If NASA’s budget is cut, then all we will be able to afford are cheap claymation engineers.
Update: I’m speechless.
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Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
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July 12th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
I bet this would get Nasa more viewers.
July 12th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Wow, with a Zap.
“The Devil under form of Baboon is our grandfather!†– Charles Darwin
I wonder how they are with Donkey Kong?
July 12th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
I’m sorry I couldn’t hear all the lyrics.
Monkeys in outer-space
Protecting the freedom of the human race
(inaudible)
Spreading freedom across the land
Protecting United States
We owe freedom to these primates
Many died along the way
In fact, they all did, but that’s okay
Monkeys in outer-space
Protecting the freedom of the human race
Monkeys in outer-space
(inaudible)…humans to replace
A human life is a terrible waste
We shot monkeys into space
We used all the monkeys that we could find
(inaudible)
Monkeys in outer-space
Protecting the freedom of the human race
Monkeys in outer-space
July 12th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
The chimp playing Pacman was very cool. Thanks for that one!
July 12th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Please have mercy on us “chumps” who have eschewed access to broadband for the beauty of dark skies. At least anounce that a link is to a video!
July 12th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
I guess, yet again, Arthur C. Clarke correctly saw the future. Wasn’t it Rendezvous with Rama that had Simps (”super-chimps”, or something like that)?
July 12th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Kaptain K: for future reference, any link to YouTube has a 99.9% chance of being a video.
July 12th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
“Robot Chicken” is hilarious (there’s a great sci-fi convention bit). As is “The Venture Brothers” (especially so if you watched “Johnny Quest”). I highly recommend the DVDs. New episodes are on the Cartoon Network.
July 12th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
Wow. The subjects depicted in both videos are smarter than any politician.
July 12th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
“A planet where apes evolved from men?”
Sorry, had to put that in there.
I saw that clip once. Funny stuff, that ‘Robot Chicken’. They once did a spoof of ‘Armageddon’ as well.
Neat with that chimp playing ‘Pac-Man’.
Now we need one that can play ‘Halo’.
July 13th, 2006 at 12:45 am
In one of Carl Sagan’s books, maybe The Demon Haunted World, or perhaps Broca’s Brain there’s an account of a researcher who returned to a lab which years earlier had specialized in teaching chimps sign language. He recognized two older chimps sitting together in a cage and thought it would be interesting to see if they remembered any signs since the program they were in was completed long ago, and no one had been working with them for years. He went over and asked them in sign what they would like, (expecting nothing or at most “food” or “toy” in return.) To his astonishment, one just pointed at the door while the other signed: “key”.
July 13th, 2006 at 6:07 am
July 13th, 2006 at 6:10 am
I think I heard the scientist with the chimp say that it was Kanzi, the famous bonobo (pygmy chimp) who has learned a great deal of symbolic communication by using an electronic sound board. I guess playing video games isn’t too great a leap up from that, particularly since there have even been pigeons trained to manipulate on-screen characters with a joystick (to procure treats, of course). Very cool, in any case.
July 13th, 2006 at 6:41 am
What if monkeys comment on a blog about a youtube video of humans playing pac-man, that’d make an interesting episode of Planet of the Apes. I still don’t know why Clarke gave up monkeys for dinosaur servants on 3001.
July 13th, 2006 at 6:41 am
Video doesn’t work.
July 13th, 2006 at 6:41 am
The video won’t work on Firefox, but it did work on IE.
July 13th, 2006 at 7:55 am
Go Monkeys! For great justice!
July 13th, 2006 at 8:13 am
It is fairly impressive, but I’m considerably better at mrs. pac-man than that ape. I even play with the extra speed mod on.
Humans > Ape @ Mrs. Pac-Man
July 13th, 2006 at 8:27 am
Dang, now we’re turning chimps into couch potatoes. What atrocities will we commit next???
Gary 7
July 13th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Ha ha.
Monkeys.
You know, it’s funny ‘cuz it’s true.
July 13th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Delance:
The videos worked fine for me, I’ve been using Firefox for over a year now. I won’t touch that infernal IE again.:)
July 13th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
What a flashback moment. Check out this paste:
Enos flew into space on board Mercury Atlas 5 in November of 1961. He completed his first orbit in 1 hour and 28.5 minutes. Enos was originally scheduled to complete 3 orbits, but was brought back after the second orbit because the spacecraft was not maintaining proper attitude. Enos was glad to return to Earth. According to observers, Enos jumped for joy and ran around the deck of the recovery ship enthusiastically shaking the hands of his rescuers. Enos’ flight was a full dress rehearsal for the next Mercury launch on February 20, 1962, which would make Lt. Colonel John Glenn the first American to orbit the Earth.
July 13th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Does this mean that NASA are making monkeys out of their astronauts…?
July 14th, 2006 at 11:05 am
Where does a chimpanzee get quarters?
July 14th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Oh, yeah, one other thing– want to know how to prepare a computer so it’s suitable for a gorilla to use?
Koko’s Macintosh.
July 15th, 2006 at 2:05 am
You think that’s cool? I read in New Scientist that they’ve got locusts playing the ghosts against Pacman!
Hmm … couldn’t find that one online, I guess it must only be in the print edition.
July 15th, 2006 at 7:33 am
Really? Works in Firefox? I get told I need a plug-in, but (of course) not which plugin.
August 18th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
can someone post ALL of the lyrics? this iswhat im GUESSING the lyrics to be…
One dollar?! What’ll we do with one dollar?!
We’re going back to basics, that’s what!
T Minus 5…4…3…2…1…Liftoff!
Monkeys in outer space!
Protecting the freedom of the human race!
Four fingers on his hand,
Spreading freedom across the land!
Protecting the United States,
We owe freedom to these primates!
Many died along the way,
In fact, they all did, but that’s okay!
Monkeys in outer space!
Protecting the freedom of the human race!
Monkeys in outer space !
They’re easier than humans to replace!
A human life is a terrible waste,
So we shot monkeys into space!
We used all the monkeys that we could find
50 dead monkeys, huge step behind!!!! Woah!!!
Monkeys in outer space!
Protecting the freedom of the human race!
Monkeys in outer space…
September 28th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Here are the lyrics…
Monkeys in outer space
Protecting the freedom of the human race
Four fingers on his hand
Spreading freedom across the land
Protecting the United States
We owe our freedom to these primates
Many died along the way
In fact, they all did, but that’s okay!
Monkeys in outer space
Protecting the freedom of the human race
Monkeys in outer space
They’re easier than humans to replace
A human life is a terrible waste
That’s why we shot monkeys into space
We used all the monkeys that we could find
Fifty dead monkeys, huge step for mankind!
Monkeys in outer space
Protecting the freedom of the human race
Monkeys in outer space
They’re easier than humans to replace.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Awesome dude, saves me having to put ‘em in
That song is so badass….where’s my guitar?!?!