Remembers the 'active' ingredient but forgets all the shit that's been in it.

: Really? Got a source for that?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024408297901461

: There's a lot of stuff that you might call 'quaint and medieval', but is
: still in common use because humans don't change.

People can change but we do like our nonsense so the nonsense can change from time to time or across cultures. We are not rational creatures but I think we have done well for monkeys ;-)

: Ugh.

: "Biosigns" and "Life forms" keeps popping up in science
: fiction, and I don't think a lot of people really put much thought into
: it. "It's alive, therefore our magic scanners can pick it up. Even if
: it's just one microbe. Of course, said scanners can't tell the difference
: between a microbe and a marooned pack of superhumans."

I blame the sand or maybe it was tri-nimbic interference. Those clouds are a bitch.

: Some have tackled it (Like, surprisingly, the fluff behind The Chronicles of
: Riddick) by talking about sensors detecting a mixture of electrical
: activity and infrared radiation.

:

: Hmm... could this be another one of the limited functions mechs are good for?
: Entertainment?

Computer games are a form of entertainment...

: More importantly, Pacific Rim is like most horror movies: stupidity is
: required to make the plot work. Otherwise, they wouldn't be fighting with
: mechs. So, there's not a whole lot of difference between the powers that
: be deciding to combat kaiju with giant mechs, and testing two headcases
: for drift compatibility while the mech is live and the guns are loaded.

I disagree. The loaded weapon was inexcusable but the giant mechs were the whole point of the film.

It's why I don't take issue with star travel in Star Wars but spit blood every time Greedo shoots first. :-)