Brilliant, accurate flyout view of the known universe, starting in Tibet and ending at the edge of the universe. I love that the endpoint shows the universe as a sphere floating in nothingness. I’ve never looked at it that way before:

(via kottke)

Doomsday scenario #842:

…a year later and millions of Americans are dead and the nation’s infrastructure lies in tatters. The World Bank declares America a developing nation. Europe, Scandinavia, China and Japan are also struggling to recover from the same fateful event – a violent storm, 150 million kilometres away on the surface of the sun.

As if I didn’t have enough to fret over. Not to mention the indignity of having civilization shattered by something called “plasma balls.”