Curio Cabinet
- By Date
- By Type
May 2, 2024
-
FREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
What has six limbs, a hard outer shell, and loves pollinating flowers? It’s not a bee, it’s the Stickbug! While bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators are essential for agriculture, many species are currently on the decline. Thus, a team of robotics researchers at West Virginia University have developed a robot named Stickbug that might help fill in the gaps, according to a paper published in arXiv. As the team wrote in their paper, Stickbug is “a six-armed, multi-agent, precision pollination robot that combines the accuracy of single-agent systems with swarm parallelization in greenhouses.” There are other pollinating robots, but they tend to be specialized and limited in scope, only able to pollinate certain types of flowers. Stickbug, on the other hand, is capable of pollinating a wider variety of flowers thanks to its six robotic manipulators. Like its namesake, the robot’s main body is long and thin with six robotic arms, each with its own manipulator. For navigation, it uses a compact holonomic Kiwi drive, and it uses a felt-tipped finger to spread pollen. The researchers hope that the robot can be used in places where natural pollinator populations have declined. To that end, they believe that Stickbug has the potential to be highly scalable. Unfortunately, Stickbug probably won’t be making honey anytime soon.
[Image description: A field of green crops in the sunset.] Credit & copyright: Alejandro Barrón, Pexels
What has six limbs, a hard outer shell, and loves pollinating flowers? It’s not a bee, it’s the Stickbug! While bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators are essential for agriculture, many species are currently on the decline. Thus, a team of robotics researchers at West Virginia University have developed a robot named Stickbug that might help fill in the gaps, according to a paper published in arXiv. As the team wrote in their paper, Stickbug is “a six-armed, multi-agent, precision pollination robot that combines the accuracy of single-agent systems with swarm parallelization in greenhouses.” There are other pollinating robots, but they tend to be specialized and limited in scope, only able to pollinate certain types of flowers. Stickbug, on the other hand, is capable of pollinating a wider variety of flowers thanks to its six robotic manipulators. Like its namesake, the robot’s main body is long and thin with six robotic arms, each with its own manipulator. For navigation, it uses a compact holonomic Kiwi drive, and it uses a felt-tipped finger to spread pollen. The researchers hope that the robot can be used in places where natural pollinator populations have declined. To that end, they believe that Stickbug has the potential to be highly scalable. Unfortunately, Stickbug probably won’t be making honey anytime soon.
[Image description: A field of green crops in the sunset.] Credit & copyright: Alejandro Barrón, Pexels
-
FREETravel Daily Curio #2866Free1 CQ
Sure the desert view is nice, but driving through it can be a slog. Unfortunately, if you want to get from, say, Los Angeles to Las Vegas, it’s the only option besides flying. Soon, though, a high-speed rail line may be taking passengers through the Mojave. Bullet trains are commonplace in some other parts of the world but though the U.S. was once defined by its expansive railways, it has fallen behind in terms of train technology. It’s not for lack of demand, either. In the state of California, many residents have been waiting with bated breath for a fabled high-speed rail line that would connect Los Angeles to San Francisco. Construction of the 500-mile line was approved by voters in 2008, but the project has been plagued by setbacks and has far surpassed the original budget, tripling in cost to $105 billion and counting. While it might seem like this new line could meet the same fate, the company heading the project has a decent track record of delivering on promises. Brightline, which is based in Florida, has already built a 235-mile-long, high-speed line that connects Orlando and Miami. In California and Nevada, the company will be laying down 218 miles along the median of I-15, connecting Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, which has commuter line connections to Los Angeles. Even without a direct connection to Los Angeles, the line will be a shorter trip than just driving. The 218-mile stretch of I-15 takes about four hours to traverse by car, but the train will cut that time in half. Not to mention that it’ll include bathrooms, wi-fi, food, and beverages for its passengers. The line will also improve conditions for those who opt to drive anyway, as it’s expected to accommodate as many as 11 million travelers that would have otherwise driven over the highway, which sees an average of 44,000 drivers per day. Next stop: Sin City.
[Image description: A close-up photo of train tracks.] Credit & copyright: Brett Sayles, PexelsSure the desert view is nice, but driving through it can be a slog. Unfortunately, if you want to get from, say, Los Angeles to Las Vegas, it’s the only option besides flying. Soon, though, a high-speed rail line may be taking passengers through the Mojave. Bullet trains are commonplace in some other parts of the world but though the U.S. was once defined by its expansive railways, it has fallen behind in terms of train technology. It’s not for lack of demand, either. In the state of California, many residents have been waiting with bated breath for a fabled high-speed rail line that would connect Los Angeles to San Francisco. Construction of the 500-mile line was approved by voters in 2008, but the project has been plagued by setbacks and has far surpassed the original budget, tripling in cost to $105 billion and counting. While it might seem like this new line could meet the same fate, the company heading the project has a decent track record of delivering on promises. Brightline, which is based in Florida, has already built a 235-mile-long, high-speed line that connects Orlando and Miami. In California and Nevada, the company will be laying down 218 miles along the median of I-15, connecting Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, which has commuter line connections to Los Angeles. Even without a direct connection to Los Angeles, the line will be a shorter trip than just driving. The 218-mile stretch of I-15 takes about four hours to traverse by car, but the train will cut that time in half. Not to mention that it’ll include bathrooms, wi-fi, food, and beverages for its passengers. The line will also improve conditions for those who opt to drive anyway, as it’s expected to accommodate as many as 11 million travelers that would have otherwise driven over the highway, which sees an average of 44,000 drivers per day. Next stop: Sin City.
[Image description: A close-up photo of train tracks.] Credit & copyright: Brett Sayles, Pexels
May 1, 2024
-
FREETravel Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
If you’ve ever ditched your car to ride the rails in the U.S., chances are you’ve interacted with this corporation. On this day in 1971, Amtrak, a corporation that operates nearly all U.S. passenger trains, began running. Amtrak was actually started by a U.S. President—Richard Nixon to be precise—who in 1970 signed the Rail Passenger Service Act, creating the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, which later became Amtrak. From day one, Amtrak operated 184 trains, with the first one running between New York City and Philadelphia. Today, more than 300 Amtrak trains run throughout the country. It’s important to note, though, that Amtrak isn’t a private company. Rather, it’s a federally chartered corporation, meaning that the federal government is a majority stockholder. The government is heavily involved in Amtrak’s operations; the corporation’s board of directors is appointed by the U.S. president and confirmed by the senate. It may seem strange, but Amtrak also doesn’t own the tracks that their trains run on. Rather, most U.S. tracks are privately owned and operated, with a few owned by state governments or even the federal government. It’s a confusing system, but it’s meant to ensure that both public and private interests work together to keep American trains running safely. Hey, if it works it works!
If you’ve ever ditched your car to ride the rails in the U.S., chances are you’ve interacted with this corporation. On this day in 1971, Amtrak, a corporation that operates nearly all U.S. passenger trains, began running. Amtrak was actually started by a U.S. President—Richard Nixon to be precise—who in 1970 signed the Rail Passenger Service Act, creating the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, which later became Amtrak. From day one, Amtrak operated 184 trains, with the first one running between New York City and Philadelphia. Today, more than 300 Amtrak trains run throughout the country. It’s important to note, though, that Amtrak isn’t a private company. Rather, it’s a federally chartered corporation, meaning that the federal government is a majority stockholder. The government is heavily involved in Amtrak’s operations; the corporation’s board of directors is appointed by the U.S. president and confirmed by the senate. It may seem strange, but Amtrak also doesn’t own the tracks that their trains run on. Rather, most U.S. tracks are privately owned and operated, with a few owned by state governments or even the federal government. It’s a confusing system, but it’s meant to ensure that both public and private interests work together to keep American trains running safely. Hey, if it works it works!
-
FREEUS History Daily Curio #2865Free1 CQ
For heads of state, the hardest part of the Cold War was keeping cool. But on this day in 1960, things got a little heated between the East and West when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U-2 spy plane was a single-occupant plane developed in the 1950s to perform high-altitude reconnaissance for the CIA and was heavily used during the Cold War. When this particular U-2 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile during a mission originally planned to span 2,900 miles, its sole operator, Francis Gary Powers, found himself alone on foreign soil. After parachuting to safety, Powers was quickly captured and held in Moscow while Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev demanded answers from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The incident couldn’t have happened at a worse time; the two nations were planning to meet in Paris to discuss ongoing issues regarding a divided Germany, which had been partitioned after WWII. The idea of American spy planes in their airspace wasn’t well-received by the Soviet Union, and the incident put the upcoming Paris summit under threat. It also dragged several other countries into the mess. According to testimony from Powers, he had been taking off from airfields in Pakistan, Norway, and Turkey, all of which received protest notes from the Soviet Union. Meantime, the U.S. denied culpability, claiming that the flights were unauthorized and that they had no knowledge of them. Pakistan, Norway and Turkey, in turn, sent letters to the U.S. demanding that they cease all flights from their territories. In reality, the spy plane program was a matter of great interest to Eisenhower, who personally authorized each flight. Nevertheless, he sent assurances to his Soviet counterpart that no such flights would be made for the rest of his term, though he also refused to apologize for them. The refusal sunk any hopes for the Paris summit, as Khrushchev refused to maintain diplomatic discussions with the U.S. for the rest of Eisenhower’s term, only resuming once John F. Kennedy took office. As for Powers, he was tried and found guilty of spying. He served two years of his ten-year sentence, until he was exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. An eye for an eye and a spy for a spy.
[Image description: A black Lockheed U-2 aircraft flying over clouds.] Credit & copyright: Wikipedia, Picture prepared for Wikipedia by Adrian Pingstone in April 2003. This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States.For heads of state, the hardest part of the Cold War was keeping cool. But on this day in 1960, things got a little heated between the East and West when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U-2 spy plane was a single-occupant plane developed in the 1950s to perform high-altitude reconnaissance for the CIA and was heavily used during the Cold War. When this particular U-2 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile during a mission originally planned to span 2,900 miles, its sole operator, Francis Gary Powers, found himself alone on foreign soil. After parachuting to safety, Powers was quickly captured and held in Moscow while Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev demanded answers from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The incident couldn’t have happened at a worse time; the two nations were planning to meet in Paris to discuss ongoing issues regarding a divided Germany, which had been partitioned after WWII. The idea of American spy planes in their airspace wasn’t well-received by the Soviet Union, and the incident put the upcoming Paris summit under threat. It also dragged several other countries into the mess. According to testimony from Powers, he had been taking off from airfields in Pakistan, Norway, and Turkey, all of which received protest notes from the Soviet Union. Meantime, the U.S. denied culpability, claiming that the flights were unauthorized and that they had no knowledge of them. Pakistan, Norway and Turkey, in turn, sent letters to the U.S. demanding that they cease all flights from their territories. In reality, the spy plane program was a matter of great interest to Eisenhower, who personally authorized each flight. Nevertheless, he sent assurances to his Soviet counterpart that no such flights would be made for the rest of his term, though he also refused to apologize for them. The refusal sunk any hopes for the Paris summit, as Khrushchev refused to maintain diplomatic discussions with the U.S. for the rest of Eisenhower’s term, only resuming once John F. Kennedy took office. As for Powers, he was tried and found guilty of spying. He served two years of his ten-year sentence, until he was exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. An eye for an eye and a spy for a spy.
[Image description: A black Lockheed U-2 aircraft flying over clouds.] Credit & copyright: Wikipedia, Picture prepared for Wikipedia by Adrian Pingstone in April 2003. This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States.
April 30, 2024
-
FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
You may not remember The Seekers, but they were on top down under! The 1960s were a competitive time for musicians, and no one proves that more than Australian pop-folk group The Seekers. The four-person group boasted polished instrumentals and harmonies, but so did many other groups from countries with bigger music scenes, like the U.S. and England. To get their music on the radio, the Seekers sought out the help of Tom Springfield, Dusty Springfield’s songwriter brother, who penned them what would go on to be their best-remembered hit: I'll Never Find Another You. The bouncy lovesong, with its beautiful harmonies, folklife instrumentation, and sweet lyrics about lifelong devotion was just what the 1960s ordered. Not only did the song break The Seekers onto the radio for the first time, it reached number one in Australia and the UK, and number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. They went on to have several more number one hits throughout their career, though, so you could say they did find another tune.
You may not remember The Seekers, but they were on top down under! The 1960s were a competitive time for musicians, and no one proves that more than Australian pop-folk group The Seekers. The four-person group boasted polished instrumentals and harmonies, but so did many other groups from countries with bigger music scenes, like the U.S. and England. To get their music on the radio, the Seekers sought out the help of Tom Springfield, Dusty Springfield’s songwriter brother, who penned them what would go on to be their best-remembered hit: I'll Never Find Another You. The bouncy lovesong, with its beautiful harmonies, folklife instrumentation, and sweet lyrics about lifelong devotion was just what the 1960s ordered. Not only did the song break The Seekers onto the radio for the first time, it reached number one in Australia and the UK, and number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. They went on to have several more number one hits throughout their career, though, so you could say they did find another tune.
-
FREEScience Daily Curio #2864Free1 CQ
It seems like shrinkflation has affected everything but hurricanes. As climate change leads to more extreme weather events, some scientists are saying that a new tier needs to be added to the scale used for measuring hurricanes. Currently, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale works as a convenient shorthand for how serious a storm is. The difference between 95 MPH winds and 156 MPH winds might not mean much to the average person—they both sound devastatingly fast. However, those speeds represent the upper ends of Category 1 storms and Category 4 storms respectively, and there is a stark difference in destructive potential. Category 1 hurricanes might cause damage to shrubbery and building exteriors, but Category 4 could cause a roof collapse or completely obliterate small buildings. Most people who live in hurricane-prone areas understand the difference thanks to the simplified category labels. Where Category 5 sits nowadays, however, is a matter of growing concern. Currently, Category 5 is anything above Category 4, and such storms have caused structural failures and power outages lasting months due to extensive damage to the power grid. Yet, some newer Category 5 hurricanes have so much more destructive potential than Category 5s of the past that some scientists now are calling for a Category 6 to be added to the scale. The new category would refer to storms with wind speeds of 192 MPH and above. Storms with such severe winds used to be fairly rare, so a sixth category wasn’t thought to be necessary. Between 1980 and 2021, only five out of 197 hurricanes would have been labeled Category 6, but all five of those took place from 2013 onward. Those in favor of the change have pointed out that labeling a 200-MPH storm Category 5 just doesn’t convey an accurate picture of the storm’s threat. However, some scientists also believe that adding an additional category might affect public perception of the lower categories and cause people to take them less seriously—and make no mistake, even a Category 1 storm can be dangerous. Then again, you can at least ride out a Category 1; a Category 6 will throw you like a bull.
It seems like shrinkflation has affected everything but hurricanes. As climate change leads to more extreme weather events, some scientists are saying that a new tier needs to be added to the scale used for measuring hurricanes. Currently, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale works as a convenient shorthand for how serious a storm is. The difference between 95 MPH winds and 156 MPH winds might not mean much to the average person—they both sound devastatingly fast. However, those speeds represent the upper ends of Category 1 storms and Category 4 storms respectively, and there is a stark difference in destructive potential. Category 1 hurricanes might cause damage to shrubbery and building exteriors, but Category 4 could cause a roof collapse or completely obliterate small buildings. Most people who live in hurricane-prone areas understand the difference thanks to the simplified category labels. Where Category 5 sits nowadays, however, is a matter of growing concern. Currently, Category 5 is anything above Category 4, and such storms have caused structural failures and power outages lasting months due to extensive damage to the power grid. Yet, some newer Category 5 hurricanes have so much more destructive potential than Category 5s of the past that some scientists now are calling for a Category 6 to be added to the scale. The new category would refer to storms with wind speeds of 192 MPH and above. Storms with such severe winds used to be fairly rare, so a sixth category wasn’t thought to be necessary. Between 1980 and 2021, only five out of 197 hurricanes would have been labeled Category 6, but all five of those took place from 2013 onward. Those in favor of the change have pointed out that labeling a 200-MPH storm Category 5 just doesn’t convey an accurate picture of the storm’s threat. However, some scientists also believe that adding an additional category might affect public perception of the lower categories and cause people to take them less seriously—and make no mistake, even a Category 1 storm can be dangerous. Then again, you can at least ride out a Category 1; a Category 6 will throw you like a bull.
April 29, 2024
-
FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It doesn’t hurt to look good on the battlefield—in fact, it helps. Maximilian armors were as stylish as they were practical, and became popular during the 16th century. The piece above, Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, is a woodcut print depicting a man sitting on a horse. Both are wearing intricately detailed armors, and the man’s helmet has peacock feathers on the top. Maximilian I ruled over the Holy Roman Empire between 1486–1519. He was known for greatly expanding the holdings of his family, the Habsburgs, through both military conquests and diplomacy. He had a particular inclination for the former, though, and is even credited with creating the Landsknechte, a highly-organized mercenary group that utilized the pike and shot formation. However, he might be remembered more for his association with Maximilian style armors, known for extensive fluting and intricate details that made them as much fashion statements as military equipment. The fluting was more than cosmetic, though—it made the plate armor more resilient against blows. Sadly for martial fashion mavens, such armor fell out of style by 1530, when artillery became more popular. That’s fashion for you.
Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, Hans Burgkmair (1473–1531), 1508, Woodcut on paper, 12.68 x 8.93 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1950.72. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]It doesn’t hurt to look good on the battlefield—in fact, it helps. Maximilian armors were as stylish as they were practical, and became popular during the 16th century. The piece above, Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, is a woodcut print depicting a man sitting on a horse. Both are wearing intricately detailed armors, and the man’s helmet has peacock feathers on the top. Maximilian I ruled over the Holy Roman Empire between 1486–1519. He was known for greatly expanding the holdings of his family, the Habsburgs, through both military conquests and diplomacy. He had a particular inclination for the former, though, and is even credited with creating the Landsknechte, a highly-organized mercenary group that utilized the pike and shot formation. However, he might be remembered more for his association with Maximilian style armors, known for extensive fluting and intricate details that made them as much fashion statements as military equipment. The fluting was more than cosmetic, though—it made the plate armor more resilient against blows. Sadly for martial fashion mavens, such armor fell out of style by 1530, when artillery became more popular. That’s fashion for you.
Equestrian Portrait of the Emperor Maximilian, Hans Burgkmair (1473–1531), 1508, Woodcut on paper, 12.68 x 8.93 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1950.72. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
FREEWorld History Daily Curio #2863Free1 CQ
Some recipes might be too good to mess with, but this one is actually illegal to alter. Anzac Day was recently held on April 25, and for Aussies and Kiwis, that means eating Anzac Biscuits—a treat of longstanding tradition that isn’t taken lightly. “Anzac” is short for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and Anzac Day commemorates April 25, 1915, when the two nations’ militaries embarked on an allied expedition and took part in a grueling campaign. Called the Gallipoli campaign, it took place in the peninsula of the same name, which at the time was a territory of the Ottoman Empire. The campaign lasted until the end of the year, and ultimately led to massive casualties for both the Ottoman and the allies, with around 12,000 dead for the Anzacs.
It makes sense for a day commemorating such a deadly campaign to include somber ceremonies and traditions. After the prayers, speeches, and moments of silence have concluded, though, observants indulge in Anzac Biscuits, formerly known as Soldiers’ Biscuit. These were originally biscuits sent from family members back home to soldiers on the front lines, and were made with simple ingredients so that they could endure their lengthy journey without spoiling. The recipe varied quite a bit back when civilians were baking them, and even today, every family has their own slight variation, but commercial producers of the biscuits are held to a strict standard. Per the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Act 1920, companies that produce the biscuits for sale cannot deviate from the set recipe, lest they receive hefty fines. As of today, the fine can be as high as $40,000 in U.S. dollars, and there may even be jail time of up to 12 months. If the company wants to sell biscuits with additional or alternate ingredients (except to accommodate dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance), they’re not allowed to use the term “Anzac.” As for the official ingredients, they include butter or margarine, golden syrup, baking soda, flour, rolled oats, dried coconut, and brown sugar. It’s not just tradition—it’s the law!
[Image description: The Australian flag flying against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Hugo Heimendinger, PexelsSome recipes might be too good to mess with, but this one is actually illegal to alter. Anzac Day was recently held on April 25, and for Aussies and Kiwis, that means eating Anzac Biscuits—a treat of longstanding tradition that isn’t taken lightly. “Anzac” is short for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and Anzac Day commemorates April 25, 1915, when the two nations’ militaries embarked on an allied expedition and took part in a grueling campaign. Called the Gallipoli campaign, it took place in the peninsula of the same name, which at the time was a territory of the Ottoman Empire. The campaign lasted until the end of the year, and ultimately led to massive casualties for both the Ottoman and the allies, with around 12,000 dead for the Anzacs.
It makes sense for a day commemorating such a deadly campaign to include somber ceremonies and traditions. After the prayers, speeches, and moments of silence have concluded, though, observants indulge in Anzac Biscuits, formerly known as Soldiers’ Biscuit. These were originally biscuits sent from family members back home to soldiers on the front lines, and were made with simple ingredients so that they could endure their lengthy journey without spoiling. The recipe varied quite a bit back when civilians were baking them, and even today, every family has their own slight variation, but commercial producers of the biscuits are held to a strict standard. Per the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Act 1920, companies that produce the biscuits for sale cannot deviate from the set recipe, lest they receive hefty fines. As of today, the fine can be as high as $40,000 in U.S. dollars, and there may even be jail time of up to 12 months. If the company wants to sell biscuits with additional or alternate ingredients (except to accommodate dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance), they’re not allowed to use the term “Anzac.” As for the official ingredients, they include butter or margarine, golden syrup, baking soda, flour, rolled oats, dried coconut, and brown sugar. It’s not just tradition—it’s the law!
[Image description: The Australian flag flying against a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: Hugo Heimendinger, Pexels -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments today on whether the National Labor Relations Board has to meet a higher burden of proof when interveni...
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments today on whether the National Labor Relations Board has to meet a higher burden of proof when interveni...
April 28, 2024
-
FREEMind + Body PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
The illnesses just keep coming! First it was COVID-19, then a bird flu scare. Now, people are concerned about another disorder that might be making the leap from animals to humans: chronic wasting disease (CWD). For years, this fatal illness has only affected cervids (members of the deer family) but a recent case involving two hunters has some people (and government agencies) concerned that it could impact people as well… assuming that those people eat contaminated venison.
Unlike COVID-19 or bird flu, CWD isn’t caused by a virus. Rather, it’s a prion disease, like mad cow disease. Prions aren’t alive like bacteria and other microbes, nor do they contain genetic material like viruses. Rather, they’re misfolded proteins that cause other proteins to become similarly misfolded. As a result, prions can cause a cascade effect, bumping into proteins and creating copies of themselves, destroying the ability of infected tissue (usually in the brain) to function properly. In short, a prion is like an immortal bull in a china shop, except that every time it breaks a plate, that plate becomes another bull. Compounding their danger is the fact that prions are resistant to treatments that are effective on most pathogens, and they can last a long time—even years—if left undisturbed. Prions can develop spontaneously in otherwise healthy organisms, but most well-known cases involve transmissions of existing ones.
CWD was first discovered in 1967, but was thought to only impact deer, until recently. Among cervids like white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose, CWD spreads via saliva, urine, and feces. As its name implies, CWD causes an infected animal to lose a significant amount of weight. Over time, they begin to exhibit cognitive issues, rendering them unable to socialize properly with other deer, and making them lose awareness of their surroundings and their natural fear of humans.
It has recently been reported that, in 2022, two American hunters ate venison infected with CWD and subsequently became ill with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms very similar to Alzheimer’s disease. CJD and CWD are types of spongiform encephalopathies, which means that they cause degradation of brain tissue. Symptoms may include depression, confusion, a change in gait, and hallucinations. Both disorders are fatal, and decline in health can occur rapidly. One of the hunters died less than a month after his symptoms began. Up until now, humans have only been diagnosed with CJD after receiving transplants like cornea tissue from infected donors. But this recent case could end up proving that, just as the prion disorder known as mad cow disease can jump from livestock to humans, CWD can make the same leap from deer.
That’s not to say that there’s likely to be a sudden pandemic of prion infections. Although both hunters contracted the fatal disease after eating infected deer meat, the population they were eating from was known to be infected with CWD. The disease doesn’t affect a high proportion of the American deer population, either, though it can spread rapidly through populations once it takes hold. Human intervention in wild deer life, such as feeding, baiting, or using urine-based lures, can quicken the spread. Limiting or banning such practices is usually step number one when it comes to CWD mitigation. If CWD were ever to get out of hand in American deer populations, hunters might then be required to submit tissue samples from harvested deer, or to report any carcasses found in the wild. In the meantime, wildlife officials advise against eating meat from deer that looked obviously sick or emaciated, just in case. You want venison to be lean, but not that lean.
[Image description: Three white tailed deer graze on grass. A male deer with antlers stands at the front of the group.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Richard Lydekker (1849–1915). This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1929.The illnesses just keep coming! First it was COVID-19, then a bird flu scare. Now, people are concerned about another disorder that might be making the leap from animals to humans: chronic wasting disease (CWD). For years, this fatal illness has only affected cervids (members of the deer family) but a recent case involving two hunters has some people (and government agencies) concerned that it could impact people as well… assuming that those people eat contaminated venison.
Unlike COVID-19 or bird flu, CWD isn’t caused by a virus. Rather, it’s a prion disease, like mad cow disease. Prions aren’t alive like bacteria and other microbes, nor do they contain genetic material like viruses. Rather, they’re misfolded proteins that cause other proteins to become similarly misfolded. As a result, prions can cause a cascade effect, bumping into proteins and creating copies of themselves, destroying the ability of infected tissue (usually in the brain) to function properly. In short, a prion is like an immortal bull in a china shop, except that every time it breaks a plate, that plate becomes another bull. Compounding their danger is the fact that prions are resistant to treatments that are effective on most pathogens, and they can last a long time—even years—if left undisturbed. Prions can develop spontaneously in otherwise healthy organisms, but most well-known cases involve transmissions of existing ones.
CWD was first discovered in 1967, but was thought to only impact deer, until recently. Among cervids like white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose, CWD spreads via saliva, urine, and feces. As its name implies, CWD causes an infected animal to lose a significant amount of weight. Over time, they begin to exhibit cognitive issues, rendering them unable to socialize properly with other deer, and making them lose awareness of their surroundings and their natural fear of humans.
It has recently been reported that, in 2022, two American hunters ate venison infected with CWD and subsequently became ill with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms very similar to Alzheimer’s disease. CJD and CWD are types of spongiform encephalopathies, which means that they cause degradation of brain tissue. Symptoms may include depression, confusion, a change in gait, and hallucinations. Both disorders are fatal, and decline in health can occur rapidly. One of the hunters died less than a month after his symptoms began. Up until now, humans have only been diagnosed with CJD after receiving transplants like cornea tissue from infected donors. But this recent case could end up proving that, just as the prion disorder known as mad cow disease can jump from livestock to humans, CWD can make the same leap from deer.
That’s not to say that there’s likely to be a sudden pandemic of prion infections. Although both hunters contracted the fatal disease after eating infected deer meat, the population they were eating from was known to be infected with CWD. The disease doesn’t affect a high proportion of the American deer population, either, though it can spread rapidly through populations once it takes hold. Human intervention in wild deer life, such as feeding, baiting, or using urine-based lures, can quicken the spread. Limiting or banning such practices is usually step number one when it comes to CWD mitigation. If CWD were ever to get out of hand in American deer populations, hunters might then be required to submit tissue samples from harvested deer, or to report any carcasses found in the wild. In the meantime, wildlife officials advise against eating meat from deer that looked obviously sick or emaciated, just in case. You want venison to be lean, but not that lean.
[Image description: Three white tailed deer graze on grass. A male deer with antlers stands at the front of the group.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Richard Lydekker (1849–1915). This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1929. -
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
New emissions standards for fossil fuel power plants would require them to eliminate 90% of the carbon dioxide they emit, or close. But the Supreme Court cou...
New emissions standards for fossil fuel power plants would require them to eliminate 90% of the carbon dioxide they emit, or close. But the Supreme Court cou...
April 27, 2024
-
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The U.S. economy grew by just 1.6% last quarter — falling very short of expectations. At the same time, inflation was up, according to the latest PCE. What’s...
The U.S. economy grew by just 1.6% last quarter — falling very short of expectations. At the same time, inflation was up, according to the latest PCE. What’s...
-
FREESwimming Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
One would hope that rulemakers for the upcoming Olympics aren’t a bunch of dopes. However, a recent revelation that Chinese swimmers were cleared to compete in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for banned substances has competitors worried for the upcoming games in Paris. Just months before the opening ceremony, it has just come to light that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but were allowed to compete anyway, going on to win several medals. At the time, WADA accepted an explanation from Chinese officials that the athletes were accidentally exposed to the drug by way of a contaminated kitchen. While the amounts found in the swimmers’ system was too little to offer any benefit, others have been penalized for similar amounts. In 2019, Australian swimmer Shayna Jack was banned for four years after testing positive for ligandrol. The ban happened despite claims that she was accidentally exposed, likely at a contaminated public pool—claims that even investigators said were credible. Nonetheless, Jack only managed to reduce her ban down to two years, and she’ll be competing this year at the upcoming Olympics. Now, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and athletes who have been similarly penalized are asking why the Chinese swimmers were seemingly given special treatment when the policy is to ban athletes who test positive, regardless of amount or intent. The issue, then, isn’t actually doping, but that WADA seems to be giving some athletes a pass. The organization’s credibility may be left in the shallow end after this.
One would hope that rulemakers for the upcoming Olympics aren’t a bunch of dopes. However, a recent revelation that Chinese swimmers were cleared to compete in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for banned substances has competitors worried for the upcoming games in Paris. Just months before the opening ceremony, it has just come to light that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but were allowed to compete anyway, going on to win several medals. At the time, WADA accepted an explanation from Chinese officials that the athletes were accidentally exposed to the drug by way of a contaminated kitchen. While the amounts found in the swimmers’ system was too little to offer any benefit, others have been penalized for similar amounts. In 2019, Australian swimmer Shayna Jack was banned for four years after testing positive for ligandrol. The ban happened despite claims that she was accidentally exposed, likely at a contaminated public pool—claims that even investigators said were credible. Nonetheless, Jack only managed to reduce her ban down to two years, and she’ll be competing this year at the upcoming Olympics. Now, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and athletes who have been similarly penalized are asking why the Chinese swimmers were seemingly given special treatment when the policy is to ban athletes who test positive, regardless of amount or intent. The issue, then, isn’t actually doping, but that WADA seems to be giving some athletes a pass. The organization’s credibility may be left in the shallow end after this.
April 26, 2024
-
FREEMind + Body PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
If southern hospitality had a flavor, this would probably be it. Chicken and dumplings, a dish famous in the American South, is renowned as a top-tier comfort food. Yet it’s also a source of debate. There are those who claim that the dish’s “dumplings” aren’t really dumplings, and that its depression-era backstory is dubious at best.
Chicken and dumplings is a simple soup made with simmered chicken meat and thick broth created via the simmering process. The dish’s dumplings are balls of biscuit dough, usually made from flour, shortening, and milk, though the latter can be substituted for buttermilk, water, or chicken broth. The soup is seasoned sparingly with salt and pepper.
Chicken and dumplings is a simple dish that requires few ingredients and can feed many people at once. Thus, for a time the dish was rumored to have been invented during the Great Depression, when resources were scarce. However, modern food historians have a different theory which begins not in the American South but in Germany. German cuisine includes many dishes that are similar to chicken and dumplings, such as potato dumplings in broth. Many German dishes became popular throughout the U.S. due to a wave of German immigrants in the 1820s, and the first written record of chicken and dumplings appears not long after, in the 1879 cookbook, Housekeeping in Old Virginia..
Of course, that doesn’t solve the debate about whether the dumplings in chicken and dumplings are really dumplings. Some foodies only consider something a dumpling if the food in question is stuffed with something, such as Japanese gyoza which are stuffed with meat and veggies, or European pierogies filled with potatoes and cheese. However, by that definition even gnocchi, the world’s most famous type of potato dumpling, wouldn’t fit the bill. One thing’s for certain, though: chicken and dumplings is a savory, chewy, comforting dish—no matter where it came from or what you call it.
[Image description: A rooster and several chickens pecking at grass.] Credit & copyright: Helge Klaus Rieder, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide.If southern hospitality had a flavor, this would probably be it. Chicken and dumplings, a dish famous in the American South, is renowned as a top-tier comfort food. Yet it’s also a source of debate. There are those who claim that the dish’s “dumplings” aren’t really dumplings, and that its depression-era backstory is dubious at best.
Chicken and dumplings is a simple soup made with simmered chicken meat and thick broth created via the simmering process. The dish’s dumplings are balls of biscuit dough, usually made from flour, shortening, and milk, though the latter can be substituted for buttermilk, water, or chicken broth. The soup is seasoned sparingly with salt and pepper.
Chicken and dumplings is a simple dish that requires few ingredients and can feed many people at once. Thus, for a time the dish was rumored to have been invented during the Great Depression, when resources were scarce. However, modern food historians have a different theory which begins not in the American South but in Germany. German cuisine includes many dishes that are similar to chicken and dumplings, such as potato dumplings in broth. Many German dishes became popular throughout the U.S. due to a wave of German immigrants in the 1820s, and the first written record of chicken and dumplings appears not long after, in the 1879 cookbook, Housekeeping in Old Virginia..
Of course, that doesn’t solve the debate about whether the dumplings in chicken and dumplings are really dumplings. Some foodies only consider something a dumpling if the food in question is stuffed with something, such as Japanese gyoza which are stuffed with meat and veggies, or European pierogies filled with potatoes and cheese. However, by that definition even gnocchi, the world’s most famous type of potato dumpling, wouldn’t fit the bill. One thing’s for certain, though: chicken and dumplings is a savory, chewy, comforting dish—no matter where it came from or what you call it.
[Image description: A rooster and several chickens pecking at grass.] Credit & copyright: Helge Klaus Rieder, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide.