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December 4, 2024
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #2989Free1 CQ
What has 43 tails and weighs almost 300 pounds? A monkey prison break! 43 rhesus macaques have just escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina, and as wild as that sounds, it’s not the first time something like this has happened. Weighing between six and seven pounds each, the escaped primates were part of a group of 50 being held at the facility. Rhesus macaques are often used in researching infection and immunity due to their similarities to humans. The monkeys have been used to research everything from HIV to influenza, so a bunch of them escaping from a lab seems pretty alarming. Fortunately, the macaques are too young to have been used in experiments already and are not carrying any diseases, but local residents around the facility have been advised to keep their doors and windows locked. Meanwhile, Yemassee police and staff from the research facility are working on locating and trapping them.
While 43 loose monkeys sounds chaotic enough, there was once an even larger breakout back in 1935. That year, on August 21, around 175 macaques escaped from Frank Buck’s Jungle Camp, a private zoo in Massapequa, New York. Formerly featured in the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, the monkeys were part of Frank Buck’s massive collection of animals that he either bought or trapped himself. In the ensuing days, the monkeys supposedly harassed locals, causing traffic accidents and general mayhem in the area. After three weeks of searching, most of the monkeys were accounted for. In fact, most had been trapped by locals for a reward. Near the end, just four females and one male, named Capone, were left. The females were eventually captured, but Capone eluded authorities. Unlike his namesake, Capone was never captured, which is just one reason that some believed the entire incident was a deliberate stunt orchestrated by Buck. Whatever the case, the 43 recent escapees seem to be much more inclined to avoid attention. Maybe they’ve learned that it’s best to avoid the limelight.
[Image description: A rhesus macaque monkey with light brown fur sitting in a tree.] Credit & copyright: agnestrekker, iNaturalist. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.What has 43 tails and weighs almost 300 pounds? A monkey prison break! 43 rhesus macaques have just escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina, and as wild as that sounds, it’s not the first time something like this has happened. Weighing between six and seven pounds each, the escaped primates were part of a group of 50 being held at the facility. Rhesus macaques are often used in researching infection and immunity due to their similarities to humans. The monkeys have been used to research everything from HIV to influenza, so a bunch of them escaping from a lab seems pretty alarming. Fortunately, the macaques are too young to have been used in experiments already and are not carrying any diseases, but local residents around the facility have been advised to keep their doors and windows locked. Meanwhile, Yemassee police and staff from the research facility are working on locating and trapping them.
While 43 loose monkeys sounds chaotic enough, there was once an even larger breakout back in 1935. That year, on August 21, around 175 macaques escaped from Frank Buck’s Jungle Camp, a private zoo in Massapequa, New York. Formerly featured in the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, the monkeys were part of Frank Buck’s massive collection of animals that he either bought or trapped himself. In the ensuing days, the monkeys supposedly harassed locals, causing traffic accidents and general mayhem in the area. After three weeks of searching, most of the monkeys were accounted for. In fact, most had been trapped by locals for a reward. Near the end, just four females and one male, named Capone, were left. The females were eventually captured, but Capone eluded authorities. Unlike his namesake, Capone was never captured, which is just one reason that some believed the entire incident was a deliberate stunt orchestrated by Buck. Whatever the case, the 43 recent escapees seem to be much more inclined to avoid attention. Maybe they’ve learned that it’s best to avoid the limelight.
[Image description: A rhesus macaque monkey with light brown fur sitting in a tree.] Credit & copyright: agnestrekker, iNaturalist. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Gangly yet fluffy, gentle yet combative, useful yet challenging to manage. Alpacas are interesting animals, that’s for sure! As winter weather sets in, you may well find yourself bundling up in earmuffs, a scarf, or a hat made from alpaca wool. This wool is actually the main reason that alpacas exist today—they were bred specifically so that people could harness its amazing warmth and softness.
Alpacas are often mistaken for llamas, and the two animals are related, but alpacas’ closest relatives are wild vicuñas, a South American animal native to the Andes mountains. Because of their soft, fast-drying wool, vicuñas were domesticated by the Incas, which eventually resulted in the alpacas we know today. Alpacas are still part of the Camelidae family, which also includes llamas and camels. Like most of their relatives, alpacas are tall, lanky animals with large toenails and soft foot pads, rather than hooves. Of course, they’re distinguished by their fluffy wool, which can only be sheared once a year.
Once alpaca wool is sheared and washed, it is called roving. Roving can be spun into yarn, which can then be made into anything from scarves to rugs. While alpaca wool can be profitable, keeping alpacas isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Despite their fluffy good looks, alpacas aren’t exactly cuddly creatures. They prefer the company of their own herd to the company of people, and they can be fussy and finicky. Like camels, alpacas aren’t afraid to spit a wad of sticky mucus at anything or anyone that annoys them. Alpacas mainly eat hay, but they’re more than willing to nibble any other plants that they encounter. With their flexible, almost finger-like lips, alpacas can pluck individual leaves from trees or bushes and grind them up in their strong teeth. So, while it may sound fun to start an alpaca farm, you might want to make sure that your pasture is free from foliage…and that your clothes are spit-proof.
[Image description: Two newly-sheered alpacas. A brown alpaca looks to the left while a white one looks ahead.] Credit & copyright: Cybularny, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Gangly yet fluffy, gentle yet combative, useful yet challenging to manage. Alpacas are interesting animals, that’s for sure! As winter weather sets in, you may well find yourself bundling up in earmuffs, a scarf, or a hat made from alpaca wool. This wool is actually the main reason that alpacas exist today—they were bred specifically so that people could harness its amazing warmth and softness.
Alpacas are often mistaken for llamas, and the two animals are related, but alpacas’ closest relatives are wild vicuñas, a South American animal native to the Andes mountains. Because of their soft, fast-drying wool, vicuñas were domesticated by the Incas, which eventually resulted in the alpacas we know today. Alpacas are still part of the Camelidae family, which also includes llamas and camels. Like most of their relatives, alpacas are tall, lanky animals with large toenails and soft foot pads, rather than hooves. Of course, they’re distinguished by their fluffy wool, which can only be sheared once a year.
Once alpaca wool is sheared and washed, it is called roving. Roving can be spun into yarn, which can then be made into anything from scarves to rugs. While alpaca wool can be profitable, keeping alpacas isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Despite their fluffy good looks, alpacas aren’t exactly cuddly creatures. They prefer the company of their own herd to the company of people, and they can be fussy and finicky. Like camels, alpacas aren’t afraid to spit a wad of sticky mucus at anything or anyone that annoys them. Alpacas mainly eat hay, but they’re more than willing to nibble any other plants that they encounter. With their flexible, almost finger-like lips, alpacas can pluck individual leaves from trees or bushes and grind them up in their strong teeth. So, while it may sound fun to start an alpaca farm, you might want to make sure that your pasture is free from foliage…and that your clothes are spit-proof.
[Image description: Two newly-sheered alpacas. A brown alpaca looks to the left while a white one looks ahead.] Credit & copyright: Cybularny, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
December 3, 2024
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Don’t try to p-p-put them down! On this day in 1965, British rock band The Who released My Generation, their most famous album. The title track was an extremely unusual song for its time, harnessing the angst of young people in the UK and abroad. At the time, young nonconformists in the UK were known as “mods”, and they had little time for what they saw as the outdated social norms of their parents. Mods were known for staying out late, partying to loud music, and doing drugs. In fact, vocalist Roger Daltrey sang My Generation with a stutter at his manager’s request, to make it sound as if he was on drugs. While the song was considered crass by plenty of older folks, its raw vocals and clashing beat combined with its counterculture lyrics made it an instant hit with its intended audience, and today it’s considered one of the first proto-punk songs, which helped pave the way for full-blown punk in the 1970s. The Who still performs the song to this day, including the line “I hope I die before I get old.” Lucky we don’t always get what we wished for when we were young.
Don’t try to p-p-put them down! On this day in 1965, British rock band The Who released My Generation, their most famous album. The title track was an extremely unusual song for its time, harnessing the angst of young people in the UK and abroad. At the time, young nonconformists in the UK were known as “mods”, and they had little time for what they saw as the outdated social norms of their parents. Mods were known for staying out late, partying to loud music, and doing drugs. In fact, vocalist Roger Daltrey sang My Generation with a stutter at his manager’s request, to make it sound as if he was on drugs. While the song was considered crass by plenty of older folks, its raw vocals and clashing beat combined with its counterculture lyrics made it an instant hit with its intended audience, and today it’s considered one of the first proto-punk songs, which helped pave the way for full-blown punk in the 1970s. The Who still performs the song to this day, including the line “I hope I die before I get old.” Lucky we don’t always get what we wished for when we were young.
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2988Free1 CQ
They say that fashion trends repeat themselves;. Just look at all the 80s stuff everywhere: oversized sweaters, neon colors… salmon hats? While the fashionistas on land are thrifting for mom jeans, orcas are having an 80s fashion comeback of their own. Back when glam rock and shopping malls were thriving, orcas in the Northwest Pacific experienced something of a cultural trend. A female orca was spotted “wearing” a dead salmon like a hat in the summer of 1987, and soon, other orcas seemed to follow suit. There was no discernible reason for them doing this, at least none that any scientists could deduce, but like a viral trend on social media, the curious behavior spread. Then, like most viral fads, the salmon-hat trend seemingly disappeared without a trace by the following year with no explanation to be had.
Then, just last month, another orca was spotted in South Puget Sound in Washington state wearing a dead salmon. Scientists were baffled to see this same, strange behavior almost 40 years apart. Some believe that the behavior was passed on by orcas who were around in the 1980s and remember the trend, and that’s actually not too far-fetched. Individuals in pods learn from other orcas, and everything from the way they communicate to how they feed can be distinct from other pods. Pods are even known to have “dialects,” where their whistles and clicks sound different from one another. But why would any killer whale put a dead fish on their head and swim around with it to begin with? Some researchers believe that an abundance of food might trigger the behavior. Both this year and 1987 saw high food availability, and this behavior might just be a way for them to save food for later consumption. Orcas have been known to tuck food between their body and their pectoral fin, but salmon might be too slippery for that, forcing them to balance them on their heads instead. Form and function combined? Now that’s forward-thinking fashion.
[Image description: Two orcas leaping from the water.] Credit & copyright: Robert Pittman, NOAA. This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken or made as part of an employee's official duties.They say that fashion trends repeat themselves;. Just look at all the 80s stuff everywhere: oversized sweaters, neon colors… salmon hats? While the fashionistas on land are thrifting for mom jeans, orcas are having an 80s fashion comeback of their own. Back when glam rock and shopping malls were thriving, orcas in the Northwest Pacific experienced something of a cultural trend. A female orca was spotted “wearing” a dead salmon like a hat in the summer of 1987, and soon, other orcas seemed to follow suit. There was no discernible reason for them doing this, at least none that any scientists could deduce, but like a viral trend on social media, the curious behavior spread. Then, like most viral fads, the salmon-hat trend seemingly disappeared without a trace by the following year with no explanation to be had.
Then, just last month, another orca was spotted in South Puget Sound in Washington state wearing a dead salmon. Scientists were baffled to see this same, strange behavior almost 40 years apart. Some believe that the behavior was passed on by orcas who were around in the 1980s and remember the trend, and that’s actually not too far-fetched. Individuals in pods learn from other orcas, and everything from the way they communicate to how they feed can be distinct from other pods. Pods are even known to have “dialects,” where their whistles and clicks sound different from one another. But why would any killer whale put a dead fish on their head and swim around with it to begin with? Some researchers believe that an abundance of food might trigger the behavior. Both this year and 1987 saw high food availability, and this behavior might just be a way for them to save food for later consumption. Orcas have been known to tuck food between their body and their pectoral fin, but salmon might be too slippery for that, forcing them to balance them on their heads instead. Form and function combined? Now that’s forward-thinking fashion.
[Image description: Two orcas leaping from the water.] Credit & copyright: Robert Pittman, NOAA. This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken or made as part of an employee's official duties.
December 2, 2024
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Snow: it’s the only thing that people anticipate with equal parts dread and excitement. American painter Childe Hassam managed to capture the quiet beauty of fallen snow while highlighting the hassle of it at the same time. His piece above, Sweeping Snow, shows a woman wearing a blue headscarf and a yellow sweater over a white dress as she sweeps snow that has accumulated on the steps. Snow covers the handrails and the bottom steps, which are made of brick. Hassam, who lived from 1859 to 1935, was an admirer of Claude Monet and other French Impressionists. Of his American contemporaries, Hassam is considered to have adhered most closely to the style pioneered by the French, and many of his works clearly feature direct inspiration from Monet. Like Monet, Hassam also didn’t shy away from painting the seemingly mundane. He once said of his art, “The man who will go down to posterity is the man who paints his own time and the scenes of every-day life around him.” Just like snowflakes, every given day and every person in it is unique to history.
Sweeping Snow, Childe Hassam (American, 1859–1935), c.1890s, Oil on canvas, 23 x 18 cm. 9.06 x 7.06 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Childe Hassam, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Henry A. Everett for the Dorothy Burnham Everett Memorial Collection 1938.42, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, Public domain.Snow: it’s the only thing that people anticipate with equal parts dread and excitement. American painter Childe Hassam managed to capture the quiet beauty of fallen snow while highlighting the hassle of it at the same time. His piece above, Sweeping Snow, shows a woman wearing a blue headscarf and a yellow sweater over a white dress as she sweeps snow that has accumulated on the steps. Snow covers the handrails and the bottom steps, which are made of brick. Hassam, who lived from 1859 to 1935, was an admirer of Claude Monet and other French Impressionists. Of his American contemporaries, Hassam is considered to have adhered most closely to the style pioneered by the French, and many of his works clearly feature direct inspiration from Monet. Like Monet, Hassam also didn’t shy away from painting the seemingly mundane. He once said of his art, “The man who will go down to posterity is the man who paints his own time and the scenes of every-day life around him.” Just like snowflakes, every given day and every person in it is unique to history.
Sweeping Snow, Childe Hassam (American, 1859–1935), c.1890s, Oil on canvas, 23 x 18 cm. 9.06 x 7.06 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Childe Hassam, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Henry A. Everett for the Dorothy Burnham Everett Memorial Collection 1938.42, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, Public domain. -
FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2987Free1 CQ
This ain’t your grandma’s ferry. Lake Tahoe will soon see hydrofoil ferries shuttling passengers around at breakneck speeds, and the best part? The ferries will be electric with zero-emissions. Nestled between California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The lake and surrounding area offers its 15 million annual visitors everything from ski resorts to long-distance hiking trails, but their presence presents several conundrums. First, the very things that attract people to the area are under threat due to having to support so many visitors. Every vehicle kicks up road sediment, which threatens the clarity of the famously clear, blue lake. While tourism makes up a large portion of the local economy, the locals are often frustrated by the congestion and associated delays from having to share their space with so many visitors. Some workers who commute to tourism-related jobs find it difficult to get there due to all the traffic.
The solution seems almost too fantastical to be real: a high speed ferry that can cross the lake in less time than it would take to drive around it, while having a smaller environmental impact. A local company called FlyTahoe is teaming up with Candela, a Swedish tech company, to create the Candela P-12, an electric hydrofoil ferry. The zero-emission vessel is capable of carrying 30 passengers at 25 knots, which means commuters and visitors can cross the lake in around 30 minutes. And because the hydrofoil design lifts the hull above the water for most of the journey, the vessel is around 80 percent more energy-efficient than other boats. FlyTahoe is currently working with local businesses to secure docking rights for their ferries, but soon enough, there might be electric boats flying around Lake Tahoe. Water relief that would be.
[Image description: A close-up photo of the surface of water under the sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Matt Hardy, PexelsThis ain’t your grandma’s ferry. Lake Tahoe will soon see hydrofoil ferries shuttling passengers around at breakneck speeds, and the best part? The ferries will be electric with zero-emissions. Nestled between California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The lake and surrounding area offers its 15 million annual visitors everything from ski resorts to long-distance hiking trails, but their presence presents several conundrums. First, the very things that attract people to the area are under threat due to having to support so many visitors. Every vehicle kicks up road sediment, which threatens the clarity of the famously clear, blue lake. While tourism makes up a large portion of the local economy, the locals are often frustrated by the congestion and associated delays from having to share their space with so many visitors. Some workers who commute to tourism-related jobs find it difficult to get there due to all the traffic.
The solution seems almost too fantastical to be real: a high speed ferry that can cross the lake in less time than it would take to drive around it, while having a smaller environmental impact. A local company called FlyTahoe is teaming up with Candela, a Swedish tech company, to create the Candela P-12, an electric hydrofoil ferry. The zero-emission vessel is capable of carrying 30 passengers at 25 knots, which means commuters and visitors can cross the lake in around 30 minutes. And because the hydrofoil design lifts the hull above the water for most of the journey, the vessel is around 80 percent more energy-efficient than other boats. FlyTahoe is currently working with local businesses to secure docking rights for their ferries, but soon enough, there might be electric boats flying around Lake Tahoe. Water relief that would be.
[Image description: A close-up photo of the surface of water under the sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Matt Hardy, Pexels
December 1, 2024
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FREEWorld History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
It’s not exactly floating on cloud nine, but it might feel pretty close. Since they first took to the skies, airships have held the popular imagination captive. Some of the world’s first airships (a term that includes blimps and dirigibles) used hydrogen to become lighter than air. Hydrogen was eventually replaced by helium, which was much less explosive. The very first airship to use helium took its maiden voyage on this day in 1921, and things seemed to be looking up for the future of airships. To the disappointment of many enthusiasts, however, they never really took off as a popular form of transportation.
Airships were, unsurprisingly, inspired by hot air balloons, which were invented in 1783. French engineer Jean Baptiste Meusnier was the first to build on the concept of a lighter-than-air vessel with a design that included steering by way of three propellers and a fully sealed balloon filled with gas, not hot air. Unfortunately for Meusnier, his design was never built, though it went on to inspire others. In 1785, French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr John Jeffries made history by crossing the English Channel in a hydrogen-filled airship. Their success launched a new airship industry in which improvements and innovations developed fast. One major improvement was steam power, first used in 1852 by yet another French engineer, Henri Giffard. The most famous contribution to airship technology came in 1895, from German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The count designed an entirely new type of airship, named after himself: the Zeppelin, which was much more rigid than its predecessors. The first Zeppelin was built by Hungarian inventor David Schwarz, and was shaped like a long cigar that was wider at the front, with fins at the rear. Its rigid frame the Zeppelin faster than other airships of the time, capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 miles-per-hour. Zeppelins were also more resilient to adverse weather conditions.
Other airships soon adopted more rigid frames. While they were largely used for scenic passenger flights, Zeppelins were also used as military aircraft to bomb Britain during WWI due to their impressive cargo capacity. The U.S. military also adopted the use of airships, though they mostly used non-rigid dirigibles. The most prevalent among them were the Goodyear Pilgrims, invented in 1925. Though these were only capable of carrying two passengers and two crew members, and were originally made for scenic passenger flights, during the war they were utilized for surveillance by the U.S. Army and Navy. In fact, the first helium airship was the U.S. Navy’s C-7 blimp, which could carry a crew of four. Goodyear also made other nonrigid airships, or blimps, and they were a common sight during large events, where they served as advertisements. Some of these even remain in service today. With varied uses and designs, airships seemed to be on the rise during the early 20th century. One tragic event, however, changed course of the airship industry forever: the Hindenburg disaster. The Hindenburg was the first airship to provide regularly-scheduled service between Europe and North America, carrying passengers across the Atlantic faster than any ship of the time. But in 1937, the Hindenburg crashed during its landing approach in Lakehurst, New Jersey. After a hydrogen leak caught on fire from a static discharge, flames consumed the fabric covering containing the gas. In almost no time at all, the Hindenburg fell to the ground in a smoky blaze. Of the 97 passengers and crew on board, 35 lost their lives. Once the terrifying images of the conflagration spread around the world, the golden age of airships was essentially over.
With modern airplanes that can ferry hundreds of passengers across continents in hours, it might seem like airships are irrelevant today. Yet, these unusual aircraft do manage to find a place in modern times. Airships are still used to deliver aid relief to remote, undeveloped areas with no landing strips, since airships can safely drop cargo without having to land. They’re also widely used in scientific research and military surveillance, though in a reversal of past trends, there is a growing interest in airships for scenic flights. Then there are the enthusiasts who still fly dirigibles just for the fun of it. Don’t worry though; airships nowadays are filled with helium, making tragedies like the Hindenburg much less likely to occur. Who’s up for a leisurely blimp ride?
[Image description: A black-and-white image of the airship Captain Ferber in its hangar with people in uniform standing about.] Credit & copyright: Epinal Municipal Library, Limedia galleries. Etalab Open License, Public Domain.It’s not exactly floating on cloud nine, but it might feel pretty close. Since they first took to the skies, airships have held the popular imagination captive. Some of the world’s first airships (a term that includes blimps and dirigibles) used hydrogen to become lighter than air. Hydrogen was eventually replaced by helium, which was much less explosive. The very first airship to use helium took its maiden voyage on this day in 1921, and things seemed to be looking up for the future of airships. To the disappointment of many enthusiasts, however, they never really took off as a popular form of transportation.
Airships were, unsurprisingly, inspired by hot air balloons, which were invented in 1783. French engineer Jean Baptiste Meusnier was the first to build on the concept of a lighter-than-air vessel with a design that included steering by way of three propellers and a fully sealed balloon filled with gas, not hot air. Unfortunately for Meusnier, his design was never built, though it went on to inspire others. In 1785, French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr John Jeffries made history by crossing the English Channel in a hydrogen-filled airship. Their success launched a new airship industry in which improvements and innovations developed fast. One major improvement was steam power, first used in 1852 by yet another French engineer, Henri Giffard. The most famous contribution to airship technology came in 1895, from German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The count designed an entirely new type of airship, named after himself: the Zeppelin, which was much more rigid than its predecessors. The first Zeppelin was built by Hungarian inventor David Schwarz, and was shaped like a long cigar that was wider at the front, with fins at the rear. Its rigid frame the Zeppelin faster than other airships of the time, capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 miles-per-hour. Zeppelins were also more resilient to adverse weather conditions.
Other airships soon adopted more rigid frames. While they were largely used for scenic passenger flights, Zeppelins were also used as military aircraft to bomb Britain during WWI due to their impressive cargo capacity. The U.S. military also adopted the use of airships, though they mostly used non-rigid dirigibles. The most prevalent among them were the Goodyear Pilgrims, invented in 1925. Though these were only capable of carrying two passengers and two crew members, and were originally made for scenic passenger flights, during the war they were utilized for surveillance by the U.S. Army and Navy. In fact, the first helium airship was the U.S. Navy’s C-7 blimp, which could carry a crew of four. Goodyear also made other nonrigid airships, or blimps, and they were a common sight during large events, where they served as advertisements. Some of these even remain in service today. With varied uses and designs, airships seemed to be on the rise during the early 20th century. One tragic event, however, changed course of the airship industry forever: the Hindenburg disaster. The Hindenburg was the first airship to provide regularly-scheduled service between Europe and North America, carrying passengers across the Atlantic faster than any ship of the time. But in 1937, the Hindenburg crashed during its landing approach in Lakehurst, New Jersey. After a hydrogen leak caught on fire from a static discharge, flames consumed the fabric covering containing the gas. In almost no time at all, the Hindenburg fell to the ground in a smoky blaze. Of the 97 passengers and crew on board, 35 lost their lives. Once the terrifying images of the conflagration spread around the world, the golden age of airships was essentially over.
With modern airplanes that can ferry hundreds of passengers across continents in hours, it might seem like airships are irrelevant today. Yet, these unusual aircraft do manage to find a place in modern times. Airships are still used to deliver aid relief to remote, undeveloped areas with no landing strips, since airships can safely drop cargo without having to land. They’re also widely used in scientific research and military surveillance, though in a reversal of past trends, there is a growing interest in airships for scenic flights. Then there are the enthusiasts who still fly dirigibles just for the fun of it. Don’t worry though; airships nowadays are filled with helium, making tragedies like the Hindenburg much less likely to occur. Who’s up for a leisurely blimp ride?
[Image description: A black-and-white image of the airship Captain Ferber in its hangar with people in uniform standing about.] Credit & copyright: Epinal Municipal Library, Limedia galleries. Etalab Open License, Public Domain.
November 30, 2024
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There are new details on the Department of Government Efficiency. It’s not a government agency but a kind of commission headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk ...
There are new details on the Department of Government Efficiency. It’s not a government agency but a kind of commission headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk ...
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FREESoccer Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
How can a team that’s suffered its share of losses still be a winner? When it’s the San Marino national football team. This scrappy soccer team is making a surprising showing in the Nations League group, where they’re competing for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. As it stands, it’s unlikely that San Marino will make it to the World Cup, but the possibility is impressive considering their overall record. The team made its debut in 1986, and since then, they’ve played a total of 216 games. Of those, they have lost 202. Of the times they didn’t lose, they have played to a draw 11 times and have only won three games—all against Lichtenstein, including their latest 3-1 win on November 25. A small, landlocked nation located within Italy, San Marino only has a population of about 35,000. With such a limited pool to choose from, it’s a wonder that they’ve managed to field an entire team of players that can compete at the international level. Though victories are scarce for the team, each one is greatly appreciated. After their latest match against Lichtenstein, San Marino soccer federation president Marco Tura told the press, “I even cried among the boys, I hugged the captain and it was an incredible thing.” That’s a team that anyone could root for.
How can a team that’s suffered its share of losses still be a winner? When it’s the San Marino national football team. This scrappy soccer team is making a surprising showing in the Nations League group, where they’re competing for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. As it stands, it’s unlikely that San Marino will make it to the World Cup, but the possibility is impressive considering their overall record. The team made its debut in 1986, and since then, they’ve played a total of 216 games. Of those, they have lost 202. Of the times they didn’t lose, they have played to a draw 11 times and have only won three games—all against Lichtenstein, including their latest 3-1 win on November 25. A small, landlocked nation located within Italy, San Marino only has a population of about 35,000. With such a limited pool to choose from, it’s a wonder that they’ve managed to field an entire team of players that can compete at the international level. Though victories are scarce for the team, each one is greatly appreciated. After their latest match against Lichtenstein, San Marino soccer federation president Marco Tura told the press, “I even cried among the boys, I hugged the captain and it was an incredible thing.” That’s a team that anyone could root for.
November 29, 2024
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
As we sort through our Thanksgiving leftovers starting today, we’ll inevitably find ourselves eating lots of potatoes. Mashed with gravy or roasted in their skins, these hearty root vegetables are a staple of the holiday. One particularly fancy iteration of Thanksgiving potatoes is the scalloped variety. But where did this sumptuous side dish get such a seafood-esque name? And are scalloped potatoes really just the same thing as potatoes au gratin?
Scalloped potatoes is a dish of thinly sliced potatoes baked in heavy cream or milk. Garlic and herbs are sometimes added to the cream, as are chopped onions. Cheese is a common topping, but traditional recipes don’t call for any cheese at all. No one quite knows where scalloped potatoes got their name from. One theory is that it comes from a fancy, 18th century dish of oysters served in scallop shells. The story goes that, as a cost saving measure, potatoes eventually replaced the oysters. However, the name could also come from the 14th century English word “collops”, which roughly translates to “thick slice.”
However it got its name, there’s no doubt that this dish has a bit of an identity crisis. The term “scalloped potatoes” is often used interchangeably with “au gratin potatoes”, (also known as potatoes au gratin) but there are some differences between the two dishes. First, au gratin potatoes are French, while scalloped potatoes are thought to have originated in England. Both dishes feature potatoes that have been sliced and baked, but au gratin potatoes always include cheese and, critically, a thin crust of sprinkled breadcrumbs. In fact, “au gratin” means “grated” or “with a crust.” Because of the cheese and breadcrumbs, au gratin potatoes tend to have a much thicker, bubblier crust than scalloped potatoes. But hey, the lack of crust just makes it easier to spoon more scalloped potatoes onto our holiday plates.
[Image description: A close-up photo of raw potatoes.] Credit & copyright: Marco Antonio Victorino, PexelsAs we sort through our Thanksgiving leftovers starting today, we’ll inevitably find ourselves eating lots of potatoes. Mashed with gravy or roasted in their skins, these hearty root vegetables are a staple of the holiday. One particularly fancy iteration of Thanksgiving potatoes is the scalloped variety. But where did this sumptuous side dish get such a seafood-esque name? And are scalloped potatoes really just the same thing as potatoes au gratin?
Scalloped potatoes is a dish of thinly sliced potatoes baked in heavy cream or milk. Garlic and herbs are sometimes added to the cream, as are chopped onions. Cheese is a common topping, but traditional recipes don’t call for any cheese at all. No one quite knows where scalloped potatoes got their name from. One theory is that it comes from a fancy, 18th century dish of oysters served in scallop shells. The story goes that, as a cost saving measure, potatoes eventually replaced the oysters. However, the name could also come from the 14th century English word “collops”, which roughly translates to “thick slice.”
However it got its name, there’s no doubt that this dish has a bit of an identity crisis. The term “scalloped potatoes” is often used interchangeably with “au gratin potatoes”, (also known as potatoes au gratin) but there are some differences between the two dishes. First, au gratin potatoes are French, while scalloped potatoes are thought to have originated in England. Both dishes feature potatoes that have been sliced and baked, but au gratin potatoes always include cheese and, critically, a thin crust of sprinkled breadcrumbs. In fact, “au gratin” means “grated” or “with a crust.” Because of the cheese and breadcrumbs, au gratin potatoes tend to have a much thicker, bubblier crust than scalloped potatoes. But hey, the lack of crust just makes it easier to spoon more scalloped potatoes onto our holiday plates.
[Image description: A close-up photo of raw potatoes.] Credit & copyright: Marco Antonio Victorino, Pexels
November 28, 2024
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FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Forming memories is kind of the brain’s thing. That’s where all the information about our past is stored…right? As it turns out, the brain might not be the only organ in the human body capable of forming memories, according to a paper published by New York University (NYU) researchers in Nature Communications. Memories in the brain are stored by neurons—specialized cells that are uniquely structured for that purpose. However, researchers at NYU have found that memory genes can be activated in nerve cells and organs to help them function more efficiently using something called the massed-spaced effect. It’s a phenomenon where people retain information better when they’re exposed to it in spaced intervals rather than in a single occurrence. When cells outside the brain are exposed to chemical signals, it’s similar to the process by which neurotransmitters interact with neurons. Researchers found that it activates the cells’ memory genes and, like neurons, the cells can then “remember” better when signals come in intervals rather than in single, large bursts. The memories these cells form aren’t quite like memories in neurons, though. They appear to be specifically related to improving their individual functions and can’t be consciously accessed. This study sheds more light on how neurons work, but it also gives enormous insight into how the rest of the body functions. One of the co-authors of the study, Nikolay Kukushkin, said in the university’s press release, “This discovery opens new doors for understanding how memory works and could lead to better ways to enhance learning and treat memory problems. At the same time, it suggests that in the future, we will need to treat our body more like the brain—for example, consider what our pancreas remembers about the pattern of our past meals to maintain healthy levels of blood glucose or consider what a cancer cell remembers about the pattern of chemotherapy.” A disease that remembers the last time you tried to kill it? Frankly, that’s something we’d rather forget.
[Image description: Models of a human brain and lightbulb against a pink background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
Forming memories is kind of the brain’s thing. That’s where all the information about our past is stored…right? As it turns out, the brain might not be the only organ in the human body capable of forming memories, according to a paper published by New York University (NYU) researchers in Nature Communications. Memories in the brain are stored by neurons—specialized cells that are uniquely structured for that purpose. However, researchers at NYU have found that memory genes can be activated in nerve cells and organs to help them function more efficiently using something called the massed-spaced effect. It’s a phenomenon where people retain information better when they’re exposed to it in spaced intervals rather than in a single occurrence. When cells outside the brain are exposed to chemical signals, it’s similar to the process by which neurotransmitters interact with neurons. Researchers found that it activates the cells’ memory genes and, like neurons, the cells can then “remember” better when signals come in intervals rather than in single, large bursts. The memories these cells form aren’t quite like memories in neurons, though. They appear to be specifically related to improving their individual functions and can’t be consciously accessed. This study sheds more light on how neurons work, but it also gives enormous insight into how the rest of the body functions. One of the co-authors of the study, Nikolay Kukushkin, said in the university’s press release, “This discovery opens new doors for understanding how memory works and could lead to better ways to enhance learning and treat memory problems. At the same time, it suggests that in the future, we will need to treat our body more like the brain—for example, consider what our pancreas remembers about the pattern of our past meals to maintain healthy levels of blood glucose or consider what a cancer cell remembers about the pattern of chemotherapy.” A disease that remembers the last time you tried to kill it? Frankly, that’s something we’d rather forget.
[Image description: Models of a human brain and lightbulb against a pink background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
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FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2986Free1 CQ
Ah rats, there’s too many drivers on the road this time of year…including actual rats. When a group of neuroscientists taught rats to drive tiny, specially-made cars, they weren’t surprised by their success. They were surprised, however, by how much the rats seemed to enjoy it. One of the researchers, Kelly Lambert at the University of Richmond wrote in Live Science, “Rats typically prefer dirt, sticks, and rocks over plastic objects.” Yet when Lambert and her colleagues started training rats to drive, the rambunctious rodents took to it quickly—and with gusto. Maybe it was just the breakfast cereal researchers used as rewards, but the rats didn’t seem to mind the strange little contraptions they were placed into. The “cars” they drove, which consisted of a clear box on wheels steered by wires the rats could pull on, were fairly rudimentary and definitely not street-legal (rat rods, one might call them), but they were still unnatural contraptions that the rats were unfamiliar with. It would have been reasonable to assume that the rats would fear the cars. Yet, the rodents seemed to love them. As Lambert further elucidated, humans didn’t evolve to drive cars either. What allows us to enjoy driving is the human brain’s flexibility, a trait also shared by rats. It even seems that, just as humans sometimes go driving to regain a sense of control when stressed, so can rats. After driving, the rats were found to have lower levels of corticosterone, the rat equivalent of humans’ cortisol, the “stress hormone.” At the same time, their levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) went down. DHEA is a hormone that protects against the effects of corticosterone. Of course, the researchers didn’t do all of this just for kicks, as adorable as the concept of driving rats may be. This was part of a larger study exploring the effects of chronic stress in humans, including its negative health consequences, like type 2 diabetes. These scientists managed to perform valuable research while giving the world rats that can drive. Rats off to them!
Ah rats, there’s too many drivers on the road this time of year…including actual rats. When a group of neuroscientists taught rats to drive tiny, specially-made cars, they weren’t surprised by their success. They were surprised, however, by how much the rats seemed to enjoy it. One of the researchers, Kelly Lambert at the University of Richmond wrote in Live Science, “Rats typically prefer dirt, sticks, and rocks over plastic objects.” Yet when Lambert and her colleagues started training rats to drive, the rambunctious rodents took to it quickly—and with gusto. Maybe it was just the breakfast cereal researchers used as rewards, but the rats didn’t seem to mind the strange little contraptions they were placed into. The “cars” they drove, which consisted of a clear box on wheels steered by wires the rats could pull on, were fairly rudimentary and definitely not street-legal (rat rods, one might call them), but they were still unnatural contraptions that the rats were unfamiliar with. It would have been reasonable to assume that the rats would fear the cars. Yet, the rodents seemed to love them. As Lambert further elucidated, humans didn’t evolve to drive cars either. What allows us to enjoy driving is the human brain’s flexibility, a trait also shared by rats. It even seems that, just as humans sometimes go driving to regain a sense of control when stressed, so can rats. After driving, the rats were found to have lower levels of corticosterone, the rat equivalent of humans’ cortisol, the “stress hormone.” At the same time, their levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) went down. DHEA is a hormone that protects against the effects of corticosterone. Of course, the researchers didn’t do all of this just for kicks, as adorable as the concept of driving rats may be. This was part of a larger study exploring the effects of chronic stress in humans, including its negative health consequences, like type 2 diabetes. These scientists managed to perform valuable research while giving the world rats that can drive. Rats off to them!
