Has you any Russian Brides?

Ok, there’s a big furor going on around Scienceblogs over some truly disgusting ads in the side bars for thing like Thai women and Russian brides and chelation therapy. Sci would like to take this opportunity to state that Neurotopia in no way approves of these ads. However, I haven’t really seen them popping up around these digs. It could be that our keywords are just not the right ones to activate them. Has anyone seen them up around here? I usually see stuff for banks. We are assured the problem is being taken care of, so we shall hopefully be back up and running soon.
In the mean time, may I assure you that that credit ad on the top bar will NOT change your life, that mail order bride ads are disgusting, and that you should NOT, repeat, should NOT, get chelation therapy unless you have seriously overdosed on some heavy metals.

Friday Weird Science: Echidnas like it cold and torpid

Ok, I’ll admit, this post is kind of stolen from the fabulous Ed Yong of Not Exactly Rocket Science, who just won the Association of British Science Writers’ Best Newcomer award! Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, Ed.
Well, the post isn’t stolen, but the subject is. And it’s actually been a little disappointing. When I first scanned the title, I thought it said “echinoderm”, rather than “echidna”, and I thought “Starfish sex!!! w00t1!!!” But no. Instead of talking about these getting it on:

(oh yeah)
We’re talking about these:

(Via Ed)
You see? It’s just…not the same…sigh…well, ok, they’re pretty cute. Check out Ed’s post for an adorable video.
Morrow and Nicol. “Cool sex? Hibernation and reproduction overlap in the echidna” PLoS ONE, 2009.