Cool Stuff Daily

Could woolly mammoths help slow the effects of the climate emergency? It’s not just a theoretical question. One entrepreneur is betting on it, and working to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction to prove it. Lorde has re-released part of her latest album with Māori language translations. And a new effort to potty train cows, for the environment. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Firm raises $15m to bring back woolly mammoth from extinction (The Guardian) This Texan Aims to Resurrect the Woolly Mammoth to Save the Planet (Texas Monthly) Tue. 09/08 - Long Live the (Cloned) Woolly Mammoth (Kottke Ride Home) Lorde Drops Maori-Language Album Of 'Solar Power' Songs (NPR) Te Ao Mārama (Lorde, YouTube) Scientists Potty-Trained Cows to Help Reduce Environmental Pollution (Vice) Toilet-Training Cows Is A Win For The Planet – And The Cows (IFL Science) 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

What exactly is blue moon-flavored ice cream and where did it come from? Plus, NASA is planning to purposefully hit an asteroid with a spacecraft, more on why and when. And this year’s Ig Nobel Prize winners have been announced! Links: The Enduring Midwestern Mystery of Blue Moon Ice Cream (Atlas Obscura) BLUE MOON (Chicago Tribune) The Cult of Blue Moon Ice Cream (Food & Wine) Blue Moon Core Area (BMCA) (somethingaboutmaps) NASA is going to slam a spacecraft into an asteroid. Things might get chaotic. (MIT Technology Review) How to Build a Spacecraft to Save the World (Wired) Deflecting an Asteroid Before It Hits Earth May Take Multiple Bumps (NY Times) DART Mission Overview (John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory) Ig Nobel Prize winners include scientists who cleared blocked noses with sex (Mashable) Sex can relieve nasal congestion, and other work honored by 2021 Ig Nobels (Ars Technica) Hemp Maze Minnesota Is Almost Surely One-Of-A-Kind (CBS Minnesota) 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

Forget air conditioners, give me radiative cooling panels on my roof! That’s what I hope I’ll be saying a few years from now. Plus, a new species of giant carnivorous dinosaur with shark-like teeth has been identified. And Moderna has announced they’re moving forward with their COVID-19 and seasonal flu combo vaccine. Links: Can nanoscience help make AC more efficient? (Popular Science) Designing an Air Conditioner That Doesn't Heat the Earth (Architect Magazine) Radiative cooling and solar heating from one system, no electricity needed (Science Daily) New, Giant Carnivorous Dinosaur Was a Terror to Smaller Tyrannosaurs (Smithsonian Mag) Gigantic 'shark-toothed' dinosaur discovered in Uzbekistan (Live Science) Moderna shares rise after company reveals single-shot vaccine booster for Covid and flu (CNBC) Moderna working on combination COVID-19 vaccine booster and flu shot (Reuters) Moderna developing a combo booster shot for Covid and flu (NBC News) 7.00 ("COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and the Pandemic") (MIT) 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

What it’s actually like getting struck by lightning, and the community of survivors helping each other cope. Plus, another team of scientists say they have achieved a crucial and record-breaking milestone in the quest for clean fusion power. And an iconic 1970s band that has spawned countless tribute acts over the years is about to reunite to become their own tribute act, with a little help from Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic. Links: Lightning strikes: A man hit seven times (Washington Post) The Secret Society of Lightning Strike Survivors (Narratively) MIT-designed project achieves major advance toward fusion energy (MIT News) Eni completes 'landmark' test in energy fusion project (Reuters) Cambridge startup takes big step toward clean fusion power (Boston Globe) Wed. 08/18 - A "Wright Bros. Moment" In Nuclear Fusion (Kottke Ride Home) Abba delight fans with new 10-song album and virtual concert (BBC) ABBA fans react to rush for 'Voyage' tour tickets: "robo-ABBA here we go" (NME) 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 Mars Perseverance Rover has secured its first rock sample, with big promise for insights to come. A billionaire is working on plans to build a new sustainable city “for the people” somewhere in America. And you may have heard of Little Free Libraries, but what about Little Free Blockbusters? Links: Mars rover grabs first rock sample, a major step in hunt for alien life (National Geographic) "I've got it!" (NASA’s Perseverance Rover, Twitter) NASA says the Mars Perseverance rover has collected its first sample (Engadget) Telosa: Marc Lore and Bjarke Ingels unveil plans for 5-million-person city in the American desert (CNN) How Diapers.com Founder Marc Lore Plans to Build Utopian City Telosa (Bloomberg) Telosa Forget Netflix, Some Movie Fans Rewind to VHS Tapes (Wall Street Journal) Free Blockbuster Is Bringing Back the Community Video Rental Hub (Thrillist) FreeBlockbuster.org Want A Free Dental Cleaning? Beat This Dentist At Smash Bros! (Neatorama) 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

What if a room could charge all of your devices just by them being in there? Like no wires, no charging pads, just being in the room. Some engineers have made that a reality. Plus, new insights into the billion years of time that are missing from the rock layers in the Grand Canyon. And why Red Delicious apples are so common in the U.S. even though they’re not really that great. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: This Room Could Wirelessly Charge All Your Devices (Scientific American) Wireless charging room powers your devices without plugs or cables (ABC) Welcome to the Age of Wireless Electricity (Interesting Engineering) Why One Billion Years of Time Are Missing in the Grand Canyon (Vice) Geologists dig into Grand Canyon’s mysterious gap in time (CU Boulder Today) Erasing a Billion Years of Geologic Time Across the Globe (Eos) Red Delicious Apples Weren't Always Horrible (New England Today) Here's exactly how Red Delicious apples became an affront to God (A/V Club) Paralympics: Runner's Sighted Guide Proposes On The Track After Their Race (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

Why are hyperlinks blue? You ever think about that before? Plus, a look at the tech behind the wheelchairs and prostheses used by Paralympians. And what the heck is Grimace, the big purple McDonald’s mascot? A manager at a Canadian McDonald’s dropped a bombshell on the internet, but is he correct? Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Why are hyperlinks blue? (Mozilla Distilled) How Paralympic Wheelchairs and Prostheses Are Optimized for Speed and Performance (Scientific American) Specialized Sports Chairs and the People Who Use Them (New Mobility) Para sport explained: Wheelchairs in wheelchair sports (International Paralympic Committee) Award-winning manager opens up about life at McDonald's during pandemic (CBC) McDonald's manager explains that Grimace is "a taste bud" (Boing Boing) Is Grimace a taste bud? One McDonald's manager says yes (The Takeout) "Grimace is the embodiment of a milkshake" (McDonald’s Corporate, Twitter) Archivist weighs in (McDonald’s Corporate, Twitter) What the hell is McDonald's Grimace? (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

Would you take a flying rideshare taxi? NASA is betting on it. Plus, murder hornets are back and badder than ever. And the growing genre of “bedroom pop,” which isn’t what it maybe sounds like. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: NASA is testing electric air taxis with Joby Aviation (The Verge) Your air taxi has arrived: Why Joby could be the first commercial eVTOL (CNBC, Youtube) A Special Message from our CEO and Founder, JoeBen Bevirt (Joby Aviation, YouTube) NASA Begins Air Taxi Flight Testing with Joby (NASA) 'Murder Hornets': Nest of 1,500 eradicated in the US (BBC) Department of Agriculture Officials in Washington State Attacked While Trying to Remove Murder Hornet Nest (Inside Edition) Just How Dangerous Is the ‘Murder Hornet’? (Scientific American) What's bedroom pop? How an online DIY movement created a musical genre (NBC News) Don’t Call it Bedroom Pop: The New Wave of DIY (Complex) Elliot Page Is On a "Lo-Fi Bedroom Pop Adventure,” Drops Debut EP (them.) Mark and Elliot EP (Mark and Elliot, Bandcamp) 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 climate crisis is causing some animals to shrink, and that’s definitely not a good thing. Experts weigh in on the possibility of humans ever being able to edit or delete their own memories. And Netflix cheat codes to help you shake off the algorithm. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: When Insects Lost Their Homes, Evolution Clipped Their Wings (NY Times) Some birds, mammals, and fish are shrinking. Blame climate change. (Vox) Urbanization is Causing Mammals to Grow Bigger, New Study Says (Sci-News) Scary study finds urban rats and mammals are getting bigger (Fast Company) Will We Ever Be Able to Edit or Delete Memories? (Gizmodo) The Netflix Secret Codes Cheat Sheet (MakeUseOf) Thu. 05/13 - I'll Have What She's Having: The Decline of Personalized Recommendations? (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

Electric cars were being made as far back at the late 19th century, with entire fleets of electric cabs roaming the streets of several major cities. So what happened? Why didn’t they become the go-to vehicle from the beginning? Plus, the history of the very delicious and confusingly-named Boston Cooler. And the middle schoolers trying to clear the name of a woman accused of being a witch back in 1693. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Why weren't cars electric from the start? (Slate) How the 'Boston Cooler' Became a Classic Detroit Drink (Atlas Obscura) The Boston Cooler Was an Accidental Detroit Classic (Detroit Is It) She Was Declared a Witch at Salem. These Middle Schoolers Want to Clear Her Name. (NY Times) 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 of and science behind the ICEE. Plus, Glenfiddich is now powering their delivering trucks with spent whisky. And some tips on cleaning your earbuds because, c’mon, how long has it been since you’ve actually done that? Sponsors: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: ICEE History: The Tech (and Science) Beyond a Sugary Frozen Drink (Tedium) Flashback: Raise your Slurpees to the drink that almost wasn't (Dallas Morning News) US3044878A - Process for the preparation of a beverage (Google Patents) US3628759A - Fishing rod holder (Google Patents) A Brief History of the Slurpee, a Frozen American Icon (Eater) Slurpee turns 40 (The Oklahoman) About Us – ICEE (The ICEE Company) Fizzies Drink Tablets (Old Time Candy) One for the road: Glenfiddich uses whisky waste to fuel trucks (Reuters) Whisky lorries in Scotland will run on ‘green biogas’ made from distillery leftovers to tackle climate change (The Scotsman) How to Clean Your Apple AirPods, Galaxy Buds, and Pixel Buds (Gizmodo) An easy tip to keep your earbuds clean and sanitized (Komando) How AirPods Are Deep Cleaned (Insider, 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

The 7,200 year old skeleton of a teenage girl is shaking up what we thought we knew about ancient human migration. The creative solution an Oregon hospital has come up with to support its overworked staff, and what we can do to help lessen their load. And a new startup that wants to disrupt the way we eat our meals, specifically by making all of our food look like identical little bricks. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: ‘Genetic fossil’: intact DNA from woman who lived 7,200 years ago discovered in Indonesia (The Guardian) Who were the Toaleans? Ancient woman's DNA provides first evidence for the origin of a mysterious lost culture (The Conversation) 7,200-Year-Old Human DNA With Unique Denisovan Ancestry Has Been Found in Indonesia (Science Alert) First ancient human DNA found from key Asian migration route (Nature) Oregon, once a virus success story, struggles with surge (AP) Oregon hospital workers smash plates to relieve stress (Upworthy) WHO says Covid misinformation is a major factor driving pandemic around the world (CNBC) Covid: CDC study shows unvaccinated people 29 times more likely to be hospitalized (CNBC) Facebook moms' Vaccine Talk group is fighting misinfo and persuading skeptics (Washington Post) New start-up presents a selection of weird little food cubes (A/V Club) This Startup Wants You To Eat All Your Food In Cube Form (Vice) Are you ready to eat your delicious nutrient square? Yum, yum, yum (The Verge) What is SquarEat? 'Modular squared food' company is taking over Twitter (Today) How I Experience Web Today (h/t Garbage Day) 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 Paralympic Games kicked off in Tokyo last night. Here’s what you need to know and a brief history of the games. Plus, how did the Pfizer vaccine end up with the brand name Comirnaty, and what were some of the other contenders? Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Badminton And Taekwondo Make Their Paralympic Debut In Tokyo (NPR) When Did The Paralympics Start, And How Did The Event Get Its Name? (NPR) The Paralympics Finally Get To Prime Time (1A) Paralympics History - Evolution of the Paralympic Movement (IPC) Paralympics 2020: How much do you know about the sports on offer? (BBC) The 2020 Paralympics Will See the Most Openly LGBTQ+ Athletes Ever (them.) How does the Paralympic classification system work? (CNN) Murderball Trailer (Participant, YouTube) Pfizer's Covid Vaccine Is Named Comirnaty (Intelligencer) Comirnaty, Spikevax, and the weird world of branding COVID-19 vaccines (The Verge) Why ‘Comirnaty’ Is The New Name For Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccines, ‘Spikevax’ For Moderna (Forbes) The inside story behind Pfizer and BioNTech's new vaccine brand name, Comirnaty (Fierce Pharma) Samsung phone catches fire on airplane five years after Galaxy Note 7 debacle (Mashable) Starbucks' new apple crisp macchiato joins pumpkin spice latte on the fall menu (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

What exactly is a pixel? Pixar co-founder Alvy Ray Smith discusses its math and history and his new book. Plus, farmer’s markets, once a cornerstone of in-person weekend outings, have gone digital. And Liquid Death Mountain Water is selling skateboards infused with Tony Hawk’s blood. For real. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: A biography of the pixel, the elementary particle of pictures (Aeon) Hitting the Books: How our lying eyes trick the brain into seeing motion during movies (Engadget) The Real Story of Pixar (IEEE) Pixar cofounder Alvy Ray Smith's unseen 1990 presentation (Fast Company) Pixar cofounder Alvy Ray Smith on 'A Biography of the Pixel' (Fast Company) The farmers market is moving online (The Verge) Liquid Death Puts Tony Hawk’s Blood In Limited Edition Skateboards (Liquid Death, 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

Netflix is leaning into the clickbait game that soured online journalism ten years ago. Could this strategy affect the film industry overall, and has it been played before? Plus, how community members in Marseille took over a McDonald’s and turned it into a mutual aid center. And Facebook has released another transparency report, and it doesn’t make them look any better. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Netflix Top 10: The streaming service's clickbait problem threatens to ruin it. (Slate) Why Netflix Features Black Actors in Promos to Black Users (Wired) Artwork Personalization at Netflix (Netflix TechBlog) Blockbuster thread (C. A. Funderburg, Twitter) Unhappy Little Trees: The Dark Legacy of Bob Ross (Vanity Fair) Lovin it: How a group of Marseille workers seized a McDonald's and turned it into a foodbank (gal-dem) McDonald's In Marseille Turned Into Food Base To Help Needy (Forbes) Facebook releases Q1 'widely viewed content' report following criticism (Engadget) Aug 20: Why Facebook Shelved an Earlier Report on Popular Posts (NY Times) Q1Content Transparency Report VO (US) - internal copy (NY Times) 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

What is the necrobiome and why do some think it’s crucial for restoring our ecosystems? More and more zoo animals across the US are getting their own special animal vaccine, but why doesn’t your pet cat need one? And Disney’s animatronics are getting a huge, AI makeover. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Rewilding death: The plan to restore the necrobiome (BBC) Meet the Necrobiome: The Microbes That Will Eat Your Corpse (The Atlantic) Bears, baboons, tigers are getting COVID vaccines at zoos across the U.S. (National Geographic) US zoos giving special animal coronavirus vaccine to tigers, bears and gorillas (CNN) Disney kills FastPass for costly line-skipping app Disney Genie Plus (Polygon) Are You Ready for Sentient Disney Robots? (NY Times) 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

Facebook has released a report of their most widely viewed content, but the #1 most viewed link on the platform shows how the report isn’t exactly proving the point they’re trying to make. Plus, are realtors engineering weird listing photos so they’ll go viral? And it turns out we’ve been getting blue moons entirely wrong for at least forty years. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How an Obscure Green Bay Packers Site Became the Biggest Thing on Facebook (Wired) Everyone's fighting about a dating simulator again (Garbage Day) Facebook releases a report on the most-viewed content in News Feed (The Verge) Facebook reveals top posts but still won’t share key data about disinformation (Ars Technica) Knight in Zillow: A realtor explains what is going on in this bonkers real estate listing. (Slate) The August 2021 full moon is, somehow, a Blue Moon. Here's why. (Space.com) We'll have a Blue Moon this weekend (EarthSky) 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 lab in California has achieved a historic breakthrough in nuclear fusion. Three new species from the post-dinosaur mammalian revolution have been identified, including one that’s been named after a Hobbit character. And recent studies shedding light on the pro’s and con’s of exoskeleton suits as consumer goods. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: US lab stands on threshold of key nuclear fusion goal (BBC) Physicists in California Achieve 'Historic' Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough (Science Alert) Lawrence Livermore Lab makes significant achievement in fusion (CNBC) Three Extinct Mammals Found in Wyoming Were Part of the Post-Dinosaur Revolution (Gizmodo) Discovery of prehistoric mammals suggests rapid evolution of mammals after dinosaur extinction (Science Daily) Newly discovered prehistoric creature named after The Hobbit character (CNET) Exoskeleton Suits: A New Device to Help You Walk and Run Better (NY Times) Exoskeletons have a problem: They can strain the brain Exoskeletons (Ohio State News) Pumpkin spice everything is coming back to Dunkin' this month (Houston Chronicle) Starbucks Introduces New and Returning Pumpkin Spice Products At Home Coffees (Starbucks) When does Pumpkin Spice come back to Starbucks? (Guilty Eats) Fast And Furious 10 hits the gas pedal, gets 2023 release date (A/C Club) 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

Inside the world of the quasi-secret WhatsApp mango economy. It turns out Saturn is kind of jiggly inside. And the beginning of a season, marked by the end of an era for department stores. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why Are the World’s Greatest Mangoes Almost Impossible to Buy in the U.S.? (Eater) Saturn's Insides Are Sloshing Around (MIT Technology Review) Saturn’s Rings Are Like a Seismometer That Reveal the Planet’s Core (NY Times) Saturn Has a 'Fuzzy' Core, Ring Ripples Reveal (Gizmodo) Barneys, Deader Than Ever, Is Becoming a Spirit Halloween (Curbed) Spirit Halloween Rises from the Dead. Again. And Again. (NY Times) 12-Foot Skeletons Return: Associate Shares Halloween Inspiration (Home Depot) Spirit Halloween Theme Song (Nick Lutsko, Twitter) 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 one of the earliest bloggers predicted the dark side of the internet, and then went completely off the grid. Plus, the first tribally-affiliated medical school, on tribal land, in the US. is bridging gaps. And Yik Yak is back. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Philip Agre predicted technology's pitfalls and then he disappeared (Washington Post) Everything is too complicated: our annual list of confusing tech questions (The Verge) Missing Internet Pioneer Phil Agre Is Found Alive (NPR) Phil Agre's articles in Wired First Tribally-Affiliated Medical School Bridging Gaps in Indian Country, Rural America (The Daily Yonder) Remember Yik Yak? Well, it's back and still anonymous. (Mashable) There would be no screen — only a locomotive (Garbage Day) 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 groundbreaking study that has basically given us a daily diary of the entire life of a 17,000 year old woolly mammoth. Why coffee prices are spiking. And a ransom scam targeting authors that says a lot about the state of the world. Links: A Woolly Mammoth’s Tusks Reveal a Map of Where It Roamed in Life (NY Times) Ice Age mammoth's life story reconstructed in stunning detail (National Geographic) Mammoth's epic travels preserved in tusk (Nature) A Mammoth Tusk Reveals a Woolly (and Unprecedented) Tale (Wired) Your Daily Coffee Habit Is About to Get More Expensive (NY Times) Coffee Jolt Gets Pricier as Costs of Beans, Labor, Transport Rise (Wall Street Journal) The summer of writing scams continues with a series of Goodreads ransom notes. (Literary Hub) How the alt-right are resurfacing old tweets to get Trump's critics fired (The Guardian) Number of twins in Inverclyde schools hits 80 (The Scotsman) Fifteen sets of twins to start schools in Inverclyde (BBC) The number of twins in the world is the highest it has ever been (New Scientist) Countries With Most Twins Identified (Live Science) 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 does a kid’s network establish their brand identity? Apparently, riff on a high brow architectural style and add heaping amounts of radioactive green slime. On the 30th anniversary of the first Nicktoons, a look back at Nickelodeon’s iconic aesthetic. Plus, a new––huge––study that upends a lot of what we thought knew about metabolism. And a fake website about fake movies. Links: How Nickelodeon Created Its Slime-Drenched ’90s Style (The Ringer) The Best Nickelodeon Character Bracket: The Elite Eight (The Ringer) Nickelodeon's Generational Divide (The Ringer) What We Think We Know About Metabolism May Be Wrong (NY Times) Metabolism in adulthood does not slow as commonly believed, study finds (NBC News) Nestflix Nestflix is a Netflix for fake movies and shows from real movies and shows (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

Robin has officially come out of the closet. No statement yet from Batman, but I do have the other details, and a brief history of LGBTQ+ superheroes. Plus, SpaceX is planning to put billboards in space. And plastic pollution is confusing the hermit crabs in Yorkshire. Links: Robin, Batman's Sidekick, Comes Out, Which Only Makes Sense (NPR) Robin comes out as gay in new Batman comic, adding to DC's LGTBQ characters (Polygon) The Evolution of Extraño, DC's First Openly Gay Super Hero (DC Universe Infinite) Why Tim Drake's Coming Out as Bisexual Matters (Nerdist) Sav Rodgers: The rom-com that saved my life (TED) No One Wants Your Space Billboards, Elon Musk (The Mary Sue) SpaceX and Canadian Startup Launching Space-Advertising Satellite (Business Insider) SpaceX acquiring satellite data start-up Swarm Technologies (CNBC) Plastic pollution in North Yorkshire is arousing hermit crabs, University of Hull scientists say (Washington Post) Plastic waste: Study finds crabs confused by chemical additive (BBC) Embrace the 90s again with Kid Pix's web app (It’s Nice That) Kid Pix web app 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 are CAPTCHA’s so frustrating and, in a way, so grim and disconcerting? Plus, botanists have identified the first carnivorous plant in twenty years, but don’t go calling it Audrey III just yet. And, a new development in the McFlurry Cold War. Links: Why CAPTCHA Pictures Are So Unbearably Depressing (Clive Thompson) How to Solve Captchas—and Why They've Gotten So Hard (Wired) 1st Carnivorous Plant Identified In 20 Years Grows Near Vancouver (NPR) This Flower Hides a Secret: It’s Actually a Carnivore (New York Times) A Carnivorous Plant Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight in North America Triantha occidentalis is picky (Gizmodo) McFlurry Machine Maker At the Center of Right-to-Repair Fight (Gizmodo) Why the McFlurry Machine Company Just Got Hit With a Restraining Order (Motherboard) Did the Company That Makes McFlurry Machines Get Hit with a Restraining Order? (Snopes) Fri. 04/23 - A McShake Up: The Battle Over McDonald's Ice Cream Machines (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

Some context and takeaways from the big UN climate report released this morning. NASA has opened applications for their Mars simulation mission. And why are some people in Japan sending bags of rice with their baby’s face on them to relatives? Links: The 2021 UN climate change report, explained: IPCC says humans caused “unequivocal” warming (Vox) New IPCC climate report is the clearest guidebook for selecting a future (Ars Technica) Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity' (BBC) Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying (IPCC) The era of 'rapid' climate change has begun (The Phoenix) 1.5 degrees Celsius: the sad truth about our boldest climate change target (Vox) Want to pretend to live on Mars? For a whole year? Apply now (AP) NASA looking for people to spend a year pretending they live on Mars so it can prepare to send astronauts to red planet (Sky News) Rice, rice baby: Japanese parents send relatives rice to hug in lieu of newborns (The Guardian) Behold this creepy and adorable 1911 book of captioned cat photos. (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

What are forest schools? And the science behind why gardening can make you feel happy and peaceful. Plus, the Perseid meteor shower is happening in just a few days. And the co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has been immortalized as a Barbie doll. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: We Should All Be Playing in the Dirt More… According to Science! (Literary Hub) Can Climbing Trees Replace Preparing for Tests? (NY Times) The Ground Beneath Us: From the Oldest Cities to the Last Wilderness, What Dirt Tells Us about Who We Are by Paul Bogart Perseid meteor shower peaks this month! New moon bodes well for skywatchers. (Space.com) Perseid meteor shower 2021 peaks soon: How to watch the sparkling show (CNET) New Barbie Dolls Include A Vaccine Developer And Other Female Scientists (NPR) Vaccinologist Barbie: Prof Sarah Gilbert honoured with a doll (The Guardian) Equestrian Sumo scare? Riders say horses might be spooked by statue (AP) Jessica Springsteen makes Olympic show jumping debut (NBC Olympics) 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

As the tides trend toward requiring vaccinations for entry in more places, what is the landscape of apps and methods to verify vaccination status? Plus, meatball-scented candles from IKEA and two very different commercial space flight updates. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: More than 450 airlines can now use IBM's Digital Health Pass (Quartz) Unvaccinated People Need to Bear the Burden (The Atlantic) Privacy and efficacy concerns remain for New York's vaccine passport apps (NBC News) IKEA Made a Swedish Meatball Scented Candle (Food and Wine) ARROW WEIRD Make Your Home Smell Like Swedish Meatballs With IKEA's New HUVUDROLL Candle (Mental Floss) Ikea's First Smart Air Purifier Comes Camouflaged as a Side Table (Gizmodo) NASA, Boeing Continue Starliner Data Analysis (NASA) SpaceX is hiring a 'Spaceport Mixologist' to make cocktails (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

The six countries most likely to survive all-out societal collapse from climate change. Why is snow on the Alps turning red? And a website that will transport you back to sleepy nights in front of the TV in the early 2000s. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: These 6 countries are most likely to survive a climate change-caused societal collapse (Mic) Study: Which Countries Will Best Survive a Collapse? (NY Times) Chocolate "snow" dusts Swiss town after malfunction at Lindt factory (CBS) The secrets of the Alps' strange red snow (BBC) What 'Glacier Blood' on the French Alps Tells Scientists About Climate Change at High Elevations (Smithsonian Mag) Glacier Blood? Watermelon Snow? Whatever It’s Called, Snow Shouldn’t Be So Red. (NY Times) You Fell Asleep Watching a DVD History of Dean Kamen's Segway: The mysterious invention was going to change the world, and I helped kill it. (Slate) Bargaining for Clean Water: Why Dean Kamen Invented the Coca-Cola Freestyle (Bio Huma Netics) 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

Edgar Allan Poe wasn’t just the sad author of spooky tales we all know and love, but also a passionate science journalist, and the writings he left behind can tell us a lot about our current relationship to misinformation and science communication. Plus, Starbucks officially sells more cold drinks than hot ones now, by a lot. What’s responsible for the trend and how do baristas feel about it? And the newly re-dubbed Cleveland Guardians can’t catch a break when it comes to their team name. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Edgar Allan Poe science writing: His forgotten journalism has a lesson about COVID. (Slate) Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History by Kurt Andersen Starbucks Becoming 'Frappuccino Factory' Amid Cold Drinks Boom (Business Insider) Here's why Starbucks sells so many frozen drinks (The Takeout) Starbucks pushing high-end coffee, might raise prices (The Takeout) Starbucks, Facing Higher Costs, Pushes Upscale Coffee (Wall Street Journal) Cleveland baseball team now in fight with roller derby team over the name Guardians (Deadspin) 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

What makes an Olympic sport an Olympic sport? And what does it take to get cut from the lineup? Namely, why is baseball getting cut once again in 2024, but breakdancing will make its Olympic debut? A breakdown of how it works. Plus, Boeing is trying again for a successful launch of their CST-100 Starliner tomorrow afternoon. What went wrong last time and what’s at stake? And, the mysterious jetpack man has returned to the Los Angeles airspace. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: From skateboarding to surfing, 6 new Olympics sports will appear at the Tokyo Games (Vox) Tokyo Olympics embrace fun of mixed events (Sports Illustrated) Mixed-Gender Relays Make Their Olympic Debut (NY Times) Boeing’s second Starliner mission to the ISS is a make-or-break moment (MIT Technology Review) NASA, Boeing launch Starliner to the ISS: How to watch test flight live (CNET) All eyes on weather as Boeing looks to Starliner launch on Tuesday (Space) NASA Updates Coverage, Viewing Options for Starliner Launch (NASA) What happened on the International Space Station when Russian module's thrusters misfired? (Washington Post) ‘Possible jetpack man in sight,’ LAX air traffic control reports (LA Times) "Jetpack Man" returns to menace the skies of LA once more (A/V Club) Mysterious 'Jetpack Guy' Could Actually Be a Drone (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

I read a BuzzFeed article about virality and go on a rant about the creator economy. PornHub has a new campaign to help bolster museum tourism. And we may have found a fingerprint from Michelangelo… on a statue’s butt. Sponsor: Green Chef, go to GreenChef.com/kottke100 and use code kottke100 to get $100 off including free shipping Links: His Video Got 75 Million Views But He Didn't Make A Cent (BuzzFeed News) I took Pornhub’s tour of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s nudes (Input Mag) Classic Nudes Michelangelo's fingerprint possibly found on butt of wax statue (Live Science) Michelangelo's thumb print seen in BBC Two's Secrets of the Museum (BBC) 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 it could take you months to get a new sofa. Kids are trying to get out of class by using soda to fake positive COVID tests. And how to reinvigorate your health with a “microadventure.” Sponsor: Green Chef, go to GreenChef.com/kottke100 and use code kottke100 to get $100 off including free shipping Links: The reason there's a furniture shortage (sorry, couch and table buyers). (Slate) COVID-19: kids are using soft drinks to fake positive tests – I've worked out the science and how to spot it (The Conversation) Who Needs the Grand Canyon? Try a Microadventure. (NY Times) 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 task force prevented the COVID-19 vaccines from being hacked because, yes, that was a real and valid concern. Plus, the sometimes controversial history of timekeeping at the Olympics and the AI-based innovations introduced this year. And, how the garbage industry is a lucrative one in the US because of course. Sponsor: Green Chef, go to GreenChef.com/kottke100 and use code kottke100 to get $100 off including free shipping Links: The COVID-19 vaccines weren’t hacked — this task force is one reason why (The Verge) Thu. 10/22 - The Rare Tree Needed for a COVID-19 Vaccine (Kottke Ride Home) Wed. 12/16 - What Pfizer Can Learn From Dippin’ Dots (Kottke Ride Home) Fri. 07/23 - Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping, Slipping (Kottke Ride Home) What Happened to Milorad Cavic? (The Ringer) How AI Will Help Keep Time at the Tokyo Olympics (Wired) How the garbage industry outperformed the market (CNBC) Here's why we call this time of year the 'dog days' of summer (National Geographic) Fri. 07/10 - Groceries Delivered Via Puppy (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

The history and future of billboard advertising. The surprisingly big challenge of recycling bowling balls. And the YouTube Creator who just got hired by Lucasfilm. Sponsor: Green Chef, go to GreenChef.com/kottke100 and use code kottke100 to get $100 off including free shipping Links: Billboard History: How Outdoor Advertising Came to Cover the Landscape (Tedium) Ford Wants to Bring Billboards Inside Your Car, Beamed to the Dashboard Screen (Motor Trend) Giant cat on 3D illusion jumbo display in Tokyo Shinjuku Japan (Kotaku) Meet 'The Giant.' a 10-story movable statue that could come to Phoenix (AZ Central) No, You Can’t Recycle a Bowling Ball (But People Sure Keep Trying) (Curbed) Wed. July 14th episode about bowling balls under the man's house (Kottke Ride Home) Lucasfilm hires the YouTube deepfaker who put its Luke, Leia and Tarkin cameos to shame (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 back at when the Olympics used to give out medals in artistic categories, including the designing of Olympic medals, and the case for why they should bring that back this year in particular. Plus, some more background on how the wildfires on the west coast of Canada and the US are affecting weather and health all the way in New York City and beyond. And, the Cleveland baseball team has officially changed their name––something they used to do quite a bit around the turn of the century. Sponsor: Green Chef, go to GreenChef.com/kottke100 and use code kottke100 to get $100 off including free shipping Links: The Olympics Could Be a Covid-19 ‘Super-Evolutionary Event’ (Wired) Olympic pictogram sequence: The Opening Ceremony highlight for many, but what was it all about? (Olympics) Olympic Pictograms: Design through History – Media Made Great (Media Made Great) When the Olympics Gave Out Medals for Making Medals (Mental Floss) Remember When the Olympics Used to Have an Art Competition? No? (The Atlantic) 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Medals made from recycled metal are unveiled (Washington Post) How can smoke from West Coast fires cause red sunsets in New York? (The Conversation) Wildfire Smoke Makes Sun Glow Red in New York City (NY Mag) The Bootleg Fire Is Now Generating Its Own Weather? (NY Times) See How Wildfire Smoke Spread Across America (NY Times) Cleveland's MLB team rebrands as 'Guardians,' dropping 'Indians' name (Washington Post) Cleveland's baseball team goes from Indians to Guardians (Indian Country Today) Tokyo Olympics: 13-Year-Old Stars Win Women's Skateboarding (Time) Glenn Fleishman on Twitter 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

Rounding errors may cause winners to become losers and losers winners, Bezos and James Webb both fall to Earth, and beyond lobster shortages, now crabs. Links: The floating point: Rounding error in timing devices (American Journal of Physics) Apple’s weather app won’t say it’s 69 degrees (The Verge) Progressives call out Jeff Bezos’s space flight as “self-indulgent” and renew calls for wealth tax (CNN) NASA investigates renaming James Webb telescope after anti-LGBT+ claims (Nature) Consider the $34 Lobster Roll (New York Times) Record lobster prices sign of sky-high demand (SeafoodSource) Mysterious blue crab shortage spawns big-time sticker shock (E&E News) Glenn on Twitter (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

Your payments for dog walking and, er, “love hotels” via Venmo are now no longer subject to global scrutiny, neutron stars have wee tiny mountains, smaller than predicted, pool parties by the hour via Swimply, and former Colombian guerrillas tour you through the beauty of the jungle they still inhabit. Links: Venmo drops the global social feed that could make your payments visible to strangers (The Verge) The Venmo App You Know and Love Now Has a New Look and Feel (PayPal Newsroom) Venmo payment records reveal a vast network of young women received money from Rep. Matt Gaetz’s associate, the accused sex trafficker Joel Greenberg (The Daily Beast) Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg scheduled to be sentenced in August (CNN) We Found Joe Biden’s Secret Venmo. Here’s Why That’s A Privacy Nightmare For Everyone. (Buzzfeed) Venmo Will Now Let You Hide Your Friend List Because We Found Biden’s Account (Buzzfeed) Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are (New York Times) Modelling neutron star mountains paper (F. Gittins, N. Andersson, and D. I. Jones) Gravitational waves from star-eating black holes detected on Earth (The Guardian) An ‘Airbnb for Pools’ Is Making a Splash This Summer (Wall Street Journal) Swimply Oklahoma City homeowners cashing in on the ‘Airbnb for your pool’ (The Oklahoman) Is There a Urine Detector for Swimming Pools? (ThoughtCo) Tourists In Colombia Can Now Take Jungle Hikes With Ex-FARC Guerrilla Guides (NPR) FARC Wants You to Come Stay in the Jungle—Voluntarily (The Daily Beast) Glenn on Twitter (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 did paper sizes fall into their century-long groove, how low-wage workers seem to have the upper hand in the job market despite pandemic job losses, and the very newest, freshest words are in. Links: The Reason Why a Standard Piece of Paper Is 8.5 Inches by 11 Inches (Mental Floss) Grandma’s Cooking Secret (Snopes) Who decided our paper should measure 8.5” x 11”? (International Paper Company) Library of Congress Bibles Collection (Library of Congress) The Article About Paper Sizes You Didn’t Know You Needed (Modus) International standard paper sizes (Markus Kuhn) Unemployment Rates During the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 15, 2021 (Congressional Research Service) Low Pay, No Benefits, Rude Customers: Restaurant Workers Quit At Record Rate (NPR) Oof, Y’all, Dictionary.com Just Added Over 300 New Words And Definitions (NPR) From “5G” to “Zaddy”: Dictionary.com Adds Over 300 New Words And Definitions (Dictionary.com) A Word on ‘Descriptive’ and ‘Prescriptive’ Defining (Merriam-Webster) ‘Fewer’ and ‘Less’ (Merriam-Webster) Should “Decimate” be Annihilated? (OUPblog) Glenn on Twitter (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

Was the Chinese seed scare of mid-2020 just a matter of delayed orders and pandemic memory? The Ever Green clogging the Suez Canal is probably a sign of things to come, not a one-off accident. And Wally Funk returns from space—oh, also, Jeff Bezos was there and he gave a bunch of money to the Smithsonian. Links: 2016 clown sightings (Wikipedia) Invasion of the Clowns (New York Times) The Truth Behind the Amazon Mystery Seeds (The Atlantic) What Changes to the Universal Postal Union Treaty Mean for Your Business (Red Stag Fulfillment) How One of the World’s Biggest Ships Jammed the Suez Canal (New York Times) Six Days in Suez: The Inside Story of the Ship That Broke Global Trade (Bloomberg News) Columbia River​Maritime Museum The 20-Ton Packet (Wired) Mary Robinette Kowal’s Web site Bezos Launches to Space, Aiming to Reignite His Rocket Company’s Ambitions (New York Times) Jeff Bezos Gives $200 Million to National Air and Space Museum (New York Times) Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum to Begin Seven-Year Renovation (Smithsonian) National Air and Space Museum Receives $60 Million Pledge for its Dulles Center (Smithsonian) You Could Win a Seat on One of the First Virgin Galactic Space Flights (Mental Floss) David Koch, one half of controversial Koch brothers, donates $35 million to Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (MassLive) Smithsonian Stands By Wildly Misleading Climate Change Exhibit Paid For By Kochs (ThinkProgress) We are cultivating a movement to expand access to space for all of humanity (Space for Humanity) Glenn on Twitter (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

Coca-Cola brings your dead taste buds back to life with a new Coke Zero formulation that probably definitely certainly won’t produce a New Coke outrage, Olympic athletes can perform team gymnastics on the beds provided in Japan, and how to watch Jeff Bezos fly into space with all his money. All that and duck-tape fashion. Links: Coca-Cola Is Changing the Flavor of a Soda. Again. (New York Times) The Story of One of the Most Memorable Marketing Blunders Ever (Coca-Cola Company) Don Keough Speech Classic Coke Poochie (Simpsons Wiki) Goodbye, Poochie (YouTube) New Coke Didn’t Fail. It Was Murdered (Mother Jones) Was the ‘New Coke’ Fiasco Just a Clever Marketing Ploy? (Snopes) ‘Old Coke’ Booster Can’t Taste the Difference (AP) The Real Coke, the Real Story by Thomas Oliver (Penguin Random House) Anti-sex beds tweet by Rhys McClenaghan (Twitter) “Thanks for debunking the myth” from the official Olympics account (Twitter) ‘Anti-Sex’ Beds in the Olympic Village? A Social Media Theory Is Soon Debunked (New York Times) Why some athletes at the Tokyo Olympics won’t be vaccinated (Axios) SpaceX’s 22nd Cargo Resupply Mission Underway as Dragon Journeys to Station (NASA) As Artemis Moves Forward, NASA Picks SpaceX to Land Next Americans on Moon (NASA) Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic crew go to the edge of space and back (Los Angeles Times) How to Watch Jeff Bezos Go to Space (Wired) 2021 Stuck At Prom Entry Gallery (Duck Brand duct tape) Glenn on Twitter (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 flood of robocalls may soon abate due to a technology named after James Bond’s martini instructions to bartenders, an ethical debate over whether we can revive the dead’s voices to simulate what they said or wrote in life after a documentary filmmaker deep-faked Anthony Bourdain, and dropping fish from planes, Among Us in Irish, and the Hubble, rebooted. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: How Do You Stop Robocalls? (New York Times) National Do Not Call Registry FAQs (FTC) Robocall Mitigation Database (FCC) A new Android feature tells you why someone’s calling so you know who to ignore (Input magazine) Caller ID Authentication May Tame the Scourge of Spam Calls (TidBITS) Use the AT&T Call Protect app (AT&T) Scam Shield (T-Mobile) Screen and automatically block incoming spam calls for free with Call Filter (Verizon) An AI Bourdain Speaks From the Grave (Kottke.org) A Haunting New Documentary About Anthony Bourdain (The New Yorker) What Was Anthony Bourdain Searching For? (GQ) Ottavia Bourdain denying she gave approval (her Twitter account) Anthony Bourdain’s ex-wife says she didn’t say he’d be okay with recreating his voice for documentary (EW) Voice clone of Anthony Bourdain prompts synthetic media ethics questions (Tech Policy Press) Helen Rosner on the Bourdain deep-fake audio (Twitter) Fred Astaire dances with vacuums in commercials set for Super Bowl debut (AP) A Plane in Utah Lets the Fish Fly (New York Times) Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources has released footage of an airplane dumping fish from the air into a lake (NPR’s Instagram account) Among Us gets an official Irish translation (The Verge) NASA Successfully Switches to Backup Hardware on Hubble Space Telescope (NASA) Orkestra Obsolete play Blue Monday using 1930s instruments (BBC Arts) New Order, olden style: A unique take on Blue Monday (BBC Arts) More Cover Songs from the Man Behind Orkestra Obsolete’s ‘Blue Monday’ (Dangerous Minds) 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

It’s not mind reading, but a man’s ability to convey words is partially restored through electrodes and machine learning; NASA carefully prepares to press Control-Alt-Delete on the Hubble Space Telescope; look to the skies, the Perseids are coming; inexplicable black ice worms emerge by the billions from glaciers; and happy 22nd birthday, MetaFilter. Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Tapping into the Brain to Help a Paralyzed Man Speak (New York Times) ‘Neuroprosthesis’ restores words to man with paralysis (Science Daily) Neuroprosthesis for Decoding Speech in a Paralyzed Person with Anarthria (New England Journal of Medicine) BCI milestone: New research from UCSF with support from Facebook shows the potential of brain-computer interfaces for restoring speech communication (Facebook Reality Labs) Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (NASA) In praise of celestial mechanics (The Economist) James Webb Space Telescope (Wikipedia) Webb Space Telescope Launch Delayed (EarthSky) The ‘Best Meteor Shower Of The Year’ Is Happening. Here’s How You Can See It (NPR) Perseid Meteors 2021: All You Need To Know (EarthSky) It’s Summer, And That Means The Mysterious Return Of Glacier Ice Worms (NPR) Happy birthday, Metafilter! (MetaFilter) Glenn on Twitter (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

It’s all greeked to me, some new history about the old text “lorem ipsum”; Europa may hide its secrets more deeply than previously thought; and a man happily discovers 160 bowling bowls under his house. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: Lorem Ipsum: Filler Fail, Killer Tale (Antigone) De finibus bonorum et malorum (Internet Archive) Description of the “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” text that appears in Word Help (Microsoft Support) What does the filler text “lorem ipsum” mean? (The Straight Dope) The History of Lorem Ipsum (Priceonomics) Lorem ipsum : nouvel état de la question (Hypotheses) Letraset Lorem Ipsum.jpg (Wikimedia Commons) Europa: Ocean Moon (NASA) Impact gardening on Europa and repercussions for possible biosignatures Muskegon County man unearths more than 150 bowling balls during renovations (Detroit Free Press) David Olson’s Facebook account of finding the bowling bowls (Facebook) Help the Bowling Ball man fund (GoFundMe) Flong Time No See (YouTube) Glenn on Twitter (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

Archeologists dig up a massive cache of 15th century metal printing type in South Korea, a baby beaver is born in Exmoor, what if ice cream but also macaroni and cheese, a video-game breaks records and may indicate a sales bubble, and Nic Cage’s Pig: probably good? Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Earliest Hangeul metal movable type blocks excavated in Seoul (Korea Times) Goryeo Metal Type (918–1392 era) (National Museum of Korea) Seoul lifts development ban on Insa-dong (Korea Herald) Want to know about Hangeul? (National Institute of Korean Language) Baby beaver born on Exmoor for first time in 400 years (The Guardian) First baby beaver born on Exmoor in 400 years (BBC News) ‘Drivers of change’: beavers released on National Trust land to ease flooding risk (The Guardian) Van Leeuwen and Kraft debut mac and cheese-flavored ice cream (New York Post) Sealed Mario 64’s Record-Breaking $1.5M Sale Has Retro Experts Skeptical Ultra-Rare Zelda Cart Fetching 6 Digits Before Auction Even Begins (Update: Sold For $870,000) (Kotaku) Kelsey Lewin on Super Mario 64 sale (Twitter) Pat Contri on Super Mario 64 sale (Twitter) Nicolas Cage on his legacy, his philosophy of acting and his metaphorical — and literal — search for the Holy Grail. (Hollywood Reporter) Pig is so much richer and stranger than the Nicolas Cage revenge thriller it appears to be (AV Club) Strandbeest Glenn on Twitter The Tiny Type Museum & Time Capsule Glenn’s type artifact photos (Flickr) 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

Houseplants became Instagram models in 2020 driving sales up by billions and overwhelming mail-order and garden-supply stores; we know a lot more about the bulbous shape of the sun’s shield against the ravages of the interstellar medium due to data gathered over a decade; and creators learn more about reclaiming their copyright after decades have passed. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: How the Pandemic Has Changed the Houseplant Industry—and Why (House Beautiful) Are all those houseplants people got during COVID still alive? (APM Markpetplace) Partly Sunny Projects (Sonja Detrinidad) Demand outpacing supply on house plants during pandemic (KMBC News) Covid lockdowns turned buying plants into the next big pandemic trend — for good reason (NBC News THINK) Q&A: What Causes Variegation? (Horticulture Magazine) New Zealand houseplant sells for $19,200 in online bidding war (CNN) Rhaphidophora tetrasperma (Exotic Rainforest) The Effects of The Number of Indoor Foliage Plants on Productivity, Stress and Attention (CLIMA 2013 International Conference) The solar wind bubble that protects Earth has been mapped for the first time (MIT Technology Review) A Three-dimensional Map of the Heliosphere from IBEX (The Astrophysical Journal Supplement) Who’s Gotten Their Copyright Back? (Kottke.org) George Clinton Denied Rights to His Own Work (MTV) George Clinton Wins Funkadelic Rights (New York Times) U.S. Copyright Termination Notices 1977-2020: Introducing New Datasets (Journal of Empirical Legal Studies) Termination of Transfers and Licenses Under 17 U.S.C. §203 (U.S. Copyright Office) Quantifying copyright reversion (Cory Doctorow’s Pluralistic) 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 in the debate about whether the dinosaurs were actually already in a sharp decline before the asteroid hit the Earth. A rumination on private ownership and how, by 2030, we might not own anything at all, just subscribe to services. And an upcoming Pride and Prejudice-themed reality dating show. Links: Scientists propose wild new theory for what originally killed the dinosaurs (Inverse) Dinosaurs May Have Been Declining Before the Asteroid Struck Earth (Smithsonian Mag) Dinosaurs were in decline before the end, according to new study (EurekAlert) Dinosaurs Were Already Going Extinct Before Asteroid Hit Earth: Study (Business Insider) Dinosaurs were not in decline before the asteroid wiped them out (Natural History Museum) Hot Dinosaur Summer (NY Times) In 2030, You Won't Own Any Gadgets (Gizmodo) Peacock orders Pride And Prejudice-style dating show (A/V Club) ‘Pride and Prejudice’-Inspired Reality Dating Show Ordered at Peacock (Variety) Glenn Fleishman on Twitter The Tiny Type Museum and Time Capsule Take Control Books – Expert Advice from Leading Tech Authors by Glenn Fleishman 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

Could lead poisoning have led to the fall of Rome? The Australian craft brewery using algae to offset their carbon emissions. And Moderna has started human trials of their mRNA flu vaccine. Sponsor: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: The White House killed William Henry Harrison (Washington Post) How Lead (Maybe?) Caused the Downfall of the Roman Empire (Reactions, YouTube) Did lead poisoning cause downfall of Roman Empire? The jury is still out (Ars Technica) Why ancient Rome kept choosing bizarre and perverted emperors (Vox) The first artificial sweetener poisoned lots of Romans (Gizmodo) Cities With the Most Contaminated Tap Water in the US (Business Insider) The craft brewery using algae to cut emissions (BBC) 'What the hell is that?': Brewery uses algae to reduce carbon emissions (Sydney Morning Herald) Each sixpack of beer contributes to climate change. 'Going green' might be the solution (ABC Australia) The Algae Project (Young Henrys Brewing) Moderna starts human trials of an mRNA-based flu shot (The Verge) mRNA vaccine yields full protection against malaria in mice: Recent advancements allow for novel approaches against an old enemy (Science Daily) Are mRNA flu shots in the works? Yes, but not for the upcoming flu season. (Washington Post) Moderna to Trial HIV and Flu Vaccines With mRNA Technology (Verywell Health) America used fewer fossil fuels in 2020 than it has in three decades (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

Why do we have a five-day work week and could changes from the pandemic be enough to finally implement the long held fantasy of the four-day work week? Are we looking at a passwordless login landscape in our near future? And vinyl is more popular than CDs, but could disruptions to supply and demand change that? Sponsor: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: Will the post-Covid world include a 4-day workweek? As Kickstarter tests it out, some predict it will catch on (CNBC) Iceland ran the world's largest trial of a shorter work week. The results will (not) shock you. (Mashable) Four-day week 'an overwhelming success' in Iceland (BBC) Where the Five-Day Workweek Came From (The Atlantic) Why the Password Isn't Dead Quite Yet (Wired) The time is right to embrace passwordless authentication (Tech HQ) 5 Best Password Managers: Features, Pricing, and Tips (Wired) Vinyl Is More Popular Than Ever. Surprisingly, That's a Problem (Vice) The Pandemic Caused An Explosion In Vinyl Demand – Here’s Why The Music Industry Can’t Meet It (Billboard) We Are Living in a Climate Emergency, and We’re Going to Say So (Scientific American) 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 restaurant that inspired Taco Bell, its larger legacy, and the question of authenticity. Plus, the new species of beetle that was discovered in some fossilized dinosaur dung. And the communities of people who devote their time to uncovering the mystery of dogman. Sponsor: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: How Taco Bell 'stole' the taco (BBC) Newsletter: The best thing our restaurant critic ate this summer (LA Times) Perspective | I’m from a Mexican family. Stop expecting me to eat ‘authentic’ food. (Washington Post) Mitla Cafe – San Bernardino, California - Gastro Obscura (Atlas Obscura) Taco Bell Wouldn't Exist Without San Bernardino's Mitla Cafe (Eater) A Triassic Insect Was Found Perfectly Preserved in Dinosaur Poop For The First Time (Science Alert) Over 200 Million Years Ago, Nature Called. It Was Full of Beetles. (NY Times) The Dinosaur That Books by Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter, and Garry Parsons (Simon & Schuster) North American Dogman Project - Research, Cryptid (NADP) Dogman Encounters (Report your Dogman Encounters Here!) All About Dogman (r/dogman) Virgin Galactic to launch Richard Branson on July 11, aiming to beat Jeff Bezos to space (CNBC) Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson to Beat Jeff Bezos to Space (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

This week has proven we need air conditioners more than ever, but we also need them to be better than ever. Here are some of the innovations being considered. Plus, one of the women from the secret Mercury 13 program at 1960s NASA is finally getting the chance to go to space this month. And the UAE’s Hope orbiter on Mars has picked up something scientists have never before been able to capture on the red planet. Sponsor: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: How to Prevent Air Conditioners from Heating the Planet (Scientific American) Heat Pumps Are Ready to Have a Moment (Gizmodo) Nowhere Is Ready for This Heat (The Atlantic) Mercury 13 legend Wally Funk will ride with Jeff Bezos to the edge of space (The Verge) Grapevine, Texas, woman going to space with Jeff Bezos (Spectrum Local News) Jeff Bezos picks female aerospace pioneer to launch with him (AP) UAE's Hope Mars orbiter spots elusive aurora on Red Planet (Space) Visions of the Future posters (NASA JPL) Joy Generator (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