One of the way scientists try to combat cancer is to selectively disrupt angiogenesis, the process by which blood vessels form to support the growth of the tumor cells.

Biotech company Amgen launched a spiffy new website with 15 gorgeously rendered animations explaining the process of angiogenesis as it relates to vascularized tumor in plain English.

You don't have to be a molecular biologist to appreciate the "Fantastic Voyage"-like animations - and you may learn something cool about cancer biology!

Not to be missed: Link - via Wired Science

Aw! Being the Internet slowpoke, I've just learned that NASA has bucked the will of the people and named the International Space Station's next module "Tranquility" instead of the rightful winner of the online voting contest, "Colbert" (after the comedian Stephen Colbert).

But Colbert didn't go away empty handed: he's got a treadmill named after him and millions of adoring fans (and lots of money) to console him during these difficult times:

The space agency had asked people for help naming the node by voting on NASA-suggested names and writing in their own suggestions. After the poll ended on 20 March, "Colbert" came out the clear winner with more than 230,000 votes, while "Tranquility" garnered a mere 4493 votes. [...]

But Colbert didn't walk away empty handed.

Astronaut Sunita Williams, who ran the first marathon in space two years ago, announced on his show on Tuesday that Colbert would get something in the new node named for him – and it's not the toilet, as had been rumoured. Williams said his name would grace the node's treadmill, due to launch in August. The exercise equipment will be called the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill.

Link

After putting long hours at work and navigating the treacherous waters of office politics, you've finally landed that promotion you've been after - but is it good for you?

Not according to this study by economic and psychology researchers at the University of Warwick in England. They found that job promotions can be downright dangerous to your health:

Economics and psychology researchers at the University of Warwick in England found that promotion produces 10% more mental strain and leaves up to 20% less time to visit the doctor in the event of illness.

The team tested the widely held assumption that an improvement in job status leads to better health due to an increased sense of self-worth.

Using data collected in Britain on about 1,000 individual promotions from 1991 to 2005, they found no evidence of improved physical health after promotion. But they did find that people thrust into more senior jobs suffered significantly greater mental strain.

Link

So, would it be an act of compassion for your boss to deny you that promotion? ;)

Rochester, New York-based artist Andy Gilmore's artwork shows us that simple form and colors can create mesmerizing geometric art. This one above, titled mmmmmmm (available for sale at his Etsy's shop), is unlike anything my spirograph toy ever produced!

thecoolhunter has a feature on Andy's art: Link | More at Andy's Flickr page

Whatever you do, don't get into a fight with Japanese samurai Isao Machii! If he can cut a rubber bullet fired straight at him in two, then chopping off your noggin is trivial. Yup, you read that right: he can cut a bullet in two.

Link [embedded YouTube clip]

This neatolicious: Dan McPharlin creates what is probably the cutest papercraft set of miniature analog electronic devices, from tape recorder to retro synthesizers. Take a looksee: Link [Flickr Photoset] - via The Terminally Juvenile

High speed photography is cool, but this photo of water, spelled out by good ol' H₂O is beyond awesome! It's done by photographers Norimichi Inoguchi, Shinichi Maruyama and Wayne Wilson of Biwa, Inc.

http://www.biwainc.com/archive/ (then select Other) - via designboom

Photo: C.G. Muthana

From National Geographic Magazine's Daily Dozen, a collection of user submitted photographs as selected by photo editor Susan Welchman, here's an amazing entry. I'd like to think of it as celebrating eternal optimism - as in pile-an-extra-one-on-it'll-surely-fit can-do spirit of third world countries.

Photographer C.G. Muthana has this to say about the overloaded auto rickshaw (looks kind of like Phil Spector's hair!):

A three-wheeler transport vehicle carrying a huge load of dry coconut husks one early winter morning in the suburbs of Mysore, India. The husks are all tied to each other using their own fibers. (Source: Daily Dozen - April Week 2)

At least they're not doing it with people and trains ...

If you're like me then you're not functional until that very first cup of coffee in the morning. Now you can make the best part of waking up even moo-re fun with this handcrafted Calf & Half Creamer ($17.95)

Who can refuse this udderly wonderful design by Liz Goulet Dubois of Fred Studio? Not me certainly - we've just gotten our shipment for the Neatorama's Online Store: http://shop.neatorama.com/product-info.php?calf-half-creamer-pid279.html

Artist Barnaby Barford creates exquisite ceramic figurines with the unlikeliest of subjects. Check out this piece above, titled Family Feast, which is a tableau of a dinner of ravenous family members devouring buckets and buckets of KFC!

http://www.barnabybarford.co.uk/gallery_top.php?folder=56&vis=2&area=0

Previously on Neatorama: Re-Mixed Ceramic Figurines by Barnaby Barford

Tailors watch out! There's a weird yet popular hoax going on in Saudi Arabia that set people rushing out to buy old-fashioned sewing machines for up to $50,000:

The Singer sewing machines are said to contain traces of red mercury, a substance that may not exist. But it is widely thought that it can be used to find treasure, ward off evil spirits or even make nuclear bombs.

It is believed that tiny amounts can sell for millions of dollars, the Saudi Gazette reported. The paper said that trade in the sewing machines was brisk across the country.

Link

Now, if we can only convince them that Neatoramabot T-shirt contains the even-more-exotic purple mercury, then we'll be set for life!

Some frogs are content to swallow a Christmas light, whereas others opt for a larger fare. Check out this green-stripe frog that took a bite out of a smaller green tree frog, as captured by wildlife fan Kerry Roberts in the garden of her home:

She said she heard a frog squealing and assumed that a snake had got into her garden was was eating one of the hundreds of amphibians that live near her house.

Kerry continued: "I was having coffee at about 6.30 in the morning when I heard some squealing and splashing in my pool - like a frog in distress.

"My first thought was 'oh no, it's a snake, how am I going to get rid of it?'. But when I went over for a closer to look I saw it was a frog trying to eat another one."

Link (Photo: Kerry Roberts)

What's the secret to happiness? According to a study by the University of Ulster, the answer is: having sisters!

Lead researcher Professor Tony Cassidy said: "Sisters appear to encourage more open communication and cohesion in families.

"However, brothers seemed to have the alternative effect. Emotional expression is fundamental to good psychological health and having sisters promotes this in families."

He said many of the participants had been brought up in families where parents had split and the impact of sisters was even more marked in these circumstances.

"I think these findings could be used by people offering support to families and children during distressing times. We may have to think carefully about the way we deal with families with lots of boys."

Link

Every restaurant claims it has secret ingredients that make its food so special. This, apparently, is Domino's Pizza's ...

These two Domino's Pizza workers documented their shenanigans and uploaded it to YouTube. The original clip was taken down, but re-uploaded by someone else (ah, the power of the Intertubes) and has now spread all over the blogosphere ...

Oh, these two are SO fired! Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via everywhere! | Consumerist readers even tracked down the place.

Flickr user Enjoy Banking posted a series of photos where derelict shops and other urban decays in New York are tagged with giant "Enjoy Subprime Lending," "Enjoy Stimulus Package" and other cheeky stickers.

Link - via CultCase

Y'know what'll go great with this? Neatorama's $700 Billion T-Shirt