Cool Stuff Daily

What’s with the on-going trend of horror films and TV shows being set in the 1980s? Is sunscreen worse in the United States compared to Europe? And one of the sports returning to the Olympics next month has a deadly precedent. Sponsor: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: Screams, slashers and Thatcher: why horror films are going back to the 80s (The Guardian) Why So Many Modern Horror Movies Are Set In The 1980s (Screen Rant) Are European Sunscreens Better Than Those in the U.S.? (Discover) Peak Performance: The Most Hazardous Sport In Olympic History (Mental Floss) British Mountaineer Kenton Cool's Odd Quest | Outside Online (Outside) Indoor Weekly: History of Climbing as Olympic Sport (Gripped) 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 exactly were McDonald’s french fries so good back in the day? Why did they change and can the secret original recipe be recreated? Plus, a new sort of post-post-punk subgenre is emerging in the post-Brexit United Kingdom. And, a completely pointless but wonderful website I discovered last week. Links: My Hunt for the Original McDonald's French-Fry Recipe (Atlas Obscura) McMenu Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc (Internet Archive) The New Wave Of Post-Brexit Post-Punk, From Dry Cleaning To Squid (NPR) Sublime Text 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 promised on Friday, more information on the so-called Dragon Man––the recently unveiled 140,000-year-old skull that may be a new species of extinct human. The science behind why all your in-person coffee dates since reopening have been so awkward. And a first-of-its-kind study puts a number on the nonbinary population in the US. Links: Discovery of ‘Dragon Man’ Skull in China May Add Species to Human Family Tree (NY Times) Move Over Neanderthals, Newly Discovered ‘Dragon Man’ Might Be Our True Sister Species (Gizmodo) Massive human head in Chinese well forces scientists to rethink evolution (The Guardian) Scientists hail stunning 'Dragon Man' discovery (BBC) Science 'Dragon Man' skull may be new species, shaking up human family tree Hidden down a (National Geographic) The neuroscience behind why your brain may need time to adjust to 'un-social distancing' (The Conversation) The first population estimate of LGBTQ non-binary adults in the US is out. Here's why that's significant. (Washington Post) Groundbreaking Study Finds Over One Million Nonbinary Adults Live in the U.S. (them.) 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

Researchers have found evidence of a coronavirus epidemic from 20,000 years ago. A new blood test that can detect fifty different types of cancer. And what the lowercase “i” in Apple products stands for and why they stopped using it. Links: A Coronavirus Epidemic Hit 20,000 Years Ago, New Study Finds (NY Times) 20,000 years of coronaviruses (and counting) (Cosmos Magazine) A Coronavirus Epidemic Hit Humanity 20,000 Years Ago, DNA Study Reveals (Science Alert) Blood test that finds 50 types of cancer is accurate enough to be rolled out (The Guardian) Blood test for early detection of cancer: final study results support screening use (Eurek Alert) Why Apple Products Have An 'i' (Apple Explained, YouTube) Why The Apple Watch Wasn't Named iWatch (Apple Explained, YouTube) The Death of Apple's 'i' (Apple Explained, YouTube) How the Internet Happened: From Netscape to the iPhone by Brian McCullough 'Under the Banner of Heaven' Miniseries with Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones Greenlit at FX (Collider) Prophet's Prey (2015) (Showtime) Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer Discovery of ‘Dragon Man’ Skull in China May Add Species to Human Family Tree (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 growing attempts to put flavor back into our produce because, yes, apparently it left. An update on the lumber industry and what it could mean for the economy overall. And the surprisingly strange things astronauts have done with their dirty laundry, plus the introduction of NASA Tide. Links: How farmers and scientists are engineering your food (BBC) Lumber Prices Are Falling Fast, Turning Hoarders Into Sellers (Wall Street Journal) Lumber price decline supports Powell's view that inflation will prove temporary (Washington Post) Mon. 05/10 - Got Wood? America's Mounting Lumber Problem (Kottke Ride Home) ‘NASA Tide’ will be the first-ever laundry detergent for astronauts (Fast Company) Astronauts' Dirty Laundry (NASA) What We Do in the Shadows Wellington Paranormal CW Trailer (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

A very big and very strange comet-ish object has entered our solar system. Some tips to help your body recover from a year of virtual learning, working, and socializing. And the two badass twelve-year-old girls going to the Tokyo Olympics for skateboarding. Links: A huge comet called 2014 UN271 is heading toward the Sun (Syfy’s Bad Astronomy) Visitor From Oort Cloud Could Be Among the Largest Comets Ever Documented (Gizmodo) Unexpected Minor Planet to Visit the Inner Solar System Soon (Kottke) Extremely eccentric minor planet to visit inner solar system this decade The outskirts of our solar (New Atlas) Zoom Nearly Broke My Body. Here’s How to Protect Yours (Wired) Skateboarders Sky Brown & Kokona Hiraki Qualify For 2021 Olympics (Skate World) Two girls head to the Olympics for skateboarding at age 12 (Upworthy) Medals and Tokyo skate spots dished out in Des Moines (Olympics) Honest Trailers | The Fast & The Furious (Honest Trailers, 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

How a single-celled yellow slime is changing the way scientists think about intelligence. A new upcycled food label that would let you know when your food has been made with food scraps that would’ve otherwise gone to waste. And everything you need to know about this week’s Strawberry Supermoon. Links: This Weirdly Smart, Creeping Slime Is Redefining Our Understanding of Intelligence (Science Alert) How This Blob Solves Mazes (Wired, YouTube) 'Upcycling' promises to turn food waste into your next meal (The Conversation) Upcycled food trend turns waste into ingredients found on store shelves (CBS News) When to See the 'Strawberry Moon,' the Last Supermoon of 2021 (LifeHacker) Strawberry Moon: Full Moon in June 2021 (Old Farmer’s Almanac) The Next Full Moon is the Strawberry Moon and a Marginal Supermoon – NASA Solar System Exploration (NASA) Moonrise & Moonset Calculator (Old Farmer’s Almanac) Check out this D&D-style choose-your-own-adventure book from Chuck Tingle (Boing Boing) 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 will our homes look like in the future and how much has the pandemic shaped that vision? Plus, why are humans so thirsty? And, Brian Eno has found a home for hundreds of his previously unreleased songs. Links: America Should Become a Nation of Renters (Bloomberg) What Will Future Homes Look Like? Filmed in the 1960's - Narrated by Walter Cronkite (16mm Educational Films, YouTube) The New American House - Post-Pandemic Architecture and Design 2021 (Veranda) Human Evolution Led to an Extreme Thirst for Water (Scientific American) Brian Eno Launches His Own Radio Station with Hundreds of Unreleased Tracks: Hear Two Programs (Open Culture) Brian Eno Launches Sonos Radio Station With Unreleased Music (Pitchfork) 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 species of giant rhino might be the largest land mammal that ever walked the earth. Did you know there are probably dinosaur teeth on the moon? For real. The Girl Scouts have millions of leftover cookies and we must do our part by eating as many as we can. And China sent its first crewed mission up to their new space station yesterday. Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Links: National Geographic Fossils of rhino taller than a giraffe found in China (National Geographic) New Fossil Reveals One of The Largest Land Mammals Ever Found, And It's a Rhino (Science Alert) A giant prehistoric rhino was the biggest land mammal to walk the Earth (CNN) Dinosaur teeth on the moon (Hank Green, TikTok) We Are Pleased To Inform You There Are Probably Dinosaur Remains On The Moon (IFLScience) Asteroid impact excerpt/discussion (Matt Austin, Twitter) The Ends of the World by Peter Brannen Girl Scouts Stuck With Over 15 Million Boxes of Unsold Cookies (NY Times) Be a patriot and buy the Girl Scouts' 15 million extra cookies (A/V Club) China space station: Shenzhou-12 delivers first crew to Tianhe module (BBC) China launches three astronauts to new space station: What to know (CNET) LIVE: China Launches Shenzhou-12 Manned Spaceship (CCTV, YouTube) Tamagotchi’s new smartwatch lets you strap a needy digital pet to your wrist (The Verge) Feels (emoji game) (Games For Crows) 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 ranking of the top ten best places in our solar system to find extraterrestrial life. Plus, you know about the food pyramid, but what about the nature pyramid? Also called the 20-5-3 rule. And, I guess we have to talk about that Jeff-Bezos-Eating-the-Mona-Lisa petition. Sponsors: UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: The best places to find extraterrestrial life in our solar system, ranked (MIT Tech Review) Aliens Wouldn't Need Warp Drives to Take Over an Entire Galaxy, Simulation Suggests (Gizmodo) How Much Time Should You Spend Outside, According to Michael Easter (Men’s Health) Exploring the Nature Pyramid – The Nature of Cities (The Nature of Cities) The Nature Pyramid (Biophilic Cities) People Want Jeff Bezos to Buy the Mona Lisa and Eat it (Hyperallergic) It's time to ponder Jeff Bezos buying and eating the Mona Lisa (A/V Club) Yes, Jeff Bezos Could Buy and Eat the Mona Lisa if He Wanted To (Vice) Petition · We want Jeff Bezos to buy and eat the Mona Lisa (Change.Org) Aussie hosts can't keep straight face over Jeff Bezos' rocket (Today Show Australia, 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

How Juneteenth has evolved over the years from its origins in Texas, and its reception today. How the Xerox machine (and several dozen dalmatian puppies) saved Disney Animation Studios from closing up shop. And a portal for exploring the cosmos… on Google Chrome. Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Links: Honoring Black History on Juneteenth (NY Times) On Juneteenth: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian Annette Gordon-Reed Explores the Origin of an American Holiday (The Root) Senate passes bill to make Juneteenth, day commemorating the end of slavery in Texas, a federal holiday (Washington Post) Why many Americans don't want to talk about Juneteenth (LA Times) How to Celebrate Juneteenth (NY Times) What is Juneteenth? (Juneteenth.com) How 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' Saved Disney (Smithsonian Mag) Redefining the Line: The Making of 101 Dalmatians (Sean Dudley, YouTube) 100,000 Stars 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 report from fifty of the world’s leading experts on the need to combine solutions for combatting the climate crisis and our planet’s rapidly declining biodiversity. California’s historically low water levels may have inadvertently helped solve the case of a missing plane that crashed fifty-six years ago. And an update on that telescope NASA is now planning to construct on the far side of the moon. Sponsors: UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast Links: How to Protect Species and Save the Planet—at Once (Ars Technica) 56-Year-Old Plane Crash May Be Solved by California's Drought (Gizmodo) NASA Might Put a Huge Telescope on the Far Side of the Moon (Wired) The fat bear cams at Alaska's Katmai National Park are back, baby (Mashable) Wed. 07/01 - The Beer Garden Run By Nuns (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 full story of the man who was swallowed by a humpback whale on Friday and lived to tell the tale. Calories. Who’s responsible for their inclusion in the world of nutrition? Some weird highlights from the history of this controversial measurement. And the growing need for a bill of neuro-rights. Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Links: Man swallowed by whale by Cape Cod; MA lobster diver survives humpback (Cape Cod Times) A humpback whale swallowed Michael Packàrd as was lobster diving in Cape Cod (Washington Post) Cape Cod: Diver Swallowed by Humpback Whale Story Doubted (Insider) Humpback Whale Nearly Eats a Lobsterman, Then Thinks Better of It (NY Times) I'm a lobster diver who recently survived being inside of a whale. AMA! (r/IAmA) A Brief History of the Calorie (JSTOR Daily) 'This is not science fiction,' say scientists pushing for 'neuro-rights' (Reuters) The Rise of Neurotechnology Calls for a Parallel Focus on Neurorights (Scientific American) Limit on lab-grown human embryos dropped by stem-cell body news (Nature) Bone Music: Forbidden Soviet Records Made From Used X-Ray Films (Kottke) 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

Thanks to a new study that sequenced the genomes of several types of wild melons, we now have a better idea of the origins of the watermelon… but we still don’t know how tornadoes are formed. And that’s a problem. Plus, in a bid to continue dominating all Halloween-themed playlists, Danny Elfman released a new punk rock album today, his first since 1994. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Tornado warnings lag behind hurricane predictions because of a meteorology mystery (Vox) Where Your Watermelon Came From (NY Times) Watermelon Was Domesticated in Sudan from Kordofan Melon, New Genetic Study Suggests (Sci-News) Danny Elfman Came Here to Make a Big Mess (The Ringer) Danny Elfman - Big Mess music videos (Epitaph Records, YouTube) ‘Lord of the Rings’ Anime Feature Fast-Tracked by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation (Variety) 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 method of carbon capture that would turn carbon dioxide from the ocean into rocks. Mosquitos beefed up with virus-fighting bacteria have proven even more effective at preventing dengue fever than expected. And the often forgotten history of a turn of the century scientist way ahead of his time and his groundbreaking gender and sexuality clinic that was destroyed by the Nazis. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: To Combat Climate Change, Researchers Want to Pull Carbon Dioxide From the Ocean and Turn It Into Rock (Smithsonian Mag) Market for carbon emissions (Wojtek Kopczuk, Twitter) 'Miraculous' mosquito hack cuts dengue by 77% (BBC) Mosquitoes armed with virus-fighting bacteria sharply curb dengue infections, hospitalizations (Science Mag) The Forgotten History of the World’s First Trans Clinic (Scientific American) Transgender Warriors by Leslie Feinberg Christopher and His Kind by Christopher Isherwood The First Man-Made Man by Pagan Kennedy Transgender History by Susan Stryker A member of the SA throws confiscated books into the bonfire during the public burning of "un-German" books on the Opernplatz in Berlin. (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) Watch Andrew Garfield in trailer for Lin-Manuel Miranda's tick, tick, BOOM! (A/V 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

Why some people don’t have a mind’s eye and others can visualize things in incredible detail. Watermelons on Mars and human-animal hybrid babies born across the world––neither of those are true, but if you read two of the biggest newspapers in the US, you might have been led to believe they are. And El Salvador has become the first country to officially recognize bitcoin as currency. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Can't See Pictures in Your Mind? You're Not Alone. (NY Times) Are you a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in this apple visualization exercise? (Twitter) Ball on a Table - Visualization Experiment (r/Aphantasia) We Don't All Have a "Mind's Eye" | Aphantasia (SciShow Psych, YouTube) New York Times Publishes Then Deletes Article Claiming Watermelons Were Found on Mars (Futurism) Netflix's Sweet Tooth Advertorial in USA Today Was Beyond Irresponsible (Gizmodo) El Salvador becomes first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender after passing law (CNBC) El Salvador Becomes First Country to Recognize Bitcoin as Currency (Gizmodo) El Salvador 'Legal Tender' Move Unlikely to Change US Tax on Bitcoin: Former IRS Counsel (Decrypt) The 'ring of fire' solar eclipse of 2021 will look like the 'Death Star' in front of the sun, astronomer says (Space) 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

New ocean just dropped. And a new dinosaur species. Big release day. All about the fifth ocean and one of the newest, largest dinosaurs. Plus, what a new cereal says about current marketing trends, the state of cereal as a whole, fan-franchise relationships, and the contemporary fusion of ancient folklore. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: There's a new ocean now—can you name all 5? (National Geographic) New Dinosaur Species Is Australia’s Largest, Researchers Say (NY Times) Introducing Australotitan: Australia's largest dinosaur yet spanned the length of 2 buses (The Conversation) Scientists say new dinosaur species is largest found in Australia (BBC) Cereal: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Web Exclusive) (Last Week Tonight, YouTube) John Oliver Accepts Cheerios Counter-Challenge – But With a Sick Twist (The Wrap) Ghostbusters Afterlife Cereal Messed Up Bad (Gizmodo) Loki Charms cereal: Marvel gets marshmallowy ahead of Disney Plus premiere (CNET) Of Norse Loki and the Celtic Lugh | Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids (Druidry.Org) Norse Loki = Celtic Lugh? (Fortress of Lugh, 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

SpaceX just delivered a bunch of tardigrades and baby squids to the International Space Station. New research finding pupil size is an indicator of intelligence. And why it seems like vaccine lotteries are actually working. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why NASA Is Blasting Water Bears And Bobtail Squid Into Space (NPR) NASA Squid In SpaceX Mission To International Space Station (Jalopnik) SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Mission to Space Station (NASA) NASA’s Juno probe will get close to Jupiter’s moon Ganymede on Monday (The Verge) Pupil Size Is a Marker of Intelligence (Scientific American) FDA approves first drug to slow decline of Alzheimer’s disease (Washington Post) Wait, Vaccine Lotteries Actually Work? (Wired) A 6-Year-Old Requested A Birthday Cake Showing The Beheading Of Anne Boleyn And That’s Exactly What She Got (Buzzfeed News) Girl, 3, requests morbid 'Lion King' scene on birthday cake so she can have it all to herself (NBC News) 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

COVID-19 precautions largely prevented outbreaks of the flu this past winter, and they also may have caused two types of flu viruses to go extinct. Spinking of extinction, sharks apparently lost 90% of their population 19 million years ago and never fully recovered. And what day-to-day life is like for the first team to arrive at the Tokyo Olympic campus. Links: Flu virus became less diverse, simplifying task of making flu shots (STAT News) [January] Flu Cases Dramatically Low So Far This Season (Johns Hopkins Medicine) 2 types of flu viruses may have gone extinct (LiveScience) Certain Strains Of Flu May Have Gone Extinct Because Of Pandemic Safety Measures (NPR) Mystery event caused shark populations to crash 19 million years ago (National Geographic) The world saw a shark-pocalypse 19 million years ago, and we don’t know why (Ars Technica) 90% of Sharks Were Mysteriously Wiped Out and Never Recovered, Scientists Find (Vice) Australian Team Arrives at a Constricted Tokyo Olympics (NY Times) Why 'Cursed' Olympics in Tokyo Are Pressing Ahead Amid Covid (NY Times) Elon Musk Files Trademark Paperwork for Tesla Restaurant Concept (Bloomberg) What dishes could Elon Musk's upcoming Tesla drive-in serve us? (A/V Club) Apple WWDC 2021: iOS 15, new MacBook Pros, and what else to expect (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

What if your pick-up truck could power your whole neighborhood? That’s the potential people are imagining with the new Ford F-150 Lightning. The science behind why unique people are more attractive. And updates from the annual State of NASA address, including the latest planet they’ll be returning to. Links: Can Millions of New Ford F-150 Trucks Become a Clean-Energy Storage Grid? (Curbed) 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Revealed! The Electric Pickup Has a Shockingly Low Price, Mega Specs (Motortrend) As electric vehicles take off, we'll need to recycle their batteries (National Geographic) Why 'quirky' people are attractive (BBC) State of NASA tweets (NASA, Twitter) NASA will send two missions to Venus for the first time in over 30 years (The Verge) NASA Picks Twin Missions To Visit Venus, Earth's 'Evil Twin'? (NPR) New NASA Missions Will Study Venus, a World Overlooked for Decades (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

John Steinbeck’s secret unpublished werewolf novel that his estate doesn’t want you to read. Lithuania built a portal to Poland and more may soon follow. And set your alarms for the “ring of fire” solar eclipse next week. Links: Yes, Steinbeck Wrote a Werewolf Novel. Don’t Expect to Read It. (NY Times) John Steinbeck’s estate urged to let the world read his shunned werewolf novel (The Guardian) John Steinbeck's Lost Werewolf Novel Is HBO Max Gold (Jezebel) Beast of Eden tweet (Erik M. Gregersen, Twitter) Opinion | John Steinbeck’s editor removes all the werewolves from his work (Washington Post) Vilnius, Lithuania built a ‘portal’ to another city to help keep people connected (The Verge) How to watch next week's rare "ring of fire" solar eclipse (CBS News) 2021's first solar eclipse will show off a 'ring of fire' in the sky (CNET) 'Ring of fire' solar eclipse on June 10 'Ring of fire' solar eclipse on June 10 (EarthSky) Annular Solar Eclipse of 2021 Jun 10 (NASA) Seth Rogen's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle reboot has a release date (A/V 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

Five hundred years later the Medicis continue to ruin Michelangelo’s artworks, but fortunately some bacteria are on the scene to restore his works to their former glory. The new naming scheme for COVID-19 variants. And the story of Allandale, Texas––once the only village in the entire world to be fully air conditioned. Links: Send in the Bugs. The Michelangelos Need Cleaning. (NY Times) Bacteria get a fresh gig as art restorers in Italy (The Verge) Is it all Greek to you? Coronavirus variants get new names (Reuters) How to use the air conditioning without ruining the environment (Quartz) Living in an Air Conditioned Village (Austin Public Library) The Air Conditioned Village (Amusing Planet) The air conditioning trap: how cold air is heating the world (The Guardian) It's high time we electrocute some hot dogs and see what happens (The Takeout) Will It Waffle? (Jackson Bird, 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

Seven counties in the US state of Oregon have now voted to leave their state behind and merge with neighboring Idaho. Could this actually work? A new English dictionary of Ancient Greek fully and explicitly makes up for the modesty of its previous Victorian translators. And the best way to cook a hot dog. Links: Oregon's Rural Counties Search for Representation With Idaho (Business Insider) Don Kahle: Greater Idaho: thinking it through Don Kahle (The Register-Guard) Their Own Private Idaho: Five Oregon Counties Back a Plan to Secede (NY Times) Oregone? 7 Oregon Counties Vote To Back Seceding, So Citizens Can Vote GOP In Idaho (NPR) English dictionary of ancient Greek ‘spares no blushes’ with fresh look at crudity (The Guardian) New Ancient Greek Dictionary Includes Words for S---, F---, C---------- (Jezebel) The Absolute Best Way to Cook a Hot Dog, According to So Many Tests (Food52) Pints With A View: London Eye Is Launching A Pub In A Pod (The Handbook) Cicada Plushie (Tyler Thrasher, DFTBA) 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

Potentially good news for longterm COVID-19 immunity. Pizza farms, not just a figment of my imagination, apparently they’re a real and wonderful thing. And the story of a naked mole rat named Joe who just won’t die, and what he could mean for human longevity. Links: Immunity to the Coronavirus May Persist for Years, Scientists Find (NY Times) Vaccinated COVID-19 survivors may be immune for life, according to new research (Mic) Pizza farm (Wikipedia) Pizza-shaped farm draws tourists with organic slice (USA Today) The Pizza Farm (via Web Archive) 'Pizza farm' also a place to learn about organic methods (The State Journal-Register) Where to Eat Pizza on a Farm in Minnesota and Wisconsin (Eater) Where the Produce Includes Pepperoni: The Pizza Farm (NY Times) The Long, Strange Life of the World’s Oldest Naked Mole Rat (Wired) "Our definition of 'summer' will change" (Alissa Walker, Twitter) L.A. County Fair is moving from scorching September to cooler May (LA Times) Exclusive: Phil and Lil's mom Betty will be gay in new Rugrats series (A/V 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

Dr. B was the most well-known nationwide vaccine finder in the US. But did anyone actually end up getting their vaccine through the service? Plus, the artist raising awareness about the gender gap on the moon, Disneyland’s $100 sandwich and the newest Willy Wonka on the block. Links: Vaccine waitlist Dr. B collected data from millions. But how many did it help? (MIT Technology Review) We Know What You Did During Lockdown video (Kottke, Financial Times) An Artist Sketches the Giant Gender Gap on the Moon (NY Times) $100 Ant-Man-inspired sandwich coming to Disneyland (A/V Club) Disneyland Adds Family-Sized $100 Sandwich to Marvel-Themed Menu (Food & Wine) Timothée Chalamet is your new Willy Wonka (A/V 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

The flavorful history of frozen pizza. We check in on how the pandemic continues to affect our dreams. And meet the dude actually taking advantage of Krispy Kreme’s free donut a day offer for vaccinated people. Links: Frozen Pizza History: Ready To Heat, Nearly Ready To Eat (Tedium) Pizza Was the Restaurant Hero of 2020 (NY Times) Frozen pizza sales are red hot and expected to outlast the pandemic (CBC) How Frozen Pizza Got Hot (Published 2004) (NY Times) Covid: How the pandemic is affecting your dreams (BBC) Krispy Kreme free doughnut: A man who is trading his vaccine for one doughnut every day explains himself. (Slate) 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 latest floating wind farm technology and the part of the US that could make the biggest difference when it comes to offshore wind energy. What we can learn from the Amish about how we use technology. Links: Why the Northeast Could Be America's New Energy Capital Wind farms rivaling the output of coal (NY Mag) GE's designs controls for offshore wind turbines to ride the waves (The Verge) To be more tech-savvy, borrow these strategies from the Amish (Psyche) Biden admin wants to bring sexy back with dating app vaccination statuses (Ars Technica) 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 Brood X cicadas have reemerged and are losing their butts due to a zombie-inducing fungus. Bald eagles are reemerging from the brink of extinction, causing a new trend in puppy fashion: incredibly punk spiky vests. And one of the best fictional bands, Mouse Rat, has reemerged from the Pit to produce an actual real album coming later this summer. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: A Fungus Is Pushing Cicada Sex Into Hyperdrive And Leaving Them Dismembered (NPR) Cicadas tripping thread (Tara Golshan, Twitter) A fungus could turn some cicadas into sex-crazed ‘salt shakers of death’ (Washington Post) Brood X Cicadas Are Here! We Got Up Close So You Don't Have To (Wired) What Are Cicadas, and Why Are They So Strange? | Science (Smithsonian Magazine) Brood X Cicadas Have an Existential Problem (The Atlantic) Brood X Bird Feast Protocol Cicada Safari Bald Eagles Are Back. And They Want to Eat Your Pets. (Wall Street Journal) Parks And Recreation Band Mouse Rat Announce Debut Album (Stereogum) Chris Pratt's 'Parks and Recreation' band Mouse Rat are releasing a real album (Entertainment Weekly) Cool teen to have her cool Hannibal fan art displayed in U.S. Capitol building (A/V 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

Why the sun is about to get quite temperamental and how that could spell danger for NASA’s upcoming lunar mission. In other sun news, the case for turning airports into giant solar farms. And a website that will help make your Twitter timeline a bit more pleasant––if you’re okay with taking a rather extreme route. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: How space weather could wreck NASA’s return to the moon (MIT Technology Review) The sun is getting stormier, and it'll peak just in time for a total solar eclipse (National Geographic) Why Not Turn Airports Into Giant Solar Farms? (Wired) MegaBlock | Nuke tweets in one click UFO answers coming soon? US government to report on mysterious sightings (Space.com) Obama on UFO videos: 'We don't know exactly what they are' (NBC News) Someone Took A Closer Look At The Pyramid-Shaped UFO Video That Was Confirmed By The Pentagon And Explained Why It's Just An Optical Effect (Digg) 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 promising method for producing carbon-neutral gasoline from, basically, thin air. The strange story of the very first ransomware attack. And the surprisingly long history of bizarre ice cream flavors. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: How to Make Carbon-Neutral Gasoline Out of Thin Air (NY Magazine) The bizarre story of the inventor of ransomware (CNN) Ransomware attacks can take down pipelines but you could be at risk too (CNN) Who Invented Weird Hipster Ice Cream Flavors? (JSTOR Daily) 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’s next now that China has officially landed their first rover on Mars? How come us mammals don’t have bright, fluorescent plumage like birds or cool neon stripes like bugs? A panel of scientists weighs in. And the little-known detail that makes the real-life story of the Brontë sisters even more goth and tragic than it already was. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: China has landed a rover on Mars for the first time—here’s what happens next (MIT Technology Review) China lands its Zhurong rover on Mars (BBC) Why Aren't There Mammals in Super Vivid Colors Like There Are Birds and Bugs? (Gizmodo) Apparently the Brontës all died so early because they spent their lives drinking graveyard water. (Literary Hub) Sanitary report on Haworth, home to the Brontës (British Library) The Brontës are alive and unwell in Haworth (The Guardian) Was Patrick Brontë the Dr. Fauci of his Time? (Illumination) Legends of the Hidden Temple Reboot Moves From Quibi to CW (IGN) Now Casting: ADULT TEAMS FOR LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE 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 microscopic error with major implications that seems to have delayed public health officials in acknowledging the aerosol transmission of COVID-19. Why Shrek continues to endure as a touchstone of internet culture and how it changed the game for animated films. And a quick look at two new video games doing some good in the world. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill (Wired) How “Shrek” Changed Animated Movies Forever (BuzzFeed News) The Internet's Shrek Obsession, Explained (Kotaku) How Shrekfest keeps the 20-year legacy of 'Shrek' alive (Mashable) Final Fantasy director’s Paralympics RPG is launching next month (The Verge) Oregon Trail Gets A Makeover With More Accurate Native American Representation (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

What a new lawsuit against TikTok says about the rights of actors who lend their likeness to AI and similar projects. How nostalgia could help you make connections when you return to the office. And what is even the point of wasps? Sponsors: America Dissected, americadissected.com Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Actor says TikTok used her voice without permission for viral text-to-speech feature (The Verge) Actor sues TikTok for using her voice in viral tool (BBC) Voice Actor Sues TikTok, Saying They Took Voice for Text-To-Speech (Insider) Tue. 05/11 - The Real Voice Behind Alexa | Kottke Ride Home (Kottke Ride Home) How nostalgia makes you work better (BBC) Nervous about going back into the office? Here's how to break the ice (CNN) Stinging wasps are precious, not pointless, say scientists (The Guardian) Space race 2: Russian actor bound for ISS in same month as Tom Cruise (The Guardian) 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 Netflix’s new top ten lists actually work, some other features they’re testing out, and what their findings mean for the future of algorithmic recommendations. Plus, how drones are helping change what we thought we knew about great white sharks––in both good ways and bad. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews America Dissected, americadissected.com Links: The Real Story Behind Netflix's 'Top Ten' Most Popular Lists (Vulture) Spying on California's great white sharks with drones (LA Times) Enola Holmes is getting a sequel on Netflix (The Verge) Wed. 08/26 - Netflix's Enola Holmes Hit With Lawsuit From Doyle Estate (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

A look at how epidemiologists are approaching their personal returns to everyday life. How Denmark has quadrupled their cardiac arrest survival rate and whether the same system could be adopted in other nations. And a program that will make your website inaccessible to visitors every night, all in the name of improving health and wellbeing. Sponsors: America Dissected, americadissected.com Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How US Epidemiologists Are Returning (Carefully!) to Everyday Life (NY Times) An app that swiftly sends CPR volunteers to heart attack sufferers has made a big difference in Denmark. Could this be copied in the U.S.? (Washington Post) How an App Can Save You From a Heart Attack (Gizmodo) You're more likely to survive cardiac arrest in Denmark thanks to an app (Input Mag) A website that shuts down for the night (Boing Boing) nightnight.みんな Ford Patents Terrible Billboard Scanning Tech, Shows In-Car Ads (Motor1) 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 book digs into the origins of Amazon’s Alexa and allegedly reveals the woman who provided the voice for their original virtual assistant. A teenage wannabe influencer from France is set to be Italy’s next queen. Didn’t think Italy had royal leaders anymore? You’re right. And someone should tell this noble family that. And, screw the free donuts and half-hearted store coupons we have as incentives in America, Romania is offering vaccinations inside Dracula’s castle! Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews America Dissected, americadissected.com Links: Meet the real Alexa: voice actor reportedly responsible for Amazon’s AI assistant revealed (The Verge) The Secret Origins of Amazon's Alexa (Wired) 'I'm the original voice of Siri' (CNN) Paris Teenager’s New Gig: Would-Be Queen of Italy. A Nation Shrugs. (NY Times) Romania would like you to get vaccinated at Dracula's castle (A/V Club) Covid: Dracula's castle in Romania offers tourists vaccine (BBC) COVID-19 Vaccination Site at the Museum (American Museum of Natural History) A woman gave birth prematurely on a flight to Hawaii. Luckily, 3 NICU nurses and a doctor were on board to help (CNN) 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

America is off candy. All we want is chicken wings and lumber. At least according to the market. A productivity hack that lets you celebrate your accomplishments instead of wallowing in frustration about your unfinished tasks. And space coins. I somehow have multiple stories about space coins for you today. Sponsors: America Dissected, americadissected.com Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why is there chicken wing shortage? How Covid-19 spurred a rise in chicken wing prices, explained. (Vox) Gummy Bears and Candy Bars Are Casualties of the Pandemic (Wired) Wood prices are out of control. I went to a sawmill that explains why. (Slate) Why are lumber prices skyrocketing? The lumber shortage and housing boom, explained. (Vox) Fri. 12/18 - The Business of X-Mas Trees & How COVID Changed Science (Kottke Ride Home) Forget To-Do Lists. You Really Need a 'Got Done' List (Wired) SpaceX is literally sending DOGE to the moon. Here's what that actually means. (Mashable) SpaceX to Launch DOGE-1 to the Moon! (PR News Wire) US Quarters to Honor Maya Angelou and Sally Ride (Kottke) Call for Recommendations: Prominent American Women and the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 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

No, there is not evidence of mushrooms on Mars, and the story of how that misinformation spread yesterday goes even deeper than you may think. Part of the rocket China launched at the end of last month is hurtling uncontrollably back to Earth and no one exactly knows where it will land. And LEGO dropped an ASMR mixtape. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Links: No, NASA photos are not evidence of fungus growing on Mars, sorry (CNET) Experts Shred Paper Claiming to Identify Mushrooms on Mars (Futurism) Scientists Claim to Spot Fungus Growing on Mars in NASA Rover Photos (Futurism) Fungi on Mars? Researchers claim signs of life on red planet (South China Morning Post) No one is sure where this hunk of Chinese rocket is gonna land (A/V Club) Huge rocket looks set for uncontrolled reentry following Chinese space station launch (Space News) Pentagon Not Planning To Shoot Down Chinese Rocket As It Hurtles Uncontrollably Toward Earth (Forbes) Lego share soothing new 'White Noise' playlist of the sound of Lego bricks (NME) A New Mindful Mix: the LEGO Group releases a soothing soundscape created with thousands of LEGO® bricks (LEGO) 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

Are you cheugy? Am I cheugy? What the heck is cheugy? The more we post photos of ourselves online, the easier it is for AIs to recognize us. But what if there were a way for them to forget our faces? And a useful site that will tell you exactly how long you need to watch any TV show you want. Sponsors: Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: Cheugy: Is New TikTok Slang Aimed at Millennials? (Rolling Stone) 'Cheugy' Is Hard to Define But Easy to Identify (The Cut) What Is ‘Cheugy’? You Know It When You See It. (NY Times) Thu. 08/27 - Why Pumpkin Spice Will Never Die (Kottke Ride Home) How to stop AI from recognizing your face in selfies (MIT Technology Review) "Can I Binge?" is an excellent single-serving site for managing your TV time (Boing Boing) Can I Binge? Surprise COVID trend: Doomscrolling moved to desktop (Axios) 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

Company tries running Facebook ads that transparently point out how Facebook ads work. Facebook blocks the ads. Shocking! Mermaid diving––like free diving but while wearing a mermaid tail––is quickly becoming a real sport. Dunbar’s number says human brains can’t keep up with more than 150 casual friendships, but new research disagrees. And it’s time to vote on a name for the newest baby raven at the Tower of London. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Links: Facebook Bans Honest Signal Ads on Instagram (Gizmodo) The Instagram ads Facebook won't show you (Signal) Why so many people in China are becoming mermaids (CNN) Study Debunks Dunbar's Number: You Can Have More Than 150 Friends (Gizmodo) Human Brain Limit of '150 Friends' Doesn't Check Out, New Study Claims (Science Alert) Tower of London: Public to vote on baby raven's name (BBC) Vote on the baby raven's name (Historic Royal Palaces) Early Manned Spaceflight, First Spaceflight Information, Facts, News, Photos (National Geographic) Blue Origin targeting July for first crewed flight, opens auction for a seat (The Verge) SpaceX's next flight for Crew Dragon Resilience is a private launch of 4 civilians (Space.com) 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 physics of jumping to hyperspace, Disney teases their retractable lightsaber, and more Star Wars Day updates. Plus, in real space news: China launched the first module of the Chinese Space Station into orbit last week. Sponsors: Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: When You Jump to Hyperspace, Make Sure You Wear a Seatbelt (Wired) China Launches First Module of New Space Station Into Orbit (Smithsonian Magazine) China launches core module of new space station to orbit (Space.com) China Is Set to Launch First Module of Massive Space Station (Scientific American) Disney reveals its ‘real’ lightsaber, and it looks extremely cool (The Verge) Star Wars Hotel: It's Not a Hotel At All, It's a 2 Day Cruise (io9) How Disney’s ‘real’ lightsaber patent actually works (The Verge) "Ben" (Blue Milk Run, Bandcamp) Baby Yoda Day in the Life (Preeti Chhibber, Twitter) ‘I’m bursting with fiction’: Alan Moore announces five-volume fantasy epic (The Guardian) 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

Average human life expectancy doubled in the last century. Has it reached its cap or can we double it again? Some considerations. And NASA conducted a tabletop simulation of an asteroid impact last week, with… less than ideal results. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with tips on how to survive a killer asteroid. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Links: How the Human Life Span Doubled in 100 Years (NY Times) How Long Can We Live? (NY Times) Can We Live to 200? Here's a Roadmap (NY Times) An Asteroid Impact Simulation Is Currently Underway—and It's Absolutely Terrifying (Gizmodo) NASA Simulated an Asteroid Impact, Couldn't Avoid a Crash in Europe (Science Alert) How to Survive a Killer Asteroid (Wired) How to Stop Time by Matt Haig Co-founder of brain implant startup Neuralink leaves the company (Engadget) 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

People who accidentally became memes are using NFTs to regain a sense of ownership over their likenesses––and make some pretty nice chunks of change. Scotland could become the first “rewilding nation.” And another shortage report. This time: computer chips. Links: The World Knows Her as 'Disaster Girl.' She Just Made $500,000 Off the Meme. (NY Times) They were ancient internet memes. Now NFTs are making them rich (Wired) NFTs Are Hot. So Is Their Effect on the Earth’s Climate (Wired) NFTs, explained: what they are, and why they're suddenly worth millions (The Verge) The climate controversy swirling around NFTs (The Verge) I Accidentally Became A Meme (BuzzFeed Video, YouTube) Scotland could become the world’s first ‘rewilding nation’(Euronews) Get Ready For A Shortage Of iPads And MacBooks (NPR) Global Chip Shortage Set to Worsen for Car Makers (Wall Street Journal) Office: How "Kevin's famous chili" was made (A/V Club) Brian Baumgartner’s Best Chili Pot…EVER (BUSH’s Beans, YouTube) The Office Deep Dive with Brian Baumgartner (Spotify) Office Ladies (Spotify) 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 an AI, after failing for a decade, finally won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The Olympics are going virtual, but not how you’re probably thinking. And remembering Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins. Links: Dr. Fill, an AI, won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Here's how. (Slate) Win a gold medal from your front room? IOC launches Olympic Virtual Series (The Guardian) Olympic Virtual Series gaming event launched by IOC (NBC Sports) Photos: Apollo 11: As They Shot It (NY Times) For Apollo 11 He Wasn’t on the Moon. But His Coffee Was Warm. (NY Times) Michael Collins, ‘Third Man’ of the Moon Landing, Dies at 90 (NY Times) Space community mourns the death of Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins (The Verge) What going to the moon taught Michael Collins about Earth (PBS) ‘It’s time’: Blue Origin teases ticket sales for its New Shepard rocket (The Verge) Jeff Goldblum Jones Dungeons & Dragons Podcast Dark Dice (iO9) 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

It’s time for a toilet revolution. No, I’m not just talking about bidets. Our wastewater systems are dangerously out of date, but sustainable innovations could be just around the u-bend. Plus, the future of contact lenses is bright––or not, if you’d prefer they block the sun. And Apple dropped a very pandemic-themed update to their emojis. Links: The Pandemic Proved That Our Toilets Are Crap (Wired) High-tech contact lenses are straight out of science fiction — and may replace smart phones (The Conversation) The new syringe emoji is a better fit for the age of COVID-19 vaccines (CNET) The 'Vaccine' Emoji Gets a New Look This Week (Wired) 💉 Syringe Emoji (Emojipedia) ‎Kottke Ride Home: Thu. 1/14 - How We Narrowly Avoided an Emoji Shortage on Apple Podcasts (Kottke Ride Home) 'Great Gatsby' Musical to Be Written by Florence Welch (Variety) Citizen Kane lost its perfect Rotten Tomatoes score (A/V Club) Citizen Kane loses 100% "Fresh" rating after 80-year-old negative review added to Rotten Tomatoes (Boing Boing) 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 the story of aerospace engineer Judith Love Cohen, who helped rescue the Apollo 13 astronauts, is making the rounds again and why we should remember her name. A new ice cube tray-shaped retinal patch that could help restore vision. And the rattlesnake-like jumping worms invading the American midwest. Links: Meet Aerospace Engineer Judith Love Cohen (Kottke.Org) In Memory of Judith Love Cohen: Mother, Wife, Friend, Author, Engineer (USC Viterbi) Women in the Workplace / Judith Love Cohen : Engineering a Change (LA Times) Highly Invasive Jumping Worms Have Spread to 15 States (Smithsonian Magazine) Invasive Jumping Worms That Violently Thrash If Handled Now in at Least 15 US States (Newsweek) Fear is the mind killer (Molly Lambert, Twitter) "Ice cube tray" retinal patch is loaded with cells to restore vision (New Atlas) TX population increase (Texas Tribune, Twitter) Census Bureau announces 331 million people in US, Texas will add two congressional seats (CNN) Fewest seats shifted since 1940 (Phil Jankowski, Twitter) Narrowest margin to decide seat in Congress (David H. Montgomery, 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

Dozens of people named Josh gathered in Nebraska over the weekend for a battle to crown the ultimate Josh. Who won and why the heck did this happen? I’ve got the details. The precursor to laugh tracks: professional applauders in 19th century France. And the Oscars saw many firsts last night, including one long overdue first for the award ceremony’s set. Links: Josh Swain Tells All About Viral 'Josh Fight' And How He Turned A Meme Into A Charity Event (Know Your Meme) Josh Fight won by very small Josh (A/V Club) Joshes Battle for Josh Supremacy in Nebraska (NY Times) Inaugural #Josh Fight is over and 'Little Josh' is crowned the best Josh (ESPN) Josh Battle Take Over Lincoln, Nebraska, Park (Buzzfeed News) When Paid Applauders Ruled the Paris Opera House (JSTOR Daily) This Oscar nominee plans to shatter the film world's crippling ableism (MSNBC) CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION | Official Trailer (Netflix, 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

What do you call a collection of black holes? That’s not the tee-up for a punchline. Scientists are legitimately trying to decide what word to use. Plus, how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was based on Blackfoot principles that he got wrong. And how the problem of McDonald’s perpetually broken ice cream machines is even more super-sized than you might think. Sponsor: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: What Do You Call a Bunch of Black Holes: A Crush? A Scream? (NY Times) Maslow Got It Wrong. (GatherFor) Maslow's hierarchy connected to Blackfoot beliefs (A Digital Native American) They Hacked McDonald's Ice Cream Machines—and Started a Cold War (Wired) 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

NASA has generated oxygen on Mars. The story of the women retirees who hacked the stock market decades before GameStop and Wall Street Bets. And on the eve of his 404th death day, a look at what Shakespeare can teach us about living through pandemics. Sponsor: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Extracts First Oxygen from Red Planet (NASA) NASA's Perseverance rover makes oxygen on Mars for 1st time (Space) The Midwestern grandmas who became stock market celebrities (The Hustle) What Shakespeare Teaches Us About Living With Pandemics (NY Times) Earth's Mightiest Heroes Meets Shakespeare Later This Summer with 'William Shakespeare’s Avengers: The Complete Works' (Marvel) 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 few newly-announced NASA funded projects, including one to build a radio telescope in a crater on the moon. A Welsh farmer shares his secrets to ultimate contentment. And can machine learning help us understand what whales are saying to one another? Sponsor: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Groundbreaking effort launched to decode whale language (National Geographic) NASA Selects Innovative, Early-Stage Tech Concepts for Continued Study (NASA JPL) Experience: I’ve had the same supper for 10 years (The Guardian) Russia mulls withdrawing from the International Space Station after 2024 (Science Mag) NASA Updates Launch Date, TV Coverage for Crew-2 Mission (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