Cool Stuff Daily

The story of a self-described mad scientist who gave a microwave the soul of his childhood imaginary friend using AI, and then it tried to kill him. Plus, texting etiquette from Emily Post’s great-great-grandchildren. Sponsors: Outer, Get $300 off and free shipping at liveouter.com/kottke Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Someone Turned Their Imaginary Friend Into an AI Microwave and It Wanted to Kill Them (IGN) I gave my microwave a soul with AI and it tried to kill me (Lucas Builds The Future, YouTube) Magnetron Twitter thread (Lucas Rizzotto, Twitter) Here are a few ways GPT-3 can go wrong (TechCrunch) Are you bad at texting? Here are the new rules for 2022. (Washington Post) Andy Serkis will direct an animated adaptation of Animal Farm. (Literary Hub) The cartoon that came in from the cold (The Guardian) Vin Diesel Reveals Fast & Furious 10 Title as Production Begins (Collider) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A doctor was beamed up to the ISS in the first-ever holoportation to space. Plus, a new chopsticks invention that makes your food taste salty without adding any salt. And inside the world of a professional scream artist. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Outer, Get $300 off and free shipping at liveouter.com/kottke Links: Innovative 3D Telemedicine to Help Keep Astronauts Healthy (NASA) NASA Beamed a Doctor to The ISS in a World-First 'Holoportation' Achievement (ScienceAlert) Saline solution: Japan invents 'electric' chopsticks that make food seem more salty (The Guardian) Japan researchers develop electric chopsticks to enhance salty taste (Reuters) Experience: my scream is famous (The Guardian) Professional Scream Artist Ashley Peldon (60 Second Docs, YouTube) CHILD OF RAGE - (FULL DOCUMENTARY) (YouTube) Netflix will launch Exploding Kittens animated cartoon series and mobile game (VentureBeat) Fri. 11/19 - The Fake 2000s Yo-Yo Career of 'What We Do In the Shadows' Mark Proksch (Cool Stuff Ride Home) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why indie booksellers went from hating Barnes & Noble to defending it, and what that means for the future of publishing. Plus, a look at inflation through the lens of the Big Mac Index. Sponsors: Outer, Get $300 off and free shipping at liveouter.com/kottke Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: How Barnes & Noble Went From Villain to Hero (NY Times) Inflation comes for the Big Mac (Axios) The Big Mac index (The Economist) Thor: Love and Thunder's Trailer Is Wilder Than You Even Imagined (Gizmodo) Thor: Love And Thunder Is So Crazy 'It Shouldn't Make Sense', Says Taika Waititi (Empire) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a more serious take on yesterday’s musings, how is the pandemic and modern technology changing how we communicate about and understand time? Plus, speaking of time, why do Passover and Easter sometimes occur so far apart from one another? Let’s talk about the messy world of human-constructed calendars and natural cycles. And that startup trying to slingshot satellites into space has officially booked a test launch with NASA. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Chronemics and the Nonverbal Language of Time (JSTOR Daily) The Ancient Math That Sets the Date of Easter and Passover (The Atlantic, 2019) Clocks Are Too Precise (and People Don't Know What to Do About It) (The Atlantic, 2015) Private Ax-1 astronaut Eytan Stibbe to celebrate Passover in space (Space.com) Second Family to hold first-known Passover Seder at vice president's residence (CNN) Old episode featuring SpinLaunch (Cool Stuff Ride Home) NASA to Test SpinLaunch, a Giant Slingshot for Launching Satellites Into Space (CNET) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should we be measuring time differently now that we spend more time with digital technology than nature? Paul Ford has some suggestions. Plus, how the heck is AriZona Iced Tea still just 99 cents and not playing any nefarious shrinkflation games like the other guys? And a new study analyzing the personality profile of absolute a-holes. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Time Got So Much Weirder. The World Needs a New Lexicon (Wired) How is AriZona Iced Tea still 99 cents as inflation soars? (LA Times) From 5 fewer Doritos to shrunken Gatorade bottles, here are the insidious ways companies are charging the same amount for less stuff (Insider) Scientists Ran an Experiment to Identify the Personality Profile of an A-Hole (ScienceAlert) What makes an a--hole an a—hole? (EukekAlert) How an early 2000s bop shaped the 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' multiverse (Mashable) How Son Lux Crafted a Maximalist Soundtrack for 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (Rolling Stone) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A very big comet. How sewage monitoring could transform public health beyond just its applications for COVID-19. Plus, libraries are relinquishing local library card requirements for eBooks in a bid to fight back against book bans. And a new National Park annual pass that won’t be valid for 150 years. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: NASA Just Confirmed The Largest Comet Ever Detected, And It's Truly Gargantuan (ScienceAlert) Hubble Confirms Huge Incoming Comet Has Largest Known Nucleus (Gizmodo) Hubble pics reveal the mega comet is wider than Rhode Island (Mashable) Hubble Confirms Largest Comet Nucleus Ever Seen (NASA) The secrets hidden in sewage (Vox) Books For All (NYPL) NYC libraries are offering free digital library cards to people across the US (Time Out) Yellowstone is Offering a $1,500 Annual Pass That You Won't Be Able to Use for 150 Years (Backpacker) h/t Kottke.org Inheritance Pass guarantees entrance to Yellowstone in 150 years (Billings Gazette) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How social media has created a Tower of Babel-like fragmentation of society. Plus, the infrastructure secrets behind a new-to-the-US reality show starring some very busy toddlers. And the brewing beef between Spirit Halloween and the King of Halloween. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid (The Atlantic) So You've Been Publicly Shamed a book by Jon Ronson by Jon Ronson How Japan Built Cities Where You Could Send Your Toddler On An Errand (Slate) Old Enough: the Japanese TV show that abandons toddlers on public transport (The Guardian) Watch Old Enough! (Netflix) Spirit Halloween Store Film in the Works Starring Christopher Lloyd, Rachael Leigh Cook (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety) Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook to Star in Spirit Halloween Film (Collider) Nick Lutsko on Twitter Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Maryland man livetweeting his bout of dysentery––don’t worry, he’s okay. Plus, scientists have managed to de-age human skin cells by thirty years. And an implausible NASA artifact was taken back to space this weekend by one of the Axiom Space private astronauts. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Beginning of dysentery thread (Jake Eberts, Twitter) A Man Is Tweeting Through His Dysentery, But Don’t Worry, It’s For Science (BuzzFeed News) Jake Eberts' Campaign for Water (The Water Project) Norovirus person (cydbird7, TikTok) Old skins cells reprogrammed to regain youthful function (EurekAlert) Scientists Rewind The Clock of Human Skin Cells to Make Them Act 30 Years Younger (ScienceAlert) Scientists make further inroads into reversing ageing process of cells (The Guardian) Private astronaut brings an item of mythic proportions to space station (Mashable) First All-Private Astronaut Team Arrives at the International Space Station (Gizmodo) IT'S ALMOST TIME | CREEL CLOCK LIVESTREAM (Stranger Things, YouTube) ‘Stranger Things’ Hosting a Mysterious Countdown Livestream (All Hallows Geek) 'For All Mankind' season 3 lands June 10 on Apple TV Plus (Space.com) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We turn back the clocks to 1997 for a history of the song “Barbie Girl” and a look at its influence on music. Plus, the Neolithic origins of Short King Spring. And mark your calendars for the Great North American Solar Eclipse. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: The Oral History of Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' (Rolling Stone) Aqua - Barbie Girl (Official Music Video) (Aqua, YouTube) TikTok says it's officially short king spring (iD Vice) First European farmers' heights did not meet expectations (Penn State) We're two years away from the Great North American Solar Eclipse of 2024! (Space.com) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An impressively well-preserved dinosaur leg fossil has been found that could be the first-ever fossil evidence of the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Plus, Amtrak is stirring up some beef with their Twitch streams. And a new dream job opening: counting penguins in Antarctica. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Tanis: Fossil of dinosaur killed in asteroid strike found, scientists claim (BBC) Scientists find fossil of dinosaur 'killed on day of asteroid strike' (The Guardian) Scientists say they found a dino fossil from the day a dinosaur-killing asteroid struck Earth (Live Science) Astonishment, skepticism greet fossils claimed to record dinosaur-killing asteroid impact (Science) Amtrak Is Streaming an Empty Railroad on Twitch to Beef With Freight Rail Companies (Vice) Buttigieg Brushes Up On Honking For Upcoming Talks With Nation’s Big Rigs (The Onion) British charity hunts for team to run Antarctica post office (BBC) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some libraries cancel late fees, others get Interpol involved for missing manuscripts. Either way, missing books can become fascinating treasures when they’re finally returned. Plus, Hubble has spotted a rare planet in the earliest phase of formation. And the United Kingdom has announced plans to mint its own NFT. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: New York City Libraries End Late Fees, and the Treasures Roll In (NY Times) Darwin's missing 'tree of life' notebooks mysteriously returned after 20 years (NBC News) Missing Darwin notebooks returned to Cambridge University Library (Cambridge University) Rare glimpse of giant planet still 'in the womb' yet nine times the mass of Jupiter (The Guardian) Psst! Wanna see an actual Hubble image of a planet forming around a nearby star? (Bad Astronomy, Syfy Wire) Hubble Finds a Planet Forming in an Unconventional Way (NASA) Britain announces plans to mint its own NFT as it looks to 'lead the way' in crypto (CNBC) Rishi Sunak to launch an NFT issued by the Royal Mint to help make UK 'global cryptoasset hub' (Sky News) Rishi Sunak asks Royal Mint to create NFT (The Guardian) HBO Max wants multiple TV spin-offs of Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes movies (A/V Club) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to have the best odds of becoming a fossil after you die. Plus, the creators of the viral Marcel the Shell videos secretly made a feature-length film that’s coming out this summer. And a few other recommendations you can stream right now. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How to turn yourself into a fossil (BBC Future) How can I become a fossil? (BBC Future) Here's Why You Can't Keep Your Loved One's Skull (Mental Floss) MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON (the first one) (Dean Fleischer-Camp, YouTube) Marcel The Shell With Shoes On | Official Trailer (A24, Youtube) 'Marcel the Shell': Why Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp Declined Studio Offers and Made a Secret Movie Instead (Yahoo News) 'Marcel the Shell' Review: Surprise Mockumentary About Viral Shell (IndieWire) Thu. 03/17 - Why Are Movies So Long These Days? (Cool Stuff Ride Home) Netflix actually made a Short-A-- Movies category after Saturday Night Live sketch (Entertainment Weekly) Short-A– Movies (Netflix) Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off | Official Trailer (HBO Max, YouTube) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six million people and counting are creating a piece of artwork together right now in a reminder that sometimes we can have nice things on the internet. Plus, birds are laying their eggs almost a whole month earlier than they used to. And some sounds from Ukraine’s musical resistance to Russia. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: Internet communities are battling over pixels (Washington Post) Reddit's r/Place art experiment has already devolved into beautiful chaos (Input) 2017 final canvas (r/Place) Cool time lapse of the first day of r/place (ethorodison, Twitter) place If Blink 182 Wrote 'Never Gonna Give You Up' (Alex Melton, YouTube) Birds are laying their eggs a month earlier than normal (Washington Post) Birds nesting, laying eggs earlier, Field Museum study by John Bates finds, reflecting climate change (Chicago Sun-Times) Stopping Climate Change Is Doable, but Time Is Short, UN Panel Warns (NY Times) Zelensky makes surprise Grammys appearance to urge support for Ukraine (Washington Post) Ukraine Has Written a Folk Song About Its Drone (Vice) Coca-Cola Byte: Coke's New Drink Is 'Pixel' Flavored. What to Know (CNET) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The human genome has finally been completely sequenced––twenty-two years after the initial “essentially” complete version was published. Plus, in another early 2000s follow-up, the “Star Wars Kid” breaks his silence two decades later. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Completing the Human Genome Sequence (Again) (Scientific American) Scientists publish the first complete human genome (Reuters) First complete gap-free human genome sequence published (The Guardian) In the Shadow of the Star Wars Kid (Waxy) Star Wars Kid (Know Your Meme) 'Star Wars kid' emerges as an Internet hero (Los Angeles Times, 2003) ‘Mystery of Marilyn Monroe’ Trailer: Was She Murdered? No Conspiracy Left Unturned in Netflix Doc (Indie Wire) All the Details on Andrew Dominik's NC-17 Marilyn Monroe Biopic 'Blonde,' Starring Ana de Armas (Indie Wire) Mind the Gap (Twenty Thousand Hertz) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New findings indicate that Pluto’s ice volcanoes are even weirder than we previously thought. Plus, a killer parasite is wiping out an entire species of ant in Texas… but actually it’s kind of a net positive. And US citizens will soon be able to select an X gender marker on their passport. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: There's Something Truly Unique About Pluto's Landscape, New Study Says (Science Alert) Pluto's Huge Ice Volcanoes Are Stranger Than We Realized (Gizmodo) Ice Volcanoes Reshape Pluto and Hint at a Hidden Ocean (NY Times) A Killer Parasite Is Wiping Out Hordes of Ants—in a Good Way (Wired) Biden to mark Transgender Day of Visibility with new actions (​​AP) Finally, Some Good News On Trans Rights (Charlotte’s Web Thoughts) US will now offer gender-neutral X option on passports (The Verge) Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality (TransLash Media) Trans Week of Visibility & Action Watch Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launch its first New Shepard space crew of 2022 (CNBC) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could alpaca antibodies one day provide treatment for COVID-19? Plus, the Hubble telescope has spotted the oldest star ever seen by humans, by a long shot. The European Union is cracking down on fast fashion. And the scammers trying to turn prayers in NFTs. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Potent alpaca nanobodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants (Nano Magazine) Old episode with llama segment at the end (Coronavirus Morning Report, YouTube) Record Broken: Hubble Spots Farthest Star Ever Seen (NASA) Farthest star ever seen almost 13 billion light-years away (Bad Astronomy) Hubble Space Telescope spots most distant single star ever seen (Space.com) 100,000 Stars European Union reveals fast fashion crackdown (BBC) EU proposes new rules to discourage disposable fast fashion (AP) Religious Website Promising to Commemorate Prayers on the Blockchain Is Gone, Thank God (The Mary Sue) Now You Too Can Commemorate Your Prayer on the Blockchain as an NFT (Relevant) HBO Max is going back to Derry with an It prequel series (A/V Club) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artist Jeff Koons’ next sculpture installation? On the moon. Plus, it’s not just you. Seasonal allergies really are worse this year, and the climate emergency is to blame. And, the Northern Lights might be visible Wednesday night in parts of the northern US and Canada, with bonus rockets being blasted into them by NASA. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: Artist Jeff Koons aims to send sculptures to the Moon on commercial lunar lander (The Verge) As Part of His NFT Debut, Jeff Koons Will Launch Sculptures Into Space and Place Them Permanently on the Moon (ArtNet) There Is a Sculpture on the Moon Commemorating Fallen Astronauts (Smithsonian Magazine) Various Artists, Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, David Novros, Forrest Myers, Robert Rauschenberg, John Chamberlain. The Moon Museum. 1969 (Museum of Modern Art) Climate change is making pollen season even worse across the country (Washington Post) Naked-Eye Northern Lights May Be Visible From The U.S. This Week As Solar Flares Head Our Way (Forbes) 3-day-forecast (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NASA set to launch 2 rockets into the northern lights (Space.com) The Northern Lights Over Atlanta, Michigan (Great Lakes Myth Society, Bandcamp) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Scottish dolphin who lives among and seems to “talk” with porpoises. Plus, how a Wikipedia hoax became official branding for Pringles. And sheep are pivoting to solar. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: For the first time, wild dolphin observed 'talking' with harbor porpoises (National Geographic) The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse The secret Wikipedia prank behind the Pringles mascot's first name (Mashable) The Pringle Man's Name Is an Epic Wikipedia Hoax (Review Geek) How 600 Sheep Will HelpHow 600 Sheep Will Help Maintain a Solar Array Maintain a Solar Array (Vice) Solar grazing: How sheep mow the lawn at community solar farms in Upstate NY (New York Upstate) Walmart Stops Selling Cigarettes in Some Stores (Wall Street Journal) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Digital resting points are an increasingly popular way to recharge and slow down in the midst of endless scrolling. Plus, are we facing a “sensory extinction?” And, meet the giant eerie glowing orb that might be installed in London. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Doomscrolling got you down? Take a break at a digital rest stop. (Washington Post) Animal sounds are a marvel of evolution. We can't afford to drown them out. (Vox) Mount Rainier National Park Washington State, Nature Sounds (4K Relaxation Videos, YouTube) Fri. 03/18 - What Do We Lose By Keeping The Lights On? (Kottke Ride Home) City of London approves terrifying, gargantuan spherical music venue (Consequence of Sound) Everything You Need to Know About MSG Sphere in Las Vegas (Vital Vegas) London's Madison Square Garden Sphere gets planning approval (The Guardian) Pepsi/IHOP sweepstakes (Pepsi, Twitter) NASA to announce Hubble Space Telescope discovery next week (Space.com) Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The origin and fascinating evolution of “lol.” Plus, it turns out the speed of sound on Mars is different and weirder than anticipated. And some of the researchers behind the discovery of Captain Shackleton’s lost ship are developing a sort of Google Maps for arctic waters. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why We Use “lol” So Much (Vice) The Speed of Sound on Mars Is Strangely Different, Scientists Reveal (Science Alert) Episode about Perseverance's microphones (Kottke Ride Home) Scientists that found Shackleton's lost ship are developing a 'Google Maps for the Antarctic' (BBC Science Focus) Episode about the discovery of Ernest Shackleeton's ship (Kottke Ride Home) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How genetically-modified lettuce grown in space could protect astronauts’ bones on long voyages. Plus, meet Doug, the false potato stripped of Guinness World Record glory in the eleventh hour. And, a two-carat diamond made out of ranch dressing, the Royal Mint in the UK is going to start recovering gold from the nation’s electronic waste, and an important announcement at the end of the show. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Lettuce Could Protect Astronauts' Bones on Mars Trip (UC Davis) What Happens to the Human Body in Space? (NASA) Is This the World's Largest Potato? (NY Times) Sadly, that huge potato named Doug isn't actually a potato after all (Gizmodo) DNA Test Finds 'World's Largest Potato' Isn't A Potato At All (Food & Wine) Nice try but no potato for New Zealand couple's giant find (AP) Hidden Valley Creates First-Ever Man-Made Diamond Made of Ranch, Giving Super Fans a Stunning 2 Carat Symbol of True Ranch Love (AP) You may now bid on a diamond ring made of ranch dressing (A/V Club) Tue. 03/08 - Diamonds Are the Air's Best Friend (Kottke Ride Home) The Royal Mint to build ‘world first’ plant to turn UK’s electronic waste into gold (Royal Mint) Britain's Royal Mint to build plant that will extract gold from electronic waste (CNBC) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turns out humans have been cooking and enjoying carbs for much longer than we initially thought, and the experiments some archaeologists have been conducting to lend credence to their hypotheses are very cool. Plus, welcome to the weird and wonderful world of competitive water drinking on YouTube. And a startup that wants to make earth-bound deliveries by taking a shortcut through space. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How ancient people fell in love with bread, beer and other carbs (Nature) Ancient Ales (Dogfish Head Brewery) Inside the Super Positive Community of Competitive YouTube Water Drinkers (Vice) HydroHomies (Reddit) This Stick Of Butter Is Left Out At Room Temperature; You Won't Believe What Happens Next (ClickHole, YouTube) DAVID LYNCH THEATER (David Lynch, YouTube) Dreaming of Suitcases in Space (NY Times) A company is planning to give you orbital deliveries from outer space (Interesting Engineering) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to appear effortlessly charming to new people you meet. Plus, using squid technology to protect humans from the sun. And a new generation of search apps that search everything you touch on your devices. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: The tricks to make yourself effortlessly charming (BBC) How Squid Camouflage Could Help Prevent Skin Cancer in Humans (Northeastern University) Squid camouflage-inspired sticker can tell when you've had too much sun (New Atlas) L'Oreal's Ingenious Nail Art Detects Harmful UV Rays (Fast Company, 2018) This new breed of unified search apps does what Google doesn't (Fast Company) Heyday Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should we be making a greater effort to reduce light pollution? Plus, scientists are trying to use murder hornets’ own sexual behavior to eradicate them. And an app that will help you safely find and eat roadkill. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance Links: The argument for switching off lights at night (BBC Future) We don't need more sleep. We just need more darkness. (Washington Post) The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light by Paul Bogard Researchers Could Lure Murder Hornets to Their Deaths with Sex (Gizmodo) It's a Trap: Murder Hornets' Own Sex Pheromones Could Be Their Downfall (CNET) Road to table: Wyoming's got a new app for claiming roadkill (AP) Want some roadkill to cook? There's an app for that. (Boing Boing) Weezle Wordle, 15 Million Tweets Later / Robert Lesser (Observable) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why have movies gotten so long recently? Plus, the startups working to develop lab-created chocolate. And a nightmarish creature from Texas to rival all the hype around those giant Joro spiders. Sponsors: Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: Why Are Movies So Long Now? (Variety) Silicon Valley Is Coming for Your Chocolate (The Atlantic) Watch Dark Side of Chocolate (Slave Free Chocolate) A look at the frightening Texas giant red-headed centipede (Yahoo) Texas Centipedes: 3 Things You Probably Don't Want to Know (Texas Hill Country) Killer Centipede | World's Deadliest (National Geographic) NASA Preparing to Roll Out Its SLS Megarocket Later This Week (Gizmodo) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Prohibition was far more global and far more progressive than it’s often portrayed. And, is the United States about to stay in Daylight Saving Time forever? Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance Links: Myth Vs. Fact: Daylight Saving Time and Farming (AgAmerica) The Senate unanimously agreed to make daylight saving time permanent. (Slate) The Senate just voted to make daylight saving time permanent. Good. (Vox) The Real History of Prohibition Is Global (The Atlantic) Abolition, Women's Rights, and Temperance Movements (National Parks Service) The Forgotten History of Black Prohibitionism (Politico) Watch Prohibition | Ken Burns (PBS) How You Know You're Drinking A Great Prohibition-Era Cocktail (Thrillist) February episode on Prohibition-era "wine bricks" (Kottke Ride Home) Last year's Daylight Saving & St. Patrick's Day segments (Kottke Ride Home) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subvariants, spikes, and sewers. A few indicators remind us that we’re not quite out of the woods yet when it comes to COVID. Plus, a new method that shows how any person can be trained to harness the creativity inside of themselves. And what it means that the sun is getting more and more active. Sponsors: Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: U.S. Sewer Data Warns of a New Bump in Covid Cases After Lull (Bloomberg) Is omicron subvariant BA.2 to blame for rising Covid cases? (CNBC) People, Not Science, Decide When a Pandemic Is Over (Scientific American) Anyone can be trained to be creative: New program shows early success with US Army, others (ScienceDaily) Officials Confirm Several Geomagnetic Storms Are Hitting Earth This Week (Science Alert) Why are we seeing more northern lights this year? (The Conversation) Sofiane Pamart live under the Northern Lights, in Lapland, Finland for Cercle (Cercle, YouTube) Netflix drops trailer for Barack Obama's national parks documentary series (Mashable) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How many digits of pi is the right amount to use? Plus, what actually causes people to lose their sense of smell when they get COVID? And how can you work to recover yours if you lost it? And, Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson is going to space. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance Links: Vsauce short explaining Not A Wake (Vsauce, Twitter) Not a Wake: A Dream Embodying (Pi)'s Digits Fully for 10000 Decimals by Michael Keith How Much Pi Do You Really Need? (Wired) 20 Best Pi Day 2022 Deals and Freebies on Pizza, Pies and More (Good Housekeeping) How the Coronavirus Steals the Sense of Smell (NY Times) Covid Stole Your Sense of Smell? Try Physical Therapy for Your Nose. (NY Times) Pete Davidson will go to space on Blue Origin’s 4th human flight (CNBC) SNL star Pete Davidson is heading to space with crew of five on next Blue Origin flight (The Verge) 24 Years (Kottke.org) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Lincoln was a telegraph power-user, and the one thousand telegrams he sent during his presidency might have helped the US win the Civil War. Plus, an app that can diagnose rare diseases just by scanning a child’s face. And, ten thousand people in New Orleans were without power for hours due to a surprising, but it turns out not uncommon, cause. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Help Win the Civil War (History) Hank Green on Inspiring Curiosity (Offline with Jon Favreau) This App Can Diagnose Rare Diseases From a Child's Face (Wired) A Bird Is Blamed as 10,000 Lose Power in New Orleans (NY Times) Bird causes 10,000 people to lose power in New Orleans (A/V Club) Just Say No to CBDCs (The Upheaval) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The giant yellow spiders set to invade the eastern seaboard of North America are… not as scary as the internet is making them seem. Plus, the Smithsonian is returning a number of artworks to Nigeria. And President Biden is considering a digital currency for the US. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Joro spiders likely to spread beyond Georgia (University of Georgia) The joro spider is an invasive species, but you don't need to fear the invasion (NBC News) Thread from a science communicator on Joro spiders (ScienTEAific, Twitter) Jokes about Axios' fearmongering of Joro spiders (Katie Bowers, Twitter) Giant Joro spiders expected to drop from sky across the East Coast this spring (Axios) Huge invasive spiders native to Asia expected to spread along US east coast (The Guardian) Smithsonian to give back its entire collection of Benin bronzes (Washington Post) In a Landmark Move, the Smithsonian Will Return Benin Bronzes in Its Collection to Nigeria (ArtNet) Biden considers digital dollar—here's how it could differ from regular money (Ars Technica) Tue. 02/08 - Wine Bricks To The Rescue + Decoding Dickens & Digital Dollars (Kottke Ride Home) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most famous shipwrecks has finally been discovered at the bottom of a sea in Antarctica. Plus, why the letter “Z” has become a Russian pro-war symbol. And, post-punk Alvin and the Chipmunks. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: At the Bottom of an Icy Sea, One of History's Great Wrecks Is Found (NY Times) Endurance: 'Finest wooden shipwreck I've ever seen' (BBC) Endurance: Shackleton's lost ship is found in Antarctic (BBC) Shackleton's lost shipwreck discovered off Antarctica (Phys.Org) Ernest Shackleton's Ship Found After 106 Years (Kottke.Org) Ukraine war: Why has 'Z' become a Russian pro-war symbol? (BBC) Why has the letter Z become the symbol of war for Russia? (The Guardian) Alvin & the Chipmunks tweet (Jeff Blehar, Twitter) Chipmunks On 16 Speed - Sludgefest (Full Album) (LunarOrbit, YouTube) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Giving all new meaning to “taking a leaf out of their book,” medieval literature scholars have adopted ecological models to quantify lost works of fiction. Plus, what if you could create diamonds out of thin air? And, had a rough day? Let some kindergarteners give you a pep talk. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How Much Medieval Literature Has Been Lost? (Scientific American) Can ecological extinction models help us understand the literature we’ve lost? (Literary Hub) How a diamond company is giving carbon capture a boost (The Verge) A startup is sucking CO2 from the sky and making diamonds. No more mining? (Interesting Engineering) A new hotline offers pep talks from kindergartners (NPR) Call Peptoc at 707-998-8410 Disney+ Announces New Series The Muppets Mayhem (Consequence) Is It Cake? Trailer Reveals a Baking Competition With a Deceptive Twist (Collider) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After two years, why have some of us never gotten COVID? Plus, the surprisingly artistic and wonderful Squirrel Census. And a volcanic rock in Japan rumored to contain a thousand-year-old demonic spirit has just been found split in two. Nbd. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: Death toll surpasses 6 million for pandemic now in 3rd year (AP) Why have some people never caught Covid? The answers could help protect us all (The Guardian) Genetic study reveals causal link between blood type and COVID severity (New Atlas) The NYC Squirrel Census is back with new results — and a toll-free number (Gothamist) THE SQUIRREL CENSUS Call the Squirrel Census Phone Tree toll-free at 1-833-NYC-SQRL Stream Squirrel Census Records (Squirrel Census, Soundcloud) Squirrel Sighter (Apple App Store) Japan's 'killing stone' splits in two, releasing superstitions amid the sulphur springs (The Guardian) Sesshōseki (Killing Stone) – Nasu, Japan (Atlas Obscura) The things Apple might announce next week, ranked by how likely they are (Ars Technica) Techmeme Ride Home Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it possible for ocean cleanup programs to do more harm than good? And how might offices, cities, and the nature of work itself change if––as looks increasingly likely––many office jobs never return to fully on-site work. Plus, the latest Wordle-style game recommendation. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order Links: Why marine biologists think ocean cleanups are a bad idea (Vox) Ocean Cleanup struggles to fulfill promise to scoop up plastic at sea (Reuters) Tech Companies Are Reopening Their Offices, but Tech Work Has Changed Forever (Wall Street Journal) The Five-Day Workweek Is Dying (The Atlantic) Heardle A piece of a Chinese rocket slammed into the Moon this morning (The Verge) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A look at how the design of Gotham City has changed throughout each incarnation of Batman, reflecting the soul and vengeance of the caped crusader. Plus, the technicolor array of blood throughout the animal kingdom. And, your chance to take your name to the moon. Not in an investing sense. Like, literally. NASA will put your name on Artemis-I. Sponsors: Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: The Long and Twisted History of Designing Gotham City (The Ringer) So, Why Do We Call It Gotham, Anyway? (NYPL) Animal blood comes in a rainbow of colors—here's why (National Geographic) NASA is offering to fly your name around the moon because sure, why not? (Mashable) NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission, 1st flight of new megarocket, won't launch until May (Space.com) Around the Moon with NASA's First Launch of SLS with Orion (NASA) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

175 nations have agreed to craft a legally binding treaty to reel in the world’s out-of-control plastic problem. Plus, remember that rocket booster no one is taking responsibility for? It’s still hitting the moon on Friday. Here’s what it might be able to tell us. And, a Beetlejuice sequel might finally be happening––unless Batman thwarts him again. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order Links: Ice Cream Machine Hackers Sue McDonald's for $900 Million (Wired) 11/30 episode with a McDonald's milkshake update (Kottke Ride Home) Fri. 04/23 - A McShake Up: The Battle Over McDonald's Ice Cream Machines (Kottke Ride Home) Plastic pollution: Green light for 'historic' global treaty (BBC) The World Is Awash in Plastic. Nations Plan a Treaty to Fix That. (NY Times) A rocket is going to crash into the Moon – the accidental experiment will shed light on the physics of impacts in space (The Conversation) 'Beetlejuice 2': Brad Pitt's Plan B Boards Sequel In Early Development (Deadline) Michael Keaton & Winona Ryder Reportedly Returning For Beetlejuice 2 (Screen Rant) Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian [Script to Pieces] (Wicked Horror) Brad Pitt's 'Beetlejuice' (The Ankler) Beetlejuice The Animated Series - Everything You Didn't Know (Syfy Wire, Youtube) Beetle House NYC Beetlejuice Broadway Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the tyrannosaurus rex going to be broken up into three species? Plus, we’ve talked a lot about meat alternatives, but now it’s time for: dairy milk alternatives. No, not oat or almond. Actual dairy milk but without the use of animals. And, finally a study that says going for a walk is bad for you. Sponsors: Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: Scientists propose Tyrannosaurus had three species, not just 'rex' (Reuters) Call to split T. rex into 3 species sparks fierce debate (National Geographic) They Want to Break T. Rex Into 3 Species. Paleontologists Aren't Pleased. (NY Times) "Did anything of scientific merit happen..." (SUEtheTRex, Twitter) Animal-free dairy milk set to finally hit US retail shelves (New Atlas) Better Dairy slices into new funding for animal-free cheeses (TechCrunch) Your lunchtime walks in the summer could be making you less productive: Researchers find that a brief walk outside on a hot day impairs cognitive performance (Science Daily) Walk It Off newsletter (Isaac Fitzgerald, Substack) Unseen JRR Tolkien paintings, photographs and video clips released (The Guardian) The Tolkien Estate The Office: Kevin's Famous Chili Recipe Revealed by Peacock (Consequence TV) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That thing you’re looking at right now, it’s already fifteen seconds in the past. Plus, new findings from Apple and Harvard’s giant period-tracking study. And, before emerging as a wartime president, Volodymyr Zelensky had a prolific career as a comedian. Here’s a rundown of some of the wildest clips that have been resurfacing––and a note on holding their humor together with the gravity of the moment. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Jenni Kayne, Use code KRH at jennikayne.com for 15% off your first order Links: Why your brain is a "time machine" living 15 seconds in the past (Inverse) Everything You See Is From 15 Seconds in the Past, New Research Claims (Popular Mechanics) Periods, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and heart health (Harvard) Apple's latest women's health study results focus on PCOS (Engadget) Apple Period-Tracking Data Powers PCOS Health Study (Gizmodo) Ukraine’s Courage, Putin’s Logic, and the Fox News Axis of Evil (The Problem With Jon Stewart, YouTube) Ukraine's President Zelensky: In the streets of a war-rattled city, a hero is born (Washington Post) Ukraine Elected a Sitcom Star President. His Show Tells Us What to Expect. (Slate, 2019) Слуга народа: Full Servant of the People episodes (Servant of the People, YouTube) "It's no coincidence that Trump got his start as a TV star..." (Joel Silberman, Facebook) President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dancing With the Stars DWTS in Ukraine in 2006. (Joel Thingvall, YouTube) Watch Ukraine's president perform Hava Nagila on piano "with his genitals" (Boing Boing) "Single Ladies"-esque music video (Студия Квартал 95 Online, YouTube) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Did Voice Paddington (The Hollywood Reporter) Behind the Scenes: Zelensky recording Paddington 2 (VLGFILM Ukraine, YouTube) Paddington Bear, Refugee (The New Yorker, 2017) Volodymyr Zelensky's inaugural address (The Ukrainian Weekly) Ukraine conflict: Nigeria condemns treatment of Africans (BBC) Thread on ways to help African/Caribbean students evacuating Ukraine (Korrinesky, Twitter) OutRight Action International Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The meme accounts behind some of the spread of misinformation already this week, as well as some guidance for seeking out and sharing accurate information. Plus, seals that are being recruited by scientists to spy on whales. And the latest vaccine seeking authorization. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Scammy Instagram 'war pages' are capitalizing on Ukraine conflict (Input) How to avoid sharing bad information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (MIT Technology Review) Advice for not spreading misinformation (Kate Starbird, Twitter) Scientists are recruiting elephant seals to eavesdrop on whales (Vox) Sanofi, GSK to seek approval for Covid vaccine candidate that prevents 100% of hospitalizations (CNBC) A new Covid vaccine shows 100 percent efficacy against severe disease and hospitalizations, its makers say. (NY Times) Miscellanea: Understanding the War in Ukraine (Bret Devereaux) Why is Russia invading Ukraine and what does Putin want? (BBC) Russia's war in Ukraine: complete guide in maps, video and pictures (The Guardian) The beauty and everyday life in Ukraine, in photos (Jennifer J. Carroll, Twitter) “February. Get the ink and weep.” Contemporary Poetry From Ukraine (Literary Hub) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The too-little-known story of the creation of the whooping cough vaccine. Plus, the remarkable initiatives in Taiwan that are helping keep the country clean with a little help from Beethoven. A new Netflix docuseries that uses AI to recreate Andy Warhol’s voice reading his diaries. And a note on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: The Unsung Heroes Who Ended a Deadly Plague (Smithsonian Magazine) How American Conservatives Turned Against the Vaccine (Kottke.Org) In Taiwan, When You Hear Beethoven, It's Time to Take Out the Trash (NY Times) 'The Andy Warhol Diaries' Trailer Is Here, Queer, and Compelling (The Advocate) Watch trailer Netflix's The Andy Warhol Diaries docuseries (Entertainment Weekly) The Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Kottke.org) Ukraine standoff, drone strikes, Johnson's woes (Bloomberg) Russia attacks Ukraine; peace in Europe ‘shattered’ (AP) Biden Speech on Putin, Russia-Ukraine Invasion: Live Updates (NY Times) Livefeed of Kyiv (Washington Post, YouTube) Russia-Ukraine Monitor Map (Centre For Information Resilience) 10 Videos From the Invasion of Ukraine That Are Actually Fake (Gizmodo) Understanding the Ukraine Crisis: A Comprehensive Reading List (Literary Hub) 4 Meaningful Ways You Can Help Ukraine (Global Citizen) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does Google still have the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button? And what do the ways Google Search has changed mean for us as a society? Plus, a proposed global library of underwater audio with a perfect name, and what fish are usually “talking” about when they communicate acoustically. And finally, Kraft Heinz is throwing their hat in the plant-based alternatives ring, but how do plant-based alternatives actually stack up to real meat? Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Why does Google still have that “I’m Feeling Lucky” button? (Real Life Magazine) Easy Answers –– The more we can google, the less we know (Real Life Magazine) PSA: Google Photos Has “I'm Feeling Lucky” Too (How To Geek) Scientists Propose the Creation of a Global Aquatic Sound Library (Smithsonian Mag) Hums, honks and boops? That's just fish chatting about sex and food (The Guardian) The Cephalopodcast Kraft Heinz wants to make plant-based hot dogs through new joint venture (CNBC) Here's How Plant-Based 'Meats' Stack Up, Nutritionally (LifeHacker) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mysteries of people with super color vision. Plus, a Hot Jupiter that rains gems. And Hank the Tank, the furry 500 pound dumpster diving home invader taking California by storm. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: The Rare Gift of Seeing Extra Colors (Wall Street Journal) 'I'm really just high on life and beauty': the woman who can see 100 million colours (The Guardian) A “hot Jupiter’s” dark side is revealed in detail for first time (MIT News) A 'hot Jupiter's' dark side is revealed in detail for first time: The planet's night side likely hosts iron clouds, titanium rain, and winds that dwarf Earth's jetstream (Science Daily) Scientists study a 'hot Jupiter' exoplanet's dark side in detail for the first time (Engadget) Hank the Tank, a 500-Pound Bear, Ransacks a California Community (NY Times) A 500-pound bear called Hank The Tank now rules California (A/V Club) Mystery Deepens as China Denies Owning Space Junk Set to Crash Into Moon (Science Alert) Corrected identification of object about to hit the moon (Project Pluto) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of birds dropped from the sky in northern Mexico. Why it happened and two brothers in India who heal birds who have suffered a similar fate. Plus: wrestler. Poet. Mattress King? The semi-true extracurriculars of Abraham Lincoln. And some recommendations for Brad Neely Appreciation Day. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Why did birds fall from sky in Mexico? Probably a predator, experts say (The Guardian) Jordan Peele posts Nope hashtag with video of creepy bird disaster (A/V Club) As More Birds Fly Into Buildings, Scientists Study How To Limit Collision Deaths (NPR) All That Breathes: The Indian brothers who heal birds dropping from the sky (BBC) All That Breathes Review: Transfixing Doc About Delhi's Bird Rescuers (IndieWire) Is Abraham Lincoln in the Wrestling Hall of Fame? (Snopes) Poems of Abraham Lincoln by Abraham Lincoln Lincoln in the Bardo a book by George Saunders I'm Abraham Lincoln and I Beg of You, Please Commemorate My Birthday with Mattress Sales (McSweeney’s) Before Hamilton, there was the Washington music video (Polygon) George Washington (TheRealBradNeely, YouTube) The Professor Brothers - History Lesson (JFK) (TheRealBradNeely, YouTube) Wizard People, Dear Reader (Brad Neely, SoundCloud) You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe Jack's Presidents' Day Playlist (Spotify) Presidential podcast (Washington Post) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How a medieval hatred of indexes mirrors debates today about how search engines are changing our brains. Plus, a round-up of the unceasing Wordle news and spin-offs. A thousand Porsches are on fire in the middle of the Atlantic. And how about a caffeinated doughnut with your space-themed Coca-Cola? Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase Links: How Scholars Once Feared That the Book Index Would Destroy Reading (Literary Hub) Students Today Can't Prepare Bark to Calculate Their Problems (Quote Investigator) Wordle Has Ad Trackers Now That the New York Times Owns It (Gizmodo) The New York Times has changed Wordle's solutions (The Verge) Extra credit: You can play Wordle in other languages! (Duo Lingo) Worldle Primel Reversle Quordle dordle Wordle Unlimited Star Wordle Queerdle Lordle of the Rings Taylordle Subwaydle 1,000 Porsches are burning aboard this abandoned cargo ship (The Verge) Ship Carrying 1,100 Porsches and Other Luxury Cars Is Burning and Adrift (NY Times) Just one last job... (Evan Simko-Bednarski, Twitter) Cargo Ship Full of Porsches, Bentleys and VWs Is On Fire and Adrift in the Atlantic [UPDATED] (The Drive) Coca-Cola introduces a first-of-its-kind flavor (CNN) Snack maker Hostess unveils caffeinated doughnuts as market for caffeine-spiked food heats up (Washington Post) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The history and the science of luge, bobsledding, and skeleton. Plus, a new study has found that the US’s corn-based ethanol is worse for the climate than regular gasoline. And a bit of a pop culture round-up, including some new releases to look forward to this Record Store Day. Sponsors: Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: How in the World Did Luge Happen? (Atlas Obscura) The high-speed physics of how bobsled, luge and skeleton send humans hurtling faster than a car on the highway (The Conversation) Which Winter Olympics Sport Is the Slipperiest? (Slate) Luge, bobsled, skeleton: What's the difference? Burning Sochi questions answered (Today) US corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds (Reuters) US corn ethanol tweet (David Roberts, Twitter) How Corn Ethanol for Biofuel Fed Climate Change (Civil Eats) ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 Will Be Split Into Two Parts, Release Dates Announced (Collider) Record Store Day 2022: The 20 Must-Have Releases (Consequence of Sound) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new startup that is working on making steaks and chicken breasts out of thin air. Plus, the first woman has seemingly been cured of HIV. And Disney is developing a new round of residential communities around the US. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase Links: This Startup Is Trying to Make Juicy Steaks Out of Thin Air (Wired) Something in the Air (Protein) These Days (The Spoon) Can lab-based meat be vegan? (Fortune) Can You Make Meat From Air? Dr. Lisa Dyson, CEO and Founder of Air Protein, Explains on The Plantbased Business Hour (Vegconomist) This Startup's Futuristic Idea to Fight Climate Change? Make Meat From Thin Air (Inc.) A Woman Is Cured of HIV Using a Novel Treatment (NY Times) First woman reported cured of HIV after stem cell transplant (Reuters) Scientists have possibly cured HIV in a woman for the first time (NBC News) Disney is developing planned communities for fans who never want to leave its clutches (The Verge) Disney Launches New Business to Develop Residential Communities (Walt Disney Company) Disney To Build New Residential Communities, First Is In Rancho Mirage (Deadline) Walt Disney (DIS) to Develop Residential Housing Communities Across US (Bloomberg) Walt Disney's radical vision for a new kind of city (The Conversation) DeLorean DMC Will Return In 2022 As Luxury Electric Sports Car (Inside EVs) The DeLorean Is Officially Back, And It's Electric (IGN) Downton Abbey stars Michelle Dockery and Michael Fox to debut musical album (Washington Post) DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA - Official Trailer [HD] (Focus Features, YouTube) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter Other recommended watching: Framing John DeLorean (IFC Films) Defunctland: Walt Disney's City of the Future, E.P.C.O.T. (Defunctland, YouTube) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncovering the story behind two anonymous people whose photographs serve as instructions on the high five Wikipedia entry. Plus, people apparently find AI-generated faces more trustworthy than real human ones. And the Idaho Potato Commission just dropped their first fragrance. Sponsors: Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: The adorable love story behind Wikipedia's 'high five' photos (Input) Depths of Wikipedia (Instagram) Depths of Wikipedia (Twitter) Goofing Off (Wikipedia) 4/8/21 episode about the origin of the high five (Kottke Ride Home) Fake faces created by AI look more trustworthy than real people (NewScientist) Humans Find AI-Generated Faces More Trustworthy Than the Real Thing (Scientific American) AI generated faces are MORE trustworthy than real faces say researchers who warn of “deep fakes” (Lancaster University) AI Creates Photorealistic Portraits of Cartoon Characters (Kottke) "Frites by Idaho" is a new perfume that smells like french fries (Boing Boing) Love is in the Air... And it Smells like French Fries (Idaho Potato Commission) Laserwriter II by Tamara Shopsin Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speed skiing, synchronized skating, ski ballet, and other rejected sports from the Olympics. Plus, remember that SpaceX rocket stage headed for the moon? Turns out it’s a different piece of rocket junk, not from SpaceX at all. And the tropical disease that may be on the verge of eradication in humans. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Munk Pack, Use code KRH at Munkpack.com for 20% off your first purchase Links: Speed skiing: too fast for the Olympics (Financial Times) 12 Sports That Used To Be In The Winter Olympics (BuzzFeed) When Ski Ballet Pushed at the Porous Boundary Between Art and Sport (NY Times) The Most Insane Ex-Olympic Sport! SPEED SKIING! ⛷ (Olympics, YouTube) HOW was this an Olympic sport? Ski ballet! (Olympics, YouTube) Plot Twist: A Different Rogue Rocket Is Going to Hit the Moon (Gizmodo) A rocket is still set to slam into the Moon next month — but it may not be from SpaceX after all (The Verge) Astronomers now say the rocket about to strike the Moon is not a Falcon 9 (Ars Technica) 1/26/22 episode about the SpaceX rocket stage (Kottke Ride Home) Just 14 cases: Guinea worm disease nears eradication (Nature) AirAsia flight diverted due to unexpected snake on the plane (NPR) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MoviePass is back and it wants to track your eyeballs. Plus, who would win in a real-world animal showdown: a ram or a Bengal tiger? NASA has released the first images of a star taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. And the Comanche language version of Wordle that Facebook doesn’t want you to see. Sponsors: ExpressVPN, ExpressVPN.com/kottke for an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: MoviePass 2.0 Wants to Track Your Eyeballs to Make Sure You Watch Ads (Vice) MoviePass is officially coming back (The Verge) Who Would Win in a Real-World Battle: A Bengal Tiger or a Ram? (Smithsonian Magazine) Nathan Chen Makes 'Crazy' Joe Burrow Comment And Predicts Super Bowl Winner (HuffPost) Photons Received: Webb Sees Its First Star – 18 Times (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope captures its first images of a star (Engadget) Comanche Wordle vs. Facebook (Dr. Kate Pewenofkit Briner, Twitter) Words removed from Wordle after move to New York Times (Boing Boing) Comanche NotWordle (TalkingComanche.org) Wordle players' streaks are returning after NYT switch (Polygon) Tech bug keeps Mazda radios locked in to NPR (BBC) Stuck in KUOW purgatory: Seattle Mazda drivers can't change the radio dial (KUOW) Gary Bowser is going to prison for selling Nintendo Switch hacks (The Verge) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A possible third planet has been spotted orbiting Proxima Centauri. Plus, a new record has been set by a nuclear fusion lab in the UK. And, just in time for the holiday, a brief history of Valentine’s Meat Juice. Sponsors: ExpressVPN, ExpressVPN.com/kottke for an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: A third world may be orbiting around our closest neighboring star (The Verge) A Third Possible Planet for Proxima Centauri, The Closest Star To The Sun! (SyFy Wire) Astronomers Spot Third Possible Planet Orbiting Nearest Star (Gizmodo) New planet detected around Proxima Centauri, closest star our solar system -- ScienceDaily (Science Daily) JET fusion facility sets a new world energy record (Science Daily) Fusion experiment smashes record for generating energy, takes us a step closer to a new source of power (Space) Nuclear fusion heat record a 'huge step' in quest for new energy source (The Guardian) Major breakthrough on nuclear fusion energy (BBC) In the 1800s, Valentine’s Meant a Bottle of Meat Juice (Atlas Obscura) Video Shows Starlink Satellite Disintegrating Over Puerto Rico (Gizmodo) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices