Cool Stuff Daily

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

Will this decade be another “Roaring 20s?” A social epidemiologist and a Nobel Prize-winning economist weigh in. How many T-Rexes roamed the land throughout their time on Earth? A team of paleontologists did the math. And scientists have created the whitest paint ever, which could make a sizable difference in the climate crisis. Sponsor: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Looking Back at the First Roaring Twenties (NY Times) Epidemiologist looks to the past to predict second post-pandemic 'roaring 20s' (The Guardian) How many T. rex ever existed? Calculation of dinosaur's abundance offers an answer (Nature) Enough T-Rexes to eat us all (Christopher Mims, Twitter) 'Whitest ever' paint reflects 98% of sunlight (BBC) Researchers Created the Whitest White Paint Ever (Earther) Ted Lasso season two trailer (AppleTV, 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

You may have heard about a bit of a shake-up in the world of soccer today with a dozen of the world’s biggest teams forming what they’re calling the Super League. To help explain what the heck is going on, we’re joined today by Tech Meme Ride Home host Brian McCullough who shares the context, the consequences, and how this affects way more than just the world of soccer, or even sports. That is in the second half of today’s extra long show, but first: NASA has officially flown a helicopter on Mars. Why is it such a big deal? And pizzly bears. Grizzly and polar bear hybrids that are apparently growing in number due to the climate crisis. Sponsor: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Succeeds in Historic First Flight – NASA's Mars Exploration Program (NASA) How NASA Flew a Helicopter Flight on Mars (Intelligencer) NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter achieves historic powered flight on Mars (The Verge) NASA's Dragonfly Mission to Titan Will Look for Origins, Signs of Life (NASA) Are 'Pizzly Bears,' a Polar-Grizzly Mix, Real? (Snopes) The European Super League Explained (NY Times) Tech Meme 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

Scientists have created human-monkey hybrid embryos––yes, you heard that right. Archaeologists have found an entire lost city in Egypt. We have even more pterosaur news this week! And a very delicious false alarm in Krakow. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: Scientists Created the First Embryo With Human and Non-Human Primate Cells (TIME) Embryos That Are Part Monkey, Part Human Raise Ethical Concerns (NPR) Controversial 'Chimera' Embryos Made by Scientists Are Part Human, Part Monkey (Science Alert) First monkey–human embryos reignite debate over hybrid animals (Nature) Archaeologists discover 3,000 year-old 'lost' city in Egypt (CNN) 'Lost golden city of Luxor' discovered by archaeologists in Egypt (National Geographic) Archaeologists find “lost golden city” buried under sand for 3,400 years (Wired) Adorable 'Porg' Pterosaur Flapped Above Jurassic China (Gizmodo) Mystery tree beast turns out to be croissant (BBC) Krakow's very own lizard cryptid turns out to be a croissant (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 CDC says we should wait two weeks after our final COVID-19 vaccination to be considered fully vaccinated, but why? What do spiderwebs sound like? These scientists turned them into music. Google Earth’s latest feature shows us how destructive we’ve been to the planet. And the new YouTube channel I can’t get enough of featuring Hot Wheels on a treadmill. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Covid vaccine: Why it's wise to wait two weeks after your shot (Mashable) Antibody persistence graph (Ian Haydon, Twitter) Scientists Turned Spiderwebs Into Music, And It's Hauntingly Beautiful (Vice) Spider songs (Markus J. Buehler, YouTube) Google Earth Now Shows You Our Planet’s Slow Deterioration (Wired) Google Earth’s historical 3D time lapses show the ravages of climate change (The Verge) Die-Cast Treadmill Series (Steve Wilkins, YouTube) 5/18 episode with Marble Racing segment (Kottke Ride Home) Kominers’s Conundrums: Can You Escape This Column? (Bloomberg) 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

We’ve all been talking about Zoom Fatigue for the past year, but a new study has the facts on the phenomenon. Have you tried booking a rental car and noticed they’re all sold out or only going for exorbitant prices? Here’s why. And, a double dose of pterosaur news today! A look at the unique structure of their vertebrae that enabled the giant creatures to take flight and new evidence that one species of pterosaur may have been the oldest animal yet discovered with an opposable thumb. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: 'Zoom fatigue' may be with us for years. Here's how we'll cope. (National Geographic) Wait, Where Did All the Rental Cars Go? (Wall Street Journal) Paleontologists Describe 'Monkeydactyl,' Pterosaur With Opposable Thumb (Gizmodo) How the Largest Pterosaurs Supported Giraffe-Like Necks (NY Times) How to shut down Spot the robot 'dog,' should you ever need to (Mashable) Boston Dynamics' Spot is now a beer-peeing robot (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

Researchers have found a methane-eating bacteria living in a common species of Australian tree. The UK is considering a legal “right to disconnect” for remote workers. Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have uncovered evidence of the oldest domesticated dog in that region in what could be the beginning of huge insights about the development of human society across the Middle East. Uber just had their biggest month ever in a sign that certain businesses might not have much trouble bouncing back from last year’s losses. And what happens if a shark bites your arm off after you get your COVID vaccine? Do you have to get another dose? Dr. Akiko Iwasaki has the answer. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: We found methane-eating bacteria living in a common Australian tree. It could be a game changer for curbing greenhouse gases (The Conversation) Ministers urged to give UK home-workers a ‘right to disconnect’ (The Guardian) Google is accelerating partial reopening of offices and putting limits on future of remote work (CNBC) Archaeologists uncover earliest evidence of domesticated dogs in Arabian Peninsula (EurekAlert) 285: A Pill Meant for Horses (Dear Hank and John, Spotify) Antibody response after removal of muscle (Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, Twitter) Differential dependence on target site tissue for gene gun and intramuscular DNA immunizations (National Library of Medicine) Uber Posts Record Demand for March (Wall Street Journal) Airbnb/Vrbo inventory sold out (Rafat Ali, Twitter) AirDNA Market Review | US March 2021 (AirDNA) Airbnb is trying to preemptively cancel post-pandemic bacchanals (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

Genetically-modified mosquitoes are set to be released in Florida, but will locals thwart the project? A new technology that can 3D print bones directly inside of patients’ bodies. Is TikTok our latest great art movement? No really, stay with me on this one. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: First GMO Mosquitoes to Be Released In the Florida Keys (Undark) This ceramic ink can 3D-print bones directly into a patient’s body. Here’s how (World Economic Forum) Scientists use novel ink to 3D-print ‘bone’ with living cells (UNSW Newsroom) TikTok Duets Are Reviving the Exquisite Corpse (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

The story of the woman whose decades of research helped make the mRNA COVID vaccines possible. Plus, electric cars don’t make much noise, which means we have the opportunity now to design what the future will sound like. And the co-founder of Elon Musk’s Neuralink casually mused over the weekend that they could technically build Jurassic Park if they wanted to. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus (NY Times) The story of mRNA: From a loose idea to a tool that may help curb Covid (STAT News) How Electric Cars Could Craft the Soundscape of the Future (TIME) Fri. 08/07 - Netflix's Rejected Goat Sound Logo & the Vege… (Kottke Ride Home) Elon Musk's Neuralink Co-Founder Says They Could Build Jurassic Park… if They Wanted To (IGN) 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

Where did the high five come from? Who came up with it? And why has it persisted for so long? Plus, what if we could turn the entire Earth into a telescope? One astronomer has drawn up the plans. And, how bad is blue light for you, really? Sponsor: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: From the archives: The wild, mysterious history of sports' most enduring gesture -- the high five (ESPN) The Gay History of the High Five (The Advocate) Who invented the high five? (Getting Better, Together) An astronomer has come up with a way to use the entire Earth as a telescope: The Terrascope (Syfy) What Happens to Your Eyes When You Stare at Screens All Day (LifeHacker) Prince’s ‘Welcome 2 America,’ an Unreleased Album, Is Due Out in July (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

When social media happened over the phone. Have physicists found a new force of nature? And the long-lost Lord of the Rings made-for-TV-movie produced by Soviet Russia. Sponsor: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: The Prototype for Clubhouse Is 40 Years Old, and It Was Built by Phone Hackers (OneZero) Remote learning isn't new: Radio instruction in the 1937 polio epidemic (The Conversation) What Did the Old Telephone Network Sound Like? Overview of the Recordings (Evan Doorbell, YouTube) 'Strong' evidence found for a new force of nature (BBC) Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermilab Finds Hint of New Particles (Quanta Magazine) Fermilab’s latest muon measurements hint at cracks in the Standard Model (Ars Technica) Finding From Particle Research Could Break Known Laws of Physics (NY Times) The long-lost Lord of the Rings adaptation from Soviet Russia is a glorious fever dream (The Verge) Soviet TV version of Lord of the Rings rediscovered after 30 years (The Guardian) The Emoji Story: You should never have this much fun learning about Unicode (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

A new bacteria was discovered on the International Space Station and it could mean interesting things for our future on Mars. The latest shortage in the US has left restaurant owners scrambling to catch up. And are seasonal allergies sexist? Of course not. But kind of... Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Links: Sneaky New Bacteria on the ISS Could Build a Future on Mars (Wired) The New Shortage: Ketchup Can’t Catch Up (Wall Street Journal) 'Botanical Sexism' Could Be Behind Your Seasonal Allergies (Atlas Obscura) Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4 (A/V Club) Request download of your Yahoo Answers content (Yahoo) 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

Busting some myths and sharing some doctor-backed advice on COVID vaccine side effects. The history of cigarette cards and how they played an important role in World War II. And how narwhal tusks act as a kind of history book, but the most recent chapters are a bit alarming. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: How to Prepare for Your COVID Vaccine & Reduce the Side Effects (LifeHacker) Possible Side Effects After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine (CDC) When Cigarettes Came With a Prize (Study Marry Kill) Cigarette Cards and Cartophily (Historic UK) Cigarette Cards Tell History (American Antiquities) Narwhal Tusks Tell a Troubling Tale (Ars Technica) Space Jam: A New Legacy | Official Site 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 turns out we got lucky with how quickly the Ever Given was freed. The last time the Suez Canal was blocked, it dragged on for eight years and led to the creation of a micro-nation at sea with a separate postal service and even their own Olympic Games. How Finland celebrates Easter with trick-or-treating and Easter Witches. NASA’s InSight lander has observed two strong marsquakes recently, helping us measure the planet’s core, but what are quakes like on a planet without tectonic plates? Sponsors: Gabi Insurance, gabi.com/kottke Ladder, ladderlife.com/kottke Links: The Last Time the Suez Canal Was Blocked a Utopian Communist Micronation Was Formed at Sea (Vice) Suez: The Yellow Fleet trapped by the 1967 Arab-Israeli War (Al Jazeera) Suez Canal Opens, but Shipping Will Be Snarled for Months (Wall Street Journal) Wandering witches welcome Finnish Easter (This Is Finland) NASA's InSight Detects Two Sizable Quakes on Mars (NASA JPL) NASA's Insight spacecraft has recently measured the radius of Mars' core (Syfy) NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) (Twitter) 'Game of Thrones' Play in the Works for Broadway, Will Revive Iconic Characters (Exclusive) (Hollywood Reporter) OMEGA MART — “Grand Opening” (Meow Wolf, YouTube) nonstandard mcdonald's (nonstandard mcdonalds, 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

Could humans evolve to be venomous? The man currently walking from Washington D.C. to New York City and tweeting all the way. The Hamilton/Space Jam mashup you never knew you needed. A brief roundup of corporate April Fools’ Day pranks we definitely didn’t need. And Chipotle is running a burritos and bitcoin contest that is miraculously not an April Fools’ Day prank. I think. Sponsors: Ladder, ladderlife.com/kottke Gabi Insurance, gabi.com/kottke Links: Humans Will Probably Evolve to Be Venomous Popular Mechanics (Popular Mechanics) Could humans ever be venomous? (Live Science) Neil King's twitter thread of his journey (NKingofDC, Twitter) Slamilton - A Basketball Musical (Full Album) (Psynwav, Youtube) Slamilton: A Basketball Musical (Psynwav, Bandcamp) Neutral Bling Hotel (Psynwav, Soundcloud) April Fools' Day 2021: Duolingo toilet paper, Velveeta skincare and more pranks (CNET) Where to Get Free and Cheap Burritos for National Burrito Day (LifeHacker) BurritosOrBitcoin.com Bitcoin millionaires forgetting passwords (Kottke Ride Home) Enter the Age of the Vaccine Selfie (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

Why did every movie theater in the 90s install that galaxy-themed carpet? A mafia fugitive who got caught by authorities after starting a cooking channel on YouTube. And the theory that the remains of proto-planet Theia may still be residing deep inside the Earth. Sponsors: Gabi Insurance, gabi.com/kottke Ladder, ladderlife.com/kottke Links: If Y2K-Era Movie Theater Carpets Could Talk (A24) For years, a mafia fugitive hid from police. Then they spotted his Italian cooking videos on YouTube. (Washington Post) New theory suggests large blobs of material in Earth's mantle are remnants of protoplanet Theia (Phys.org) Remains of impact that created the Moon may lie deep within Earth (Science Mag) Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine highly effective in adolescents (The Verge) Photos: The Great Vaccination Campaign (The Atlantic) 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 medieval version of the millennial avocado craze––if avocados were only eaten when rotten and commonly referred to with a sexual nickname, anyways. Turns out that after we die, certain “zombie cells” go into overdrive. And the super popular Twitch stream of… a stop sign. Just thousands of people watching a live feed of stop sign that cars never seem to pay attention to. Sponsors: Ladder, ladderlife.com/kottke Gabi Insurance, gabi.com/kottke Links: The forgotten medieval fruit with a vulgar name (BBC) There are zombie cells in your brain that go into overdrive after death (Syfy Wire) 'Zombie' genes? Research shows some genes come to life in the brain after death: Post-mortem changes may shed light on important brain studies (Science Daily) Twitch's hottest new stream is just a stop sign nobody stops at (A/V Club) Twitch Stop Sign Stream Temporarily Stops After Address Leaks, Neighbors Receive Pizzas (Kotaku) stopsigncam (Twitch) 11 foot 8 bridge (yovo68, YouTube) That Gibberish Tweet From US Strategic Command Came From A Child (The Daily Dot) 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 fossil analysis that bolsters the theory that primates may have lived alongside dinosaurs––and somehow survived extinction. The high school girl who invented color-changing sutures that show when a wound has become infected. And why the filter made famous from the viral Lawyer Cat video was installed as a default setting on thousands of Dell computers. Sponsors: Gabi Insurance, gabi.com/kottke Ladder, ladderlife.com/kottke Links: Did ancient primates walk alongside T. rex? New evidence backs up theory. (National Geographic) Our earliest primate ancestors rapidly spread after dinosaur extinction (Berkeley News) This High Schooler Invented Color-Changing Sutures to Detect Infection (Smithsonian Magazine) That Zoom Call with the Lawyer-Cat, Explained (The New Yorker) Zoom Cat Lawyer Rod Ponton Has Controversial Prosecutor Past (Insider) Forever Given NUMTOT Tinder Is a Dating Site for Transit Nerds (The Atlantic) 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 gargantuan container ship is still blocking traffic from flowing in the Suez Canal, but it has not stemmed the creativity of people online––from memes to fanfic, here’s your Ever Given round-up. Plus, archaeologists have found the oldest yet discovered mass production brewery. And Grape-Nuts are back! Where did they go and what’s the deal with Grape-Nuts anyways? Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Links: We Are All This Boat Now (Wired) Suez Canal Blocked After Container Ship Gets Stuck (NY Times) A Cargo Ship Drew a Giant Dick Pic in the Ocean Then Got Stuck in the Suez Canal (Vice) Ship blocking Suez Canal prompts flood of memes (Al Jazeera) Sweet Suez (All_My_Fandoms_Are_Killing_Me, Archive of Our Own) h/t Ryan Broderick Sea shanty critique (Walter Hickey, Twitter) Former sailor breaks down the "crash" (@Nature_Grrrl, Twitter) Suez Canal Authority's dramatic videos of nothing happening (Josh Billinson, Twitter) Cargo ship stuck in the Suez Canal: Children have ideas for how to move it. (Slate) Is the ship still stuck? Archaeologists found the oldest mass-production brewery in ancient Egyptian ruins (Boing Boing) Abydos beer factory: Ancient large-scale brewery discovered in Egypt (BBC) Grape-Nuts to Offer Refunds to Those Who Overpaid (AARP) Why You Can't Find Grape-Nuts Anywhere (Vice) Thu. 12/17 episode about Kellogg Brothers (Kottke Ride Home) Grape-Nuts Hot: Chorizo - Recipes (Post Consumer Brands) Pepsi and Peeps Have Joined Forces to Create Marshmallow Soda (People) Toilet Paper Shortage Could Return Due to Shipping Container Crisis (Bloomberg) 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

Have you ever wondered who or what comes up with the explanatory blurbs beneath trending terms on Twitter? I’ve got your answer. Your guide to eating and enjoying the Brood X cicadas. And a website to help you out when a word is just on the tip of your tongue. Sponsors: NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial Links: Twitter trends: Who comes up with the descriptions for trending topics? (Slate) The 17-Year Cicadas Are Returning to the East Coast This Summer—and Yes, You Can Eat Them (Food and Wine) Mon. 03/15 - Brood X and Self-Sabotaging Zoom Calls (Kottke Ride Home) The Best Wine and Bug Pairings, According to an Expert (Food and Wine) You Can Eat 17-Year Cicadas Emerging In Georgia (Patch) Cicada-Licious: Cooking and Enjoying Periodical Cicada (University of Maryland Cicadamaniacs) OneLook Reverse Dictionary 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 saga of the shrimp tails in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and what it has to do with Chance the Rapper, women’s basketball, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and Topanga. Scientists have identified the first “space hurricane.” And a round-up of the free stuff you can get if you get your vaccine. Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Links: Man Says He Found Shrimp Tails in Cinnamon Toast Crunch (NY Times) "A man named Karp..." (@HarveyBar22, Twitter) Who Are The Pistol Shrimps? Aubrey Plaza Plays For This LA-Based Basketball Team (Romper) Shrimp tails in Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Jensen Karp says yes (LA Times) Chance the Rapper's connection to Shrimp Tails Guy (Chance the Rapper, Twitter) Cinnamon Toast Crunch tempura shrimp (Chef Andy Lunique, Twitter) My glass-laden salsa (Jackson Bird, Tumblr) Scientists spot a 'space hurricane' for the first time (National Geographic) Here are a few of the freebies for getting the Covid vaccine (CNBC) Krispy Kreme will give you a free doughnut every day this year — if you've been vaccinated (CBS 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

How fast was Forrest Gump running when he jogged across the country? The running community on Reddit did the math. A study has confirmed that some people do actually age faster than others, quite a bit faster in fact. And turns out AIs are way better at coming up with pick-up lines than us humans are. Sponsors: NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial Links: 108 thoughts on “Forrest Gump's Running Route” (Centives) (Request) how many miles did Forrest Gump run (r/TheyDidTheMath) Forrest Gump running pace? (r/running) Study confirms that some people age more slowly (United Press International) By Midlife, Some People Are Already on the Path to the Frailties of Old Age (Duke Health) GPT-3 tries pickup lines (AI Weirdness) Which one is correct: O.K., OK, ok, or okay? (Literary Hub) Kottke.Org Jackson Bird on Twitter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The AI built to tell pastries apart that’s now being used for cancer research. It turns out a large portion of Mars’ water may be hiding in the planet’s crust. And, if one of your online orders got lost, it may now be lurking at the bottom of the ocean. Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Links: The Pastry A.I. That Learned to Fight Cancer (The New Yorker) Mars might be hiding most of its old water underground, scientists say (The Verge) Mars may hide oceans of water beneath its crust, study finds (Space) Where Are Those Shoes You Ordered? Check the Ocean Floor (Wired) The Leslie Jones Cut (Leslie Jones, Twitter) Live feed from Iceland volcano (RÚV) Incredible Drone Videos of an Erupting Volcano (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

The family feud putting the US’s COVID-19 test swab supply at risk. Could we use our food waste and sewage to fuel jets? And the projected symbol that was spotted in towns all around the world last night. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Supply of Swab Tests for Covid-19 Rests on Embattled US Company Puritan (Bloomberg) Could we fuel our jets using our sewage? (Wired) The London Eye Has Been Transformed Into Captain America's Shield, And It's As Cool As It Sounds (BuzzFeed) Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong apparently filed paperwork to run for president as a Republican (Yahoo) 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

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Paris Commune––and it remains as controversial as ever. Scientists have grown a mouse embryo in an artificial womb and have set their sites on human embryos next, speaking of controversy... And why people in Taiwan keep legally changing their names to "Salmon." Sponsors: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: Paris Commune: The revolt dividing France 150 years on (BBC) Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the Twentieth Century by Greil Marcus Revolution, Rebellion, Resistance: The Power of Story by Eric Selbin The Paris Commune Is Still a Beacon for Radical Change (The Jacobin) Vive la Commune? The working-class insurrection that shook the world (The Guardian) A mouse embryo has been grown in an artificial womb—humans could be next (MIT Technology Review) Taiwan official urges people to stop changing their name to 'salmon' (The Guardian) Taiwan warns people against changing their name to 'Salmon' (Washington Post) This Salmon Was Burned Alive - A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix) Season 2 (YouTube) How Sperm Whales Learned to Collectively Outsmart 19th-Century Whalers (Kottke) Studying Humpback Whales to Better Communicate with Aliens (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

Why analog TVs never had channel 37. Spoiler: the answer includes aliens. The rise of bitcoin ATMs. And the pretty amusing self-reported symptoms from the AstraZeneca vaccine. And all the latest breaking marine mammal news. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Why You Generally Can't Find TV Stations on Channel 37 (Tedium) This Month in Physics History (APS News) Bitcoin ATMs are coming to a gas station near you (Reuters) Dogecoin Will Be Available in Bitcoin ATMs Across America (Crypto Briefing) What are AstraZeneca's self-reported side effects? (Quartz) There's a whale in the San Francisco Bay right now, something never before seen in March (SF Gate) ‘Putrid’ stench of rotting whale carcass on Australian beach leaves locals retching (The Guardian) Exploding Whale 50th Anniversary, Remastered! (KATU News, YouTube) Thu. 07/02 - The Exploding Whale Memorial Park (is a real thing) (Kottke Ride Home) Arctic walrus takes a nap on an iceberg, wakes up in Ireland (LiveScience) 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 St. Patrick’s Day, as we know it now, is kind of more of an Irish-American holiday than a purely Irish one. More of the Dead Sea Scrolls have been uncovered in Israel for the first time in sixty years. And the family who decided to really lean into the “time is just a social construct” idea. Sponsors: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: All the pubs in Ireland used to be closed on St. Patrick’s Day (Irish Central) Washington’s Army Celebrated St. Patrick’s Day to Cure Winter Blues (Smithsonian Magazine) A day off from Lent: St Patrick's Day traditions from the past 2019 (RTÉ) Israeli experts announce discovery of more Dead Sea scrolls (AP) Israel Reveals Newly Discovered Fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls (NY Times) Dead Sea Scrolls discoveries are first ancient Bible texts to be found in 60 years (NBC News) Can We Get Rid of Daylight Saving Time? (The Atlantic) Daylight Saving Time By Country (Wikipedia) 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

Brood X is coming: what you need to know about your soon-to-be neighbors. A new discovery in Spain has led to questions about the true role of women in the Bronze Age. The science behind why, once you pop, the fun just don’t stop. And a new app that will purposefully sabotage your Zoom calls. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Giant Brood of Billions of Insects Set to Emerge in US in Mass Synchronized Event (Science Alert) Get ready for Brood X, a swarm of screaming sex-fiend cicadas (A/V Club) Brood X, the great cicada swarm, is coming. And DC is ground zero. (Washington Post) Cicada Safari (SciStarter) Bronze Age Tomb in Spain Hints Women Helped Govern (NY Times) The Science Behind Your Need for One More Potato Chip (NY Times) Zoom Escaper (Sam Lavigne) Welcome to my Homepage Digital Artist Residency Sam Lavigne (@sam_lavigne) It's Been 23 Years (Kottke) Thu. 03/04 - Will NFTs Change How We Buy Music & Movies? (Kottke Ride Home) Will Ferrell gets an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (A Journal of Musical Things) 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 proposal to create a “modern ark” aka scientists want to store sperm and eggs in lava tubes on the moon as a back-up plan in case we accidentally destroy the earth. A new tool that could help us spot deepfakes. And how beer-making used to be women’s work until men figured out how to monetize it and accused women brewers of being witches. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Links: Scientists Want to Send a Massive Load of J--- to the Moon (Vice) Will Experts Send Sperm and Egg Samples to the Moon Through This Modern Noah's Ark? (The Science Times) Mon. 10/26 - Water on the Moon & Oreo's Arctic Vault (Kottke Ride Home) Tool spots deepfake photos via light in the eyes (Futurity) How to spot deepfakes? Look at light reflection in the eyes (University at Buffalo) Robert Downey Jr and Tom Holland in Back to the future - This is heavy! [ deepfake ] (EZRyderX47, YouTube) Biden Delaware back tattoo deepfake (jojobiden46, Tiktok) Women used to dominate the beer industry – until the witch accusations started pouring in (The Conversation) The Ale-Soaked Medieval Origins of the Witch's Hat (Vice) Hops: The beer ingredient (most) drinkers love (Washington Post) The history of the witch's hat: origins of its pointy design. (Slate) How Much Did the History of Beer Have to Do With ... Witches? (The Mary Sue) 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 was written off as a forgery in 1883, but now it’s being reconsidered as the oldest known Biblical manuscript. Also, how the pandemic has affected the names people are choosing for their babies. And how a lake in Turkey may hold the key to finding signs of ancient life on Mars. Sponsors: Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Links: Is a Long-Dismissed Forgery Actually the Oldest Known Biblical Manuscript? (NY Times) Murder Among the Mormons | Official Trailer (Netflix, YouTube) How COVID Influenced Most Popular Baby Names Of 2021 (Refinery29) From ‘Alma’ to ‘Zuri,’ Parents Are Looking for Positive Baby Names (NY Times) What Is Cottagecore? : 1A (NPR) Mars on Earth: Turkish lake may hold clues to ancient life on planet (Reuters) Netflix 'The Last Blockbuster' Docu Release (Hypebeast) If I Did It (Alanna Bennett, Twitter) September Kottke episode mentioning The Last Blockbuster (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

Reflections from a man who quit using the internet right before the pandemic started. A meteorite older than Earth was discovered in the Sahara Desert. And playable music videos? How film and music are pulling more and more from gaming both in terms of tech and mentality. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Links: He Quit the Internet 2 Months Before the Pandemic (NY Times) Scientists Discover Chunk of Protoplanet Older Than Earth In Sahara Desert (Vice) This Is a Piece of a Lost Protoplanet, And It's Officially Older Than Earth (Science Alert) A music video you can play: Indie rock inside the Unity engine (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

Can we find extraterrestrial civilizations by searching the cosmos for their pollutants? Are humans hard-wired to be productive? And what can we learn about leisure from hunter-gatherer societies? Plus, a big uh-oh from HBO Max and masks that are sure to freak out everyone you encounter. Sponsors: Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Links: Can Alien Smog Lead Us to Extraterrestrial Civilizations? (Wired) How Civilization Broke Our Brains (The Atlantic) Zack Snyder's Justice League leaked early on HBO Max (CNET) Maskalike — Your Own Face On A Mask 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 The Simpsons replace their entire cast with AI replicas? A look at the scientific, artistic, and legal possibilities. Researchers have discovered an interesting trait in green tree frogs that they’re describing as built-in noise-canceling headphones. A few highlights from the 1,200 new words added to the German dictionary last year. And a website that lets you play streaming music on a vinyl interface. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Links: Could The Simpsons replace its voice actors with AI deepfakes? (Wired) Digital Image Rights & Right of Publicity (SAG-AFTRA) Treefrogs have noise-cancelling headphones built into their ears (Popular Science) Coronaangst ridden? Overzoomed? Covid inspires 1,200 new German words (The Guardian) Needledrop: A turntable interface for music playback We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy by Caseen Gaines Jack Dorsey is offering to sell the first tweet as an NFT (CNBC) Boot fills Foot’s boots as Shoe Zone finance boss (The Evening Standard) 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

Will warp drive ever be possible? These scientists say they’ve created the first physical model for how it could work. A lookback at the Star Wars immunization PSAs of the 1970s. And a potential new type of COVID-19 test that will double as a form of stress relief. Plus, vaccinated orangutans, SXSW in VR, and the first-ever podcast NFT? Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/GOODNEWS Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: A potential model for a real physical warp drive (Phys.org) Scientists Announce a Physical Warp Drive Is Now Possible. Seriously. (Esquire) Star Wars vaccination PSA: C-3PO and R2-P2 vs. measles and polio (A/V Club) An Oral History of the Star Wars Immunization Campaign (Mel Magazine) Vintage Star Wars C-3PO R2-D2 smoking PSA commercial (Hoth Iceplanet, YouTube) Scream, not swab: Dutch inventor hopes he discovered new COVID test (Reuters) This Trained Singer Teaches Metal Bands How To Scream (Kottke) Looks Like You Need Iceland (Inspired By Iceland) SXSW Will Build a Virtual Downtown Austin for Attendees to Experience in VR (Ad Week) Announcing SXSW Online XR Including the Full Virtual Cinema Program (SXSW) Tech Meme Ride Home NFT (Tech Meme Ride Home) First great apes at US zoo receive COVID-19 vaccine made for animals (National Geographic) 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

Will NFTs bring about an economic and creative revolution for artists and change the way we buy our media? Kings of Leon are willing to give it a shot. A small village in Iceland is making a big bid for Oscar glory. And another small town that just might be the job capital of the U.S. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/GOODNEWS Links: Kings of Leon Will Be the First Band to Release an Album as an NFT (Rolling Stone) Unfortunately, We're Going to Talk About Blockchain Now (The Content Mines, Spotify) NFTs Explained: Why They're Nifty and Terrible (FutureNow, YouTube) “BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH CRYPTOART WILL BE SOLVED SOON, RIGHT?” (Everest Pipkin) "The next 10 years will be a total revolution..." (Raoul Pal, Twitter) "Sounds like a gimmick until..." (Brian Hiatt, Twitter) Undeterred by “Jaja Ding Dong” snub, the town from Eurovision stumps for its Oscar (A/V Club) Óskar for Húsavík – My hometown the job capital of america (BNet) New York City woman finds hidden empty apartment behind her medicine cabinet (Boing Boing) Hidden basement TikTok: Ponder its unseen horrors (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