Photo Curio
A picture is worth a thousand words. And a CQ point.
Curio Cabinet
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- By Type
February 28, 2020
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FREEJazz Guitar Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Play us out, Count. The first recording of Count Basie's One O'Clock Jump was released on this day in 1937. It would become a standard for the big band legend. In fact, he closed all of his live sets with it. The title of the track was originally Blue Balls, but the record label understandably changed it to something a little less risqué. Audiences at the time loved the procession of soloists, especially the two tenor saxophonists: Herschel Evans and Lester Young. On stage, the two amicable virtuosos feigned rivalry, trying to outduel each other with each rendition of the song. On this early recording, Evans goes first at 0:44 with a dynamic, herky-jerky chorus; Young comes on at 1:18, starting with a repeated dissonant note before descending through a tasty lick. We're Team Lester, but we'll let you decide your favorite:
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Play us out, Count. The first recording of Count Basie's One O'Clock Jump was released on this day in 1937. It would become a standard for the big band legend. In fact, he closed all of his live sets with it. The title of the track was originally Blue Balls, but the record label understandably changed it to something a little less risqué. Audiences at the time loved the procession of soloists, especially the two tenor saxophonists: Herschel Evans and Lester Young. On stage, the two amicable virtuosos feigned rivalry, trying to outduel each other with each rendition of the song. On this early recording, Evans goes first at 0:44 with a dynamic, herky-jerky chorus; Young comes on at 1:18, starting with a repeated dissonant note before descending through a tasty lick. We're Team Lester, but we'll let you decide your favorite:
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Red Bull didn't give Felix Baumgartner wings, but it sure came close. On the morning of October 14, 2012, the energy drink manufacturer had Baumgartner enter a helium-filled air balloon and ascend 128,100 feet into the sky, in an attempt to make him the first person to shatter the speed of sound in freefall. Millions watched as the daredevil leapt from the balloon's platform in a pressurized suit, and accelerated to 834.4 miles per hour, breaking the sound barrier in the process (767 miles per hour). But not everything went as planned. In the course of free falling for 4:22 minutes, Baumgartner grew dizzy and began spinning, slowly at first, before spiraling out of control. "I didn't feel [the] sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself," the skydiver said, "I was so fast I could have overtaken certain bullets!" Luckily, he managed to regain his bearings in the knick of time and pulled the cord for his parachute, which floated him safely down to earth and gave new meaning to taking the bull by the horns!
Image credit & copyright: Brian Nevins/Red Bull Content Pool
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Red Bull didn't give Felix Baumgartner wings, but it sure came close. On the morning of October 14, 2012, the energy drink manufacturer had Baumgartner enter a helium-filled air balloon and ascend 128,100 feet into the sky, in an attempt to make him the first person to shatter the speed of sound in freefall. Millions watched as the daredevil leapt from the balloon's platform in a pressurized suit, and accelerated to 834.4 miles per hour, breaking the sound barrier in the process (767 miles per hour). But not everything went as planned. In the course of free falling for 4:22 minutes, Baumgartner grew dizzy and began spinning, slowly at first, before spiraling out of control. "I didn't feel [the] sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself," the skydiver said, "I was so fast I could have overtaken certain bullets!" Luckily, he managed to regain his bearings in the knick of time and pulled the cord for his parachute, which floated him safely down to earth and gave new meaning to taking the bull by the horns!
Image credit & copyright: Brian Nevins/Red Bull Content Pool
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Spring Sale at Bendel's
Artist: Florine Stettheimer (1871-1944)
Created: 1921
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 50 x 40 in (127 x 101.6 cm)
Current location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Get 'em while they're hot! Even New York's elite can't resist snagging a good deal in Florine Stettheimer's 1921 painting, Spring Sale at Bendel's. The comedic frenzy appears to unfold on a theatrical stage thanks to the velvet curtains framing the action, the subjects' dancer-like gestures, and the high vantage point. As in many of Stettheimer's works, expressive women are the star characters, each with a distinct personality and iconic Jazz Age look. By contrast, the sole male in the painting has been relegated to the supporting role of weary sales assistant. Stettheimer used playful details and a charming sense of humor to depict New York's bustling social scene. In fact, many of her works feature the artist herself as an active participant or bemused bystander. Though her likeness is missing from this image, we'd like to think she included a proxy: the grinning dog at the foot of the stairs sports a sweater monogrammed with her initials.
Image credit & copyright: Philadelphia Museum of Art
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Spring Sale at Bendel's
Artist: Florine Stettheimer (1871-1944)
Created: 1921
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 50 x 40 in (127 x 101.6 cm)
Current location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Get 'em while they're hot! Even New York's elite can't resist snagging a good deal in Florine Stettheimer's 1921 painting, Spring Sale at Bendel's. The comedic frenzy appears to unfold on a theatrical stage thanks to the velvet curtains framing the action, the subjects' dancer-like gestures, and the high vantage point. As in many of Stettheimer's works, expressive women are the star characters, each with a distinct personality and iconic Jazz Age look. By contrast, the sole male in the painting has been relegated to the supporting role of weary sales assistant. Stettheimer used playful details and a charming sense of humor to depict New York's bustling social scene. In fact, many of her works feature the artist herself as an active participant or bemused bystander. Though her likeness is missing from this image, we'd like to think she included a proxy: the grinning dog at the foot of the stairs sports a sweater monogrammed with her initials.
Image credit & copyright: Philadelphia Museum of Art
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Europe’s markets down hard over the ebbing and flowing of concern around COVID-19. The rural areas in America seeing a business boost. Why the American workw...
Europe’s markets down hard over the ebbing and flowing of concern around COVID-19. The rural areas in America seeing a business boost. Why the American workw...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
US citizens who live abroad and are registered under the Democratic Party will be able to cast their ballots in the Democrats Abroad primary, a little-known ...
with PRI's The WorldUS citizens who live abroad and are registered under the Democratic Party will be able to cast their ballots in the Democrats Abroad primary, a little-known ...
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: Progress Notes. By Fady Joudah.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Progress Notes. By Fady Joudah.
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FREESports Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
The Winter Olympics are here! And so are the made-for-TV underdog storylines. But no storyline from Pyeongchang is likely to best that of Michael Edwards, a.k.a. "Eddie the Eagle." He was the underdog of all Winter Olympic underdogs. Born in Cheltenham, England, as a teenager Eddie decided his life goal was to enter the Winter Olympics as a downhill skier. Even though he had just taken up the sport and lived in, well, London. Still, he persevered, and got pretty good. In 1984, he was the last person cut from the British Olympic ski team.
Out of funds and demoralized, he returned to his vocational career: plastering. Then he figured out a loophole. Since the Brits had no ski jumping program, technically he could go to the 1988 Calgary Olympics as England's only competitor. Never having jumped before, Eddie trained by strapping himself to the roof of his mom's moving car. He was an Olympian! Eddie's "dad bod," self-effacing humor, and Coke-bottle glasses—which fogged up at the high altitudes—made him a sensation in the Olympic Village. On his first Olympic jump, he jumped half as far as the second worst jumper, but he didn't crash. He wore borrowed boots and six pairs of socks to keep warm. After his first jump, he flew to L.A. to be on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Before his second jump, Calgary officials begged him to resign because of the high winds, potentially catastrophic for inexperienced jumpers. But the Eagle refused. And the Eagle landed! A crowd of 15,000 fans greeted the new international celebrity at Heathrow airport when he returned home. But Eddie happily resumed his job as a plasterer, explaining: "To me, competing was all that mattered. The failures are the people who never get off their bums. Anyone who has a go is a success." Well said, Eagle, well said.
Image credit: The Telegraph
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
The Winter Olympics are here! And so are the made-for-TV underdog storylines. But no storyline from Pyeongchang is likely to best that of Michael Edwards, a.k.a. "Eddie the Eagle." He was the underdog of all Winter Olympic underdogs. Born in Cheltenham, England, as a teenager Eddie decided his life goal was to enter the Winter Olympics as a downhill skier. Even though he had just taken up the sport and lived in, well, London. Still, he persevered, and got pretty good. In 1984, he was the last person cut from the British Olympic ski team.
Out of funds and demoralized, he returned to his vocational career: plastering. Then he figured out a loophole. Since the Brits had no ski jumping program, technically he could go to the 1988 Calgary Olympics as England's only competitor. Never having jumped before, Eddie trained by strapping himself to the roof of his mom's moving car. He was an Olympian! Eddie's "dad bod," self-effacing humor, and Coke-bottle glasses—which fogged up at the high altitudes—made him a sensation in the Olympic Village. On his first Olympic jump, he jumped half as far as the second worst jumper, but he didn't crash. He wore borrowed boots and six pairs of socks to keep warm. After his first jump, he flew to L.A. to be on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Before his second jump, Calgary officials begged him to resign because of the high winds, potentially catastrophic for inexperienced jumpers. But the Eagle refused. And the Eagle landed! A crowd of 15,000 fans greeted the new international celebrity at Heathrow airport when he returned home. But Eddie happily resumed his job as a plasterer, explaining: "To me, competing was all that mattered. The failures are the people who never get off their bums. Anyone who has a go is a success." Well said, Eagle, well said.
Image credit: The Telegraph
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 20, 2017
baroque \buh-ROHK\ adjective
Definition
1 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of artistic expressio...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 20, 2017
baroque \buh-ROHK\ adjective
Definition
1 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of artistic expressio...
February 27, 2020
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FREEMath Daily Curio #1993Free1 CQ
We lost a legend earlier this week. If you haven't heard of African-American mathematician Katherine Johnson, who died at 101 on Monday, it's a shame. Johnson hand-calculated America's first ventures into space despite a childhood full of obstacles. She was born August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, a milieu in which education for black people capped out at just eighth grade. Fortunately, her parents shipped her 100 miles away to West Virginia State Institute. She graduated high school at 14 and college at 18. She worked as a teacher until the U.S. defense industry began recruiting black people in the 1940s. It took Johnson just two weeks to get herself transferred out of the segregated women's wing, called "West Area Computing." Known simply as "the girl" at NASA, Johnson bore the brunt of vengeful sexism as she calculated America's first manned spaceflight, Alan Shepherd's 1961 mission. Astronaut John Glenn regarded Johnson so highly that he asked her to double-check his forthcoming 1962 trip to space, the first time an American orbited the Earth. Johnson's later contributions included the mapping of the moon's surface pre-1969 landing and the rescue of the Apollo 13 astronauts. In 2015, her underappreciated efforts were finally rewarded with the National Medal of Freedom. Hopefully Johnson passed away with a wide smile, knowing NASA aims to place a woman on the moon by 2024. That's one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind!
Image credit & copyright: Sean Smith/NASA
We lost a legend earlier this week. If you haven't heard of African-American mathematician Katherine Johnson, who died at 101 on Monday, it's a shame. Johnson hand-calculated America's first ventures into space despite a childhood full of obstacles. She was born August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, a milieu in which education for black people capped out at just eighth grade. Fortunately, her parents shipped her 100 miles away to West Virginia State Institute. She graduated high school at 14 and college at 18. She worked as a teacher until the U.S. defense industry began recruiting black people in the 1940s. It took Johnson just two weeks to get herself transferred out of the segregated women's wing, called "West Area Computing." Known simply as "the girl" at NASA, Johnson bore the brunt of vengeful sexism as she calculated America's first manned spaceflight, Alan Shepherd's 1961 mission. Astronaut John Glenn regarded Johnson so highly that he asked her to double-check his forthcoming 1962 trip to space, the first time an American orbited the Earth. Johnson's later contributions included the mapping of the moon's surface pre-1969 landing and the rescue of the Apollo 13 astronauts. In 2015, her underappreciated efforts were finally rewarded with the National Medal of Freedom. Hopefully Johnson passed away with a wide smile, knowing NASA aims to place a woman on the moon by 2024. That's one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind!
Image credit & copyright: Sean Smith/NASA
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Uncertainty over how COVID-19 will affect near-term bottom lines. National Labor Relations Board plans to make it harder for certain workers to unionize. The...
Uncertainty over how COVID-19 will affect near-term bottom lines. National Labor Relations Board plans to make it harder for certain workers to unionize. The...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Hippos that escaped from drug kingpin Pablo Escobar's private zoo are reproducing in the wild, an...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Hippos that escaped from drug kingpin Pablo Escobar's private zoo are reproducing in the wild, an...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Closing borders and restricting travel could "drive people who are unwell underground," says Amy Pope, who led the US response to Ebola during the 2014 outbr...
with PRI's The WorldClosing borders and restricting travel could "drive people who are unwell underground," says Amy Pope, who led the US response to Ebola during the 2014 outbr...
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
The difference between a flower and a magic potion is sometimes just a matter of perspective. At least, that's the case in New York photographer Suzanne Saroff's recently completed Perspective Revisited collection. In these photographs, Saroff arranges clear, reflective objects—such as glass spheres and glasses of water—in front of flower arrangements. The view of the flowers becomes magnified and distorted, imbuing them with fantastical colors. Pink roses, orange and spotted orchids, and a single blue flower are arranged against a bold, brownish-orange background. The flower petals' individual veins and spots are dilated in the water. The warm hues cause the spheres to appear as if they're made of colorful stone, rather than glass. The single, unreflected blue flower stands out as much for its cool tones as its unreflected placement. According to Saroff, these photos are about finding "subtle new ways of expressing feelings and emotions through flowers, color, composition, and lighting." It's amazing that such simple objects can come together to say so much!
Below: more from Suzanne Saroff's Perspective Revisited collection.
Image credit & copyright: Suzanne Saroff
The difference between a flower and a magic potion is sometimes just a matter of perspective. At least, that's the case in New York photographer Suzanne Saroff's recently completed Perspective Revisited collection. In these photographs, Saroff arranges clear, reflective objects—such as glass spheres and glasses of water—in front of flower arrangements. The view of the flowers becomes magnified and distorted, imbuing them with fantastical colors. Pink roses, orange and spotted orchids, and a single blue flower are arranged against a bold, brownish-orange background. The flower petals' individual veins and spots are dilated in the water. The warm hues cause the spheres to appear as if they're made of colorful stone, rather than glass. The single, unreflected blue flower stands out as much for its cool tones as its unreflected placement. According to Saroff, these photos are about finding "subtle new ways of expressing feelings and emotions through flowers, color, composition, and lighting." It's amazing that such simple objects can come together to say so much!
Below: more from Suzanne Saroff's Perspective Revisited collection.
Image credit & copyright: Suzanne Saroff
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3 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: The White Room. By Charles Simic.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The White Room. By Charles Simic.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 19, 2017
rebus \REE-bus\ noun
Definition
: a representation of syllables or words by means of pictures or symbols; also : a riddle m...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 19, 2017
rebus \REE-bus\ noun
Definition
: a representation of syllables or words by means of pictures or symbols; also : a riddle m...
February 26, 2020
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #1992Free1 CQ
Marine biologists have long wondered what causes beached whales. Conventional wisdom would say it's a mixture of shifting krill, erratic tides, melting icebergs, and sonar disturbances from boats. But recent studies have been linking beached whales to solar storms. Yes, from the Sun. Nobody knows for sure why, but gray whales in fine health are almost five times as likely to beach themselves during a sunspot. Sunspots, solar flares, and other solar storms are disturbances in the Sun's photosphere that hurtle irregular radio-frequency noise at Earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is basically an atmospheric shell of charged particles influenced by Earth's magnetic field. Marine biologists think whales might navigate using magnetoreception, or the ability to get one's bearings by sensing magnetic fields. Scientists just aren't sure how else whales could reliably traverse the vast blue emptiness of oceans. So the best hypothesis they currently have is that bursts of radio waves from solar storms essentially blind whales, causing them to careen into shallow water and beaches. Whatever the case, the influence of solar storms doesn't preclude other variables from playing a part in whale stranding, like boat sonars. Regardless, I count myself lucky that solar storms don't dangerously affect my Google Maps!
Image credit & copyright: REUTERS/Alan Walter
Marine biologists have long wondered what causes beached whales. Conventional wisdom would say it's a mixture of shifting krill, erratic tides, melting icebergs, and sonar disturbances from boats. But recent studies have been linking beached whales to solar storms. Yes, from the Sun. Nobody knows for sure why, but gray whales in fine health are almost five times as likely to beach themselves during a sunspot. Sunspots, solar flares, and other solar storms are disturbances in the Sun's photosphere that hurtle irregular radio-frequency noise at Earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is basically an atmospheric shell of charged particles influenced by Earth's magnetic field. Marine biologists think whales might navigate using magnetoreception, or the ability to get one's bearings by sensing magnetic fields. Scientists just aren't sure how else whales could reliably traverse the vast blue emptiness of oceans. So the best hypothesis they currently have is that bursts of radio waves from solar storms essentially blind whales, causing them to careen into shallow water and beaches. Whatever the case, the influence of solar storms doesn't preclude other variables from playing a part in whale stranding, like boat sonars. Regardless, I count myself lucky that solar storms don't dangerously affect my Google Maps!
Image credit & copyright: REUTERS/Alan Walter
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Art created by Australian Aboriginal people used organic carbon-free pigments, but wasp nests abo...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Art created by Australian Aboriginal people used organic carbon-free pigments, but wasp nests abo...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Devastating fire season in Australia opened up new conversations and opportunities for Aboriginal fire practices, practitioners say.
with PRI's The WorldDevastating fire season in Australia opened up new conversations and opportunities for Aboriginal fire practices, practitioners say.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The 10-year Treasury yield briefly falls below its record closing level. HHS secretary Alex Azar appears at four congressional hearings this week. The race i...
The 10-year Treasury yield briefly falls below its record closing level. HHS secretary Alex Azar appears at four congressional hearings this week. The race i...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
For Black History Month, we're taking a look at one of the most divine friendships of the Civil Rights era: that of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and Martin Luther King, Jr. The two met at the National Baptist Convention in 1953, and soon after, Jackson accompanied King to many of his rallies. Perhaps the most moving story of their friendship came during the '63 March on Washington. That day, Jackson performed an a capella (solo voice) version of the gospel standard I've Been Buked, a song that speaks to the suffering and perseverance of those at the march, and to those who protested the cruelties of segregation. Her solemn and mournful tone set the stage for King's I Have a Dream speech, but that isn't where the story ends. King was said to have made several revisions of his famous oration and didn't necessarily intend on speaking about dreams. As King's speech grew more and more inspiring and he went off-script, Jackson, as a confidant of King's, was heard yelling: "Tell them about the dream, Martin!" And the rest, as they say, is history.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
For Black History Month, we're taking a look at one of the most divine friendships of the Civil Rights era: that of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and Martin Luther King, Jr. The two met at the National Baptist Convention in 1953, and soon after, Jackson accompanied King to many of his rallies. Perhaps the most moving story of their friendship came during the '63 March on Washington. That day, Jackson performed an a capella (solo voice) version of the gospel standard I've Been Buked, a song that speaks to the suffering and perseverance of those at the march, and to those who protested the cruelties of segregation. Her solemn and mournful tone set the stage for King's I Have a Dream speech, but that isn't where the story ends. King was said to have made several revisions of his famous oration and didn't necessarily intend on speaking about dreams. As King's speech grew more and more inspiring and he went off-script, Jackson, as a confidant of King's, was heard yelling: "Tell them about the dream, Martin!" And the rest, as they say, is history.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 18, 2017
luscious \LUSH-us\ adjective
Definition
1 : having a delicious sweet taste or smell
2 : sexually attractive
3 a : richly ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 18, 2017
luscious \LUSH-us\ adjective
Definition
1 : having a delicious sweet taste or smell
2 : sexually attractive
3 a : richly ...
February 25, 2020
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FREEMusic Daily Curio #1991Free1 CQ
What do you see above: a trio of houseplants or a three-piece band? Some people see both and are trying to convince us of the same with apps. Music of the Plants and PlantWave are just two of many bio-sonification devices. These apps vocalize the biology of living creatures into "music." Seeing as houseplant sales among millennials have skyrocketed by 50 percent, it is only natural that the generation is using the tech on plants in particular. The way devices like PlantWave work is fairly simple. Two electrodes are affixed to the leaves. They register delicate electrical variations, which are then recorded as waves. These waves then correlate to a sequence of pitches that mimic musical phrases. There are more nuances to the process, but this is the gist of it. Each plant, as well as each section of a plant, makes different sounds. It's akin to ambient music or yoga background noise. These sounds change under variables like sunshine, freshwater, and others. Personally, I don't think the plants are "playing" music. There's too much of a human hand in this process. But that's not to say plants don't make noises—or like their own brand of "music." Plant audio mainly consists of the circulation of water and the growing of roots. One of the non-musical uses of PlantWave is it can map onto an individual plant's health. In one instance, PlantWave detected a peace lily striking the same note over and over. It continued repeating the note until it was watered, as if it was calling out "Water me!" Plants species also seem to prefer certain frequencies. For instance, when researchers played a speaker at 200 hertz, corn specimens grew their roots towards the speaker. So whether or not plants enjoy or make their own music, they do dabble in audio. Next time you beat around the bush, keep in mind that it's listening!
Image credit & copyright: DEA / G. Cigolini/De Agostini via Getty Images
What do you see above: a trio of houseplants or a three-piece band? Some people see both and are trying to convince us of the same with apps. Music of the Plants and PlantWave are just two of many bio-sonification devices. These apps vocalize the biology of living creatures into "music." Seeing as houseplant sales among millennials have skyrocketed by 50 percent, it is only natural that the generation is using the tech on plants in particular. The way devices like PlantWave work is fairly simple. Two electrodes are affixed to the leaves. They register delicate electrical variations, which are then recorded as waves. These waves then correlate to a sequence of pitches that mimic musical phrases. There are more nuances to the process, but this is the gist of it. Each plant, as well as each section of a plant, makes different sounds. It's akin to ambient music or yoga background noise. These sounds change under variables like sunshine, freshwater, and others. Personally, I don't think the plants are "playing" music. There's too much of a human hand in this process. But that's not to say plants don't make noises—or like their own brand of "music." Plant audio mainly consists of the circulation of water and the growing of roots. One of the non-musical uses of PlantWave is it can map onto an individual plant's health. In one instance, PlantWave detected a peace lily striking the same note over and over. It continued repeating the note until it was watered, as if it was calling out "Water me!" Plants species also seem to prefer certain frequencies. For instance, when researchers played a speaker at 200 hertz, corn specimens grew their roots towards the speaker. So whether or not plants enjoy or make their own music, they do dabble in audio. Next time you beat around the bush, keep in mind that it's listening!
Image credit & copyright: DEA / G. Cigolini/De Agostini via Getty Images
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Bahrain, Kuwait and Afghanistan report first-time infections, while South Korea and Italy see sharp increases in cases. Lowes and Home Depot will be releasin...
Bahrain, Kuwait and Afghanistan report first-time infections, while South Korea and Italy see sharp increases in cases. Lowes and Home Depot will be releasin...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
To make the parades come alive, over 3,000 artists and builders work year-round on Carnival.
with PRI's The WorldTo make the parades come alive, over 3,000 artists and builders work year-round on Carnival.
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 3225 Abraham Lincoln invents a boat which can free itself from sandbars. Today, ...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 3225 Abraham Lincoln invents a boat which can free itself from sandbars. Today, ...
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
This crabeater seal doesn't look too happy… doesn't he know he's a winner? First place in the "Coldwater" category of the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, that is! For the eighth year in a row, the contest, which announced winners last month, has brought together underwater photographers from all over the world. Greg Lecoeur took the winning shot of a crabeater seal in the Antarctica Peninsula, in water that was just 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In the photo, the sleek, gray creature emerges with its mouth agape from behind large pillars of ice, making it appear both graceful and threatening. In reality, the seal is likely just scooping up some lunch since crabeater seals don't actually eat crabs, just krill! The seals have special teeth that allow them to suck in water and filter it out, leaving krill trapped inside their mouths. Trust this seal to have a winning strategy for surviving in such a barren environment!
Below: three more photos from the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition: Clownfish Eggs by Paolo Isgro, Hiding in Flowers by Leon Zhao and Seahorse Bus by Jules Casey.
Image credit & copyright:Greg Lecoeur/Paolo Isgro/Leon Zhao/Jules Casey/Ocean Art 2019
This crabeater seal doesn't look too happy… doesn't he know he's a winner? First place in the "Coldwater" category of the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition, that is! For the eighth year in a row, the contest, which announced winners last month, has brought together underwater photographers from all over the world. Greg Lecoeur took the winning shot of a crabeater seal in the Antarctica Peninsula, in water that was just 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In the photo, the sleek, gray creature emerges with its mouth agape from behind large pillars of ice, making it appear both graceful and threatening. In reality, the seal is likely just scooping up some lunch since crabeater seals don't actually eat crabs, just krill! The seals have special teeth that allow them to suck in water and filter it out, leaving krill trapped inside their mouths. Trust this seal to have a winning strategy for surviving in such a barren environment!
Below: three more photos from the 2019 Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition: Clownfish Eggs by Paolo Isgro, Hiding in Flowers by Leon Zhao and Seahorse Bus by Jules Casey.
Image credit & copyright:Greg Lecoeur/Paolo Isgro/Leon Zhao/Jules Casey/Ocean Art 2019
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: It Was Like This. by Jane Hirshfield.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: It Was Like This. by Jane Hirshfield.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 17, 2017
castigate \KASS-tuh-gayt\ verb
Definition
: to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism
Examples
Before senten...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 17, 2017
castigate \KASS-tuh-gayt\ verb
Definition
: to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism
Examples
Before senten...
February 24, 2020
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #1990Free1 CQ
It's the small things we take for granted. If you like sensible graphical user interface, or the visual layouts that make handling electronics easy, thank late American computer scientist Larry Tesler. Tesler passed away just last week. His name isn't exactly well-known, but his influence is everywhere—our personal computers, phones, and tablets. He was born on April 24, 1945, in the Bronx, and graduated from Stanford University in 1965 as a computer science and mathematics student. His career picked up in the '70s when he landed a gig at the photocopying company, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). There, Tesler harped against modes. Modes are settings in computer programs that alter user's inputs. A simple example is Caps Lock, which makes all text capitalized. In Tesler's time, coders had to physically remove text by using modes, keyboard commands, and various multi-step schemes. So Tesler invented the cut, copy, and paste commands to overcome those now-archaic, fussy modes. On top of that, he introduced the "mouse" cursor to Steve Jobs, prior to the first Macintosh. Tesler actually left Xerox to Apple Computers, to help incorporate the scroll bar and his other features into the graphical user interfaces of the first Macintoshes. He eventually became Apple's chief scientist. Among his other accomplishments, Tesler is credited with coining the term "browser" to refer to graphical programs used to help navigate the internet. He also devised the nifty "find and replace" function. He was so dedicated to making computers accessible to us all that he named his personal website "nomodes.com," his Twitter account "@nomodes," and drove around with the custom license plate, "No Modes." In regards to Tesler's fervent stance against modes, I think we can all say with appreciation "Copy that!"
Image credit & copyright: Ann E Yow-Dyson/Getty Images
It's the small things we take for granted. If you like sensible graphical user interface, or the visual layouts that make handling electronics easy, thank late American computer scientist Larry Tesler. Tesler passed away just last week. His name isn't exactly well-known, but his influence is everywhere—our personal computers, phones, and tablets. He was born on April 24, 1945, in the Bronx, and graduated from Stanford University in 1965 as a computer science and mathematics student. His career picked up in the '70s when he landed a gig at the photocopying company, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). There, Tesler harped against modes. Modes are settings in computer programs that alter user's inputs. A simple example is Caps Lock, which makes all text capitalized. In Tesler's time, coders had to physically remove text by using modes, keyboard commands, and various multi-step schemes. So Tesler invented the cut, copy, and paste commands to overcome those now-archaic, fussy modes. On top of that, he introduced the "mouse" cursor to Steve Jobs, prior to the first Macintosh. Tesler actually left Xerox to Apple Computers, to help incorporate the scroll bar and his other features into the graphical user interfaces of the first Macintoshes. He eventually became Apple's chief scientist. Among his other accomplishments, Tesler is credited with coining the term "browser" to refer to graphical programs used to help navigate the internet. He also devised the nifty "find and replace" function. He was so dedicated to making computers accessible to us all that he named his personal website "nomodes.com," his Twitter account "@nomodes," and drove around with the custom license plate, "No Modes." In regards to Tesler's fervent stance against modes, I think we can all say with appreciation "Copy that!"
Image credit & copyright: Ann E Yow-Dyson/Getty Images
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The coronavirus hit in Asia is bigger than expected. How the epidemic’s expansion is affecting the auto and airline industries in China. One CEO who’s juggli...
The coronavirus hit in Asia is bigger than expected. How the epidemic’s expansion is affecting the auto and airline industries in China. One CEO who’s juggli...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Biologist Somsak Panha stimulates a snail, causing it to secrete a mucus that is used in beauty serums.
with PRI's The WorldBiologist Somsak Panha stimulates a snail, causing it to secrete a mucus that is used in beauty serums.
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2002 The almost-first patent: from stained glass to genetically modified mice. T...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2002 The almost-first patent: from stained glass to genetically modified mice. T...
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FREEBaking Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Xenomorph
Artist: Caroline Eriksson
Created: 2019
Medium: wire, melted sugar, gingerbread
Current location: Oslo, Norway
Finally, a chance to devour an evil alien before it eats you! Caroline Eriksson's Xenomorph is a large sculpture of—what else—the xenomorph alien from the 1979 sci-fi horror film, Alien. Incredibly, it is crafted not from clay or metal but gingerbread. The sculpture is one of Swedish artist Caroline Eriksson's pop culture-inspired gingerbread pieces, which have recently gone viral. Eriksson has created baked crafts since she was a child and has made everything from traditional gingerbread houses to elaborate structures such as castles. In 2013, however, she decided to see what kind of non-traditional art baked goods could be concocted. Since then, pop culture has become the movie-loving artist's biggest inspiration. Eriksson uses wire frames to map out her sculptures, then holds the gingerbread pieces to the frame using melted sugar. From monsters to superheroes to famous villains, Erikssons edible characters come to life with a real sense of personality and movement, as can be seen in Xenomorph. The alien crouches at the edge of a counter, teeth bared, as if ready to pounce. Luckily, the hunter is likely to become the hunted once someone gets a whiff of its perfectly baked exoskeleton!
Below: more of Eriksson's movie-inspired gingerbread creations.
Image credit & copyright: Caroline Eriksson
Title: Xenomorph
Artist: Caroline Eriksson
Created: 2019
Medium: wire, melted sugar, gingerbread
Current location: Oslo, Norway
Finally, a chance to devour an evil alien before it eats you! Caroline Eriksson's Xenomorph is a large sculpture of—what else—the xenomorph alien from the 1979 sci-fi horror film, Alien. Incredibly, it is crafted not from clay or metal but gingerbread. The sculpture is one of Swedish artist Caroline Eriksson's pop culture-inspired gingerbread pieces, which have recently gone viral. Eriksson has created baked crafts since she was a child and has made everything from traditional gingerbread houses to elaborate structures such as castles. In 2013, however, she decided to see what kind of non-traditional art baked goods could be concocted. Since then, pop culture has become the movie-loving artist's biggest inspiration. Eriksson uses wire frames to map out her sculptures, then holds the gingerbread pieces to the frame using melted sugar. From monsters to superheroes to famous villains, Erikssons edible characters come to life with a real sense of personality and movement, as can be seen in Xenomorph. The alien crouches at the edge of a counter, teeth bared, as if ready to pounce. Luckily, the hunter is likely to become the hunted once someone gets a whiff of its perfectly baked exoskeleton!
Below: more of Eriksson's movie-inspired gingerbread creations.
Image credit & copyright: Caroline Eriksson
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: Living Among the Dead. By William Matthews.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Living Among the Dead. By William Matthews.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 16, 2017
hoodlum \HOOD-lum\ noun
Definition
1 : thug; especially : a violent criminal
2 : a young ruffian
Examples
The shaken cou...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 16, 2017
hoodlum \HOOD-lum\ noun
Definition
1 : thug; especially : a violent criminal
2 : a young ruffian
Examples
The shaken cou...
February 23, 2020
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
On streaming sites, political ads aren’t always required to disclose who paid for them. How coronavirus is hitting inmates of China’s prison system. What we ...
On streaming sites, political ads aren’t always required to disclose who paid for them. How coronavirus is hitting inmates of China’s prison system. What we ...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Last weekend, young Latinos gathered in Houston, Texas, to hear from presidential candidates. Their message? To win in November and turn Texas purple, candid...
with PRI's The WorldLast weekend, young Latinos gathered in Houston, Texas, to hear from presidential candidates. Their message? To win in November and turn Texas purple, candid...
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1824 Cognac grapes growing from Texas rootstocks. Today, we grow grapes.
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1824 Cognac grapes growing from Texas rootstocks. Today, we grow grapes.
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FREEArchitecture PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
The story of what was once the largest building in the world.
Third time's the charm! The beautiful building known as the Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey, is a testament to the phrase. Two versions of it were completed and destroyed before the final version was commissioned on this day in 532 C.E. Originally a basilica, or cathedral of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church, (also used by Romans and Catholics) this architectural marvel has changed functions throughout the centuries. But for the past 1,500 years, it has steadfastly stood as a larger-than-life symbol of its nation, not unlike Paris' Eiffel Tower or New York's Empire State Building.
The first version of the Hagia Sophia was commissioned by Byzantine Emperor Constantius around 360 C.E. At the time, the city of Istanbul was called Constantinople, after the first Byzantine Emperor (and Constantius's father), Constantine I. Unfortunately, the city was faced with political discord and riots during the reign of its next ruler, Emperor Arkadios. The Hagia Sophia, which was partially made from wood, was burned down in the chaos. In 415 C.E., it was rebuilt, but part of its structure was once again made from wood, and once again, around a hundred years later, it was burned down during a time of political turmoil.
Finally, in 532 C.E., Emperor Justinian I decided to commission a new basilica sure to stand the test of time. Byzantine architects Isidoros Milet and Anthemios Tralles were called upon to build a flame-resistant successor. Using enormous slabs of marble, plus other stone and bricks, the renowned architects created a structure measuring 269 feet long and 240 feet wide, which, upon its completion in 537 C.E., made it the largest building in the world. The newly-minted Hagia Sophia featured marble floors and ceilings, 104 marble columns, and a 180-foot-high pendentive domed roof. It was the first large-scale employment of a pendentive, or vaulting which stabilizes spherical domes to square frames. It wasn't until St. Peter's Basilica was finished in 1506, just under a 1,000 years later, that a larger pendentive dome was erected.
The Hagia Sophia is considered a marvel of Byzantine architecture and is by far the most famous structure in Byzantine history. Not only is it where Byzantine Emperors were crowned, but every province in the empire was responsible for its construction, for Emperor Justinian I decreed that all of them must supply architectural materials, in order for the building to truly represent the entire empire. "My Lord, thank you for giving me the chance to create such a worshipping place," he spoke upon its completion.
The Hagia Sophia was not only a symbol of the Byzantine Empire's might, but also its culture, specifically its central Greek Orthodox faith. This didn't sit well with Emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmed of the Ottoman Empire, who captured Constantinople in 1453. The Ottomans quickly converted the Hagia Sophia into an Islamic Mosque. The majority of the building's structure was left intact, although some of the Hagia Sophia's original Greek Orthodox artwork was covered over with Islamic art and minarets were added to the building so that Muslims in Istanbul could be called to prayer.
In 1935, the Hagia Sophia was transformed into a museum. Today, it is a haven for those interested in the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the history of Turkey, in general. How fitting is it that the name "Hagia Sophia" means "holy wisdom"!?
Below: a photograph of the inside of the Hagia Sophia, which is now a museum.
The story of what was once the largest building in the world.
Third time's the charm! The beautiful building known as the Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey, is a testament to the phrase. Two versions of it were completed and destroyed before the final version was commissioned on this day in 532 C.E. Originally a basilica, or cathedral of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church, (also used by Romans and Catholics) this architectural marvel has changed functions throughout the centuries. But for the past 1,500 years, it has steadfastly stood as a larger-than-life symbol of its nation, not unlike Paris' Eiffel Tower or New York's Empire State Building.
The first version of the Hagia Sophia was commissioned by Byzantine Emperor Constantius around 360 C.E. At the time, the city of Istanbul was called Constantinople, after the first Byzantine Emperor (and Constantius's father), Constantine I. Unfortunately, the city was faced with political discord and riots during the reign of its next ruler, Emperor Arkadios. The Hagia Sophia, which was partially made from wood, was burned down in the chaos. In 415 C.E., it was rebuilt, but part of its structure was once again made from wood, and once again, around a hundred years later, it was burned down during a time of political turmoil.
Finally, in 532 C.E., Emperor Justinian I decided to commission a new basilica sure to stand the test of time. Byzantine architects Isidoros Milet and Anthemios Tralles were called upon to build a flame-resistant successor. Using enormous slabs of marble, plus other stone and bricks, the renowned architects created a structure measuring 269 feet long and 240 feet wide, which, upon its completion in 537 C.E., made it the largest building in the world. The newly-minted Hagia Sophia featured marble floors and ceilings, 104 marble columns, and a 180-foot-high pendentive domed roof. It was the first large-scale employment of a pendentive, or vaulting which stabilizes spherical domes to square frames. It wasn't until St. Peter's Basilica was finished in 1506, just under a 1,000 years later, that a larger pendentive dome was erected.
The Hagia Sophia is considered a marvel of Byzantine architecture and is by far the most famous structure in Byzantine history. Not only is it where Byzantine Emperors were crowned, but every province in the empire was responsible for its construction, for Emperor Justinian I decreed that all of them must supply architectural materials, in order for the building to truly represent the entire empire. "My Lord, thank you for giving me the chance to create such a worshipping place," he spoke upon its completion.
The Hagia Sophia was not only a symbol of the Byzantine Empire's might, but also its culture, specifically its central Greek Orthodox faith. This didn't sit well with Emperor Fatih Sultan Mehmed of the Ottoman Empire, who captured Constantinople in 1453. The Ottomans quickly converted the Hagia Sophia into an Islamic Mosque. The majority of the building's structure was left intact, although some of the Hagia Sophia's original Greek Orthodox artwork was covered over with Islamic art and minarets were added to the building so that Muslims in Istanbul could be called to prayer.
In 1935, the Hagia Sophia was transformed into a museum. Today, it is a haven for those interested in the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the history of Turkey, in general. How fitting is it that the name "Hagia Sophia" means "holy wisdom"!?
Below: a photograph of the inside of the Hagia Sophia, which is now a museum.
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Red Ghazal. By Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Red Ghazal. By Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 15, 2017
peregrinate \PAIR-uh-gruh-nayt\ verb
Definition
1 : to travel especially on foot : walk
2 : to walk or travel over : trave...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 15, 2017
peregrinate \PAIR-uh-gruh-nayt\ verb
Definition
1 : to travel especially on foot : walk
2 : to walk or travel over : trave...
February 22, 2020
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #225Free1 CQ
We're at Curio Teaser #225, and that means we have (wait..., um, where's the calculator...) over four years of weekly brain teasers for you to go back to. If you've solved them all, then, uh, wow. Wow. Really, wow. If not, get yourself some food, settle down, and go back for more! Remember: a word square is similar to a square crossword puzzle, but the same words appear across and down. Here's an example of a 3x3 word square: CAT AGO TOY Below are four clues, not in order. Can you make a 4x4 word square out of it? Go back, in a way A place with slots to go back to Food for the stomach Food for the brain
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #225" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
We're at Curio Teaser #225, and that means we have (wait..., um, where's the calculator...) over four years of weekly brain teasers for you to go back to. If you've solved them all, then, uh, wow. Wow. Really, wow. If not, get yourself some food, settle down, and go back for more! Remember: a word square is similar to a square crossword puzzle, but the same words appear across and down. Here's an example of a 3x3 word square: CAT AGO TOY Below are four clues, not in order. Can you make a 4x4 word square out of it? Go back, in a way A place with slots to go back to Food for the stomach Food for the brain
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #225" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
L Brands prepare to sell control of Victoria’s Secret at a $1.1-billion valuation. ViacomCBS reports its earnings for the first time since a December merger....
L Brands prepare to sell control of Victoria’s Secret at a $1.1-billion valuation. ViacomCBS reports its earnings for the first time since a December merger....
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
A newly leaked database provides further evidence that China's detention of the Muslim minority group is based on religion, family ties and retrospective pun...
with PRI's The WorldA newly leaked database provides further evidence that China's detention of the Muslim minority group is based on religion, family ties and retrospective pun...
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 3024 Thomas Young, Polymath. Today, a most interesting man.
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 3024 Thomas Young, Polymath. Today, a most interesting man.
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Written with a Pencil Found in Lorine Niedecker's Front Yard. .
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Written with a Pencil Found in Lorine Niedecker's Front Yard. .
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : May 14, 2017
indurate \IN-duh-rut\ adjective
Definition
: physically or morally hardened
Examples
"Anne-James Chaton, his indurate mie...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : May 14, 2017
indurate \IN-duh-rut\ adjective
Definition
: physically or morally hardened
Examples
"Anne-James Chaton, his indurate mie...
