Next Monday, reports BCN (via SF Appeal), 16 San Francisco-based mice will be blasted into space to test the furry little critters' immune system response to zero gravity. The sweet 16, if you will, "will remain there for 13-16 days at zero gravity." When the mice return to Earth, they will be compared with 16 other land mice to see how both groups react to "simulated infection." Millie Hughes-Fulford, director of the Laboratory for Cell Growth at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, explained ""From the beginning of the U.S. Apollo moon program, we've known that about half of our astronauts develop suppressed immune systems, either during flight or shortly afterwards." Godspeed, little mice. more ›

Forty years ago today, inside a Culver City movie studio, the lunar module parked on the alleged surface of the Moon, and out came a couple of guys who made history as the first human beings to land up there. The first one to emerge from the pod was Neil Armstrong, who made some sort of famous quote about baby steps and giant leaps and kind men, followed by Buzz Aldrin. Michael Collins, sadly, had to keep the engine running by orbiting above as the two men played with each other on the moon's surface. more ›

Our sister site LAist informs us, via the Mars Phoenix Lander's Twitter, that water ice has been found on the planet Mars today. At around 5:15 p.m., NASA folks exclaimed, "Are you ready to celebrate? Well, get ready: We have ICE!!!!! Yes, ICE, *WATER ICE* on Mars! w00t!!! Best day ever!!" more ›

In case any slimy, green Maritans appear, brandishing pointy laser guns--and all experts agree that there will be--keep track of them and the Mars Phoenix Lander on Twitter. It's scheduled to land on Mars this evening at 4:53 p.m. (PDT). Or so. more ›

Sketchfest continues more ›

• RiffTrax Live at the Castro - . Eeee! Like, we could just die! (Part of SF Sketchfest.) Starts at 9 p.m. at the Castro Theatre.
• Your Macworld Expo Parties: It's winding down, kids. Partake in the Macworld festivities while you can.
• Ships in the Night: San Francisco's jankiest and most awesome bar--of the homosexual persuasion, anyway--is having one of the city's jankiest and most awesome! DJs L'il Manila, Durt, and Vroom pump out all of your favorite dance floor classics this evening. What's more, your admission fee goes to pro-abortion group, Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights. Woo hoo! The drinking and dancing starts at 10 p.m. at the Gang Way; $3-5.

Cosco Busan Update: more ›

All of our comics this week have been struck by some kind of diabolic decontextualization ray, leaving them to fend for themselves in the bleak tundra of WTF. From local artist Chris Wisnia come inside-jokes so confusing you won't be able to find your head to scratch it; from Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale come a Superman so divorced from modern superhero style we found ourselves enjoying it in spite of our deep-seated loathing of underwear perverts; and from Steve MacIsaac comes a relatively contextual story about a man lost in a country and relationship he just can't understand. And as always, the information you need to make sense of the world is available at Isotope Comics in Hayes Valley, who are kind enough to point us in directions that sometimes make very little sense indeed. Just how we like it. more ›

We knew we should have saved the dead llama story for just one more day -- it's time for another Animal Roundup! more ›