Science Friday: French nanorevolutionaries, the baby boomer researchers, and your laptop's unsung sonar song.

Get your sonar on, without the nuclear option.

What do dolphins, Tom Clancy novels, and your laptop have in common? They can all make good use of sonar!

Non-coders, you can stop watching at 1:20.  For everyone else, you can rig your computer to automatically sleep by using your computer's mic and speakers to detect via echolocation when you walk away. (via Lifehacker)

A better use for your speakers

We've begun our open call for Biorythm! How does the body respond to music? Is there a neuroscience of dance? Is there a formula for the perfect hit? How does Johnny Logan do it??

Give your 2 cents

Wonder how a math degree can be useful in everyday life? Listen to this.  Just don't listen if you have any hair left to pull out, or are near any sharp objects. 

Is science getting old?

The Wall street Journal seems to think so, saying "In 2007, the most recent year available, there were more grants to 70-year-old researchers than there were to researchers under the age of 30."

Is CERN getting too young?

Check out the CERN pop-up book, (via the ever-enlightening Science@culture)  

Liberté, Egalité, Nanotechnologie

Lastly, if you needed any convincing that the French are still the world leaders in protests, check out this video of the disruption at the nanotechnology debates organised by the Special Commission for Public Debate (CPDP) in Marseilles. (via Framing Nano).