Fridaygram: scribbling on maps, lightweight material, canine antics

By Scott Knaster, Google Code Blog Editor

Earlier this week, our Google Maps API got a great new feature. When you build an application with the Maps API, you can now enable users to draw on the maps. There are tools for various shapes, so your users can draw circles or boxes to highlight locations, just like they would with physical maps. And to be even more like physical maps, users can use the tools to approximate drawing a coffee cup stain or a big crinkle.



Speaking of physical things, here’s one that exists in the real world, but barely makes a dent. Researchers in California have created what they say is the world’s lightest material. The material has a density of 0.9 mg/cc and is light enough to sit atop the fluff on a dandelion, although that usage seems impractical.

Finally, for weekend fun, take a look at this peer-reviewed paper entitled "A Vicious Cycle: A Cross-Sectional Study of Canine Tail-Chasing and Human Responses to It, Using a Free Video-Sharing Website". It will make you want to spend more time on YouTube, in the name of science.


Fridaygram is our weekly nerdy attempt at fun for developers. Fridaygrams have Google things, science stuff, and sometimes, Easter eggs.