links for 2009-07-11

It turns out that the ten basic amino acids that create basic life are biochemically attracted to each other. That is, if you take a bunch of them and stick them together, they'll join up and form a protein string. As a special bonus, all ten are commonly found in meteorites. At this point, the belief that life *doesn't* exist outside of the earth is starting to look like the unreasonable view.

Miami has a law prohibiting sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of any place where children gather. And, hey, that sounds nice. Except that there's no place in the entire county where such people can live. Except for one spot. The causeway that connects Miami and Miami beach. There's a bridge there, the Julia Tuttle. And that's where convicted sex offenders have to live. And now people want to force them out of there. This is just dumb.