Thursday Linkage

Going to hit a high of 45 today. Nope, no climate change going on here...

Going to the shops takes up THREE years of a woman's life

Binary star system directly observed

How long will it take to get over divorce? 17 months and 26 days to be precise

Washington Post: U.S. looks to nonnuclear weapons to use as deterrent As the White House pushes for cuts in the U.S. nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon is developing a weapon to help fill the gap: missiles armed with conventional warheads that could strike anywhere in the world in less than an hour. U.S. military officials say the intercontinental ballistic missiles, known as Prompt Global Strike weapons, are a necessary new form of deterrence against terrorist networks and other adversaries. As envisioned, the conventional missiles would give the White House a fresh military option to consider in a crisis that would not result in a radioactive mushroom cloud.

Hitler wanted to steal the Turin Shroud - 'but was thwarted by the Vatican'

How carbon dioxide in the blood could be responsible for near-death experiences

Up, up and away! Solar-powered plane that aims to fly around the world takes off on historic 90-minute flight... at 28mph

Wall Street Journal: States Reignite Abortion Debate
Less than three weeks after the passage of the landmark national health-care bill, the abortion debate is being reignited: Lawmakers in least six states are pushing for legislation to block abortion coverage in some health plans. After rancorous clashes over abortion coverage in the national bill, opponents were assured that federal funds wouldn't subsidize coverage of the procedure. The final legislation requires insurers that sell plans in new government-run exchanges to segregate payments for abortion coverage from other premiums to ensure government subsidies won't go toward the procedure.