Curio Cabinet
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May 28, 2025
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
After more than a year of negotiations, the sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese firm Nippon Steel appears close. And it's expected to give an unusual role to the ...
After more than a year of negotiations, the sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese firm Nippon Steel appears close. And it's expected to give an unusual role to the ...
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 28, 2025\fee-ASK-oh\ noun
What It Means
A fiasco is a complete failure or disaster.
// The entire fiasco could have be...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 28, 2025\fee-ASK-oh\ noun
What It Means
A fiasco is a complete failure or disaster.
// The entire fiasco could have be...
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FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Hey, put that baby down! Monkeys have long had a reputation for being mischievous, but one group of capuchin monkeys living on a small Panamanian island have taken things to a new level. Researchers recently reviewed footage of capuchin monkeys on Jicarón Island taken between 2022 and 2023 and saw that several males were carrying kidnapped baby howler monkeys on their backs. No one knows why these males would snatch babies from another monkey species, as the behavior has never been observed in capuchin monkeys before. It could have been a classic case of "monkey see, monkey do”, in which one male might have started the “trend”, then other capuchins imitated him.
It’s telling that new behaviors are still being developed and observed amongst capuchin monkeys all the time. After all, they, like humans, are primates, a group of animals famous for their intelligence. Though capuchins are fairly small, growing to be just 22 inches long and weighing just nine pounds, they’ve got plenty of brain power. Like most primates, they learn through observation and imitation, meaning that if one monkey figures something out, others in their troop can easily pick it up too. Since troops can contain up to 35 monkeys of different ages, specialized behaviors can develop and be passed down in different groups, leading to a wide range of behaviors specific to certain areas.
All five species of capuchin monkeys are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, and they got their name from a strange source. When European explorers first saw the monkeys, with their white faces surrounded by blonde or brown fur, they were reminded of the brown robes of Roman monks, specifically the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, and the name stuck. Unlike monks, though, capuchin monkeys spend most of their time in the treetops, foraging through the canopy for food. Their prehensile tails help keep them grounded as they reach for fruit, or snatch lizards and other small animals from branches. As omnivores, capuchins will eat just about anything that they can fit in their mouths, though they don’t tend to scavenge on carrion the way that omnivores like bears do.
Like most primates, capuchins live in groups composed of a few unrelated, adult males and closely related females and their babies. At around seven years of age, male capuchins leave their birth troops to join other troops or start their own. Living in large groups makes it easy for monkeys to take turns caring for babies and keep one step ahead of predators like jaguars, large snakes, and birds of prey, since lookouts can sound an alarm if one is spotted. In an environment as dangerous as the rainforest, it pays to stick with family.
[Image description: A capuchin monkey reaching for food while sitting on a wooden structure.] Credit & copyright: Christophe Chauvin (Janekvorik), Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.Hey, put that baby down! Monkeys have long had a reputation for being mischievous, but one group of capuchin monkeys living on a small Panamanian island have taken things to a new level. Researchers recently reviewed footage of capuchin monkeys on Jicarón Island taken between 2022 and 2023 and saw that several males were carrying kidnapped baby howler monkeys on their backs. No one knows why these males would snatch babies from another monkey species, as the behavior has never been observed in capuchin monkeys before. It could have been a classic case of "monkey see, monkey do”, in which one male might have started the “trend”, then other capuchins imitated him.
It’s telling that new behaviors are still being developed and observed amongst capuchin monkeys all the time. After all, they, like humans, are primates, a group of animals famous for their intelligence. Though capuchins are fairly small, growing to be just 22 inches long and weighing just nine pounds, they’ve got plenty of brain power. Like most primates, they learn through observation and imitation, meaning that if one monkey figures something out, others in their troop can easily pick it up too. Since troops can contain up to 35 monkeys of different ages, specialized behaviors can develop and be passed down in different groups, leading to a wide range of behaviors specific to certain areas.
All five species of capuchin monkeys are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, and they got their name from a strange source. When European explorers first saw the monkeys, with their white faces surrounded by blonde or brown fur, they were reminded of the brown robes of Roman monks, specifically the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, and the name stuck. Unlike monks, though, capuchin monkeys spend most of their time in the treetops, foraging through the canopy for food. Their prehensile tails help keep them grounded as they reach for fruit, or snatch lizards and other small animals from branches. As omnivores, capuchins will eat just about anything that they can fit in their mouths, though they don’t tend to scavenge on carrion the way that omnivores like bears do.
Like most primates, capuchins live in groups composed of a few unrelated, adult males and closely related females and their babies. At around seven years of age, male capuchins leave their birth troops to join other troops or start their own. Living in large groups makes it easy for monkeys to take turns caring for babies and keep one step ahead of predators like jaguars, large snakes, and birds of prey, since lookouts can sound an alarm if one is spotted. In an environment as dangerous as the rainforest, it pays to stick with family.
[Image description: A capuchin monkey reaching for food while sitting on a wooden structure.] Credit & copyright: Christophe Chauvin (Janekvorik), Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. -
FREEUS History Daily Curio #3089Free1 CQ
What happens when you take the "mutually" out of "mutually assured destruction?” The answer, surprisingly, is a problem. The newly announced missile defense system dubbed the "Golden Dome" is drawing comparisons to President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). While SDI was similar to the Golden Dome in many ways, the circumstances of its conception gave rise to a distinctly different set of issues.
As far as most Americans in the 1980s were concerned, the Cold War was a conflict without end. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were engaged in a morbid and seemingly inescapable mandate—that of mutually assured destruction (MAD). Both sides were armed with thousands of nuclear weapons ready to strike, set to launch in kind should either party decide to use them. In 1983, President Reagan proposed a way for the U.S. to finally gain the elusive upper hand. The plan was called the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), and would have used satellites in space equipped with laser weaponry to shoot down any intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) launched by the Soviet Union.
Critics judged the plan to be infeasible and unrealistic, calling it "Star Wars" after the movie franchise of the same name. Indeed, the technology to make such a defense system didn’t exist yet. Even today, laser weaponry is mostly experimental in nature. Reagan’s plan also had the potential to be a foreign policy disaster. Whereas MAD had made the use of nuclear weapons forbidden by default, by announcing the SDI, the U.S. was announcing that it was essentially ready to take the "mutually" out of MAD. Thus, the very existence of the plan was seen as a sign of aggression, though the infeasible nature of the technology soon eased those concerns. There were also fears that successfully rendering nuclear weapons useless for one side would simply encourage an arms race of another kind. Ultimately, the SDI was scrapped by the 1990s as the end of the Cold War reduced the incentive to develop them. We did end up getting more Star Wars movies though, so that's something.
[Image description: A blue sky with a single, white cloud.] Credit & copyright: Dinkum, Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication.What happens when you take the "mutually" out of "mutually assured destruction?” The answer, surprisingly, is a problem. The newly announced missile defense system dubbed the "Golden Dome" is drawing comparisons to President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). While SDI was similar to the Golden Dome in many ways, the circumstances of its conception gave rise to a distinctly different set of issues.
As far as most Americans in the 1980s were concerned, the Cold War was a conflict without end. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were engaged in a morbid and seemingly inescapable mandate—that of mutually assured destruction (MAD). Both sides were armed with thousands of nuclear weapons ready to strike, set to launch in kind should either party decide to use them. In 1983, President Reagan proposed a way for the U.S. to finally gain the elusive upper hand. The plan was called the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), and would have used satellites in space equipped with laser weaponry to shoot down any intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) launched by the Soviet Union.
Critics judged the plan to be infeasible and unrealistic, calling it "Star Wars" after the movie franchise of the same name. Indeed, the technology to make such a defense system didn’t exist yet. Even today, laser weaponry is mostly experimental in nature. Reagan’s plan also had the potential to be a foreign policy disaster. Whereas MAD had made the use of nuclear weapons forbidden by default, by announcing the SDI, the U.S. was announcing that it was essentially ready to take the "mutually" out of MAD. Thus, the very existence of the plan was seen as a sign of aggression, though the infeasible nature of the technology soon eased those concerns. There were also fears that successfully rendering nuclear weapons useless for one side would simply encourage an arms race of another kind. Ultimately, the SDI was scrapped by the 1990s as the end of the Cold War reduced the incentive to develop them. We did end up getting more Star Wars movies though, so that's something.
[Image description: A blue sky with a single, white cloud.] Credit & copyright: Dinkum, Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication.
May 27, 2025
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The EU Commission has accused Chinese fashion retailer Shein of using illegal commercial practices to mislead customers. Plus, Ta...
From the BBC World Service: The EU Commission has accused Chinese fashion retailer Shein of using illegal commercial practices to mislead customers. Plus, Ta...
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #3088Free1 CQ
The birds, they are a-changin’. New research shows that hummingbird feeders are not only helping hummingbirds expand their range, but driving them to evolve as well. Millions of Americans enjoy leaving out feeders full of sugar water for hummingbirds, simply to catch a glimpse of the tiny, colorful creatures. Such feeders became popular after WWII, though they've been around even longer. Homemade feeders and instructions on how to make them existed for decades before a patent was filed for a mass-produced version in 1947. In the western U.S., Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) have been able to greatly expand their range thanks to the charity of their admirers. More specifically, they've been able to go further north, out of their usual Southern California range. Part of their expansion has to do with the eucalyptus trees that were planted throughout California in the 19th century, but the feeders are mostly responsible.
There's also something subtler going on with the SoCal natives thanks to those feeders. Their beaks have been changing over the last few generations, probably to be more efficient at drawing the nectar from feeders as opposed to flowers. According to researchers, Anna's hummingbirds’ beaks have been getting longer and more tapered, showing that the feeders have become more than a supplementary source of sustenance for the birds—they’re now central to their diet. The birds are even prioritizing manmade feeders over flowers in some areas. Researchers believe that hummingbirds have come to prefer them since the feeders are practically inexhaustible sources of “nectar” compared to flowers. Birds may even be competing for who gets to stay at them the longest. Those flitting balls of feathers are ready to throw down for some good sugar water.
[Image description: A blue hummingbird sipping at a red feeder.] Credit & copyright: Someguy1221, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Someguy1221. This applies worldwide.The birds, they are a-changin’. New research shows that hummingbird feeders are not only helping hummingbirds expand their range, but driving them to evolve as well. Millions of Americans enjoy leaving out feeders full of sugar water for hummingbirds, simply to catch a glimpse of the tiny, colorful creatures. Such feeders became popular after WWII, though they've been around even longer. Homemade feeders and instructions on how to make them existed for decades before a patent was filed for a mass-produced version in 1947. In the western U.S., Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) have been able to greatly expand their range thanks to the charity of their admirers. More specifically, they've been able to go further north, out of their usual Southern California range. Part of their expansion has to do with the eucalyptus trees that were planted throughout California in the 19th century, but the feeders are mostly responsible.
There's also something subtler going on with the SoCal natives thanks to those feeders. Their beaks have been changing over the last few generations, probably to be more efficient at drawing the nectar from feeders as opposed to flowers. According to researchers, Anna's hummingbirds’ beaks have been getting longer and more tapered, showing that the feeders have become more than a supplementary source of sustenance for the birds—they’re now central to their diet. The birds are even prioritizing manmade feeders over flowers in some areas. Researchers believe that hummingbirds have come to prefer them since the feeders are practically inexhaustible sources of “nectar” compared to flowers. Birds may even be competing for who gets to stay at them the longest. Those flitting balls of feathers are ready to throw down for some good sugar water.
[Image description: A blue hummingbird sipping at a red feeder.] Credit & copyright: Someguy1221, Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Someguy1221. This applies worldwide.
May 26, 2025
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 26, 2025\kuh-MEM-uh-rayt\ verb
What It Means
Something, such as a plaque, statue, or parade, is said to commemorate an ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 26, 2025\kuh-MEM-uh-rayt\ verb
What It Means
Something, such as a plaque, statue, or parade, is said to commemorate an ...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's a grisly sight, but the real version was surely worse. The death of Hector Munro, a British cadet in India in the late 1700s, is forever remembered thanks to a sculpture depicting his harrowing final moments. The Death of Munrow depicts a man in a red military uniform with his head in the mouth of a large tiger. The man and the tiger are both situated on a stand labeled "The Death of Munrow." Hector Munro, whose last name is misspelled on the sculpture’s base, was just a 16-year-old cadet when he attended an expedition to Sangor Island. The island is located in Bengal, famed for its Bengal tigers, and the young man met his early demise thanks to one of the ferocious predators. The story eventually reached the ears of Tipu Sultan of Mysore, who hated the British and had a life-sized mechanical organ created depicting the death of the young cadet. After the British seized the organ in 1799, it was brought to Munro's homeland where it inspired the creation of this ceramic copy. Inspiration strikes at the most unexpected times, and so do tigers, much to Munro's misfortune.
The Death of Munrow, ca. 1820–30, Lead-glazed earthenware with enamel decoration, 11 × 14.37 × 5.75 in. (27.9 × 36.5 × 14.6 cm.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
[Image credit & copyright: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase, Funds from various donors, The Charles E. Sampson Memorial Fund, and The Malcolm Hewitt Wiener Foundation Gift, in memory of George Munroe, 2016. Public Domain.It's a grisly sight, but the real version was surely worse. The death of Hector Munro, a British cadet in India in the late 1700s, is forever remembered thanks to a sculpture depicting his harrowing final moments. The Death of Munrow depicts a man in a red military uniform with his head in the mouth of a large tiger. The man and the tiger are both situated on a stand labeled "The Death of Munrow." Hector Munro, whose last name is misspelled on the sculpture’s base, was just a 16-year-old cadet when he attended an expedition to Sangor Island. The island is located in Bengal, famed for its Bengal tigers, and the young man met his early demise thanks to one of the ferocious predators. The story eventually reached the ears of Tipu Sultan of Mysore, who hated the British and had a life-sized mechanical organ created depicting the death of the young cadet. After the British seized the organ in 1799, it was brought to Munro's homeland where it inspired the creation of this ceramic copy. Inspiration strikes at the most unexpected times, and so do tigers, much to Munro's misfortune.
The Death of Munrow, ca. 1820–30, Lead-glazed earthenware with enamel decoration, 11 × 14.37 × 5.75 in. (27.9 × 36.5 × 14.6 cm.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
[Image credit & copyright: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase, Funds from various donors, The Charles E. Sampson Memorial Fund, and The Malcolm Hewitt Wiener Foundation Gift, in memory of George Munroe, 2016. Public Domain. -
FREEScience Daily Curio #3087Free1 CQ
Where there's smoke, there's fire; and where there's green, there's bound to be lava. At least, that's what scientists are beginning to believe after looking at satellite images of trees growing near volcanoes. As destructive as volcanic eruptions can be, there's never been a reliable way to predict them. That's a huge problem for the many communities around the world that live around active volcanoes. Sure, not all eruptions are cataclysmic events filled with pyroclastic blasts, but lava is dangerous no matter how you look at it. Until now, scientists have been able to gauge the risk of a volcanic eruption happening by measuring seismic waves and even the rise of the ground level around a volcano, but such data can't show exactly when the eruption will occur. Yet, there may be hope of accurately forecasting eruptions in the future.
For a long time, scientists have noticed that trees near volcanoes get greener before eruptions. Apparently, as magma builds up under the Earth's crust, it creates pressure underground that forces carbon dioxide to rise through the surface, which in turn feeds the trees and helps them grow. It seems simple enough, then, to measure the increase in carbon dioxide levels, but even the amount that comes up through the ground to jazz up the greenery isn't easily measurable with existing equipment. Compared to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the amount that comes up is too small. However, using satellite images provided by NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, volcanologists are figuring out how to measure these carbon dioxide changes indirectly by tracking the surrounding vegetation instead. The process still requires more data to get a better understanding of the correlation between volcanoes and changes in the plants around them, and it won't help with volcanoes that are located in environments without vegetation, but it might one day help protect the 10 percent of the world's population who live near active volcanos. Until then, may cooler eruptions prevail.
[Image description: A cluster of oak leaves against a green background.] Credit & copyright: W.carter, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Where there's smoke, there's fire; and where there's green, there's bound to be lava. At least, that's what scientists are beginning to believe after looking at satellite images of trees growing near volcanoes. As destructive as volcanic eruptions can be, there's never been a reliable way to predict them. That's a huge problem for the many communities around the world that live around active volcanoes. Sure, not all eruptions are cataclysmic events filled with pyroclastic blasts, but lava is dangerous no matter how you look at it. Until now, scientists have been able to gauge the risk of a volcanic eruption happening by measuring seismic waves and even the rise of the ground level around a volcano, but such data can't show exactly when the eruption will occur. Yet, there may be hope of accurately forecasting eruptions in the future.
For a long time, scientists have noticed that trees near volcanoes get greener before eruptions. Apparently, as magma builds up under the Earth's crust, it creates pressure underground that forces carbon dioxide to rise through the surface, which in turn feeds the trees and helps them grow. It seems simple enough, then, to measure the increase in carbon dioxide levels, but even the amount that comes up through the ground to jazz up the greenery isn't easily measurable with existing equipment. Compared to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the amount that comes up is too small. However, using satellite images provided by NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, volcanologists are figuring out how to measure these carbon dioxide changes indirectly by tracking the surrounding vegetation instead. The process still requires more data to get a better understanding of the correlation between volcanoes and changes in the plants around them, and it won't help with volcanoes that are located in environments without vegetation, but it might one day help protect the 10 percent of the world's population who live near active volcanos. Until then, may cooler eruptions prevail.
[Image description: A cluster of oak leaves against a green background.] Credit & copyright: W.carter, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The Port of Los Angeles says 20% of container shipments this month were canceled in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariffs. Even though those tariffs w...
The Port of Los Angeles says 20% of container shipments this month were canceled in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariffs. Even though those tariffs w...
May 25, 2025
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 25, 2025\diss-PEP-tik\ adjective
What It Means
Dyspeptic is a formal and old-fashioned word used to describe someone wh...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 25, 2025\diss-PEP-tik\ adjective
What It Means
Dyspeptic is a formal and old-fashioned word used to describe someone wh...
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
After a white police officer murdered George Floyd in Minneapolis, big banks announced plans to invest millions of dollars in smaller, Black-owned banks acro...
After a white police officer murdered George Floyd in Minneapolis, big banks announced plans to invest millions of dollars in smaller, Black-owned banks acro...
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Jumping jackalopes! Of all the hoaxes that anyone ever tried to pull off, the myth of the jackalope might be the most harmless. In fact, it proved surprisingly helpful. More than just a jackrabbit with a pair of antlers, the jackalope is the continuation of a surprisingly old myth and has even played a part in the development of a life-saving medical advancement.
On the surface, the jackalope is a fairly simple mythical beast. Most accounts describe it as looking like a black-tailed jackrabbit with a pair of antlers like a deer. Jackrabbits, despite their name, are actually hares, not rabbits. They have long, wide ears that stretch out from their heads and longer, leaner looking bodies than their rabbit cousins. None of them have antlers, though, and none of them have the same kinds of legends attached to them that jackalopes do.
Jackalopes aren’t exactly grand mythical beasts. They don’t guard treasure, as dragons do. They aren’t immortal, like phoenixes. They don’t lure humans to their deaths, like sirens, or perplex them with riddles, like sphynxes. Mostly, jackalopes just like to bother people for fun. Some claim that jackalopes will harmonize with cowboys singing by a campfire, and will only mate during lightning storms. It might be bad luck to hunt jackalopes, but some stories posit that the beasts can be easily tricked. Someone wishing to trap a jackalope can supposedly lure one by setting out a bowl of whiskey. Once a jackalope is drunk, it will be filled with bravado and believe that it can catch bullets with its teeth. But jackalopes are also able to catch hunters unawares thanks to their extraordinary vocal talents. Aside from their singing abilities, jackalopes can supposedly throw voices and mimic different sounds, even the ringtone of a hunter's phone.
Jackalopes are far from the only rabbit or hare tricksters in folklore, nor are they the only ones to have horns. In fact, stories of horned rabbits date back centuries. Europeans even officially recognized the supposed Lepus cornutus as a real species of horned hare, though it never really existed. The jackalope, however, is a purely American invention, cooked up by brothers Douglas and Ralph Herrick in 1932. According to their story, first revealed in Ralph's obituary in 2003, the brothers taxidermed a jackrabbit and attached horns to it themselves. They sold the taxidermed piece to a local bar for $10, and eventually started producing them en masse. While the Herrick brothers might have given rise to the popularity of the modern jackrabbit myth, the preexisting accounts of horned rabbits and hares might have been inspired by something less playful. Rabbits and hares around the world are vulnerable to a virus called Shope papillomavirus, named after Richard Shope, who discovered it in—coincidentally—1932. The virus is similar to the human papillomavirus (HPV), but unlike HPV, which causes cancer, Shope papillomavirus causes keratinized growths that can resemble horns to grow out of the skin. These growths can eventually get large enough to hinder the animal's health, and if it grows around the mouth, it can affect their ability to eat.
One animal's tragedy, it seems, can be another's treasure. The Shope papillomavirus was the first virus found to lead to cancer in a mammal, and this discovery led to advancements in human cancer research. In the 1970s, German virologist Harald zur Hausen proved that HPV was the main culprit for cervical cancer. Later, in the 1980s, Isabelle Giri published the complete genomic sequence of the Shope papillomavirus, which turned out to be similar to HPV. All these findings, of course, eventually led to the development of the HPV vaccine, which immunizes people against most strains of HPV responsible for causing cancer. Those are some leaps and bounds that even a jackalope would struggle to make.
[Image description: An illustration showing a squirrel, two rabbits, and a jackalope inside an oval. The jackalope sits in the center.] Credit & copyright: National Gallery of Art, Joris Hoefnagel, (Flemish, 1542 - 1600). Gift of Mrs. Lessing J. Rosenwald. Pubic Domain.Jumping jackalopes! Of all the hoaxes that anyone ever tried to pull off, the myth of the jackalope might be the most harmless. In fact, it proved surprisingly helpful. More than just a jackrabbit with a pair of antlers, the jackalope is the continuation of a surprisingly old myth and has even played a part in the development of a life-saving medical advancement.
On the surface, the jackalope is a fairly simple mythical beast. Most accounts describe it as looking like a black-tailed jackrabbit with a pair of antlers like a deer. Jackrabbits, despite their name, are actually hares, not rabbits. They have long, wide ears that stretch out from their heads and longer, leaner looking bodies than their rabbit cousins. None of them have antlers, though, and none of them have the same kinds of legends attached to them that jackalopes do.
Jackalopes aren’t exactly grand mythical beasts. They don’t guard treasure, as dragons do. They aren’t immortal, like phoenixes. They don’t lure humans to their deaths, like sirens, or perplex them with riddles, like sphynxes. Mostly, jackalopes just like to bother people for fun. Some claim that jackalopes will harmonize with cowboys singing by a campfire, and will only mate during lightning storms. It might be bad luck to hunt jackalopes, but some stories posit that the beasts can be easily tricked. Someone wishing to trap a jackalope can supposedly lure one by setting out a bowl of whiskey. Once a jackalope is drunk, it will be filled with bravado and believe that it can catch bullets with its teeth. But jackalopes are also able to catch hunters unawares thanks to their extraordinary vocal talents. Aside from their singing abilities, jackalopes can supposedly throw voices and mimic different sounds, even the ringtone of a hunter's phone.
Jackalopes are far from the only rabbit or hare tricksters in folklore, nor are they the only ones to have horns. In fact, stories of horned rabbits date back centuries. Europeans even officially recognized the supposed Lepus cornutus as a real species of horned hare, though it never really existed. The jackalope, however, is a purely American invention, cooked up by brothers Douglas and Ralph Herrick in 1932. According to their story, first revealed in Ralph's obituary in 2003, the brothers taxidermed a jackrabbit and attached horns to it themselves. They sold the taxidermed piece to a local bar for $10, and eventually started producing them en masse. While the Herrick brothers might have given rise to the popularity of the modern jackrabbit myth, the preexisting accounts of horned rabbits and hares might have been inspired by something less playful. Rabbits and hares around the world are vulnerable to a virus called Shope papillomavirus, named after Richard Shope, who discovered it in—coincidentally—1932. The virus is similar to the human papillomavirus (HPV), but unlike HPV, which causes cancer, Shope papillomavirus causes keratinized growths that can resemble horns to grow out of the skin. These growths can eventually get large enough to hinder the animal's health, and if it grows around the mouth, it can affect their ability to eat.
One animal's tragedy, it seems, can be another's treasure. The Shope papillomavirus was the first virus found to lead to cancer in a mammal, and this discovery led to advancements in human cancer research. In the 1970s, German virologist Harald zur Hausen proved that HPV was the main culprit for cervical cancer. Later, in the 1980s, Isabelle Giri published the complete genomic sequence of the Shope papillomavirus, which turned out to be similar to HPV. All these findings, of course, eventually led to the development of the HPV vaccine, which immunizes people against most strains of HPV responsible for causing cancer. Those are some leaps and bounds that even a jackalope would struggle to make.
[Image description: An illustration showing a squirrel, two rabbits, and a jackalope inside an oval. The jackalope sits in the center.] Credit & copyright: National Gallery of Art, Joris Hoefnagel, (Flemish, 1542 - 1600). Gift of Mrs. Lessing J. Rosenwald. Pubic Domain.
May 24, 2025
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
Sales of existing homes fell in April to about 4 million a year. For comparison, almost 7 million existing homes were sold each year from 2020 to 2022. The r...
Sales of existing homes fell in April to about 4 million a year. For comparison, almost 7 million existing homes were sold each year from 2020 to 2022. The r...
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FREESports Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
She didn't set out to be the first, and she hopes she won't be the last. Ayami Sato just became the first female baseball player to be signed with a professional men's team in Canada, and she's ready to play. Sato isn't the first female player ever to sign with a professional men's team, but she is the first in Canada. The first woman to ever play for a men's team was 16-year-old Jackie Mitchell, who signed with the Chattanooga Lookouts. Though she managed to strike out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game, her contract was made null and void by then-commissioner Kenesaw Landis, who also banned women from playing in the MLB. Like Mitchell, Sato is also a pitcher who has already made a name for herself by leading the Japanese team to the Women’s Baseball World Cup championships six times in a row. Now, after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club of the Intercounty Baseball League, she will be on the pitcher's mound once more. With a pitch of around 80 miles-per-hour, she doesn't have the most speedy throw, but she has a trick up her sleeve—a higher-than-average spin rate that makes her pitches harder to hit. Is it adding insult to injury if a pitcher makes you dizzy before striking you out?
She didn't set out to be the first, and she hopes she won't be the last. Ayami Sato just became the first female baseball player to be signed with a professional men's team in Canada, and she's ready to play. Sato isn't the first female player ever to sign with a professional men's team, but she is the first in Canada. The first woman to ever play for a men's team was 16-year-old Jackie Mitchell, who signed with the Chattanooga Lookouts. Though she managed to strike out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game, her contract was made null and void by then-commissioner Kenesaw Landis, who also banned women from playing in the MLB. Like Mitchell, Sato is also a pitcher who has already made a name for herself by leading the Japanese team to the Women’s Baseball World Cup championships six times in a row. Now, after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club of the Intercounty Baseball League, she will be on the pitcher's mound once more. With a pitch of around 80 miles-per-hour, she doesn't have the most speedy throw, but she has a trick up her sleeve—a higher-than-average spin rate that makes her pitches harder to hit. Is it adding insult to injury if a pitcher makes you dizzy before striking you out?
May 23, 2025
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Japan's inflation rate is heating up, hitting its fastest pace in more than two years: 3.5% in April. That could mean higher inte...
From the BBC World Service: Japan's inflation rate is heating up, hitting its fastest pace in more than two years: 3.5% in April. That could mean higher inte...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 23, 2025\BAS-chun\ noun
What It Means
A bastion is a place or system in which something (such as an idea) is protected ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 23, 2025\BAS-chun\ noun
What It Means
A bastion is a place or system in which something (such as an idea) is protected ...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Sweet, gooey, spicy…nice! Cinnamon rolls are beloved throughout much of the world for their unique softness and interesting shape. Although they’re not as heavily associated with their country of origin as macarons are with France or as cannolis are with Italy, cinnamon rolls were almost certainly invented in Sweden. The country even celebrates their native pastry every on a special day each year.
Cinnamon rolls are made from yeast-leavened, enriched dough. This dough adds butter, sugar, and eggs to the usual flour and milk, which helps make it soft and puffy. The dough is then spread out and rolled up, buttered, then sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar, and sometimes toppings like raisins or nuts. After baking, cinnamon rolls are often drizzled with thick icing.
Ancient Romans began using cinnamon from Sri Lanka centuries before it became common in other European countries. Besides food, the Romans used cinnamon in perfumes, religious incense, and for medicinal purposes. It was likely the Romans that introduced Sweden to cinnamon. The first record of its use there is a 14th century recipe for mulled beer, but it wasn’t long before it made its way into Swedish pastries. By the 17th century, cinnamon was common throughout Europe, and various European desserts called for it, but none were as similar to modern cinnamon rolls as Swedish kanelbulles, or “cinnamon buns.” There are some differences, though. Kanelbulle dough usually contains cardamom, for one thing. They’re also not usually iced, and are instead topped with pearl sugar.
A Swedish population boom coupled with a difficult Swedish economy caused millions of Swedes to immigrate to the U.S. starting in the early 19th century. They brought their pastries with them, and cinnamon roll hotspots began popping up across the country. They became particularly popular in Philadelphia, where German immigrants made them even sweeter (and gooier) by adding molasses and brown sugar. At some point, probably after World War II, icing became a common staple of American cinnamon rolls, taking the soft pastries’ sweetness to a new level. Count on the U.S. to find new ways to add even more sugar to their snacks.
[Image description: A plate of cinnamon rolls with white icing.] Credit & copyright: Alcinoe, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.Sweet, gooey, spicy…nice! Cinnamon rolls are beloved throughout much of the world for their unique softness and interesting shape. Although they’re not as heavily associated with their country of origin as macarons are with France or as cannolis are with Italy, cinnamon rolls were almost certainly invented in Sweden. The country even celebrates their native pastry every on a special day each year.
Cinnamon rolls are made from yeast-leavened, enriched dough. This dough adds butter, sugar, and eggs to the usual flour and milk, which helps make it soft and puffy. The dough is then spread out and rolled up, buttered, then sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar, and sometimes toppings like raisins or nuts. After baking, cinnamon rolls are often drizzled with thick icing.
Ancient Romans began using cinnamon from Sri Lanka centuries before it became common in other European countries. Besides food, the Romans used cinnamon in perfumes, religious incense, and for medicinal purposes. It was likely the Romans that introduced Sweden to cinnamon. The first record of its use there is a 14th century recipe for mulled beer, but it wasn’t long before it made its way into Swedish pastries. By the 17th century, cinnamon was common throughout Europe, and various European desserts called for it, but none were as similar to modern cinnamon rolls as Swedish kanelbulles, or “cinnamon buns.” There are some differences, though. Kanelbulle dough usually contains cardamom, for one thing. They’re also not usually iced, and are instead topped with pearl sugar.
A Swedish population boom coupled with a difficult Swedish economy caused millions of Swedes to immigrate to the U.S. starting in the early 19th century. They brought their pastries with them, and cinnamon roll hotspots began popping up across the country. They became particularly popular in Philadelphia, where German immigrants made them even sweeter (and gooier) by adding molasses and brown sugar. At some point, probably after World War II, icing became a common staple of American cinnamon rolls, taking the soft pastries’ sweetness to a new level. Count on the U.S. to find new ways to add even more sugar to their snacks.
[Image description: A plate of cinnamon rolls with white icing.] Credit & copyright: Alcinoe, Wikimedia Commons. The copyright holder of this work has released it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.
May 22, 2025
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: China might not be the first country you think of when it comes to the Arctic, but it’s staking a claim, calling itself a near-Ar...
From the BBC World Service: China might not be the first country you think of when it comes to the Arctic, but it’s staking a claim, calling itself a near-Ar...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 22, 2025\VAHL-yuh-bul\ adjective
What It Means
Someone may be described as voluble if they are talking a lot in a rapid...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 22, 2025\VAHL-yuh-bul\ adjective
What It Means
Someone may be described as voluble if they are talking a lot in a rapid...
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FREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Oh, how the mighty have fallen! The gas giant Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, but a new study published in Nature Astronomy by researchers at Caltech and the University of Michigan claims that it used to be far larger. Besides being large, Jupiter is also extremely influential. Its tremendous gravitational pull contributed greatly to the orbits of other planets, and it has even acted as a shield against asteroids and comets that might have impacted Earth. Today, Jupiter is as large as 1,000 Earths, but in its early days it was even larger. According to the researchers, Jupiter’s diameter was once twice as large as it currently is, when the solar system was just 3.8 million years old. Its magnetic field was also 50 times stronger than it is today. Researchers were able to determine the original size of the planet in its primordial form by analyzing the orbits of two of its moons, Amalthea and Thebe. These two moons have tilted orbits, and the path they take around Jupiter could have only formed when the planet was larger. Jupiter’s larger size might also mean that the planet played an even greater role in shaping the solar system as the other planets were forming or settling into their orbits. Sometimes it takes a bigger sibling to get the little ones in line.
[Image description: A starry night sky above a line of pine trees.] Credit & copyright: tommy haugsveen, Pexels
Oh, how the mighty have fallen! The gas giant Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, but a new study published in Nature Astronomy by researchers at Caltech and the University of Michigan claims that it used to be far larger. Besides being large, Jupiter is also extremely influential. Its tremendous gravitational pull contributed greatly to the orbits of other planets, and it has even acted as a shield against asteroids and comets that might have impacted Earth. Today, Jupiter is as large as 1,000 Earths, but in its early days it was even larger. According to the researchers, Jupiter’s diameter was once twice as large as it currently is, when the solar system was just 3.8 million years old. Its magnetic field was also 50 times stronger than it is today. Researchers were able to determine the original size of the planet in its primordial form by analyzing the orbits of two of its moons, Amalthea and Thebe. These two moons have tilted orbits, and the path they take around Jupiter could have only formed when the planet was larger. Jupiter’s larger size might also mean that the planet played an even greater role in shaping the solar system as the other planets were forming or settling into their orbits. Sometimes it takes a bigger sibling to get the little ones in line.
[Image description: A starry night sky above a line of pine trees.] Credit & copyright: tommy haugsveen, Pexels
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FREEEngineering Daily Curio #3086Free1 CQ
Nothing's worse than having your fate up in the air when you’re up in the air. A passenger aircraft belonging to the German airline Lufthansa recently reached its destination safely despite neither pilot being at the controls for a time, and it was all thanks to the plane’s autopilot system. Autopilot is a tremendous help to modern day pilots, but it wasn’t always as reliable as it is today.
Last year, a Lufthansa plane carrying 199 passengers from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, encountered a potential disaster. While the captain was away from the flight deck, the first officer became unconscious. When the captain attempted to return to the cockpit, he found himself locked out without any response from his colleague. Fortunately, the first officer regained consciousness within a matter of minutes, but for a time—however brief—no human pilot was at the controls of the plane. The incident has only recently been publicly revealed by the airline after an investigation took place.
In the early days of aviation, such a situation would have certainly led to tragedy. Older aircraft required the constant and meticulous attention of their pilots, who had to make minute adjustments to keep their planes aloft. The first autopilot system was invented by Lawrence Sperry, whose gyroscopic automatic pilot (nicknamed "George") automatically kept planes in balance. The first digital autopilot systems were developed in the 1970s in response to data showing that most crashes occurred due to human error. Today, autopilot systems are usually integrated into a plane's flight management system, and most of the small adjustments are taken care of by onboard computers. Contrary to popular belief, autopilot systems can't fully control a plane over the entire course of its journey. Pilots fully control aircraft during takeoff and landing, which are the most difficult parts of most flights. They also maintain communication with ground crews so that they can change course in case of emergencies, stay clear of other aircraft, and let airports know exactly when they’ll be landing. Autopilots mainly maintain a plane’s course and altitude, including in emergencies. It’s a life-saving invention for sure, but most people would probably still prefer that their pilot be conscious.
[Image description: A blue sky with a single, white cloud.] Credit & copyright: Dinkum, Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication.Nothing's worse than having your fate up in the air when you’re up in the air. A passenger aircraft belonging to the German airline Lufthansa recently reached its destination safely despite neither pilot being at the controls for a time, and it was all thanks to the plane’s autopilot system. Autopilot is a tremendous help to modern day pilots, but it wasn’t always as reliable as it is today.
Last year, a Lufthansa plane carrying 199 passengers from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, encountered a potential disaster. While the captain was away from the flight deck, the first officer became unconscious. When the captain attempted to return to the cockpit, he found himself locked out without any response from his colleague. Fortunately, the first officer regained consciousness within a matter of minutes, but for a time—however brief—no human pilot was at the controls of the plane. The incident has only recently been publicly revealed by the airline after an investigation took place.
In the early days of aviation, such a situation would have certainly led to tragedy. Older aircraft required the constant and meticulous attention of their pilots, who had to make minute adjustments to keep their planes aloft. The first autopilot system was invented by Lawrence Sperry, whose gyroscopic automatic pilot (nicknamed "George") automatically kept planes in balance. The first digital autopilot systems were developed in the 1970s in response to data showing that most crashes occurred due to human error. Today, autopilot systems are usually integrated into a plane's flight management system, and most of the small adjustments are taken care of by onboard computers. Contrary to popular belief, autopilot systems can't fully control a plane over the entire course of its journey. Pilots fully control aircraft during takeoff and landing, which are the most difficult parts of most flights. They also maintain communication with ground crews so that they can change course in case of emergencies, stay clear of other aircraft, and let airports know exactly when they’ll be landing. Autopilots mainly maintain a plane’s course and altitude, including in emergencies. It’s a life-saving invention for sure, but most people would probably still prefer that their pilot be conscious.
[Image description: A blue sky with a single, white cloud.] Credit & copyright: Dinkum, Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication.