Photo Curio
A picture is worth a thousand words. And a CQ point.
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May 20, 2025
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Chinese EV battery maker CATL, which supplies batteries for Tesla and Toyota, has just gone public on Hong Kong's stock exchange,...
From the BBC World Service: Chinese EV battery maker CATL, which supplies batteries for Tesla and Toyota, has just gone public on Hong Kong's stock exchange,...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 20, 2025\shuh-GRIN\ noun
What It Means
Chagrin refers to a feeling of frustration or annoyance caused by failure or dis...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 20, 2025\shuh-GRIN\ noun
What It Means
Chagrin refers to a feeling of frustration or annoyance caused by failure or dis...
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FREEPhysics Daily Curio #3084Free1 CQ
When it comes to the end date of the universe, what's a few orders of magnitude? Scientists at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, have found that the universe might end much earlier than expected—but it's still a very, very long way away.
Estimating the universe’s remaining days might seem like an unfathomably impossible task, but physicists have come up with a few ways to figure it out. One method involves calculating how long it takes for stars to die. Larger stars collapse in on themselves, cause supernovas, and become black holes. Smaller stars will leave a nebula when they die, as well as a hot, dense core called a white dwarf. Most stars in the universe will become white dwarves in about 17 trillion years, but the story doesn't end there. Both white dwarves and black holes decay over time, and they do so at an astronomically glacial pace. Their decay releases Hawking radiation, named after the late astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who first predicted the process.
Hawking only ever posited that black holes would decay in this way, but the scientists at Radboud University believe that white dwarves can also decay similarly. Since white dwarves were believed to linger on much longer, it was believed that it would take around 10 to the power of 1,100 years for the last remaining stars to die out for good. However, if they decay similarly to black holes, that number comes way down. That's not to say that it will happen anytime soon. It will still be another 10 to the power of 78 years, or one quinvigintillion years. By then, there certainly won't be anyone left to say, "Lights out!"
[Image description: A starry sky above a line of dark trees] Credit & copyright: tommy haugsveen, PexelsWhen it comes to the end date of the universe, what's a few orders of magnitude? Scientists at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, have found that the universe might end much earlier than expected—but it's still a very, very long way away.
Estimating the universe’s remaining days might seem like an unfathomably impossible task, but physicists have come up with a few ways to figure it out. One method involves calculating how long it takes for stars to die. Larger stars collapse in on themselves, cause supernovas, and become black holes. Smaller stars will leave a nebula when they die, as well as a hot, dense core called a white dwarf. Most stars in the universe will become white dwarves in about 17 trillion years, but the story doesn't end there. Both white dwarves and black holes decay over time, and they do so at an astronomically glacial pace. Their decay releases Hawking radiation, named after the late astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who first predicted the process.
Hawking only ever posited that black holes would decay in this way, but the scientists at Radboud University believe that white dwarves can also decay similarly. Since white dwarves were believed to linger on much longer, it was believed that it would take around 10 to the power of 1,100 years for the last remaining stars to die out for good. However, if they decay similarly to black holes, that number comes way down. That's not to say that it will happen anytime soon. It will still be another 10 to the power of 78 years, or one quinvigintillion years. By then, there certainly won't be anyone left to say, "Lights out!"
[Image description: A starry sky above a line of dark trees] Credit & copyright: tommy haugsveen, Pexels -
FREEBlues Piano Song CurioFree2 CQ
He might be a folk legend, but that doesn’t mean he can’t sing the blues. At a recent concert in Chula Vista, California, folk legend Bob Dylan busted out some unexpected tunes. First was a performance of Ricky Nelson’s 1972 hit Garden Party, then a rendition of 1963’s Share Your Love with Me by Bobbly Bland. The latter song rocketed to fame after it was covered by Kenny Rogers and, most famously, Aretha Franklin. But famed blues artist Bobby “Blue” Bland was its original singer, and it helped make him one of the first defining voices in soul and R&B. While the track is quite different from modern blues, with its easygoing sound, its lyrics are still about unrequited love and it features plenty of heavy strings—the classic instrumental signifier of heartbreak. Although Bland’s version of the song only reached 42 on the Billboard Hot 100, Aretha Franklin’s version reached number 13, and spent five weeks atop the Best Selling Soul Singles chart in 1969. It even won her a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance the following year. From Bobby to Aretha to Bob Dylan, this blues anthem just keeps reincarnating.
He might be a folk legend, but that doesn’t mean he can’t sing the blues. At a recent concert in Chula Vista, California, folk legend Bob Dylan busted out some unexpected tunes. First was a performance of Ricky Nelson’s 1972 hit Garden Party, then a rendition of 1963’s Share Your Love with Me by Bobbly Bland. The latter song rocketed to fame after it was covered by Kenny Rogers and, most famously, Aretha Franklin. But famed blues artist Bobby “Blue” Bland was its original singer, and it helped make him one of the first defining voices in soul and R&B. While the track is quite different from modern blues, with its easygoing sound, its lyrics are still about unrequited love and it features plenty of heavy strings—the classic instrumental signifier of heartbreak. Although Bland’s version of the song only reached 42 on the Billboard Hot 100, Aretha Franklin’s version reached number 13, and spent five weeks atop the Best Selling Soul Singles chart in 1969. It even won her a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance the following year. From Bobby to Aretha to Bob Dylan, this blues anthem just keeps reincarnating.
May 19, 2025
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #3083Free1 CQ
Here’s something from the lost-and-found bin of history. The lost colony of Roanoke is one of the most enduring mysteries in American history, but one self-proclaimed amateur archaeologist now says that he’s solved it. Either way, the story of Roanoke is equal parts intriguing and tragic.
Before Jamestown, the first successful English colony in America, attempts were made to establish a colony on Roanoke Island (located in what is now North Carolina). The colony was meant to serve as England's foothold on the "New World" as they competed against the Spanish, and would have served as a base of operations for English privateers. However, the first attempt in 1585 by Ralph Lane ended in disaster, especially after relations with the nearby Algonquians soured. The second attempt, which began in 1587, lasted just a few months before one of the colonists, John White, had to return to England to raise supplies and funding. White left behind his wife, daughter and granddaughter, the first English child to be born in America. When he returned three years later, however, White’s family was nowhere to be found. Carved into nearby trees was "CROATOAN," referring to the Native American tribe who lived on Hatteras Island. Tragically, dangerous weather kept White from reaching the island, and he was forced to return to an England that had lost interest in the colony.
White died in 1606, never having found his family, but there have been some clues and hoaxes regarding their ultimate fate. Artifacts known as the Dare Stones inscribed with writing supposedly tell the story of the survivors, though their authenticity isn't widely accepted. Archaeologists have found traces of settlements nearby that may have belonged to Roanoke colonists who scattered around the area. Now, Scott Dawson, the president of the Croatian Archaeological Society, claims to have found remnants of hammerscale—bits of molten iron leftover from the forging process—on nearby Hatteras Island. Dawson claims that the hammerscale proves that the English colonists who once inhabited Roanoke Island must have fled there, since Native Americans at the time didn't have the means to forge iron. His evidence is compelling, but it might be too late to definitively solve a mystery that happened so long ago. At least by being lost, the settlers of Roanoke will never be forgotten.
[Image description: A map from 1590 showing an area spanning from Cape Fear to Chesapeake Bay, including the area in which the colony of Roanoke stood.] Credit & copyright: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division. 1590. Public Domain.Here’s something from the lost-and-found bin of history. The lost colony of Roanoke is one of the most enduring mysteries in American history, but one self-proclaimed amateur archaeologist now says that he’s solved it. Either way, the story of Roanoke is equal parts intriguing and tragic.
Before Jamestown, the first successful English colony in America, attempts were made to establish a colony on Roanoke Island (located in what is now North Carolina). The colony was meant to serve as England's foothold on the "New World" as they competed against the Spanish, and would have served as a base of operations for English privateers. However, the first attempt in 1585 by Ralph Lane ended in disaster, especially after relations with the nearby Algonquians soured. The second attempt, which began in 1587, lasted just a few months before one of the colonists, John White, had to return to England to raise supplies and funding. White left behind his wife, daughter and granddaughter, the first English child to be born in America. When he returned three years later, however, White’s family was nowhere to be found. Carved into nearby trees was "CROATOAN," referring to the Native American tribe who lived on Hatteras Island. Tragically, dangerous weather kept White from reaching the island, and he was forced to return to an England that had lost interest in the colony.
White died in 1606, never having found his family, but there have been some clues and hoaxes regarding their ultimate fate. Artifacts known as the Dare Stones inscribed with writing supposedly tell the story of the survivors, though their authenticity isn't widely accepted. Archaeologists have found traces of settlements nearby that may have belonged to Roanoke colonists who scattered around the area. Now, Scott Dawson, the president of the Croatian Archaeological Society, claims to have found remnants of hammerscale—bits of molten iron leftover from the forging process—on nearby Hatteras Island. Dawson claims that the hammerscale proves that the English colonists who once inhabited Roanoke Island must have fled there, since Native Americans at the time didn't have the means to forge iron. His evidence is compelling, but it might be too late to definitively solve a mystery that happened so long ago. At least by being lost, the settlers of Roanoke will never be forgotten.
[Image description: A map from 1590 showing an area spanning from Cape Fear to Chesapeake Bay, including the area in which the colony of Roanoke stood.] Credit & copyright: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division. 1590. Public Domain. -
FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
This is a collectible you can take to the grave—and it'll help you get there too. Cigarette manufacturers used to include cards featuring photographs and other images to promote their products, a practice that would be heavily frowned upon today. The piece above is a card with the photograph of a woman dressed like a 19th century soldier. On the upper right hand corner is text that reads, "Virginia Brights Cigarettes," and there is writing below the photo that reads, "867 - Belle Urquhart." Cigarette cards were once highly sought after collectibles, and the practice of collecting them is called "cartophily." The cards often featured photographs of famous actors of the time, though they could vary widely in theme and subject. Some could also be informative, with one side showing an image and the other explaining its significance. While cigarette cards remained popular until the first part of the 20th century, they were abandoned during WWII to ration materials. There’s no time for card collecting in a crisis.
Card 867, Belle Urquhart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, Issued by Allen & Ginter (American, Richmond, Virginia), ca. 1888, Albumen photograph, 2.75 x 1.375 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York.
[Image credit & copyright: Issued by Allen & Ginter (American, Richmond, Virginia). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick. Public Domain, Open Access.This is a collectible you can take to the grave—and it'll help you get there too. Cigarette manufacturers used to include cards featuring photographs and other images to promote their products, a practice that would be heavily frowned upon today. The piece above is a card with the photograph of a woman dressed like a 19th century soldier. On the upper right hand corner is text that reads, "Virginia Brights Cigarettes," and there is writing below the photo that reads, "867 - Belle Urquhart." Cigarette cards were once highly sought after collectibles, and the practice of collecting them is called "cartophily." The cards often featured photographs of famous actors of the time, though they could vary widely in theme and subject. Some could also be informative, with one side showing an image and the other explaining its significance. While cigarette cards remained popular until the first part of the 20th century, they were abandoned during WWII to ration materials. There’s no time for card collecting in a crisis.
Card 867, Belle Urquhart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, Issued by Allen & Ginter (American, Richmond, Virginia), ca. 1888, Albumen photograph, 2.75 x 1.375 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York.
[Image credit & copyright: Issued by Allen & Ginter (American, Richmond, Virginia). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick. Public Domain, Open Access. -
10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
Amid the uncertainty triggered by President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements, many investors started looking for places outside the U.S. ...
Amid the uncertainty triggered by President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements, many investors started looking for places outside the U.S. ...
May 18, 2025
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 18, 2025\TAL-iss-mun\ noun
What It Means
A talisman is an object (such as a ring or stone) that is believed to have mag...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 18, 2025\TAL-iss-mun\ noun
What It Means
A talisman is an object (such as a ring or stone) that is believed to have mag...
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
It was mayhem on the Mississippi. The Siege of Vicksburg, which began on this day in 1863, was one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. Ending just a day after the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union victory at Vicksburg secured their control over the Mississippi River, a critical lifeline for the South. Moreover, the battle played a major role in turning the tides against the Confederacy by eroding morale.
The battle of Vicksburg was all about control of the Mississippi River. Led by General Ulysses S. Grant, Union forces set their sights on the town of Vicksburg on the river’s east bank, which lay about halfway between Memphis and New Orleans. Taking control of Vicksburg would separate the Southern states on each side of the river. Conquering the Confederate stronghold was easier said than done, however. Following the Confederates' loss of key forts in neighboring Tennessee, Vicksburg was the last fortified position from which the South could maintain control over the Mississippi. Knowing this, Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, who was in charge of a garrison of around 33,000 men in Vicksburg, began preparing for an impending attack. A Union assault using ironclad ships on the river failed to yield results, while Union General William Tecumseh Sherman's approach by land was repelled by Confederate bombardments. At one point, Grant even tried to dig a canal to circumvent the city's defenses, to no avail.
Eventually, Grant's persistence prevailed. Union forces were able to find footing at Bruinsburg, and after stepping ashore from the Mississippi, they marched toward the state's capital of Jackson. Grant took Jackson by May 14 before continuing toward Vicksburg, fighting Confederate forces along the way. On May 18, Grant and his troops arrived at a heavily fortified Vicksburg, but finding that the garrison was poorly prepared, he hoped to take the city quickly.
To Grant’s chagrin, a quick and sound victory was not to be. Pemberton was able to establish a stubborn defense, forcing Grant to lay siege to the city after several days of fighting. But Pemberton was at a severe disadvantage; though he was able to thwart an attempt to breach the fortifications by sappers (also known as combat engineers) who used explosives to destroy part of their defenses, his garrison was low on rations and cut off from reinforcements. Despite this, when Grant demanded an unconditional surrender from Pemberton, the latter denied the proposition. With neither willing to back away, the siege continued with day after day of contentious but fruitless fighting. Still, it was clear to Pemberton that his garrison could not last. Grant controlled all roads to Vicksburg and the garrison was on the verge of starvation. After more than a month and a half of fighting, Grant offered parole for any remaining defenders, allowing them to go home rather than be imprisoned. Thus, the battle ended in a Union victory on July 4. Of the 77,000 Union soldiers and 33,000 Confederate soldiers who fought at Vicksburg, over 1,600 died and thousands more were wounded.
Today, the Siege of Vicksburg is considered one of the death knells of the Confederacy, though it is often overshadowed by the Battle of Gettysburg. While the war continued for another two years, these two battles were a turning point in the trajectory of the conflict which had, until then, favored the Confederacy. After the Union took Vicksburg, Southern forces were unable to maintain their already-waning strength. Morale plummeted, hopes of aid from England were all but gone, and Grant had distinguished himself as a Union commander. Before the Siege of Vicksburg, Grant had been a relatively unknown figure, but his triumph there gave him political momentum that would later place him in the White House. Which would be more frightening, leading a siege or running the country?
[Image description: A black-and-white illustration of Confederate soldiers ready to fire a canon at the Battle of Vicksburg.] Credit & copyright: A Popular History of the United States, Volume 5, George W. Peters, 1876. Public Domain.It was mayhem on the Mississippi. The Siege of Vicksburg, which began on this day in 1863, was one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. Ending just a day after the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union victory at Vicksburg secured their control over the Mississippi River, a critical lifeline for the South. Moreover, the battle played a major role in turning the tides against the Confederacy by eroding morale.
The battle of Vicksburg was all about control of the Mississippi River. Led by General Ulysses S. Grant, Union forces set their sights on the town of Vicksburg on the river’s east bank, which lay about halfway between Memphis and New Orleans. Taking control of Vicksburg would separate the Southern states on each side of the river. Conquering the Confederate stronghold was easier said than done, however. Following the Confederates' loss of key forts in neighboring Tennessee, Vicksburg was the last fortified position from which the South could maintain control over the Mississippi. Knowing this, Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton, who was in charge of a garrison of around 33,000 men in Vicksburg, began preparing for an impending attack. A Union assault using ironclad ships on the river failed to yield results, while Union General William Tecumseh Sherman's approach by land was repelled by Confederate bombardments. At one point, Grant even tried to dig a canal to circumvent the city's defenses, to no avail.
Eventually, Grant's persistence prevailed. Union forces were able to find footing at Bruinsburg, and after stepping ashore from the Mississippi, they marched toward the state's capital of Jackson. Grant took Jackson by May 14 before continuing toward Vicksburg, fighting Confederate forces along the way. On May 18, Grant and his troops arrived at a heavily fortified Vicksburg, but finding that the garrison was poorly prepared, he hoped to take the city quickly.
To Grant’s chagrin, a quick and sound victory was not to be. Pemberton was able to establish a stubborn defense, forcing Grant to lay siege to the city after several days of fighting. But Pemberton was at a severe disadvantage; though he was able to thwart an attempt to breach the fortifications by sappers (also known as combat engineers) who used explosives to destroy part of their defenses, his garrison was low on rations and cut off from reinforcements. Despite this, when Grant demanded an unconditional surrender from Pemberton, the latter denied the proposition. With neither willing to back away, the siege continued with day after day of contentious but fruitless fighting. Still, it was clear to Pemberton that his garrison could not last. Grant controlled all roads to Vicksburg and the garrison was on the verge of starvation. After more than a month and a half of fighting, Grant offered parole for any remaining defenders, allowing them to go home rather than be imprisoned. Thus, the battle ended in a Union victory on July 4. Of the 77,000 Union soldiers and 33,000 Confederate soldiers who fought at Vicksburg, over 1,600 died and thousands more were wounded.
Today, the Siege of Vicksburg is considered one of the death knells of the Confederacy, though it is often overshadowed by the Battle of Gettysburg. While the war continued for another two years, these two battles were a turning point in the trajectory of the conflict which had, until then, favored the Confederacy. After the Union took Vicksburg, Southern forces were unable to maintain their already-waning strength. Morale plummeted, hopes of aid from England were all but gone, and Grant had distinguished himself as a Union commander. Before the Siege of Vicksburg, Grant had been a relatively unknown figure, but his triumph there gave him political momentum that would later place him in the White House. Which would be more frightening, leading a siege or running the country?
[Image description: A black-and-white illustration of Confederate soldiers ready to fire a canon at the Battle of Vicksburg.] Credit & copyright: A Popular History of the United States, Volume 5, George W. Peters, 1876. Public Domain. -
9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Japanese carmaker Nissan recently unveiled sweeping cost-cutting plans. Now, it says it could share its U.K. factory with a Chine...
From the BBC World Service: Japanese carmaker Nissan recently unveiled sweeping cost-cutting plans. Now, it says it could share its U.K. factory with a Chine...
May 17, 2025
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 17, 2025\mer-KYUR-ee-ul\ adjective
What It Means
Mercurial is usually used to describe someone whose mood changes quick...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 17, 2025\mer-KYUR-ee-ul\ adjective
What It Means
Mercurial is usually used to describe someone whose mood changes quick...
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
Online bookings for travel are down. Major airlines are reducing flight schedules as leisure travelers pull back. And now there’s more bad news for the touri...
Online bookings for travel are down. Major airlines are reducing flight schedules as leisure travelers pull back. And now there’s more bad news for the touri...
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FREESports Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
This sport is defined by its intense rivalries…but can’t we just forgive and forget? MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum have just announced that a number of previously ineligible players have been reinstated. It's one step closer to being inducted into the Hall of Fame for famed, deceased players Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, but it doesn't necessarily mean redemption. Both Rose and Jackson were considered some of the greatest players of their time, yet they were kept out of the hallowed Hall of Fame due to scandals. Rose was banned from playing in the MLB for life in 1989 after he was found to have gambled on the outcomes of games. Jackson was embroiled in the Black Sox scandal, where he and several other White Sox players were accused of accepting bribes to lose the 1919 World Series. There are 15 other deceased players previously made ineligible for the Hall of Fame, but Manfred and other officials have reinstated them, mostly based on the fact that they no longer "represent a threat to the integrity of the game." Some officials believe that making them ineligible during their own lifetimes is penalty enough. Of course, any player, living or dead, would still need to receive enough votes to induct them into the Hall of Fame. Only time will tell if fame will finally outshine shame.
This sport is defined by its intense rivalries…but can’t we just forgive and forget? MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum have just announced that a number of previously ineligible players have been reinstated. It's one step closer to being inducted into the Hall of Fame for famed, deceased players Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, but it doesn't necessarily mean redemption. Both Rose and Jackson were considered some of the greatest players of their time, yet they were kept out of the hallowed Hall of Fame due to scandals. Rose was banned from playing in the MLB for life in 1989 after he was found to have gambled on the outcomes of games. Jackson was embroiled in the Black Sox scandal, where he and several other White Sox players were accused of accepting bribes to lose the 1919 World Series. There are 15 other deceased players previously made ineligible for the Hall of Fame, but Manfred and other officials have reinstated them, mostly based on the fact that they no longer "represent a threat to the integrity of the game." Some officials believe that making them ineligible during their own lifetimes is penalty enough. Of course, any player, living or dead, would still need to receive enough votes to induct them into the Hall of Fame. Only time will tell if fame will finally outshine shame.
May 16, 2025
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: There's been a thaw in U.S.-China relations, with a 90-day deal to ease their escalating trade war. Both sides say they’ll cut ta...
From the BBC World Service: There's been a thaw in U.S.-China relations, with a 90-day deal to ease their escalating trade war. Both sides say they’ll cut ta...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: May 11, 2025\DAHR-ling\ noun
What It Means
Darling can refer to a dearly loved person or to someone who is liked very much ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: May 11, 2025\DAHR-ling\ noun
What It Means
Darling can refer to a dearly loved person or to someone who is liked very much ...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow might actually be a ramekin of crème brûlée! This beautiful, golden-brown dessert is one of France’s most famous dishes. Yet, England and Spain also claim to have invented it.
Crème brûlée is made from custard which is baked in a water bath. The custard itself is made with heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, and, usually, vanilla. The dessert is served in the same, small ramekins in which it is baked, and it’s topped with sugar that is caramelized using a blowtorch or broiler. The crust is sometimes dowsed with liqueur and set on fire during serving to give the crust a more intense flavor.
While crème brûlée is heavily associated with France (the dish’s name means “burnt cream” in French) no one knows exactly where it was first made. In England, custard desserts have been eaten since at least the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, Cambridge College began serving a custard dessert with a sugar crust called Trinity cream, with the crest of Cambridge burned into the crust. This doesn’t necessarily mean that England was the first to invent crème brûlée, since recipes for the French version also appeared around the same time as recipes for Trinity Cream.
Spain also claims to have invented crème brûlée. Since the Middle Ages, a dish called creme catalana, flavored with lemon or orange zest, has been served throughout the country. Milk is usually used instead of cream, and cinnamon is often added to the sugar crust.
Of course, France is best known as the birthplace of crème brûlée, as one of the oldest written recipes for the dessert can be traced to France in 1691. At the time, the dessert was popular at the Palace of Versailles, and thus gained an elegant reputation. As cookbooks became more common, the dessert made its way from the noble classes to everyday people, and today it’s served in French restaurants all over the world. Its recipe is largely unchanged from the 1691 version. If the sugar crust isn’t broken, don’t fix it!
[Image description: A white ramekin of crème brûlée on a white plate with silverware in the background.] Credit & copyright: Romainbehar, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow might actually be a ramekin of crème brûlée! This beautiful, golden-brown dessert is one of France’s most famous dishes. Yet, England and Spain also claim to have invented it.
Crème brûlée is made from custard which is baked in a water bath. The custard itself is made with heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, and, usually, vanilla. The dessert is served in the same, small ramekins in which it is baked, and it’s topped with sugar that is caramelized using a blowtorch or broiler. The crust is sometimes dowsed with liqueur and set on fire during serving to give the crust a more intense flavor.
While crème brûlée is heavily associated with France (the dish’s name means “burnt cream” in French) no one knows exactly where it was first made. In England, custard desserts have been eaten since at least the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, Cambridge College began serving a custard dessert with a sugar crust called Trinity cream, with the crest of Cambridge burned into the crust. This doesn’t necessarily mean that England was the first to invent crème brûlée, since recipes for the French version also appeared around the same time as recipes for Trinity Cream.
Spain also claims to have invented crème brûlée. Since the Middle Ages, a dish called creme catalana, flavored with lemon or orange zest, has been served throughout the country. Milk is usually used instead of cream, and cinnamon is often added to the sugar crust.
Of course, France is best known as the birthplace of crème brûlée, as one of the oldest written recipes for the dessert can be traced to France in 1691. At the time, the dessert was popular at the Palace of Versailles, and thus gained an elegant reputation. As cookbooks became more common, the dessert made its way from the noble classes to everyday people, and today it’s served in French restaurants all over the world. Its recipe is largely unchanged from the 1691 version. If the sugar crust isn’t broken, don’t fix it!
[Image description: A white ramekin of crème brûlée on a white plate with silverware in the background.] Credit & copyright: Romainbehar, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
May 15, 2025
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
There's something in the air nowadays…or less of something. Researchers at Tianjin University and Peking University have found that mercury levels in the atmosphere have been dropping steadily over the past few decades, according to a study published in ACS ES&T Air. It's difficult to overstate the dangers of mercury, and much of the heavy metal in the atmosphere is anthropogenic, meaning that it originates from mad-made pollution. Whether it's elemental mercury or methylmercury, the latter of which is present in certain types of fish and shellfish, mercury has neurotoxic effects that can range from debilitating to deadly. Fortunately, anthropogenic mercury appears to be on the decline. Researchers pored over data from the past four decades and found that more of the mercury in the atmosphere appears to be from the re-emission of terrestrial mercury in the soil. In the last 20 years, atmospheric mercury levels plummeted by 70 percent, and it might be the result of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty that regulates sources of mercury pollution. Much of this data was found by examining Androsace tapete, a plant that grows on Mount Everest and sprouts a new layer of leaves each year. The leaves from each layer contain varying levels of mercury depending on the year. Thus, researchers were able to track the declining presence of the toxin over the decades. It seems that plants are surprisingly good record-keepers.
[Image description: A white cloud against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Dinkum. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
There's something in the air nowadays…or less of something. Researchers at Tianjin University and Peking University have found that mercury levels in the atmosphere have been dropping steadily over the past few decades, according to a study published in ACS ES&T Air. It's difficult to overstate the dangers of mercury, and much of the heavy metal in the atmosphere is anthropogenic, meaning that it originates from mad-made pollution. Whether it's elemental mercury or methylmercury, the latter of which is present in certain types of fish and shellfish, mercury has neurotoxic effects that can range from debilitating to deadly. Fortunately, anthropogenic mercury appears to be on the decline. Researchers pored over data from the past four decades and found that more of the mercury in the atmosphere appears to be from the re-emission of terrestrial mercury in the soil. In the last 20 years, atmospheric mercury levels plummeted by 70 percent, and it might be the result of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty that regulates sources of mercury pollution. Much of this data was found by examining Androsace tapete, a plant that grows on Mount Everest and sprouts a new layer of leaves each year. The leaves from each layer contain varying levels of mercury depending on the year. Thus, researchers were able to track the declining presence of the toxin over the decades. It seems that plants are surprisingly good record-keepers.
[Image description: A white cloud against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Dinkum. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
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FREEEngineering Daily Curio #3082Free1 CQ
It's time for this conductor to face the music—and lead the orchestra! A conductor in Ohio who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 11 years ago was recently given a cutting-edge implant that some are calling a "pacemaker for the brain”, allowing him to conduct without shaking. While more invasive than previous treatments, it might give hope to those with difficult-to-manage symptoms.
For nearly 50 years, Rand Laycock has been living his dream of conducting a symphony orchestra in Parma, Ohio. But for the past decade, he's also been struggling with Parkinson's, which threatened his passion and livelihood. What started as a minor twitch in his thumb developed into worsening tremors in his right hand, and the very medications used to treat him also gave him dyskinesias—erratic, involuntary movements that are, unfortunately, a common side effect.
The symptoms of Parkinson's can vary widely, but can include changes in speech, rigid muscles, difficulty moving, and balance issues. Less noticeable are the psychological symptoms like depression and anxiety. Parkinson's is also a degenerative disease that gets worse over time and can lead to death, even with treatment. Fortunately, Laycock was able to be treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS), which uses implanted leads that deliver therapeutic amounts of electric currents to curb the worst of the symptoms. However, Laycock's symptoms were particularly difficult to treat because they tended to fluctuate in severity. That meant that they could flare up in the middle of a performance. Now, he's being treated with adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), which can vary the electric currents to meet the changing needs of Laycock's condition. Thanks to the aDBS implant, Laycock can continue to perform his duties at concerts reliably. Even Parkinson’s is no match for advanced medical engineering.
[Image description: A digital illustration of a gray human brain against a black background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, PexelsIt's time for this conductor to face the music—and lead the orchestra! A conductor in Ohio who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 11 years ago was recently given a cutting-edge implant that some are calling a "pacemaker for the brain”, allowing him to conduct without shaking. While more invasive than previous treatments, it might give hope to those with difficult-to-manage symptoms.
For nearly 50 years, Rand Laycock has been living his dream of conducting a symphony orchestra in Parma, Ohio. But for the past decade, he's also been struggling with Parkinson's, which threatened his passion and livelihood. What started as a minor twitch in his thumb developed into worsening tremors in his right hand, and the very medications used to treat him also gave him dyskinesias—erratic, involuntary movements that are, unfortunately, a common side effect.
The symptoms of Parkinson's can vary widely, but can include changes in speech, rigid muscles, difficulty moving, and balance issues. Less noticeable are the psychological symptoms like depression and anxiety. Parkinson's is also a degenerative disease that gets worse over time and can lead to death, even with treatment. Fortunately, Laycock was able to be treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS), which uses implanted leads that deliver therapeutic amounts of electric currents to curb the worst of the symptoms. However, Laycock's symptoms were particularly difficult to treat because they tended to fluctuate in severity. That meant that they could flare up in the middle of a performance. Now, he's being treated with adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), which can vary the electric currents to meet the changing needs of Laycock's condition. Thanks to the aDBS implant, Laycock can continue to perform his duties at concerts reliably. Even Parkinson’s is no match for advanced medical engineering.
[Image description: A digital illustration of a gray human brain against a black background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
May 14, 2025
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FREEVideography Daily Curio #3081Free1 CQ
Who says you can't get smarter by watching TV? British broadcasting legend and naturalist Sir David Attenborough turned 99 on May 8, and released a new feature-length documentary titled Ocean to celebrate. Focusing on life below the depths and the impact that Earth’s oceans have on all life, it's a testament to Attenborough's dedication to conservation and education.
Attenborough was born on May 8, 1926, in London and showed interest in the natural world at a young age. As a child, he collected fossils and loved being outdoors, observing animals. He went on to earn a degree in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge. However, both he and his older brother, Richard, were also drawn to the big screen. Richard became an actor and producer, while David studied broadcasting before joining the BBC as a television producer in 1952. As a producer for the BBC, Attenborough created a number of educational programs, starting with Zoo Quest, which featured footage of animals in the wild and in captivity. During his tenure at the BBC, he was also involved with a number of non-educational programs, like Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
Attenborough left the station in the 1970s and started working on the nature documentaries that would define his career. The first of these was 1979’s Life on Earth. In 2001, he released The Blue Planet, an in-depth look at the world's oceans and their diverse habitats. In 2017, he won an Emmy for narrating its sequel, The Blue Planet II. Attenborough's voice and distinct cadence have become staples of his work, and he has used his platform to promote the need for conservation and help raise the alarm over climate change. Attenborough doesn't limit himself to lending his voice either. He appears on camera in many of his documentaries. Funnily enough, he almost didn't step in front of the camera himself after a BBC executive told him that his teeth were too long. Well, octopuses have eight arms but you never hear anyone complain about them showing up in nature documentaries!
[Image description: The British flag (Union Jack) featuring crisscrossing red and white stripes on a blue background.] Credit & copyright: Public Domain.Who says you can't get smarter by watching TV? British broadcasting legend and naturalist Sir David Attenborough turned 99 on May 8, and released a new feature-length documentary titled Ocean to celebrate. Focusing on life below the depths and the impact that Earth’s oceans have on all life, it's a testament to Attenborough's dedication to conservation and education.
Attenborough was born on May 8, 1926, in London and showed interest in the natural world at a young age. As a child, he collected fossils and loved being outdoors, observing animals. He went on to earn a degree in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge. However, both he and his older brother, Richard, were also drawn to the big screen. Richard became an actor and producer, while David studied broadcasting before joining the BBC as a television producer in 1952. As a producer for the BBC, Attenborough created a number of educational programs, starting with Zoo Quest, which featured footage of animals in the wild and in captivity. During his tenure at the BBC, he was also involved with a number of non-educational programs, like Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
Attenborough left the station in the 1970s and started working on the nature documentaries that would define his career. The first of these was 1979’s Life on Earth. In 2001, he released The Blue Planet, an in-depth look at the world's oceans and their diverse habitats. In 2017, he won an Emmy for narrating its sequel, The Blue Planet II. Attenborough's voice and distinct cadence have become staples of his work, and he has used his platform to promote the need for conservation and help raise the alarm over climate change. Attenborough doesn't limit himself to lending his voice either. He appears on camera in many of his documentaries. Funnily enough, he almost didn't step in front of the camera himself after a BBC executive told him that his teeth were too long. Well, octopuses have eight arms but you never hear anyone complain about them showing up in nature documentaries!
[Image description: The British flag (Union Jack) featuring crisscrossing red and white stripes on a blue background.] Credit & copyright: Public Domain. -
FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
These aren’t your everyday kind of possums! While people in North and South America are used to opossums, scavengers roughly the size of cats, much smaller possums rule the roost down under. Australia is home to five species of pygmy possums, the largest of which only reaches about 12 inches in length. Recently, researchers determined that the population of mountain pygmy possums in Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park had returned to average numbers after a period of decline. The tiny marsupials’ population dropped due to a drought in 2017, then again in 2020 due to devastating bushfires. At one point, there were only around 700 of them left in the park, which spans nearly 3,000 square miles. Now, there are around 950. The secret to the possums’ success was active conservation efforts, some of which were led by local schoolchildren in towns bordering the park. The children made “Bodong biscuits” from macadamia nuts, mealworms, and oils to replace the fats that mountain pygmy possums used to get from Bodong mother larvae. The larvae suffered a population decline of their own during the 2017 drought and 2020 fires, and are also recovering.
Mountain pygmy possums could easily be mistaken for mice. They weigh just 1.6 ounces and only grow to around 4.3 inches long. However, while mice are rodents, mountain pygmy possums are marsupials, meaning that they carry their young in pouches until they reach adulthood. As their name suggests, mountain pygmy possums live in mountainous terrain, specifically elevated areas in Victoria and New South Wales. It’s a cold, rocky environment with harsh, windy weather. Besides moth larvae, which makes up the majority of their diets, mountain pygmy possums eat other insects as well as small berries and fruits. They’re well adapted to their mountain homes, able to climb and leap with ease while using their prehensile tails to hold on and keep from falling at great heights. Possibly their most important adaptation is their ability to hibernate when the weather gets too cold. This allows them to sleep while food is scarce, and wake up just in time to enjoy the (literal) fruits of spring. Sometimes, it’s better to just wait things out.
[Image description: An illustration of two pygmy possums on yellow flowers. The possums are small, gray animals with long, thin tails.] Credit & copyright: John Gould (1804–1881) and Henry Constantine Richter. The Mammals of Australia, London, Printed by Taylor and Francis, pub. by the author,1863. Biodiversity Heritage Library. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930.These aren’t your everyday kind of possums! While people in North and South America are used to opossums, scavengers roughly the size of cats, much smaller possums rule the roost down under. Australia is home to five species of pygmy possums, the largest of which only reaches about 12 inches in length. Recently, researchers determined that the population of mountain pygmy possums in Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park had returned to average numbers after a period of decline. The tiny marsupials’ population dropped due to a drought in 2017, then again in 2020 due to devastating bushfires. At one point, there were only around 700 of them left in the park, which spans nearly 3,000 square miles. Now, there are around 950. The secret to the possums’ success was active conservation efforts, some of which were led by local schoolchildren in towns bordering the park. The children made “Bodong biscuits” from macadamia nuts, mealworms, and oils to replace the fats that mountain pygmy possums used to get from Bodong mother larvae. The larvae suffered a population decline of their own during the 2017 drought and 2020 fires, and are also recovering.
Mountain pygmy possums could easily be mistaken for mice. They weigh just 1.6 ounces and only grow to around 4.3 inches long. However, while mice are rodents, mountain pygmy possums are marsupials, meaning that they carry their young in pouches until they reach adulthood. As their name suggests, mountain pygmy possums live in mountainous terrain, specifically elevated areas in Victoria and New South Wales. It’s a cold, rocky environment with harsh, windy weather. Besides moth larvae, which makes up the majority of their diets, mountain pygmy possums eat other insects as well as small berries and fruits. They’re well adapted to their mountain homes, able to climb and leap with ease while using their prehensile tails to hold on and keep from falling at great heights. Possibly their most important adaptation is their ability to hibernate when the weather gets too cold. This allows them to sleep while food is scarce, and wake up just in time to enjoy the (literal) fruits of spring. Sometimes, it’s better to just wait things out.
[Image description: An illustration of two pygmy possums on yellow flowers. The possums are small, gray animals with long, thin tails.] Credit & copyright: John Gould (1804–1881) and Henry Constantine Richter. The Mammals of Australia, London, Printed by Taylor and Francis, pub. by the author,1863. Biodiversity Heritage Library. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930.
