One of my favorite “proofs” of evolution is the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN)—the nerve that innervates the larynx from the brain, helping us speak and swallow. It takes a very circuitous course, looping from the brainstem down around the aorta and then back up to the larynx. Here’s its course in humans:
It’s a prime example of “bad design”, that is, of the ham-handedness of any creator that was responsible for designing organisms. Of course, we aren’t designed, but evolved from very different ancestors. That’s why our bodies are full of glitches and kludges, and this nerve is one of them. It’s much longer than it need be, taking a tortuous route several feet longer than the direct path from brain to neck.
via youtube.com
Created by Richard Waters, it has appeared in Poltergeist, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Matrix and even Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
It even has a wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterphone
via youtube.com
Such a nice sample, and very relaxed. Sit down, man.
via macworld.com
It's time to skip flash. Hype is a new and amazing HTML5 animation tool that lets you do really amazing things all without Flash. It was an incredible privilege to work with these guys this past batch at Y Combinator.
They're also top grossing in the Mac App Store now!
You can download it from the Mac App Store for an intro price of $30.