Over the past few years, we’ve met superstar scientists and engineers, champion track stars, Pro Bowl Cheerleaders, celebrieties and more. Apparently our very own Dr. John is a different kind of champion — a world record holder at Super Mario Kart!

In January, John was invited to the gaming and music conference known as MagFest, so attendees could challenge him to a video game duel. As an added bonus, the conference staff agreed to give a free t-shirt to anyone who could beat him. In over four hours, he went an amazing 75-2!

None of that is depicted in the above video. However, you will get to see John (wearing his good luck Science Cheerleader t-shirt!) attempt and fail to beat his current Twin Galaxies world record on Mario Circuit 1.

After the event, John said, “It was a strange experience. Upon losing/winning, I felt the same smorgasbord of emotions that Bobby Fischer must have experienced after playing himself in chess. Yes, I am comparing the two.”

The other night, I was watching one of my favorite local bands, Deville, perform at a cozy DC music venue when I noticed something familiar about guitarist, Ian Graham. That’s right — the famed Science Cheerleader t-shirt!  Those things are like gold around here.

Well, I “just so happened to have my HD video camera”, so expect to get the full story on how this up-and-coming band is embracing the spirit of citizen science.

Really doesn’t have much to do with the dino sculpture my son created, next to the THANG  on our family’s fireplace matel. But I bet Carl Zimmer has a guess. I recall the time I brought this heavy THANG into HIS office at Discover. Back when HE had a windowed office and I did not. Cut me a break, HE was 28, I was still young…and, oh yeah, there was that AAAS award he won for “God-like writers under the age of 30″.

I asked, genuflecting upon entering his office, as we all did: “Carl, what do you think this is? My father-in-law found it in a local, Long Beach Island, NJ, fishing shop.”

HE said: “Looks like a Mastodon tooth, maybe a molar. Probably a young one because it’s not worn down too far. You should take this to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly, near where you live,  and I bet they can tell you more.”

So I did. I pulled the THANG out of my baby’s diaper bag, and asked the resident paleontologist: “What do you think this THANG is?”

He replied: “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT? DID YOU STEAL THAT?!”

I spent the next hour ‘splainin’ the situation. Hey, Carl, back then, they never heard of YOU. The best thing I had going for me was the real baby in the real baby stroller…and two, twenty dollar bills.

But I digress.

I never did learn more about the origins of this tooth. Who knows more about this tooth? Closest to the tooth-truth earns a Tshirt. And now that I FINALLY have some street-cred with the National Academy of Sciences, I know I can find the answer there if you all fail.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), an international conference that brings together designers, developers, manufacturers, and distributors of consumer electronics products. CES reaches across global markets, connects the industry, and enables consumer innovations to grow and thrive. It was quite an amazing experience, full of new e-readers, 3D TVs, holographic displays, multi-touch screens, and some of the hottest new tech gadgets around.

Still, I couldn’t help but be most proud of this glorious yellow Albert Einstein t-shirt that I nabbed at the Promise Technology booth.  It was well worth the 20 minutes of technical jargon I had to endure while listening to a pitch for the company’s new Smartstor Zero network storage device.

From Dr. John: Citizen scientists, I need your help in choosing Science Cheerleader’s celebrity double. We had a 10 great suggestions ranging from Heather Graham to Helen Hunt to Shrek. As an authorized Master Celebrity Doublologist (ok, so I’m 4 credits short), I took the liberty of putting together the two top candidates: Reese Witherspoon, provided by Ame, and Kristen Bell, provided by Jackie.

Leave a comment with your vote by THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19. Your vote may determine whether Ame or Jackie takes home a free Science Cheerleader t-shirt!

Reese Witherspoon

Kristin Bell

You wear it well, Harley and Dom (at a Philadelphia gym). Thanks, guys!

And check out Leila from NYC, punching up science for us!

GOOO Science!