I'm looking for a book that is essentially a mashup of behavioral economics, social psychology, neuroscience, wisdom/bible literature, and mythology. [more inside]
posted by Slacker Manager at 12:10 PM - 13 answers

What would happen to the earth's rotation, orbit, etc. if the planet were half as large, diameter-wise, as it is now? [more inside]
posted by drlith at 5:37 AM - 11 answers

How would explain and draw the solution to this physics problem re: packages dropped from an airplane (projectile motion/falling objects)? [more inside]
posted by sunnychef88 at 7:30 PM - 17 answers

Best way to turn a wooden box into an herb garden? [more inside]
posted by changeling at 11:42 AM - 4 answers

I have a 2 gallon clear plastic fish tank. I just put a couple of water hyacinths in along with the tiny aquatic snails they harbored and a handful of compost for nutrients. I also want to add a few small fish that will feed on mosquitoes. What would be the best commonly-available species, or mix of species? This is all just for fun, by the way. I live new Atlanta, Georgia.
posted by gray17 at 6:16 PM - 6 answers

When I was younger, I sometimes used to amuse myself by repeating a simple action over and over again until I got into a strange state. [more inside]
posted by archagon at 4:37 PM - 13 answers

I have this plant [1] [2] [3] in my office. What is it? [more inside]
posted by spacewrench at 9:13 AM - 5 answers

How and why do we become accustomed to smells? What makes some odours personally super-pungent one day and unnoticed 'background noise' later on, despite the smell remaining objectively unchanged? [more inside]
posted by peacay at 4:20 AM - 7 answers

Time/temp/solar display: what is the solar telling me? [more inside]
posted by hishtafel at 5:11 PM - 3 answers

Would it be possible to install a switch of some sort in my head that would enable me to turn my hearing on and off? I realise that I would be unlikely to find a doctor willing to do this, but I'm interested in the theoretical possibilities. [more inside]
posted by alby at 3:58 AM - 18 answers

Explain alternating current distribution across "the grid" to me in terms an educated layman can understand. Specifically, I have a question about how to talk about which power plants are providing power to a particular consumer. [more inside]
posted by 256 at 7:27 AM - 20 answers

I volunteer at a nature preserve which is known to have wood ticks & deer ticks. People have gotten Lyme disease from tick bites there, so out of concern for our household critters, I take off my clothes in the garage upon returning home and proceed directly to the shower. Would any ticks on said clothing migrate to the rest of the garage, or would they stay put until I pick up the pile & put it through the washer?
posted by rpaxton at 5:40 AM - 6 answers

What is the current state of interdisciplinary research between biology and economics? [more inside]
posted by gauche at 2:33 PM - 3 answers

Please help me understand whether the science in this article about SSRIs and inflammation is valid or not. [more inside]
posted by stoneweaver at 6:30 AM - 12 answers

How is a laser beam controlled so that it only penetrates a fixed distance into a soft material that it could normally pierce right through? [more inside]
posted by Quillcards at 2:27 AM - 7 answers

Could rubble and debris from the Great Eastern Japan earthquake be 'reclaimed' to make useable land? [more inside]
posted by sconbie at 8:32 PM - 7 answers

If all non-solar-system stars ceased to exist, how would things look different to us on earth? Would anything change? [more inside]
posted by juniperesque at 5:49 PM - 15 answers

Where can I buy glasses or such things to view the annular eclipse on Sunday -- at the last minute, for a reasonable price? [more inside]
posted by buckaroo_benzai at 3:47 PM - 11 answers

My orchid stems are turning from green to yellow, and all the flowers are falling off. Is this normal? [more inside]
posted by shipbreaker at 8:41 AM - 7 answers

How bad is it if non-recycling/non-compost items end up in recycling/compost bins? Is it counter-productive to green efforts to give office workers ONLY recycling and compost bins and their desks, no trash cans? [more inside]
posted by CruiseSavvy at 7:30 AM - 21 answers