The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious problem that’s only going to get worse. One alternative treatment is the use of bacteria-eating viruses, or bacteriophages. The Soviet Union continued research into the use of bacteriophages long after scientists in the United States stopped such research in the face of the miracle drug penicillin, and today Georgia (the nation, not the state) is something of a hot spot for bacteriophage treatment. The linked Slate article is especially interesting for its explanation of why bacteriophage as a medical technology is not good business in the United States.

Dilbert creator Scott Adams fantasizes on his blog about starting a new political party. His gimmick? The party platform would mirror majority opinion as measured by sophisticated polling. I’m not saying I think it’s a good idea, exactly, but it’s fun to think about a political system that doesn’t pretend nothing’s changed in 200 years.

Mike Kuniavsky’s instructions for controlling your Mac wizard-style (that is, with gestures) makes for great reading. The hack is fun, but the designer’s justification is right on. (To paraphrase: tell your users a lie they can believe.)

It could get a lot cheaper to enrich uranium, provided you have the right equipment. That’s a special laser sieve and electrical trap, for the impatient.

Hangovers seem to be caused by the presence of acetaldehyde in your bloodstream. The ability to metabolize acetaldehyde is controlled by a gene named ALDH2, which is present in mutant form in many Asians.