three bottles of vodka that would usually be required.

Oz nanoboffins punt paper-thin flak jacket plan

momentum mori

so unless you're wearing a whole body condom made of this bullet-defying material, any exposed body parts are likely to be shredded by the ricochets? cool. can they be made compulsory for the NRA?