Daily Curio
An amusing daily fact from Justin Kitch, Curious CEO.
Curio Cabinet
- By Date
- By Type
July 12, 2020
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Many bar and restaurant employees went back to work in June. New COVID-19 spikes and shutdowns might be sending them back home. Plus, potential furloughs for...
Many bar and restaurant employees went back to work in June. New COVID-19 spikes and shutdowns might be sending them back home. Plus, potential furloughs for...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The UN’s cultural agency, UNESCO, warns its name and logo are being illegally emblazoned on false documents to facilitate a scam to defraud prospective art b...
with PRI's The WorldThe UN’s cultural agency, UNESCO, warns its name and logo are being illegally emblazoned on false documents to facilitate a scam to defraud prospective art b...
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1898 What happened after Galileo? Pierre Gassendi happened! Today, what happened...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1898 What happened after Galileo? Pierre Gassendi happened! Today, what happened...
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FREEUS History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
The story of the United States's most prestigious military award.
That beautiful star and band are more than a rarified necklace! For almost 160 years, the Medal of Freedom has been the highest personal military decoration in the United States. There have only been some 3,500 recipients since it was authorized by Congress on this day in 1862. But in spite of its prestige, the medal had a somewhat bumpy beginning, and the criteria for receiving it has changed over the years.
The United States' first military award was created in 1782, during the American Revolution, by none other than George Washington. This award, the Badge of Military Merit, was one of the first in the world that could be earned by common soldiers, not just officers. However, by the time the American Civil War began in 1861, the Badge of Military Merit had fallen out of use. Feeling that a new medal was needed, Lieutenant Colonel Edward D. Townsend sent a proposal for a battlefield declaration for valor to the General-In-Chief of the Army, Winfield Scott. But Scott strongly opposed the idea of military medals. Why? He claimed that military medals were strictly a European tradition. Strange to think that at one time, military medals were considered un-American!
Upon Scott's retirement later that year, however, the idea of a military award was approved. A bill authorizing the bestowment of 200 such awards was put before Congress on December 9, 1861, and passed that same month. It was signed into law by Abraham Lincoln. However, this medal was only available to those in the Navy and Marines. It wasn't until 1862 that the Army introduced a resolution allowing for their own version of the medal. Today, the medal is available to all branches of the military, though all have a slightly different look.
At first, requirements for earning the medal were not clearly outlined. The first six recipients earned their medals in 1862, for hijacking a Confederate train. Medals were sometimes given for brave feats during peacetime, such as leading an expedition to the North Pole. In 1918, during World War I, criteria were tightened for the Army version of the medal. Not only did a military member have to display "gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty", but they had to do it "in action involving actual conflict with an enemy".
Controversy and lawsuits abounded when, that same year, the Army Medal of Honor Review Board rescinded over 900 medals that had been awarded without "proper prerequisites." This included the only woman to have ever earned the medal, Mary Edwards Walker, who served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War. Walker's medal, along with several others that were struck from the list, were eventually restored in the 1970s. However, clear requirements for earning the medal were subsequently established by all military branches.
So how does one earn the Medal of Honor today? The requirement of life-risking gallantry beyond the call of duty hasn't changed, nor the requirement that it be performed in combat. However, requirements now state that the heroic feat can be performed with a foreign army, if an American soldier is serving with foreign forces and aiding in a conflict in which the United States is "not a belligerent party."
The Medal of Honor boasts a long list of storied recipients. Over 40 percent of those who earned the medal did so during the Civil War, including the youngest person to ever receive it, 11-year-old Civil War soldier Willie Johnston. 641 Americans have received the medal posthumously, including President Theodore Roosevelt—the only U.S. President to have done so. More recently, 17 soldiers have earned medals in Afghanistan and Iraq. If the story of this prestigious award is anything to go by, acts of military bravery will always be a part of American history!
Below: a short video giving a brief history and information about the Medal of Honor.
The story of the United States's most prestigious military award.
That beautiful star and band are more than a rarified necklace! For almost 160 years, the Medal of Freedom has been the highest personal military decoration in the United States. There have only been some 3,500 recipients since it was authorized by Congress on this day in 1862. But in spite of its prestige, the medal had a somewhat bumpy beginning, and the criteria for receiving it has changed over the years.
The United States' first military award was created in 1782, during the American Revolution, by none other than George Washington. This award, the Badge of Military Merit, was one of the first in the world that could be earned by common soldiers, not just officers. However, by the time the American Civil War began in 1861, the Badge of Military Merit had fallen out of use. Feeling that a new medal was needed, Lieutenant Colonel Edward D. Townsend sent a proposal for a battlefield declaration for valor to the General-In-Chief of the Army, Winfield Scott. But Scott strongly opposed the idea of military medals. Why? He claimed that military medals were strictly a European tradition. Strange to think that at one time, military medals were considered un-American!
Upon Scott's retirement later that year, however, the idea of a military award was approved. A bill authorizing the bestowment of 200 such awards was put before Congress on December 9, 1861, and passed that same month. It was signed into law by Abraham Lincoln. However, this medal was only available to those in the Navy and Marines. It wasn't until 1862 that the Army introduced a resolution allowing for their own version of the medal. Today, the medal is available to all branches of the military, though all have a slightly different look.
At first, requirements for earning the medal were not clearly outlined. The first six recipients earned their medals in 1862, for hijacking a Confederate train. Medals were sometimes given for brave feats during peacetime, such as leading an expedition to the North Pole. In 1918, during World War I, criteria were tightened for the Army version of the medal. Not only did a military member have to display "gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty", but they had to do it "in action involving actual conflict with an enemy".
Controversy and lawsuits abounded when, that same year, the Army Medal of Honor Review Board rescinded over 900 medals that had been awarded without "proper prerequisites." This included the only woman to have ever earned the medal, Mary Edwards Walker, who served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War. Walker's medal, along with several others that were struck from the list, were eventually restored in the 1970s. However, clear requirements for earning the medal were subsequently established by all military branches.
So how does one earn the Medal of Honor today? The requirement of life-risking gallantry beyond the call of duty hasn't changed, nor the requirement that it be performed in combat. However, requirements now state that the heroic feat can be performed with a foreign army, if an American soldier is serving with foreign forces and aiding in a conflict in which the United States is "not a belligerent party."
The Medal of Honor boasts a long list of storied recipients. Over 40 percent of those who earned the medal did so during the Civil War, including the youngest person to ever receive it, 11-year-old Civil War soldier Willie Johnston. 641 Americans have received the medal posthumously, including President Theodore Roosevelt—the only U.S. President to have done so. More recently, 17 soldiers have earned medals in Afghanistan and Iraq. If the story of this prestigious award is anything to go by, acts of military bravery will always be a part of American history!
Below: a short video giving a brief history and information about the Medal of Honor.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : September 30, 2017
apropos \ap-ruh-POH\ preposition
Definition
: with regard to (something) : concerning
Examples
Sean interrupted our...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 30, 2017
apropos \ap-ruh-POH\ preposition
Definition
: with regard to (something) : concerning
Examples
Sean interrupted our...
July 11, 2020
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #245Free1 CQ
Now isn't the best time for home improvement... but hey, we're bored beyond our wits and tired of pacing our livingrooms. Sure, all of our friends and family are quarantining. But who cares! We're staying engaged by torturing ourselves with masonry, roofing, and carpentry, as well as dizzying selections of paints, landscaping pebbles, and countertops. Oh, and let's not forget interior decoration! Remember: a word square is similar to a square crossword puzzle, but the same words appear across and down. Here's an example of a 3x3 word square: CAT AGO TOY Below are four clues, not in order. Can you make a 4x4 word square out of it? Run a drill Flubs It gets wiped All done
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #245" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
Now isn't the best time for home improvement... but hey, we're bored beyond our wits and tired of pacing our livingrooms. Sure, all of our friends and family are quarantining. But who cares! We're staying engaged by torturing ourselves with masonry, roofing, and carpentry, as well as dizzying selections of paints, landscaping pebbles, and countertops. Oh, and let's not forget interior decoration! Remember: a word square is similar to a square crossword puzzle, but the same words appear across and down. Here's an example of a 3x3 word square: CAT AGO TOY Below are four clues, not in order. Can you make a 4x4 word square out of it? Run a drill Flubs It gets wiped All done
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #245" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
A Supreme Court decision Thursday affirmed that about half of the state of Oklahoma is Native American reservation land. Plus, Hong Kong is closing all schoo...
A Supreme Court decision Thursday affirmed that about half of the state of Oklahoma is Native American reservation land. Plus, Hong Kong is closing all schoo...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
In the last 10 years, there’s been a surge of literature about climate change, including poetry. The World’s climate solutions segment The Big Fix is featuri...
with PRI's The WorldIn the last 10 years, there’s been a surge of literature about climate change, including poetry. The World’s climate solutions segment The Big Fix is featuri...
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2505 Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher's Wild America. Today, a legendary ro...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2505 Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher's Wild America. Today, a legendary ro...
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: Captain Lovell, ["My eyes are shaky and glimmer like the stars"]. By Gabrielle Calvocoressi.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: Captain Lovell, ["My eyes are shaky and glimmer like the stars"]. By Gabrielle Calvocoressi.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : September 29, 2017
ensconce \in-SKAHNSS\ verb
Definition
1 : to place or hide securely : conceal
2 : to establish or settle firmly, com...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 29, 2017
ensconce \in-SKAHNSS\ verb
Definition
1 : to place or hide securely : conceal
2 : to establish or settle firmly, com...
July 10, 2020
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3 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2517 Rebecca Clarke: Violist, Composer, Woman. Today, a woman in conflict.
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2517 Rebecca Clarke: Violist, Composer, Woman. Today, a woman in conflict.
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
States that are seeing large spikes in COVID-19 cases are also seeing jumps in first-time unemployment claims. The Supreme Court rules on who can have access...
States that are seeing large spikes in COVID-19 cases are also seeing jumps in first-time unemployment claims. The Supreme Court rules on who can have access...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Chinese students make up a third of international students in the US. Under new Trump administration rules, they will not be allowed to enter or remain in th...
with PRI's The WorldChinese students make up a third of international students in the US. Under new Trump administration rules, they will not be allowed to enter or remain in th...
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FREEMusic Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
These days we may worry about technology taking over our lives, but Gary Numan was obsessing over the concept 40 years ago. His 1979 hit Cars arose out of a punk-egalitarian way of playing with a Minimoog synthesizer: he didn't necessarily have to know how to play the instrument well when he first picked it up in the band Tubeway Army, so long as he could make interesting sounds and songs with it. Add to the mix lyrics which take inspiration from dystopian sci-fi writing by authors like J. G. Ballard, and the locked-door journey of Cars seems like it's on an endless ride where "nothing seems right." For all of the fear and uncertainty the lyrics profess, Cars has aged incredibly well as an early synth-pop hit, in no small part due to Numan's gift for arranging synthesizer parts: from riffs that threaten to overtake his vocals, to the earworm bass grooves, and soaring high notes—Numan's futuristic cityscape may be a frightening one, but at least there are good tunes in the tape deck.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Uncyclopedia
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
These days we may worry about technology taking over our lives, but Gary Numan was obsessing over the concept 40 years ago. His 1979 hit Cars arose out of a punk-egalitarian way of playing with a Minimoog synthesizer: he didn't necessarily have to know how to play the instrument well when he first picked it up in the band Tubeway Army, so long as he could make interesting sounds and songs with it. Add to the mix lyrics which take inspiration from dystopian sci-fi writing by authors like J. G. Ballard, and the locked-door journey of Cars seems like it's on an endless ride where "nothing seems right." For all of the fear and uncertainty the lyrics profess, Cars has aged incredibly well as an early synth-pop hit, in no small part due to Numan's gift for arranging synthesizer parts: from riffs that threaten to overtake his vocals, to the earworm bass grooves, and soaring high notes—Numan's futuristic cityscape may be a frightening one, but at least there are good tunes in the tape deck.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Uncyclopedia
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FREEPhotography Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Finally, an automobile everyone could af-Ford. (We couldn't help ourselves!) May 1927 marked the end of an era for the United States' largest auto manufacturer. The 15 millionth, and final, Model T can be seen above receiving final tweaks before being driven off of the production line by Henry Ford and his son, Edsel. Taking inspiration from the meat-packing industry, Ford revolutionized the automobile industry by producing cars on an assembly line. This greatly reduced costs and transformed the automobile from a luxury good to a middle-class commodity. A car like this one would have cost around $850 then, or $20,000 today. It boasted a 20-horsepower four-cylinder engine, and could do 0-60 mph in… well, its top speed was actually only 45 miles per hour. A more basic version of the Model T could be had for $260, or $6,000 today. Considering these cars can now sell for upwards of $30,000 at auction, we'd call $260 a darn good bargain!
Image credit & copyright: My Auto World
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Finally, an automobile everyone could af-Ford. (We couldn't help ourselves!) May 1927 marked the end of an era for the United States' largest auto manufacturer. The 15 millionth, and final, Model T can be seen above receiving final tweaks before being driven off of the production line by Henry Ford and his son, Edsel. Taking inspiration from the meat-packing industry, Ford revolutionized the automobile industry by producing cars on an assembly line. This greatly reduced costs and transformed the automobile from a luxury good to a middle-class commodity. A car like this one would have cost around $850 then, or $20,000 today. It boasted a 20-horsepower four-cylinder engine, and could do 0-60 mph in… well, its top speed was actually only 45 miles per hour. A more basic version of the Model T could be had for $260, or $6,000 today. Considering these cars can now sell for upwards of $30,000 at auction, we'd call $260 a darn good bargain!
Image credit & copyright: My Auto World
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: 1999 BMW V12 LMR
Artist: Jenny Holzer (b. 1950)
Created: 1999
Medium: paint on car
Protect us from this beautiful ride! Conceptual artist Jenny Holzer designed the above vehicle for the BMW Art Car series in the late 1990s. Unlike other art cars, which are often covered in big splashes of color and unusual patterns, Holzer chose to keep the hues to a minimum. Instead, the body of this race car is painted in the same shade of white except for a few strategically placed aphorisms: "Protect Me From What I Want" being the most prominent, along with "The Unattainable Is Invariably Attractive" and "Lack of Charisma Can Be Fatal." Holzer, who came of age as part of a group of feminist artists in the 1980s, pairs these sayings with stark backgrounds as a commentary on the impossibility of summing anything up with just a few short words, as well as the unnecessary excesses of capitalism. She's explored similar themes in other mediums, including park benches, broadsheets, and large-scale LED boards. Though this particular race car has been retired, who knows what Holzer will be racing to next!
Below: more of Holzer's artwork.
Image credit & copyright: Jenny Holzer / BMW
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: 1999 BMW V12 LMR
Artist: Jenny Holzer (b. 1950)
Created: 1999
Medium: paint on car
Protect us from this beautiful ride! Conceptual artist Jenny Holzer designed the above vehicle for the BMW Art Car series in the late 1990s. Unlike other art cars, which are often covered in big splashes of color and unusual patterns, Holzer chose to keep the hues to a minimum. Instead, the body of this race car is painted in the same shade of white except for a few strategically placed aphorisms: "Protect Me From What I Want" being the most prominent, along with "The Unattainable Is Invariably Attractive" and "Lack of Charisma Can Be Fatal." Holzer, who came of age as part of a group of feminist artists in the 1980s, pairs these sayings with stark backgrounds as a commentary on the impossibility of summing anything up with just a few short words, as well as the unnecessary excesses of capitalism. She's explored similar themes in other mediums, including park benches, broadsheets, and large-scale LED boards. Though this particular race car has been retired, who knows what Holzer will be racing to next!
Below: more of Holzer's artwork.
Image credit & copyright: Jenny Holzer / BMW
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FREEWork Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
LGBT Pride Month is winding down, so let's talk about cars. In the early 1990s, Subaru was a small car company struggling to compete with their much bigger Japanese brothers, Toyota, Nissan and Honda. The one bright spot in the Subaru lineup was the newly released "crossover" 4x4, the Outback. The company decided its best chance of survival was to focus on niche groups that were already attracted to their flagship product. So the marketing team identified four niche markets who liked the rugged and practical Outback: educators, health-care workers, IT professionals, and outdoorsy people. But then they noticed that several US locations were buying the Outback in disproportionate droves: Northampton, Massachusetts and Portland, Oregon. In those areas, the buyer was often a single woman head of the household. Compared to the overall population, single women in those areas were 500% more likely to buy an Outback. Eventually, with the help of focus groups, the Subaru team figured out who these single "head of households" in trendy towns were: lesbians. So they launched a new advertising campaign around this taboo demographic. Their messaging had to be subtle, so they spoke to their target market in code. One ad showed a car with the license plate "XENA LVR" in reference to the popular TV show Xena the Warrior Princess—whose two main female characters were widely assumed to be in an off-screen same-sex relationship. Other ads had double-entendre tag lines, such as "Get out. And stay out." and "It's not a choice. It's the way we're built." That last one ostensibly referred to the fact all Outbacks came with 4WD. Uh huh. Subtle or not, the strategy worked. Subaru regained its footing and today it is the fourth highest-rated car company by customer satisfaction. Pride.
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
LGBT Pride Month is winding down, so let's talk about cars. In the early 1990s, Subaru was a small car company struggling to compete with their much bigger Japanese brothers, Toyota, Nissan and Honda. The one bright spot in the Subaru lineup was the newly released "crossover" 4x4, the Outback. The company decided its best chance of survival was to focus on niche groups that were already attracted to their flagship product. So the marketing team identified four niche markets who liked the rugged and practical Outback: educators, health-care workers, IT professionals, and outdoorsy people. But then they noticed that several US locations were buying the Outback in disproportionate droves: Northampton, Massachusetts and Portland, Oregon. In those areas, the buyer was often a single woman head of the household. Compared to the overall population, single women in those areas were 500% more likely to buy an Outback. Eventually, with the help of focus groups, the Subaru team figured out who these single "head of households" in trendy towns were: lesbians. So they launched a new advertising campaign around this taboo demographic. Their messaging had to be subtle, so they spoke to their target market in code. One ad showed a car with the license plate "XENA LVR" in reference to the popular TV show Xena the Warrior Princess—whose two main female characters were widely assumed to be in an off-screen same-sex relationship. Other ads had double-entendre tag lines, such as "Get out. And stay out." and "It's not a choice. It's the way we're built." That last one ostensibly referred to the fact all Outbacks came with 4WD. Uh huh. Subtle or not, the strategy worked. Subaru regained its footing and today it is the fourth highest-rated car company by customer satisfaction. Pride.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : September 28, 2017
pace \PAY-see\ preposition
Definition
: contrary to the opinion of — usually used as an expression of deference to so...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 28, 2017
pace \PAY-see\ preposition
Definition
: contrary to the opinion of — usually used as an expression of deference to so...
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6 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree4 CQ
Poem of the Day: I Love Country Music. by Paul Killebrew.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: I Love Country Music. by Paul Killebrew.
July 9, 2020
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FREESports Daily Curio #2069Free1 CQ
How does a roller coaster operate if none of its riders can scream? That's a question we'd be asking ourselves if we'd handled quarantine as gracefully as Japan, which will soon be reopening its amusement parks. There's a serious catch to the reopenings, though: you must wear a mask and cannot scream, to slow the spread of COVID. This is because screaming can project contaminated droplets on fellow riders. A park named Fuji-Q Highland was so kind as to offer us a quick video on acceptable rollercoaster etiquette in the age of COVID. Shown below, the short clip features two masked, deadpan gentlemen in suits, utterly silent as they scale a coaster's rising slope. They keep their cool even after plummeting 230 feet. It all seems silly, but there's merit to the video. In Japan, masks were a common sight even before COVID, if only as a fashion statement. That fashion statement proved indispensable, and its smooth adoption as a safety initiative led to Japan's quarantine success. It's worth noting that masks were never outright mandated in Japan; the people did it voluntarily. So far, the country has seen just 20,000 cases, many resolved, while the U.S. has seen upwards of three million. Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league has been playing games since mid-June. The MLB will be lucky if it can manage to resume its season in late July. Then again, I've always found baseball boring. The silver lining, I guess?
Below: Fuji-Q Highland's beautiful safety video.
Image credit & copyright: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
How does a roller coaster operate if none of its riders can scream? That's a question we'd be asking ourselves if we'd handled quarantine as gracefully as Japan, which will soon be reopening its amusement parks. There's a serious catch to the reopenings, though: you must wear a mask and cannot scream, to slow the spread of COVID. This is because screaming can project contaminated droplets on fellow riders. A park named Fuji-Q Highland was so kind as to offer us a quick video on acceptable rollercoaster etiquette in the age of COVID. Shown below, the short clip features two masked, deadpan gentlemen in suits, utterly silent as they scale a coaster's rising slope. They keep their cool even after plummeting 230 feet. It all seems silly, but there's merit to the video. In Japan, masks were a common sight even before COVID, if only as a fashion statement. That fashion statement proved indispensable, and its smooth adoption as a safety initiative led to Japan's quarantine success. It's worth noting that masks were never outright mandated in Japan; the people did it voluntarily. So far, the country has seen just 20,000 cases, many resolved, while the U.S. has seen upwards of three million. Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league has been playing games since mid-June. The MLB will be lucky if it can manage to resume its season in late July. Then again, I've always found baseball boring. The silver lining, I guess?
Below: Fuji-Q Highland's beautiful safety video.
Image credit & copyright: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The album "Inner World" has been in the making for five years. It contains mantras and Buddhist teachings from the Dalai Lama set to soothing music.
with PRI's The WorldThe album "Inner World" has been in the making for five years. It contains mantras and Buddhist teachings from the Dalai Lama set to soothing music.
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Old, big trees are dying faster than in the past, leaving younger, less biodiverse forests worldw...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Old, big trees are dying faster than in the past, leaving younger, less biodiverse forests worldw...
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
President Trump pushes for schools to reopen this fall. Looking forward to Thursday’s forthcoming jobless claims numbers, as we wait to see if people are get...
President Trump pushes for schools to reopen this fall. Looking forward to Thursday’s forthcoming jobless claims numbers, as we wait to see if people are get...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Look out! It's a movie villain's theme music… or the background to an intense pizza commercial? Any way you cut it, O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana is one iconic cantata (vocal and orchestral work with several movements). Orff took the song's lyrics about Fortune and Fate's mercurial and merciless habits from 13th-century poetry written by Latin monks. From a fiery opening, Orff spends about two minutes of the three-and-a-half-minute piece building to one of the most intense crescendos (gradual soft to loud dynamics) in classical music. Orff intended for the whole of Carmina Burana to be a sensory spectacle, so it's no surprise that O Fortuna ever remains one of the most famous pieces of 20th-century classical music. From South Park, to How I Met Your Mother, to Dominos and Applebee's commercials, it seems everybody wants a piece of Orff, even some 115 years after his birthday this week!
Other streaming options
Look out! It's a movie villain's theme music… or the background to an intense pizza commercial? Any way you cut it, O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana is one iconic cantata (vocal and orchestral work with several movements). Orff took the song's lyrics about Fortune and Fate's mercurial and merciless habits from 13th-century poetry written by Latin monks. From a fiery opening, Orff spends about two minutes of the three-and-a-half-minute piece building to one of the most intense crescendos (gradual soft to loud dynamics) in classical music. Orff intended for the whole of Carmina Burana to be a sensory spectacle, so it's no surprise that O Fortuna ever remains one of the most famous pieces of 20th-century classical music. From South Park, to How I Met Your Mother, to Dominos and Applebee's commercials, it seems everybody wants a piece of Orff, even some 115 years after his birthday this week!
Other streaming options
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: CAMH (On Sight). by Douglas Kearney.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: CAMH (On Sight). by Douglas Kearney.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : September 27, 2017
disparate \DISS-puh-rut\ adjective
Definition
1 : containing or made up of fundamentally different and often incongru...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 27, 2017
disparate \DISS-puh-rut\ adjective
Definition
1 : containing or made up of fundamentally different and often incongru...
July 8, 2020
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2068Free1 CQ
William the Conqueror brought quite a few things to England when his army of Normans invaded the island in 1066 C.E.—including pork, according to a recent archaeological study. The study's researchers first just used isotope analysis on a population of 36 humans and 60 animal remains from the same Oxford-area dig site. The analysis quickly proved that the aforementioned humans and animals had overlapped chronologically, between the 10th to the 13th century. From there, the researchers analyzed the humans' cooking pots for animal residues. Unsurprisingly, those residues matched the residue of the local animal fossils, especially pigs. Now, analysis of earlier time periods and sites show that the English originally didn't much care for pork or even chicken. This study shows that that state of affairs certainly changed right after William arrived: pork became a household staple food. It's worth noting that many historians consider 1066 C.E. the most important year in English history. When William and the Normans struck England, they deposed the old Saxon nobles, drafted new laws, and installed the feudal system that was in use among most of Europe at the time. The Normans also imbued a whole bunch of French words and spellings into English, which is partially why English words don't make sense to the layperson. Look, I'm very happy that William and his Norman army inadvertently led to the U.S.'s love of all things pork. That being said, I really, really wish that the Normans hadn't made spellcheck an absolute necessity!
William the Conqueror brought quite a few things to England when his army of Normans invaded the island in 1066 C.E.—including pork, according to a recent archaeological study. The study's researchers first just used isotope analysis on a population of 36 humans and 60 animal remains from the same Oxford-area dig site. The analysis quickly proved that the aforementioned humans and animals had overlapped chronologically, between the 10th to the 13th century. From there, the researchers analyzed the humans' cooking pots for animal residues. Unsurprisingly, those residues matched the residue of the local animal fossils, especially pigs. Now, analysis of earlier time periods and sites show that the English originally didn't much care for pork or even chicken. This study shows that that state of affairs certainly changed right after William arrived: pork became a household staple food. It's worth noting that many historians consider 1066 C.E. the most important year in English history. When William and the Normans struck England, they deposed the old Saxon nobles, drafted new laws, and installed the feudal system that was in use among most of Europe at the time. The Normans also imbued a whole bunch of French words and spellings into English, which is partially why English words don't make sense to the layperson. Look, I'm very happy that William and his Norman army inadvertently led to the U.S.'s love of all things pork. That being said, I really, really wish that the Normans hadn't made spellcheck an absolute necessity!
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: TikTok has said it will withdraw from Hong Kong after China imposed a new security law on the city. A company spokesman told the ...
From the BBC World Service: TikTok has said it will withdraw from Hong Kong after China imposed a new security law on the city. A company spokesman told the ...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The stomach contests of young great white sharks showed that they spend a lot of time patrolling ...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The stomach contests of young great white sharks showed that they spend a lot of time patrolling ...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Other social media companies are following suit.
with PRI's The WorldOther social media companies are following suit.
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FREEJazz Guitar Song CurioFree2 CQ
As a Beta-Israeli artist (Ethiopian-Israeli), Ester Rada's music knows no boundaries. The jazz singer and actress' third album חסד (Grace) and eponymous song highlights her embrace of her cross-cultural heritage. Grace finds Rada employing the vocal range she developed in her previous work, including a tribute EP to Billie Holiday, and singing entirely in Hebrew as keyboardist Tomer Bar lays down a pensive, syncopated Ethiopian-Jazz rhythm. Embracing varied musical heritages might seem daunting to some, but Ester Rada sees it as an opportunity to discuss multiculturalism and finding humanity in one another amid political disputes: "I don’t believe in borders and definitions…. I always say to the crowd after the first song: 'We came here to give you love. All you need to do is accept it.'" If Rada's budding legacy is any indicator, she's putting out quite the sweet sounds of that love and Grace to the world!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Jewish News
As a Beta-Israeli artist (Ethiopian-Israeli), Ester Rada's music knows no boundaries. The jazz singer and actress' third album חסד (Grace) and eponymous song highlights her embrace of her cross-cultural heritage. Grace finds Rada employing the vocal range she developed in her previous work, including a tribute EP to Billie Holiday, and singing entirely in Hebrew as keyboardist Tomer Bar lays down a pensive, syncopated Ethiopian-Jazz rhythm. Embracing varied musical heritages might seem daunting to some, but Ester Rada sees it as an opportunity to discuss multiculturalism and finding humanity in one another amid political disputes: "I don’t believe in borders and definitions…. I always say to the crowd after the first song: 'We came here to give you love. All you need to do is accept it.'" If Rada's budding legacy is any indicator, she's putting out quite the sweet sounds of that love and Grace to the world!
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Jewish News
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: A Voluptuous Dream During an Eclipse. By Elaine Kahn.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: A Voluptuous Dream During an Eclipse. By Elaine Kahn.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : September 26, 2017
broadside \BRAWD-syde\ noun
Definition
1 a : a sizable sheet of paper printed on one side; also : a sheet of paper pr...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 26, 2017
broadside \BRAWD-syde\ noun
Definition
1 a : a sizable sheet of paper printed on one side; also : a sheet of paper pr...
July 7, 2020
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2067Free1 CQ
There's been a lot of criticism regarding the accuracy and pace of our current COVID-19 testing kits. Fortunately, scientists all around the world have zeroed in on another way to track the spread of the disease—our sewage. Plug your noses because it gets a little, um, filthy. The basis of tracking the coronavirus via our sewage systems lies in how patients infected with the illness "shed" viral substances in their number two. So, theoretically, this shed material builds up in sewage junctures and certain wastewater avenues. And seeing as sewage networks are essentially a web connecting various communities, the traffic of shed COVID material can be mapped back to its various origins. The best part? These sewage tests come back within the next day, while our current testing kits take seven-to-10 days to reach a verdict. Still, there are plenty of variables that can mar these sewage test results, including how other contaminants can alter the presentation of the COVID-19 "shedding" materials. This method also only zeroes in on afflicted communities, not individuals. But have faith! In 1854, epidemiologist John Snow—not to be confused with the fictional Jon Snow—tracked a brutal cholera outbreak in London to a nasty water pump, effectively nipping the scourge in the bud. Hey, these techniques may be unsanitary, but they work. I say we do whatever it takes to finally flush the coronavirus down the drain.
Image credit & copyright: BBC News
There's been a lot of criticism regarding the accuracy and pace of our current COVID-19 testing kits. Fortunately, scientists all around the world have zeroed in on another way to track the spread of the disease—our sewage. Plug your noses because it gets a little, um, filthy. The basis of tracking the coronavirus via our sewage systems lies in how patients infected with the illness "shed" viral substances in their number two. So, theoretically, this shed material builds up in sewage junctures and certain wastewater avenues. And seeing as sewage networks are essentially a web connecting various communities, the traffic of shed COVID material can be mapped back to its various origins. The best part? These sewage tests come back within the next day, while our current testing kits take seven-to-10 days to reach a verdict. Still, there are plenty of variables that can mar these sewage test results, including how other contaminants can alter the presentation of the COVID-19 "shedding" materials. This method also only zeroes in on afflicted communities, not individuals. But have faith! In 1854, epidemiologist John Snow—not to be confused with the fictional Jon Snow—tracked a brutal cholera outbreak in London to a nasty water pump, effectively nipping the scourge in the bud. Hey, these techniques may be unsanitary, but they work. I say we do whatever it takes to finally flush the coronavirus down the drain.
Image credit & copyright: BBC News
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6 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Visitors have been welcomed back to Paris’ Louvre Museum for the first time since March, but the museum’s boss says they still de...
From the BBC World Service: Visitors have been welcomed back to Paris’ Louvre Museum for the first time since March, but the museum’s boss says they still de...
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4 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
The Chinese government has been trying to slash birth rates of the ethnic Uighur population with measures like forced birth control, abortions, and steriliza...
Sterilization abuse of Uighurs in China meets international legal criteria for genocide, experts saywith PRI's The WorldThe Chinese government has been trying to slash birth rates of the ethnic Uighur population with measures like forced birth control, abortions, and steriliza...
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
There's more than mold growing inside this fridge! 26-year-old Russian photographer Ellen Sheidlin is no stranger to the surreal, and her bizarre-yet-playful pictures have recently blown up on Instagram. In many of Sheidlin's photos, her physical body melds into her surroundings. Such is the case in the photo above, in which Sheidlin poses just behind a miniature refrigerator full of fruits and veggies carved to resemble human organs. The lungs are made of cauliflower with pomegranate seeds, the spine from grapes, intestines from bananas, and the ribcage from a carved melon. Although Sheidlin does use some digital manipulation to create the surreal effects in her photos, she prefers to use practical effects, such as paintings, sculptures, or in this case, carved vegetables, whenever possible. Altered or not, her photos clearly cause her audience to go bananas with glee!
Below: more photos from Sheidlin in which her body fades into her surroundings.
Image credit & copyright: Ellen Sheidlin
There's more than mold growing inside this fridge! 26-year-old Russian photographer Ellen Sheidlin is no stranger to the surreal, and her bizarre-yet-playful pictures have recently blown up on Instagram. In many of Sheidlin's photos, her physical body melds into her surroundings. Such is the case in the photo above, in which Sheidlin poses just behind a miniature refrigerator full of fruits and veggies carved to resemble human organs. The lungs are made of cauliflower with pomegranate seeds, the spine from grapes, intestines from bananas, and the ribcage from a carved melon. Although Sheidlin does use some digital manipulation to create the surreal effects in her photos, she prefers to use practical effects, such as paintings, sculptures, or in this case, carved vegetables, whenever possible. Altered or not, her photos clearly cause her audience to go bananas with glee!
Below: more photos from Sheidlin in which her body fades into her surroundings.
Image credit & copyright: Ellen Sheidlin
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: No Swan So Fine. by Marianne Moore (read by Melissa Severin).
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: No Swan So Fine. by Marianne Moore (read by Melissa Severin).
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : September 25, 2017
anathematize \uh-NATH-uh-muh-tyze\ verb
Definition
: curse, denounce
Examples
"A great deal has happened in a very ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 25, 2017
anathematize \uh-NATH-uh-muh-tyze\ verb
Definition
: curse, denounce
Examples
"A great deal has happened in a very ...
July 6, 2020
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2066Free1 CQ
Conventional wisdom has long had it that dogs age seven times faster than humans—until now. In a recent study conducted at the University of California San Diego's school of medicine, researchers proved that it isn't that simple. In fact, a one-year-old pup is actually comparable to a 30-year-old human. Well, sort of. The researchers discovered that and more by tracking epigenetic changes to DNA in humans and 100 dogs as they aged. In particular, the scientists focused on methyl groups. These molecules play several functions involved with bodily development and synaptic growth in the brain. So by tracking how methyl groups accumulate rapidly in genomes, the researchers were able to compare and contrast the adolescent growth spurts dogs and humans experience. It turns out dogs reach the age of "30" within the span of one year. By four, canines are roughly 54 in "human years." Meanwhile, a 14-year-old dog is comparable to a septuagenarian human. But this brings into question the philosophical question of what age means in a developmental context. The study found that although one-year-old dogs were on par with 30-year-old humans, those dogs were still maturing hormonally, which isn't the case with humans at that age. In other words, comparing the developmental ages of two species isn't as easy as juxtaposing one factor. Regardless, the next time the puppy won't stop acting up, remind them they need to act like a 30-year-old adult should!
Image credit & copyright: Antonio Diaz/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Conventional wisdom has long had it that dogs age seven times faster than humans—until now. In a recent study conducted at the University of California San Diego's school of medicine, researchers proved that it isn't that simple. In fact, a one-year-old pup is actually comparable to a 30-year-old human. Well, sort of. The researchers discovered that and more by tracking epigenetic changes to DNA in humans and 100 dogs as they aged. In particular, the scientists focused on methyl groups. These molecules play several functions involved with bodily development and synaptic growth in the brain. So by tracking how methyl groups accumulate rapidly in genomes, the researchers were able to compare and contrast the adolescent growth spurts dogs and humans experience. It turns out dogs reach the age of "30" within the span of one year. By four, canines are roughly 54 in "human years." Meanwhile, a 14-year-old dog is comparable to a septuagenarian human. But this brings into question the philosophical question of what age means in a developmental context. The study found that although one-year-old dogs were on par with 30-year-old humans, those dogs were still maturing hormonally, which isn't the case with humans at that age. In other words, comparing the developmental ages of two species isn't as easy as juxtaposing one factor. Regardless, the next time the puppy won't stop acting up, remind them they need to act like a 30-year-old adult should!
Image credit & copyright: Antonio Diaz/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
Change is in the air for Native American representation in both the arts as well as the football field. Also, we examine how something called forced arbitrat...
Change is in the air for Native American representation in both the arts as well as the football field. Also, we examine how something called forced arbitrat...
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Protests in South Korea were once characterized by intense, often violent confrontations between protesters and police. Today, those kinds of fierce standoff...
with PRI's The WorldProtests in South Korea were once characterized by intense, often violent confrontations between protesters and police. Today, those kinds of fierce standoff...
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3 minFREEAstronomy Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
What's Up for July? How about some moons with those giant planets? Mars after midnight. And are the stars of Mars the same as ours?
What's Up for July? How about some moons with those giant planets? Mars after midnight. And are the stars of Mars the same as ours?
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FREEAesthetic Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: L'anniversaire
Artist: Marc Chagall (1887-1985)
Created: 1915
Medium: oil on cardboard
Dimensions: 39 x 31 in (99.7 x 80.6 cm)
Current location: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain
What better way to celebrate International Kissing Day than with a painting showing the magnetic force of love? L'anniversaire, by Russian-French artist Marc Chagall, depicts the moment Chagall proposed to his girlfriend, Bella Rosenfeld, after returning home from Russia in 1915. In the painting, both Bella and Chagall are levitating, as if a magnetic force is pulling them up and toward one another. Bella grasps the flowers Chagall has given her as his body twines around to kiss her. His eyes are closed in a reverent expression while hers are wide open, as if in surprise. Chagall was known for his uniquely whimsical avant-garde style, which is on full display in L'anniversaire. He routinely mixed aspects of modern art and Eastern European Jewish folk culture, creating paintings that are surreal and colorful yet relatable. By the 1950s, Chagall had gained a reputation as one of the most important Jewish painters of the century. Pablo Picasso himself once commented that, "When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is." High praise from someone as colorful as Picasso!
Below: in honor of International Kissing Day, two more paintings that feature kissing; The Kiss by Pablo Picasso, and Pygmalion and Galatea by Jean-Leon Gerome.
Image credit & copyright: The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala Archives Florence/Marc Chagall
Title: L'anniversaire
Artist: Marc Chagall (1887-1985)
Created: 1915
Medium: oil on cardboard
Dimensions: 39 x 31 in (99.7 x 80.6 cm)
Current location: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain
What better way to celebrate International Kissing Day than with a painting showing the magnetic force of love? L'anniversaire, by Russian-French artist Marc Chagall, depicts the moment Chagall proposed to his girlfriend, Bella Rosenfeld, after returning home from Russia in 1915. In the painting, both Bella and Chagall are levitating, as if a magnetic force is pulling them up and toward one another. Bella grasps the flowers Chagall has given her as his body twines around to kiss her. His eyes are closed in a reverent expression while hers are wide open, as if in surprise. Chagall was known for his uniquely whimsical avant-garde style, which is on full display in L'anniversaire. He routinely mixed aspects of modern art and Eastern European Jewish folk culture, creating paintings that are surreal and colorful yet relatable. By the 1950s, Chagall had gained a reputation as one of the most important Jewish painters of the century. Pablo Picasso himself once commented that, "When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is." High praise from someone as colorful as Picasso!
Below: in honor of International Kissing Day, two more paintings that feature kissing; The Kiss by Pablo Picasso, and Pygmalion and Galatea by Jean-Leon Gerome.
Image credit & copyright: The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala Archives Florence/Marc Chagall
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< 1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Last Time I Slept in This Bed. by Sara Peters.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Last Time I Slept in This Bed. by Sara Peters.
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day : September 24, 2017
legerity \luh-JAIR-uh-tee\ noun
Definition
: alert facile quickness of mind or body
Examples
The novel's less than ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : September 24, 2017
legerity \luh-JAIR-uh-tee\ noun
Definition
: alert facile quickness of mind or body
Examples
The novel's less than ...
