Curio Cabinet
- By Date
- By Type
February 23, 2025
-
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The Trump administration has waded into a controversial policy in New York that charges tolls for most passenger cars entering certain parts of Manhattan, al...
The Trump administration has waded into a controversial policy in New York that charges tolls for most passenger cars entering certain parts of Manhattan, al...
-
FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
You may remember the Alamo, but how much do you actually know about it? On this day in 1836, the Battle of the Alamo began. Many Americans (especially Texans) think of the battle as a heroic last stand fought by brave patriots. As with many violent historical conflicts, though, things weren’t quite as simple or morally black-and-white as movies and folk songs might lead us to believe.
The Battle of the Alamo took place during the Texas Revolution, a war for Texan independence from Mexico. While Mexican officials obviously took issue with Texas attempting to break away, they were also upset by Texans’ use of slaves, since Mexico was cracking down on slavery. Texans argued that their economy depended on slavery, with many of their wealthiest being cotton farmers. At first, as the staunchly abolitionist Mexican government tried to outlaw slavery in their territory, some of the colonists left. By 1835, however, tensions grew into armed conflict. By the time of the battle, Texans were emboldened by their previous victories against the Mexican army, especially after they’d managed to drive the Mexicans south of the Rio Grande. However, when Mexico retaliated by sending General Antonio López de Santa Anna north with thousands of soldiers, many of the Texan rebels quickly abandoned the ground they had gained. One of the few remaining garrisons was located in a former Spanish mission called the Alamo. The adobe structure was not suitable for defending against an attack, and few rebels remained. Nevertheless, the commanders of the fort, William Travis and James Bowie, stayed behind, hoping that reinforcements would be sent their way. In the weeks leading to General Santa Anna’s arrival at the fort, the two commanders sent impassioned letters to the Texas legislature asking for reinforcements, to no avail. The Texas government was brand new and not organized enough to mobilize a large fighting force. Even if they had been, it would have been extremely difficult to get enough troops to the Alamo before the Mexican army’s arrival.
Travis and Bowie were both well aware of the approaching army, but refused to flee. Neither of them had much military experience, and with the fort poorly equipped or laid out for a defense, the odds were truly against them. On February 23, 1836, General Santa Anna arrived with his troops, and a 13-day siege began. Among the Texan soldiers was former Tennessee congressman Davy Crockett and the families of the soldiers garrisoned there. Some popular, modern imaginings of the battle, such as 1960’s The Alamo starring John Wayne, depict it as a desperate last stand. Historical accounts paint a different picture, though. Rather than a fight to the last man, about half of the Texan rebels fled before the battle’s end, and most of them were skewered by Mexican cavalry. Crockett himself surrendered and was executed, while the families of the soldiers were allowed to leave unharmed. The battle also did little to delay General Santa Anna and his troops on their way to their larger mission: capturing San Antonio. He had promised the Mexican government that he would take the city by March 2, and it was captured on the 6th.
Today, the Battle of the Alamo and the purported courage of the men who died there is an integral part of Texas state history, but that history is often not told in full. Most accounts of the Alamo make little mention of slavery, even though Texans’ desire to keep slaves was one of their main reasons for wanting to break with Mexico. Most modern adaptations of the story also leave out the Tejanos, the settlers of Mexican descent who fought alongside the white Texans. History might seem like a thing of the past, but it’s always relevant to the present.
[Image description: A watercolor drawing of the ruins of the Alamo.] Credit & copyright: Ruins of the Church of the Alamo, San Antonio de Béxar, Edward Everett (1818-1903). Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas, Gift of Anne Burnett Tandy in memory of her father Thomas Lloyd Burnett, 1870-1938. Public Domain.You may remember the Alamo, but how much do you actually know about it? On this day in 1836, the Battle of the Alamo began. Many Americans (especially Texans) think of the battle as a heroic last stand fought by brave patriots. As with many violent historical conflicts, though, things weren’t quite as simple or morally black-and-white as movies and folk songs might lead us to believe.
The Battle of the Alamo took place during the Texas Revolution, a war for Texan independence from Mexico. While Mexican officials obviously took issue with Texas attempting to break away, they were also upset by Texans’ use of slaves, since Mexico was cracking down on slavery. Texans argued that their economy depended on slavery, with many of their wealthiest being cotton farmers. At first, as the staunchly abolitionist Mexican government tried to outlaw slavery in their territory, some of the colonists left. By 1835, however, tensions grew into armed conflict. By the time of the battle, Texans were emboldened by their previous victories against the Mexican army, especially after they’d managed to drive the Mexicans south of the Rio Grande. However, when Mexico retaliated by sending General Antonio López de Santa Anna north with thousands of soldiers, many of the Texan rebels quickly abandoned the ground they had gained. One of the few remaining garrisons was located in a former Spanish mission called the Alamo. The adobe structure was not suitable for defending against an attack, and few rebels remained. Nevertheless, the commanders of the fort, William Travis and James Bowie, stayed behind, hoping that reinforcements would be sent their way. In the weeks leading to General Santa Anna’s arrival at the fort, the two commanders sent impassioned letters to the Texas legislature asking for reinforcements, to no avail. The Texas government was brand new and not organized enough to mobilize a large fighting force. Even if they had been, it would have been extremely difficult to get enough troops to the Alamo before the Mexican army’s arrival.
Travis and Bowie were both well aware of the approaching army, but refused to flee. Neither of them had much military experience, and with the fort poorly equipped or laid out for a defense, the odds were truly against them. On February 23, 1836, General Santa Anna arrived with his troops, and a 13-day siege began. Among the Texan soldiers was former Tennessee congressman Davy Crockett and the families of the soldiers garrisoned there. Some popular, modern imaginings of the battle, such as 1960’s The Alamo starring John Wayne, depict it as a desperate last stand. Historical accounts paint a different picture, though. Rather than a fight to the last man, about half of the Texan rebels fled before the battle’s end, and most of them were skewered by Mexican cavalry. Crockett himself surrendered and was executed, while the families of the soldiers were allowed to leave unharmed. The battle also did little to delay General Santa Anna and his troops on their way to their larger mission: capturing San Antonio. He had promised the Mexican government that he would take the city by March 2, and it was captured on the 6th.
Today, the Battle of the Alamo and the purported courage of the men who died there is an integral part of Texas state history, but that history is often not told in full. Most accounts of the Alamo make little mention of slavery, even though Texans’ desire to keep slaves was one of their main reasons for wanting to break with Mexico. Most modern adaptations of the story also leave out the Tejanos, the settlers of Mexican descent who fought alongside the white Texans. History might seem like a thing of the past, but it’s always relevant to the present.
[Image description: A watercolor drawing of the ruins of the Alamo.] Credit & copyright: Ruins of the Church of the Alamo, San Antonio de Béxar, Edward Everett (1818-1903). Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas, Gift of Anne Burnett Tandy in memory of her father Thomas Lloyd Burnett, 1870-1938. Public Domain.
February 22, 2025
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: February 22, 2025\uh-STOOT\ adjective
What It Means
Someone or something described as astute has or shows an ability to not...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: February 22, 2025\uh-STOOT\ adjective
What It Means
Someone or something described as astute has or shows an ability to not...
-
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There’s another casualty from the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development: Funding for agriculture research at 17...
There’s another casualty from the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development: Funding for agriculture research at 17...
-
FREESports Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
What do sports fans, aviation history buffs, and broadcasters have in common? They all love the Goodyear Blimp. The iconic lighter-than-air craft has been a fixture at many sporting events over the last century, and it’s turning 100 this year. While Goodyear is mostly known as a manufacturer of automotive tires, they’ve always been more. Named after the inventor of vulcanized rubber, Charles Goodyear, the company has been experimenting with rubber’s potential in aviation nearly since its founding. In the 1910s, the company produced airships for the U.S. military, and in 1925, introduced the first Goodyear Blimp. The Goodyear Blimp was called the Pilgrim, and was licensed for advertisements. However, starting in the 1950s, the Goodyear Blimp was featured during the Rose Bowl, and it became inextricably tied to sports. The Blimp wasn’t just there for decoration, but to provide aerial coverage for the event—and not just for novelty’s sake. The blimp actually has a few key advantages over planes or helicopters when it comes to sports coverage. First of all, even when going full-throttle at 73 miles per hour, the blimp provides a gentle ride, making for shake-free camera shots. Unlike a plane, it can also stay put in one place, and unlike a helicopter, it uses very little fuel and allows for many more passengers. Although drones and other technological advancements have taken the blimp’s place in recent years, the Goodyear Blimp offers something those newfangled drones just don’t: it’s a blimp. Its large, ostentatious presence combined with its historical legacy gets people excited in a way that tiny drones just can’t. That, along with its continued practical application, means that the blimp might stick around for a while yet. As of now, the blimp still flies at sporting events like the Indianapolis 500 and cultural events like the Academy Awards. The latter makes perfect sense, given the blimp’s lasting star power.
What do sports fans, aviation history buffs, and broadcasters have in common? They all love the Goodyear Blimp. The iconic lighter-than-air craft has been a fixture at many sporting events over the last century, and it’s turning 100 this year. While Goodyear is mostly known as a manufacturer of automotive tires, they’ve always been more. Named after the inventor of vulcanized rubber, Charles Goodyear, the company has been experimenting with rubber’s potential in aviation nearly since its founding. In the 1910s, the company produced airships for the U.S. military, and in 1925, introduced the first Goodyear Blimp. The Goodyear Blimp was called the Pilgrim, and was licensed for advertisements. However, starting in the 1950s, the Goodyear Blimp was featured during the Rose Bowl, and it became inextricably tied to sports. The Blimp wasn’t just there for decoration, but to provide aerial coverage for the event—and not just for novelty’s sake. The blimp actually has a few key advantages over planes or helicopters when it comes to sports coverage. First of all, even when going full-throttle at 73 miles per hour, the blimp provides a gentle ride, making for shake-free camera shots. Unlike a plane, it can also stay put in one place, and unlike a helicopter, it uses very little fuel and allows for many more passengers. Although drones and other technological advancements have taken the blimp’s place in recent years, the Goodyear Blimp offers something those newfangled drones just don’t: it’s a blimp. Its large, ostentatious presence combined with its historical legacy gets people excited in a way that tiny drones just can’t. That, along with its continued practical application, means that the blimp might stick around for a while yet. As of now, the blimp still flies at sporting events like the Indianapolis 500 and cultural events like the Academy Awards. The latter makes perfect sense, given the blimp’s lasting star power.
February 21, 2025
-
9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Shares of Booking Holdings — the company behind Booking.com, Priceline, Kayak and other travel sites — are popping this morning after announcing yesterday th...
Shares of Booking Holdings — the company behind Booking.com, Priceline, Kayak and other travel sites — are popping this morning after announcing yesterday th...
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: February 21, 2025\JAB-er-wah-kee\ noun
What It Means
Jabberwocky refers to meaningless speech or writing.
// When the char...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: February 21, 2025\JAB-er-wah-kee\ noun
What It Means
Jabberwocky refers to meaningless speech or writing.
// When the char...
-
FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
In many parts of the U.S., temperatures are currently plunging…making it a perfect time to cozy up with some warm, sugary beignets. These dough-y treats are heavily associated with New Orleans today, but, like much of The Big Easy’s cuisine, beignets originated in France.
Beignets are sometimes referred to as donuts since they’re also made from deep-fried dough. In fact, beignets are one of only two official state donuts. Unlike most donuts, though, beignets are rectangular and traditionally made from pâte à choux, a French dough made from flour, butter, eggs, and a substantial amount of water. During cooking, the excess water turns to steam, making the dough puff up and become airy. Not all beignets are made this way, as some do use leavened dough, making for a thicker pastry. French beignets were often served with hot chocolate for dunking, while Louisiana beignets are traditionally served with butter and powdered sugar.
People have been frying dough for centuries, all over the world, and France is no exception. Beignets began as a 16th-century, French Mardi Gras food, served during and after the yearly celebration. Then, during the French and Indian war in the 18th century, the British forced large swaths of French people from their homes in Acadia, a territory spanning parts of modern Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Seeking a new, French home far from the British, these displaced people came to Louisiana, which was a French colony at the time. The term “French Acadian” was soon shortened to “Cajun”, and the culinary traditions they brought with them from France changed Louisiana’s food landscape forever.
At first, Louisiana beignets remained mostly a Mardi Gras tradition. But their sugary goodness couldn’t be contained, and, in 1862, a coffee stand called Café du Monde opened in New Orleans, selling beignets alongside their drinks. Soon, many other New Orleans restaurants and food stands were selling beignets outside of Mardi Gras season. To this day, Café du Monde sells beignets 24/7. Hey, there’s never a bad time for something this delicious.
[Image description: A tray of beignets covered in powdered sugar on a table with two coffee drinks.] Credit & copyright: Hamalya Comeau, PexelsIn many parts of the U.S., temperatures are currently plunging…making it a perfect time to cozy up with some warm, sugary beignets. These dough-y treats are heavily associated with New Orleans today, but, like much of The Big Easy’s cuisine, beignets originated in France.
Beignets are sometimes referred to as donuts since they’re also made from deep-fried dough. In fact, beignets are one of only two official state donuts. Unlike most donuts, though, beignets are rectangular and traditionally made from pâte à choux, a French dough made from flour, butter, eggs, and a substantial amount of water. During cooking, the excess water turns to steam, making the dough puff up and become airy. Not all beignets are made this way, as some do use leavened dough, making for a thicker pastry. French beignets were often served with hot chocolate for dunking, while Louisiana beignets are traditionally served with butter and powdered sugar.
People have been frying dough for centuries, all over the world, and France is no exception. Beignets began as a 16th-century, French Mardi Gras food, served during and after the yearly celebration. Then, during the French and Indian war in the 18th century, the British forced large swaths of French people from their homes in Acadia, a territory spanning parts of modern Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Seeking a new, French home far from the British, these displaced people came to Louisiana, which was a French colony at the time. The term “French Acadian” was soon shortened to “Cajun”, and the culinary traditions they brought with them from France changed Louisiana’s food landscape forever.
At first, Louisiana beignets remained mostly a Mardi Gras tradition. But their sugary goodness couldn’t be contained, and, in 1862, a coffee stand called Café du Monde opened in New Orleans, selling beignets alongside their drinks. Soon, many other New Orleans restaurants and food stands were selling beignets outside of Mardi Gras season. To this day, Café du Monde sells beignets 24/7. Hey, there’s never a bad time for something this delicious.
[Image description: A tray of beignets covered in powdered sugar on a table with two coffee drinks.] Credit & copyright: Hamalya Comeau, Pexels
February 20, 2025
-
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes suggest they want to see more evidence that inflation is cooling before cutting inte...
From the BBC World Service: The Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes suggest they want to see more evidence that inflation is cooling before cutting inte...
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: February 20, 2025\FLOUN-der\ verb
What It Means
To flounder is to struggle, whether that struggle is about moving or obtain...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: February 20, 2025\FLOUN-der\ verb
What It Means
To flounder is to struggle, whether that struggle is about moving or obtain...
-
FREEEngineering Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Time for some squirmy science. Researchers at the University of Bristol developed a new type of synthetic material that can move on its own in a worm-like fashion, according to a paper published in Physical Review Letters. Generally speaking, inanimate matter doesn’t move on its own. Unless acted upon, it maintains a state of equilibrium. Then there is active matter, like Janus colloids. These nanoparticles have two or more hemispheres, each with distinct physical properties, giving them a sort of internal energy source that allows them to stay in motion by themselves. Active matter has been a subject of research for years due to its potential applications in fields where adaptable materials that can change to fit their environments could be useful. At the University of Bristol, researchers recently placed Janus colloids in a liquid and exposed it to an electric field, which caused the colloids to merge together into worm-like structures. According to the university’s press release, the structures are “a fully three-dimensional synthetic active matter system.” It’s even somewhat possible to control these synthetic “worms.” As first author Xichen Chao stated, “We found the formation of fascinating new structures – self-driven active filaments that are reminiscent of living worms. We were then able to develop a theoretical framework which enabled us to predict and control the motion of the synthetic worms solely based on their lengths.” Who knew that physics could be so wriggly?
Time for some squirmy science. Researchers at the University of Bristol developed a new type of synthetic material that can move on its own in a worm-like fashion, according to a paper published in Physical Review Letters. Generally speaking, inanimate matter doesn’t move on its own. Unless acted upon, it maintains a state of equilibrium. Then there is active matter, like Janus colloids. These nanoparticles have two or more hemispheres, each with distinct physical properties, giving them a sort of internal energy source that allows them to stay in motion by themselves. Active matter has been a subject of research for years due to its potential applications in fields where adaptable materials that can change to fit their environments could be useful. At the University of Bristol, researchers recently placed Janus colloids in a liquid and exposed it to an electric field, which caused the colloids to merge together into worm-like structures. According to the university’s press release, the structures are “a fully three-dimensional synthetic active matter system.” It’s even somewhat possible to control these synthetic “worms.” As first author Xichen Chao stated, “We found the formation of fascinating new structures – self-driven active filaments that are reminiscent of living worms. We were then able to develop a theoretical framework which enabled us to predict and control the motion of the synthetic worms solely based on their lengths.” Who knew that physics could be so wriggly?
-
FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #3034Free1 CQ
Do you ever feel like the world’s a little brighter in the morning, and not just because of the sun? Turns out, feeling better in the morning is more common than previously thought, according to new research coming out of University College London.
“Sleep on it” is age-old advice for anyone fretting over a major decision or dealing with bad news. Now, science seems to confirm that it’s worth listening to. Researchers surveyed almost 50,000 people over a period of two years, asking them to keep track of their moods throughout the day, and the data shows that people do, in fact, feel better in the morning. In fact, people’s moods fluctuate in a relatively predictable schedule throughout the day and even throughout the week. Generally, people feel their best in the morning, with the mood peaking in the late morning. By mid-afternoon, decision fatigue begins to set in, and mood declines. People’s moods continue to decline throughout the evening, reaching its lowest point at midnight. All this is despite the fact that the stress hormone cortisol is at its highest levels in the morning and is at its lowest at night.
Surprisingly, despite Monday’s lackluster reputation, people tend to feel better on Mondays and Fridays than they do on Sunday. Specifically, they tend to feel more satisfied with their lives on those days, while happiness peaks on Tuesdays. Does that mean that the best time of the week is Tuesday morning? More research is needed before we’ll know for sure. While researchers accounted for age, health, and employment status in their study, they didn’t gather data on sleep cycles, weather, and other factors that might contribute to fluctuating moods. They also didn’t differentiate between physical and mental well-being this time around. Nevertheless, their research might lead to improvements in mental health care. Mainly, they believe that more mental healthcare should be available later in the day, when people are feeling their lowest. Late-night therapy sessions don’t sound like the worst idea.
[Image description: A grassy field behind a wooden gate at dawn, with sunbeams shining through clouds.] Credit & copyright: Matthias Groeneveld, PexelsDo you ever feel like the world’s a little brighter in the morning, and not just because of the sun? Turns out, feeling better in the morning is more common than previously thought, according to new research coming out of University College London.
“Sleep on it” is age-old advice for anyone fretting over a major decision or dealing with bad news. Now, science seems to confirm that it’s worth listening to. Researchers surveyed almost 50,000 people over a period of two years, asking them to keep track of their moods throughout the day, and the data shows that people do, in fact, feel better in the morning. In fact, people’s moods fluctuate in a relatively predictable schedule throughout the day and even throughout the week. Generally, people feel their best in the morning, with the mood peaking in the late morning. By mid-afternoon, decision fatigue begins to set in, and mood declines. People’s moods continue to decline throughout the evening, reaching its lowest point at midnight. All this is despite the fact that the stress hormone cortisol is at its highest levels in the morning and is at its lowest at night.
Surprisingly, despite Monday’s lackluster reputation, people tend to feel better on Mondays and Fridays than they do on Sunday. Specifically, they tend to feel more satisfied with their lives on those days, while happiness peaks on Tuesdays. Does that mean that the best time of the week is Tuesday morning? More research is needed before we’ll know for sure. While researchers accounted for age, health, and employment status in their study, they didn’t gather data on sleep cycles, weather, and other factors that might contribute to fluctuating moods. They also didn’t differentiate between physical and mental well-being this time around. Nevertheless, their research might lead to improvements in mental health care. Mainly, they believe that more mental healthcare should be available later in the day, when people are feeling their lowest. Late-night therapy sessions don’t sound like the worst idea.
[Image description: A grassy field behind a wooden gate at dawn, with sunbeams shining through clouds.] Credit & copyright: Matthias Groeneveld, Pexels
February 19, 2025
-
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The inflation rate in the United Kingdom has jumped to 3%, its highest level in 10 months. Rising food prices are partly to blame...
From the BBC World Service: The inflation rate in the United Kingdom has jumped to 3%, its highest level in 10 months. Rising food prices are partly to blame...
-
FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
They smell like buttered popcorn and look like something out of a sci-fi movie, but these critters are quite real! Binturongs, also known as bearcats, are shaggy, nocturnal, black-furred treetop-dwellers. Not only can they boast being one of only two carnivores with a prehensile tail (the other being the kinkajou) binturongs aren’t related to most of the animals that they resemble, like weasels. Instead, they’re part of the family Viverridae, which includes other species as strange and elusive as binturongs themselves, such as cat-like fossas and squirrel-like civets.
Binturongs are arboreal, meaning that they live most of their lives in treetops in their native range, which includes south and southeast Asia. They really do smell like popcorn, since the chemicals that give popcorn its scent are also present in binturongs’ urine. The aroma isn’t meant to draw binturongs together for movie night though—it’s actually used to keep territorial competitors away.
Since they’re nocturnal, binturongs typically sleep during the day and browse for food at night. “Browse” is a better word than “hunt”, since binturongs mostly eat fruit despite being officially classified as carnivores. When they do eat meat, they mostly go after small animals like insects, lizards, and rodents. Binturongs will also eat carrion, or dead animals, if they happen across them. Their ability to survive on many different kinds of food is key to binturongs’ survival strategy.
Binturongs are also adaptable when it comes to reproduction. They can mate any time of year since female binturongs are one of just a few mammals that use embryonic diapause, or delayed implantation, to choose when to give birth. After mating, female binturongs can “store” healthy embryos in their uteruses in a “paused” state until environmental conditions are ideal for the embryos to attach to the uterine wall and develop fully. If conditions like weather and food availability remain poor, females can simply absorb or expel the embryos from their bodies.
Despite their adaptability, though, binturongs are considered threatened in some parts of their range and endangered in others. This is mainly due to habitat destruction caused by the logging industry, but poaching also plays a role. In some parts of Laos, binturongs are illegally hunted for their meat. Luckily, zoos around the world have successfully implemented breeding programs to preserve the species…but environmentalists largely agree that harsher anti-logging penalties will have to be passed to save wild binturongs. We’ve got to create a bulwark for these bearcats!
[Image description: A Binturong, a large, weasel-like animal with black fur, on a moss-covered branch.] Credit & copyright: Vassil, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.They smell like buttered popcorn and look like something out of a sci-fi movie, but these critters are quite real! Binturongs, also known as bearcats, are shaggy, nocturnal, black-furred treetop-dwellers. Not only can they boast being one of only two carnivores with a prehensile tail (the other being the kinkajou) binturongs aren’t related to most of the animals that they resemble, like weasels. Instead, they’re part of the family Viverridae, which includes other species as strange and elusive as binturongs themselves, such as cat-like fossas and squirrel-like civets.
Binturongs are arboreal, meaning that they live most of their lives in treetops in their native range, which includes south and southeast Asia. They really do smell like popcorn, since the chemicals that give popcorn its scent are also present in binturongs’ urine. The aroma isn’t meant to draw binturongs together for movie night though—it’s actually used to keep territorial competitors away.
Since they’re nocturnal, binturongs typically sleep during the day and browse for food at night. “Browse” is a better word than “hunt”, since binturongs mostly eat fruit despite being officially classified as carnivores. When they do eat meat, they mostly go after small animals like insects, lizards, and rodents. Binturongs will also eat carrion, or dead animals, if they happen across them. Their ability to survive on many different kinds of food is key to binturongs’ survival strategy.
Binturongs are also adaptable when it comes to reproduction. They can mate any time of year since female binturongs are one of just a few mammals that use embryonic diapause, or delayed implantation, to choose when to give birth. After mating, female binturongs can “store” healthy embryos in their uteruses in a “paused” state until environmental conditions are ideal for the embryos to attach to the uterine wall and develop fully. If conditions like weather and food availability remain poor, females can simply absorb or expel the embryos from their bodies.
Despite their adaptability, though, binturongs are considered threatened in some parts of their range and endangered in others. This is mainly due to habitat destruction caused by the logging industry, but poaching also plays a role. In some parts of Laos, binturongs are illegally hunted for their meat. Luckily, zoos around the world have successfully implemented breeding programs to preserve the species…but environmentalists largely agree that harsher anti-logging penalties will have to be passed to save wild binturongs. We’ve got to create a bulwark for these bearcats!
[Image description: A Binturong, a large, weasel-like animal with black fur, on a moss-covered branch.] Credit & copyright: Vassil, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
FREELiterature Daily Curio #3033Free1 CQ
Women face a lot of pressure. That might seem like an obvious statement, but someone had to be the first to write about it. On this day in 1963, The Feminine Mystique was published by American activist Betty Friedan. The book was a frank indictment of the prevailing myths surrounding women' s lives in post-World War II America.
Friedan defined the “feminine mystique” as the prevailing cultural idea that all women should feel fulfilled by dedicating themselves to domesticity. According to this idea, homemaking, raising children, and being dutiful wives to their husbands was all it took for women to be fully-realized, completely satisfied individuals. This notion was not just a matter of sociology, but psychology. Friedan herself drew inspiration from psychologists who believed that clinging to the ideals of the feminine mystique denied women the chance to grow and develop properly as adults, a particularly salient point in the post-World War II era. During the war, women had been enlisted into the workforce while many working-aged men were deployed. Upon the men' s return, the vast majority of women were ousted from the workforce, and were thus suddenly denied financial and social independence. The ideal of the nuclear family was heavily promoted in the U.S. during the Cold War, making the role of a housewife a matter of patriotism.
In reality, plenty of women during this time were highly dissatisfied with their lives. Friedan cited a number of different statistics in her book showing that the 1950s and 1960s were a period of social regression for women. Fewer women went to college, fewer women stayed in college, and in interviews with housewives, Friedan found that many of them didn’t find their limited roles fulfilling. Meanwhile, popular culture often blamed this dissatisfaction on the women themselves, attributing their lack of fulfillment to their higher education or professional ambitions. In the decades following the publication of her book, Friedan faced criticism from other feminists as well, largely for statistical inconsistencies and for the increasingly dated scope of her book as more women returned to the workforce. Regardless, The Feminine Mystique is remembered as a landmark book that helped jumpstart a national conversation about women’s rights. After all, there are some problems that should become dated.
[Image description: The feminine gender symbol in black against a pink background.] Credit & copyright: Author-created photo. Public Domain.Women face a lot of pressure. That might seem like an obvious statement, but someone had to be the first to write about it. On this day in 1963, The Feminine Mystique was published by American activist Betty Friedan. The book was a frank indictment of the prevailing myths surrounding women' s lives in post-World War II America.
Friedan defined the “feminine mystique” as the prevailing cultural idea that all women should feel fulfilled by dedicating themselves to domesticity. According to this idea, homemaking, raising children, and being dutiful wives to their husbands was all it took for women to be fully-realized, completely satisfied individuals. This notion was not just a matter of sociology, but psychology. Friedan herself drew inspiration from psychologists who believed that clinging to the ideals of the feminine mystique denied women the chance to grow and develop properly as adults, a particularly salient point in the post-World War II era. During the war, women had been enlisted into the workforce while many working-aged men were deployed. Upon the men' s return, the vast majority of women were ousted from the workforce, and were thus suddenly denied financial and social independence. The ideal of the nuclear family was heavily promoted in the U.S. during the Cold War, making the role of a housewife a matter of patriotism.
In reality, plenty of women during this time were highly dissatisfied with their lives. Friedan cited a number of different statistics in her book showing that the 1950s and 1960s were a period of social regression for women. Fewer women went to college, fewer women stayed in college, and in interviews with housewives, Friedan found that many of them didn’t find their limited roles fulfilling. Meanwhile, popular culture often blamed this dissatisfaction on the women themselves, attributing their lack of fulfillment to their higher education or professional ambitions. In the decades following the publication of her book, Friedan faced criticism from other feminists as well, largely for statistical inconsistencies and for the increasingly dated scope of her book as more women returned to the workforce. Regardless, The Feminine Mystique is remembered as a landmark book that helped jumpstart a national conversation about women’s rights. After all, there are some problems that should become dated.
[Image description: The feminine gender symbol in black against a pink background.] Credit & copyright: Author-created photo. Public Domain.
February 18, 2025
-
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Opposition politicians in Argentina want to impeach President Javier Milei after a short-lived promotion of an obscure cryptocurr...
From the BBC World Service: Opposition politicians in Argentina want to impeach President Javier Milei after a short-lived promotion of an obscure cryptocurr...
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: February 18, 2025\KHOOTS-puh\ noun
What It Means
Chutzpah is shameless or disrespectful boldness often paired with reckless...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: February 18, 2025\KHOOTS-puh\ noun
What It Means
Chutzpah is shameless or disrespectful boldness often paired with reckless...
-
FREELiterature Daily Curio #3032Free1 CQ
Have you ever bought a book because of a quote from another author telling you to? Such endorsements, printed on the backs of books or on the inside of their dust jackets, are called blurbs, and one publisher is doing away with them. Simon & Schuster is one of the largest publishing houses in the U.S., and like every other publishing house, they’ve implicitly required their writers to solicit blurbs from other writers for their books. The common argument in favor of blurbs often is that they give potential buyers more confidence in their purchase, especially if the blurb is from an author they’re already familiar with. Others believe that bookstores and other large-scale buyers place a similar level of trust in the blurbs, which helps sales.
The practice of acquiring blurbs, however, can be very taxing. Writers, especially those with little name recognition, must ask more established writers to read and endorse their book. Writers’ agents devote much of their time to finding blurb-writers for their clients, and editors, too, have to run through their contacts list to reach out for blurbs. Then there’s the fact that blurbs aren’t always sincere. Many writers exchange blurbs as favors, though some end up writing many more than they ever receive. The amount of time it takes to read a book means that many writers don’t actually finish the entire thing before writing a blurb. Sean Manning, the current publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship imprint, considers blurbs a waste of time and believes that they don’t always reflect the artistic merit of the book. After all, many of the worlds’ greatest novels were published without blurbs, and books with blurb-covered jackets don’t always do well commercially or critically. Still, writers are divided. Some believe that blurbs are meaningless, but others believe they’re an important part of marketing. Only time will tell how blurbless books will do.
[Image description: A stack of books.] Credit & copyright: Poppy Thomas Hill, PexelsHave you ever bought a book because of a quote from another author telling you to? Such endorsements, printed on the backs of books or on the inside of their dust jackets, are called blurbs, and one publisher is doing away with them. Simon & Schuster is one of the largest publishing houses in the U.S., and like every other publishing house, they’ve implicitly required their writers to solicit blurbs from other writers for their books. The common argument in favor of blurbs often is that they give potential buyers more confidence in their purchase, especially if the blurb is from an author they’re already familiar with. Others believe that bookstores and other large-scale buyers place a similar level of trust in the blurbs, which helps sales.
The practice of acquiring blurbs, however, can be very taxing. Writers, especially those with little name recognition, must ask more established writers to read and endorse their book. Writers’ agents devote much of their time to finding blurb-writers for their clients, and editors, too, have to run through their contacts list to reach out for blurbs. Then there’s the fact that blurbs aren’t always sincere. Many writers exchange blurbs as favors, though some end up writing many more than they ever receive. The amount of time it takes to read a book means that many writers don’t actually finish the entire thing before writing a blurb. Sean Manning, the current publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship imprint, considers blurbs a waste of time and believes that they don’t always reflect the artistic merit of the book. After all, many of the worlds’ greatest novels were published without blurbs, and books with blurb-covered jackets don’t always do well commercially or critically. Still, writers are divided. Some believe that blurbs are meaningless, but others believe they’re an important part of marketing. Only time will tell how blurbless books will do.
[Image description: A stack of books.] Credit & copyright: Poppy Thomas Hill, Pexels -
FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Rock on, Cupid! It’s the perfect time of year to revisit a retro rock n’ roll hit from 1959: Stupid Cupid, made famous by early American rocker Connie Francis. The song features teen-centric lyrics in which a schoolgirl chides Cupid for “picking on” her by making her fall in love. The song’s youthful, bouncy quality and swing-danceable beat make perfect sense considering that the song was written by Howard Greenfield and Neil Sedaka, the latter of whom was just 19 years old at the time. However, the duo originally intended to give Stupid Cupid to a girl group, The Shepherd Sisters, to match the song’s somewhat juvenile energy. Upon hearing the song, though, Francis was eager to sing it, since her only previous hit, Who’s Sorry Now?, was slow and sad, and she felt that something as upbeat as Stupid Cupid would show off her range. The song became her best-remembered hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles Chart. She might have been older than one of the people that wrote it, but Francis clearly knew best!
Rock on, Cupid! It’s the perfect time of year to revisit a retro rock n’ roll hit from 1959: Stupid Cupid, made famous by early American rocker Connie Francis. The song features teen-centric lyrics in which a schoolgirl chides Cupid for “picking on” her by making her fall in love. The song’s youthful, bouncy quality and swing-danceable beat make perfect sense considering that the song was written by Howard Greenfield and Neil Sedaka, the latter of whom was just 19 years old at the time. However, the duo originally intended to give Stupid Cupid to a girl group, The Shepherd Sisters, to match the song’s somewhat juvenile energy. Upon hearing the song, though, Francis was eager to sing it, since her only previous hit, Who’s Sorry Now?, was slow and sad, and she felt that something as upbeat as Stupid Cupid would show off her range. The song became her best-remembered hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles Chart. She might have been older than one of the people that wrote it, but Francis clearly knew best!
February 17, 2025
-
6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The Japanese car giants Honda and Nissan have abandoned plans for a merger, which would have created one of the world’s biggest c...
From the BBC World Service: The Japanese car giants Honda and Nissan have abandoned plans for a merger, which would have created one of the world’s biggest c...
-
FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
As they say, when in Rome! Valentine’s Day is always rife with images of Cupid. However, the Roman god of love has been portrayed in many different ways, most of which aren’t commonly seen today. The piece above, Cupid (Amor), depicts a young man with wings from the waist up. He holds an arrow in his hand and a silk-like cloth is draped over his arms. Cupid is the Roman god of love and is based on the Greek pantheon’s Eros, the son of Aphrodite. In Greek mythology, Eros was depicted as an adult and even found a lover of his own, in addition to making others fall in love. It wasn’t until the Romans adopted the figure that he started to be portrayed as a child. Eventually, Cupid became a winged baby, and today he’s sometimes conflated with cherubs, the angels in Christianity that are themselves depicted as child-like winged figures. In the end, though, does it really matter whether the person shooting arrows at you is a man or a child? Either way, you should probably run!
Cupid (Amor), Johann Liss (c. 1597–1631), c. 1630, Oil on canvas, 34.5 x 25.87 in. (87.7 x 65.7 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Johann Liss (German, c. 1597–1631), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1971.100. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]As they say, when in Rome! Valentine’s Day is always rife with images of Cupid. However, the Roman god of love has been portrayed in many different ways, most of which aren’t commonly seen today. The piece above, Cupid (Amor), depicts a young man with wings from the waist up. He holds an arrow in his hand and a silk-like cloth is draped over his arms. Cupid is the Roman god of love and is based on the Greek pantheon’s Eros, the son of Aphrodite. In Greek mythology, Eros was depicted as an adult and even found a lover of his own, in addition to making others fall in love. It wasn’t until the Romans adopted the figure that he started to be portrayed as a child. Eventually, Cupid became a winged baby, and today he’s sometimes conflated with cherubs, the angels in Christianity that are themselves depicted as child-like winged figures. In the end, though, does it really matter whether the person shooting arrows at you is a man or a child? Either way, you should probably run!
Cupid (Amor), Johann Liss (c. 1597–1631), c. 1630, Oil on canvas, 34.5 x 25.87 in. (87.7 x 65.7 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Johann Liss (German, c. 1597–1631), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1971.100. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
FREEMusic Appreciation Daily Curio #3031Free1 CQ
There are instruments that play music, and there are instruments that help define it. A Stradivarius violin, known as the “Joachim-Ma” Stradivarius, recently sold at auction for $10 million. After fees, the final price came out to be $11.5 million for the anonymous buyer, but even that didn’t break the record for the most expensive Stradivarius ever. That honor goes to the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius, which sold in 2011 for $15.9 million. As eye-popping as the prices seem, there are plenty of reasons why these famed historical violins continue to be so highly prized centuries after they were made.
Handcrafted by Antonio Stradivari in the 17th and 18th centuries, Stradivarius are renowned for the quality of their sound. Stradivari made around 1,200 instruments during his career, of which 500 survive today, but he is known mostly for his violins. Some speculate that his violins are unique due to the wood from which they’re made. Stradivari used spruce, oak, and willow for his instruments, but the specific trees supposedly grew during the Little Ice Age between 1300 C.E. and 1850 C.E., which made them denser than modern wood.
Others believe that there isn’t anything inherently superior about Stradivarius violins, and indeed, in blind tests, high-end violins made today often outperform the legendary instruments. In the case of the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, however, there’s history that gives it value. It was formerly owned by one of its namesakes, the legendary violinist Joseph Joachim, in the 1800s. Then, it was purchased by another legend and namesake, Si-Hon Ma, a violinist and the inventor of the Sihon mute, a device that can stay attached to a violin to dampen its sound as needed. Ma’s estate actually donated the Stradivarius to the NEC in 2009, and proceeds from the sale will be used to fund a scholarship program at the conservatory. They were originally hoping for a final sale price between $12-18 million, but hey, $10 million is nothing to sneeze at!
[Image description: A wooden Stradivarius violin against a gray background.] Credit & copyright: "Gould" Violin, Antonio Stradivari, Italian, 1693. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of George Gould, 1955. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0).There are instruments that play music, and there are instruments that help define it. A Stradivarius violin, known as the “Joachim-Ma” Stradivarius, recently sold at auction for $10 million. After fees, the final price came out to be $11.5 million for the anonymous buyer, but even that didn’t break the record for the most expensive Stradivarius ever. That honor goes to the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius, which sold in 2011 for $15.9 million. As eye-popping as the prices seem, there are plenty of reasons why these famed historical violins continue to be so highly prized centuries after they were made.
Handcrafted by Antonio Stradivari in the 17th and 18th centuries, Stradivarius are renowned for the quality of their sound. Stradivari made around 1,200 instruments during his career, of which 500 survive today, but he is known mostly for his violins. Some speculate that his violins are unique due to the wood from which they’re made. Stradivari used spruce, oak, and willow for his instruments, but the specific trees supposedly grew during the Little Ice Age between 1300 C.E. and 1850 C.E., which made them denser than modern wood.
Others believe that there isn’t anything inherently superior about Stradivarius violins, and indeed, in blind tests, high-end violins made today often outperform the legendary instruments. In the case of the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, however, there’s history that gives it value. It was formerly owned by one of its namesakes, the legendary violinist Joseph Joachim, in the 1800s. Then, it was purchased by another legend and namesake, Si-Hon Ma, a violinist and the inventor of the Sihon mute, a device that can stay attached to a violin to dampen its sound as needed. Ma’s estate actually donated the Stradivarius to the NEC in 2009, and proceeds from the sale will be used to fund a scholarship program at the conservatory. They were originally hoping for a final sale price between $12-18 million, but hey, $10 million is nothing to sneeze at!
[Image description: A wooden Stradivarius violin against a gray background.] Credit & copyright: "Gould" Violin, Antonio Stradivari, Italian, 1693. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of George Gould, 1955. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0).