How many parents did Dolly the cloned sheep actually have?

Image by Bigod via FlickrEverybody remember Dolly, the first real-life clone that ever got significant mainstream press coverage? Well, as is often the case, the science fact of Dolly is rather more bizarre than your typical clone-oriented science fiction. Turns out Dolly had a rather unorthodox number of parents, depending on how you define the term. How many? I'll tell you two ways:

• TEXT: Geek Trivia: How many parents did Dolly the cloned sheep actually have? 
• AUDIO: TechTalk Trivia: How many mommies and daddies did Dolly, the famous cloned sheep have? 

The latter podcast also has some nice ancillary material about the fate of the human brain from Matt Richtel and a tidbit about Intel's Museum of Me.

Need more trivia? Try one of the labels at the bottom of this post.

Related articles

• Scientists Who Cloned Dolly the Sheep Plan to Clone Endangered Scottish Wildcats Using Eggs From Spayed Pets By Rebecca Boyle (imullins89.wordpress.com)
• Animal cloning: Top five clones (telegraph.co.uk)
• Cloning - Should It be Prohibited? (socyberty.com)

What two movies created by a famous Hollywood geek pushed the PG rating so far that the MPAA created PG-13?

Image via WikipediaYet another of my infamous TechTalk radio appearances has been archived online, wherein I ponder what two movies created by a famous Hollywood geek pushed the PG rating so far that the MPAA created PG-13?

More importantly, there are vague implications that Google's self-driving cars may be a secret contingency plan to stave off a Decepticon invasion. You decide.

Related articles

• Has the PG-13 Rating Outlived Its Usefulness? (moviefone.com)
• "A raunchy summer": R-rated movies are gRRRRRReat! (gointothestory.com)

So I've been ordered to Dragon*Con

Image via WikipediaMy wife has informed me that I am required to attend this year's Dragon*Con. I've never been, and as we're expecting our second child in December, this may be my last chance for quite a while. Thus, if anyone has any tips for a Dragon*Con n00b -- fair warning, I've been to San Diego Comic-Con, so I'm acquainted with cons at large scales -- I'd be glad to hear them. Moreover, if you're a known acquaintance attending Dragon*Con and are interesting in splitting a ride and/or hotel digs, look me up.

Also: BEST WIFE EVER.

Related articles

• No on Comic Con, yes on Dragon*Con (blogs.discovermagazine.com)
• Dragon*Con 2011: A n00b's Tale, Part I. (jaygarmon.net)
• Dragon*Con 2011: A n00b's Tale, Part II (jaygarmon.net)
• Dragon*Con 2011: A n00b's Tale, Part III (jaygarmon.net)
• Dragon*Con 2011: A n00b's Tale, Part IV (jaygarmon.net)

ReaderCon, the pros and cons

Image via WikipediaI spent all of three hours at this year's ReaderCon, the famous Boston-based literary science fiction and fantasy convention. Somehow that qualified me to expound upon the features of the event via my latest appearance on the SFSignal podcast. Not to worry, the panel discussion includes actual informed opinions from the likes of:

• Jamie Todd Rubin
• John Ginsberg-Stevens
• Jeff Patterson
• Patrick Hester

Give it a listen, especially if you're a lit-centric sci-fi nerd.

Per usual my rap sheet of past SF Signal podcast transgressions is available here.

Related articles

• Readercon: Science fiction as it was born (newscientist.com)

What 2 modern game console rivals almost collaborated on a single game system?

Image by Andrew-LGP via FlickrOnce again, I posit a question in the form of Geek Trivia in not one, but tow different formats. You can learn which of the modern console-cranking triumvirate -- Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft -- almost tag-teamed the video game market in efficient text form in my latest Geek Trivia column on TechRepublic's Geekend blog.

If you want to auditorially luxuriate with the question, check out my TechTalk radio version of the tidbit, with additional content on Bitcoin, public education and other web-based minutia of interest.