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December 9, 2024
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
This is one princess who knew how to get a head. Salome is one of the most notorious figures in the New Testament, and a heavily embellished version of her story is told in German opera composer Richard Strauss’s Salome, which debuted on this day in 1905. The piece above, Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, depicts a woman in a European style dress holding a large platter. Below and to the right is a man reaching for a decapitated head. This particular drawing was created by Dutch artist Nicolaus Knupfer in the 1600s, but Salome has captured the imagination of artists and writers for centuries. In the Bible, Salome (though not specifically named) is persuaded by her mother to ask her new stepfather, Herod Antipas, for John the Baptist’s head in retaliation for the latter’s criticism of their marriage. Wilde wrote a play about her in 1891, and that was eventually adapted into an opera by Strauss in 1905. Both iterations were controversial in their time due to their salacious contents, and the opera was even banned in Vienna. It’s not as if the original story was any more family friendly!
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, Nicolaus Knupfer
(Dutch, 1603–1655), c. 1650, Pen and brown ink, brown washes and white heightening (oxidized), over black chalk on antique laid paper, 13.12 x 11 in. (33.4 x 27.9 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Nicolaus Knupfer, John L. Severance Fund 2019.8This is one princess who knew how to get a head. Salome is one of the most notorious figures in the New Testament, and a heavily embellished version of her story is told in German opera composer Richard Strauss’s Salome, which debuted on this day in 1905. The piece above, Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, depicts a woman in a European style dress holding a large platter. Below and to the right is a man reaching for a decapitated head. This particular drawing was created by Dutch artist Nicolaus Knupfer in the 1600s, but Salome has captured the imagination of artists and writers for centuries. In the Bible, Salome (though not specifically named) is persuaded by her mother to ask her new stepfather, Herod Antipas, for John the Baptist’s head in retaliation for the latter’s criticism of their marriage. Wilde wrote a play about her in 1891, and that was eventually adapted into an opera by Strauss in 1905. Both iterations were controversial in their time due to their salacious contents, and the opera was even banned in Vienna. It’s not as if the original story was any more family friendly!
Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, Nicolaus Knupfer
(Dutch, 1603–1655), c. 1650, Pen and brown ink, brown washes and white heightening (oxidized), over black chalk on antique laid paper, 13.12 x 11 in. (33.4 x 27.9 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Nicolaus Knupfer, John L. Severance Fund 2019.8 -
FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2991Free1 CQ
These are a lot more useful than your average tattoos. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have designed a spray-on temporary tattoo that might replace conventional electrodes for EEGs. Short for electroencephalogram, an EEG is a test that measures brain activity and is used to diagnose brain injuries, tumors, epilepsy, and a myriad of other conditions related to the brain. Yet, as essential and high-tech as the test is, actually getting an EEG is a cumbersome ordeal for patients. First, electrodes must be attached to the scalp using adhesive gels, but the application process can take hours. Hair can easily get in the way, leading to a sticky mess. On top of all that, the gel used to hold the electrodes in place is only effective for around six hours. After that, the adhesive properties of the gel diminish, which affects the signal delivered through the electrodes. That’s far from ideal when patients might need to be monitored for an extended period, not to mention that it’s awfully uncomfortable.
Enter the electronic tattoo. Developed by researchers at UT Austin, the tattoo uses a biocompatible, conductive polymer ink that can simply be sprayed directly onto the scalp. Since it’s applied as a liquid, it’s not stymied by hair and once it dries in a few minutes, it can carry a reliable signal for around 24 hours. But there’s more than EEGs in the future for these e-tattoos. Researchers believe that the conductive ink could one day be used to create unobtrusive brain-computer interfaces that people with disabilities could use to control prosthetic devices, or computers for communicating through. That sounds like something for the distant future, but similar e-tattoos are already being used by some athletes to monitor biometric information, like heartrates. It may well be an inkling of things to come.
[Image description: A gray brain against a black background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, PexelsThese are a lot more useful than your average tattoos. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have designed a spray-on temporary tattoo that might replace conventional electrodes for EEGs. Short for electroencephalogram, an EEG is a test that measures brain activity and is used to diagnose brain injuries, tumors, epilepsy, and a myriad of other conditions related to the brain. Yet, as essential and high-tech as the test is, actually getting an EEG is a cumbersome ordeal for patients. First, electrodes must be attached to the scalp using adhesive gels, but the application process can take hours. Hair can easily get in the way, leading to a sticky mess. On top of all that, the gel used to hold the electrodes in place is only effective for around six hours. After that, the adhesive properties of the gel diminish, which affects the signal delivered through the electrodes. That’s far from ideal when patients might need to be monitored for an extended period, not to mention that it’s awfully uncomfortable.
Enter the electronic tattoo. Developed by researchers at UT Austin, the tattoo uses a biocompatible, conductive polymer ink that can simply be sprayed directly onto the scalp. Since it’s applied as a liquid, it’s not stymied by hair and once it dries in a few minutes, it can carry a reliable signal for around 24 hours. But there’s more than EEGs in the future for these e-tattoos. Researchers believe that the conductive ink could one day be used to create unobtrusive brain-computer interfaces that people with disabilities could use to control prosthetic devices, or computers for communicating through. That sounds like something for the distant future, but similar e-tattoos are already being used by some athletes to monitor biometric information, like heartrates. It may well be an inkling of things to come.
[Image description: A gray brain against a black background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
December 8, 2024
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FREEAlgebra PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Math and logic are an inseparable pair, right? Well, they weren't always. Mathematics and logic existed separately for thousands of years before the two disciplines ever merged together, but their eventual marriage was possible thanks in part to a man named George Boole. Boole, who died on this day in 1864, is known as the father of binary logic, and by extension, a key figure in the field of modern computing.
Despite his later career as a revolutionary academic and educator, Boole never received much formal education. Instead, his early life was enriched by his father’s personal interest in math and science. Born on November 2, 1815, in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, Boole was largely educated by his father, a shoemaker. As a child, he also attended local schools, but most of his knowledge in mathematics was self-taught. When his father’s business began to slow down, Boole started teaching at the young age of 16. By 20, he had opened his own school, and remained a dedicated educator throughout his life. He worked as the headmaster of his school for 15 years, during which time he took it upon himself to continue his own education. Beginning in the 1840s, Boole began to publish papers in the Cambridge Mathematical Journal. In 1849, he began his tenure as a professor of mathematics at Queens College in Cork, Ireland.
Before Boole, logic was considered part of philosophy. He published a pamphlet in 1847 titled The Mathematical Analysis of Logic, being an Essay towards a Calculus of Deductive Reasoning in which he argued that logic was not a matter of philosophy, but shared a domain with mathematics. He expounded on this idea in An Investigation into the Laws of Thought, on Which Are Founded the Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities, which he released in 1854.
With these two works, Boolean algebra was established, wherein math and algebraic symbols could be used to express a binary system of logic. Essentially, Boolean algebra is the mathematical representation of logic using boolean values: the values of true or false, often represented today as 1 and 0 in computer science. Boolean algebra also plays an important role in the theory of probabilities, information theory, and circuit design in digital computers. Boole’s integration of math and logic was a revolution millennia in the making, with much of his work based on Aristotle’s system of logic. Even Boole’s book, The Laws of Thought, was titled after existing fundamental laws of logic used by ancient philosophers.
Thanks to the recognition and acclaim he earned from his works, Boole was given an honorary membership to the Cambridge Philosophical Society and an honorary degree from Oxford University in 1858 and 1859, respectively. Sadly, Boole’s extreme dedication to his profession ultimately led to his death. One day in November of 1864, Boole walked through a cold and torrential downpour to reach his class at Queens College. Once in his classroom, he conducted an entire lecture in drenched clothes. In the following days, Boole contracted pneumonia and passed away at the age of 49, survived by his wife and children.
Even if Boole lived a long and healthy life, he wouldn’t have seen the advent of digital computing that relied on his principles with practical applications. While many programming languages exist today, digital computing is fundamentally based on circuits formed using the boolean values of true and false. Boole’s impact has been left on everything from algebra textbooks to the entire field of digital computing. All that, despite spending much of his life with little formal education. Who said a shoemaker’s son couldn’t accomplish great feats?
[Image description: Rows of white 1s and 0s against a back background.] Credit & copyright: Author’s own photo. The author releases this image into the Public Domain.Math and logic are an inseparable pair, right? Well, they weren't always. Mathematics and logic existed separately for thousands of years before the two disciplines ever merged together, but their eventual marriage was possible thanks in part to a man named George Boole. Boole, who died on this day in 1864, is known as the father of binary logic, and by extension, a key figure in the field of modern computing.
Despite his later career as a revolutionary academic and educator, Boole never received much formal education. Instead, his early life was enriched by his father’s personal interest in math and science. Born on November 2, 1815, in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, Boole was largely educated by his father, a shoemaker. As a child, he also attended local schools, but most of his knowledge in mathematics was self-taught. When his father’s business began to slow down, Boole started teaching at the young age of 16. By 20, he had opened his own school, and remained a dedicated educator throughout his life. He worked as the headmaster of his school for 15 years, during which time he took it upon himself to continue his own education. Beginning in the 1840s, Boole began to publish papers in the Cambridge Mathematical Journal. In 1849, he began his tenure as a professor of mathematics at Queens College in Cork, Ireland.
Before Boole, logic was considered part of philosophy. He published a pamphlet in 1847 titled The Mathematical Analysis of Logic, being an Essay towards a Calculus of Deductive Reasoning in which he argued that logic was not a matter of philosophy, but shared a domain with mathematics. He expounded on this idea in An Investigation into the Laws of Thought, on Which Are Founded the Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities, which he released in 1854.
With these two works, Boolean algebra was established, wherein math and algebraic symbols could be used to express a binary system of logic. Essentially, Boolean algebra is the mathematical representation of logic using boolean values: the values of true or false, often represented today as 1 and 0 in computer science. Boolean algebra also plays an important role in the theory of probabilities, information theory, and circuit design in digital computers. Boole’s integration of math and logic was a revolution millennia in the making, with much of his work based on Aristotle’s system of logic. Even Boole’s book, The Laws of Thought, was titled after existing fundamental laws of logic used by ancient philosophers.
Thanks to the recognition and acclaim he earned from his works, Boole was given an honorary membership to the Cambridge Philosophical Society and an honorary degree from Oxford University in 1858 and 1859, respectively. Sadly, Boole’s extreme dedication to his profession ultimately led to his death. One day in November of 1864, Boole walked through a cold and torrential downpour to reach his class at Queens College. Once in his classroom, he conducted an entire lecture in drenched clothes. In the following days, Boole contracted pneumonia and passed away at the age of 49, survived by his wife and children.
Even if Boole lived a long and healthy life, he wouldn’t have seen the advent of digital computing that relied on his principles with practical applications. While many programming languages exist today, digital computing is fundamentally based on circuits formed using the boolean values of true and false. Boole’s impact has been left on everything from algebra textbooks to the entire field of digital computing. All that, despite spending much of his life with little formal education. Who said a shoemaker’s son couldn’t accomplish great feats?
[Image description: Rows of white 1s and 0s against a back background.] Credit & copyright: Author’s own photo. The author releases this image into the Public Domain.
December 7, 2024
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FREEFootball Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
These weren't Christmas balls with gowns and dancing, but the kind you kick on the field with cleats. Soccer, or football as it’s called in many parts of the world, was once a holiday staple in England. Christmas Day football used to be an indispensable part of the day’s celebrations, but now it’s mostly been forgotten even in the football-crazy nation. A game of football on Christmas might sound odd, but it made perfect sense at the beginning of the 20th century. There wasn’t always much for people to do after feasting with their families on holiday grub. The answer to boredom, of course, was a game of football, and the tradition grew to involve much-publicized professional matches that people could watch instead of working up a sweat themselves. Christmas and football were so culturally intertwined in Europe that it even contributed to the famous Christmas Truce of 1914, where British and German soldiers in WWI met on no-man's-land for a friendly match. However, the last professional game on Christmas in England took place in 1965, and while nearby Scotland continued the tradition until 1971, Christmas Day football now seems to be a thing of the past. Meanwhile, across the pond in the U.S., there is a relative glut of various NFL and NBA games to watch on Christmas Day. Happy (American) Footballmas!
These weren't Christmas balls with gowns and dancing, but the kind you kick on the field with cleats. Soccer, or football as it’s called in many parts of the world, was once a holiday staple in England. Christmas Day football used to be an indispensable part of the day’s celebrations, but now it’s mostly been forgotten even in the football-crazy nation. A game of football on Christmas might sound odd, but it made perfect sense at the beginning of the 20th century. There wasn’t always much for people to do after feasting with their families on holiday grub. The answer to boredom, of course, was a game of football, and the tradition grew to involve much-publicized professional matches that people could watch instead of working up a sweat themselves. Christmas and football were so culturally intertwined in Europe that it even contributed to the famous Christmas Truce of 1914, where British and German soldiers in WWI met on no-man's-land for a friendly match. However, the last professional game on Christmas in England took place in 1965, and while nearby Scotland continued the tradition until 1971, Christmas Day football now seems to be a thing of the past. Meanwhile, across the pond in the U.S., there is a relative glut of various NFL and NBA games to watch on Christmas Day. Happy (American) Footballmas!
December 6, 2024
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
This log can't be burnt in the fireplace, but it’s still cozy as can be. As the holidays approach, it’s a good time to learn about one of France’s most beloved Christmas desserts: bûche de Noël, or Yule log. As its name suggests, this festive, log-shaped cake derives from the ancient European tradition of yule logs, but the sweet version has taken on a life of its own over the centuries.
Bûche de Noël is a type of roulade, a French dish of rolled meat or, as in this case, pastry. It’s made from a type of sponge cake called a génoise, in which air is let into the batter for volume in place of a chemical leavening agent. The génoise is baked in a pan, then iced and rolled up so that the inside of the cake resembles the rings inside a wooden log. The outside of the rolled cake is then iced, usually with brown icing decorated to look like tree bark. Marzipan mushrooms are sometimes added, or powdered sugar to give the illusion of snow. Bûche de Noël is often served with one slice already cut, so that the swirl inside can be properly admired. Traditionally, bûche de Noëls are made with yellow spongecake and chocolate frosting, but all sorts of flavor combinations exist today, which also makes for interesting inner-icing colors—though most cakes remain brown and log-like on the outside.
Yule logs were a pagan tradition in medieval Europe that coincided with the winter holiday of Yule. Eventually, the tradition was adopted by European Christians as well. It involved burning a large log on Christmas Eve and keeping it burning until New Year’s Day. If the log kept burning, then good luck and good harvests would supposedly follow. However, as homes became better insulated and large family fireplaces began to disappear in the 19th century, the tradition of the Yule log grew less popular. Instead, people would leave a log out on a table or under their Christmas trees as a nod to the Yule log. At some point, a home cook in France made a Christmas cake as an homage to the Yule logs of yesteryear, and bûche de Noël was born. The cake immediately grew popular in Edwardian-era France before spreading throughout Europe. Today, these sweet holiday treats can be found just about anywhere during the holidays, from fancy patisseries to the bakery section of your local grocery store. Just don’t try to burn them—especially not for days on end.
[Image description: A sliced, chocolate, log-shaped Bûche de Noël cake with a green swirl inside.] Credit & copyright: Mickaël Martino, pexelsThis log can't be burnt in the fireplace, but it’s still cozy as can be. As the holidays approach, it’s a good time to learn about one of France’s most beloved Christmas desserts: bûche de Noël, or Yule log. As its name suggests, this festive, log-shaped cake derives from the ancient European tradition of yule logs, but the sweet version has taken on a life of its own over the centuries.
Bûche de Noël is a type of roulade, a French dish of rolled meat or, as in this case, pastry. It’s made from a type of sponge cake called a génoise, in which air is let into the batter for volume in place of a chemical leavening agent. The génoise is baked in a pan, then iced and rolled up so that the inside of the cake resembles the rings inside a wooden log. The outside of the rolled cake is then iced, usually with brown icing decorated to look like tree bark. Marzipan mushrooms are sometimes added, or powdered sugar to give the illusion of snow. Bûche de Noël is often served with one slice already cut, so that the swirl inside can be properly admired. Traditionally, bûche de Noëls are made with yellow spongecake and chocolate frosting, but all sorts of flavor combinations exist today, which also makes for interesting inner-icing colors—though most cakes remain brown and log-like on the outside.
Yule logs were a pagan tradition in medieval Europe that coincided with the winter holiday of Yule. Eventually, the tradition was adopted by European Christians as well. It involved burning a large log on Christmas Eve and keeping it burning until New Year’s Day. If the log kept burning, then good luck and good harvests would supposedly follow. However, as homes became better insulated and large family fireplaces began to disappear in the 19th century, the tradition of the Yule log grew less popular. Instead, people would leave a log out on a table or under their Christmas trees as a nod to the Yule log. At some point, a home cook in France made a Christmas cake as an homage to the Yule logs of yesteryear, and bûche de Noël was born. The cake immediately grew popular in Edwardian-era France before spreading throughout Europe. Today, these sweet holiday treats can be found just about anywhere during the holidays, from fancy patisseries to the bakery section of your local grocery store. Just don’t try to burn them—especially not for days on end.
[Image description: A sliced, chocolate, log-shaped Bûche de Noël cake with a green swirl inside.] Credit & copyright: Mickaël Martino, pexels
December 5, 2024
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FREEPhysics Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
How can something so big be so small? Black holes conjure up the image of light and matter circling an unimaginably large void. Yet, while they’re theoretically capable of devouring entire galaxies, some black holes might be so small that they’ve gone unnoticed until now. According to MIT physicists who recently published a paper in Physical Review Letters, tiny black holes might have been responsible for shaping the cosmos and might explain the mystery behind dark matter. The existence of small black holes isn’t anything new. Stephen Hawking famously hypothesized the creation of “primordial” black holes soon after the Big Bang, which would have been regions of ultradense matter rather than anything like the supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies. MIT physicists, however, have discovered that the very same process that produced primordial black holes could have also led to the creation of even smaller, “super-charged” black holes that would qualify as a new state of matter. Both the primordial and super-charged black holes would have been created in the first quintillionth of a second at the birth of the universe, but while the former were likely scattered across the cosmos, the latter disappeared just as quickly as they came about. Most of them would have been about the size of an atom, but with the mass of an asteroid, though some may have been as small as protons and as massive as rhinos. While super-charged black holes no longer exist, they may have left their mark in ways that could be detectable in the future. During their brief existence, they could have affected the balance of fusing nuclei, and following their trail might reveal the nature of dark matter. Dark matter—invisible matter that outnumbers regular matter five to one but remains unaccounted for— could be primordial black holes, and tracking the effect of super-charged black holes might lead physicists to confirm the hypothesis. That would be a supermassive development indeed.
[Image description: A starry night sky with blue and purple streaks visible.] Credit & copyright: Felix Mittermeier, Pexels
How can something so big be so small? Black holes conjure up the image of light and matter circling an unimaginably large void. Yet, while they’re theoretically capable of devouring entire galaxies, some black holes might be so small that they’ve gone unnoticed until now. According to MIT physicists who recently published a paper in Physical Review Letters, tiny black holes might have been responsible for shaping the cosmos and might explain the mystery behind dark matter. The existence of small black holes isn’t anything new. Stephen Hawking famously hypothesized the creation of “primordial” black holes soon after the Big Bang, which would have been regions of ultradense matter rather than anything like the supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies. MIT physicists, however, have discovered that the very same process that produced primordial black holes could have also led to the creation of even smaller, “super-charged” black holes that would qualify as a new state of matter. Both the primordial and super-charged black holes would have been created in the first quintillionth of a second at the birth of the universe, but while the former were likely scattered across the cosmos, the latter disappeared just as quickly as they came about. Most of them would have been about the size of an atom, but with the mass of an asteroid, though some may have been as small as protons and as massive as rhinos. While super-charged black holes no longer exist, they may have left their mark in ways that could be detectable in the future. During their brief existence, they could have affected the balance of fusing nuclei, and following their trail might reveal the nature of dark matter. Dark matter—invisible matter that outnumbers regular matter five to one but remains unaccounted for— could be primordial black holes, and tracking the effect of super-charged black holes might lead physicists to confirm the hypothesis. That would be a supermassive development indeed.
[Image description: A starry night sky with blue and purple streaks visible.] Credit & copyright: Felix Mittermeier, Pexels
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FREEPlay Daily Curio #2990Free1 CQ
Now that thanksgiving is over, you might not be thinking about turkeys anymore. But they’re still around—and maybe closer than you think. It’s not common to see a turkey trotting around in a city, except—apparently—in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Home to Harvard University and 120,000 residents, the city now has around 50 to 60 turkeys roaming Harvard Square. As strange as that sight may seem, it’s actually a return to form. Massachusetts was once home to a large population of wild turkeys, but the birds were hunted to local extinction in 1851. The birds likewise disappeared from most of the U.S. where they once roamed. Then, in the 1970s, a few dozen turkeys were taken from nearby New York and relocated to western Massachusetts in the Berkshires. Just a year later, there were around 1,000 wild turkeys in the region, and now there are an estimated 30,000 in the entire state. They’ve staged such a successful comeback, in fact, that they seem to be running out of room. According to an official from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the turkey population has reached a point of “saturation,” which is why many of them are making their way into cities. But turkeys don’t always make the best neighbors. Many Cambridge residents have reported hostile encounters where turkeys squawked aggressively or puffed their feathers. People have also had food stolen by roving gangs of the birds, and there’s little they can do about it. Outside of strictly managed hunting seasons, the turkeys can’t legally be harmed in any way. Some city residents have chosen peace, and have been leaving out bowls of water and food for the birds to foster a more amicable turkey/human relationship. Or maybe it’s a way to get the turkeys to let their guards down before next Thanksgiving.
[Image description: A wild turkey with some man-made structures in the background.] Credit & copyright: Wilfredor, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Now that thanksgiving is over, you might not be thinking about turkeys anymore. But they’re still around—and maybe closer than you think. It’s not common to see a turkey trotting around in a city, except—apparently—in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Home to Harvard University and 120,000 residents, the city now has around 50 to 60 turkeys roaming Harvard Square. As strange as that sight may seem, it’s actually a return to form. Massachusetts was once home to a large population of wild turkeys, but the birds were hunted to local extinction in 1851. The birds likewise disappeared from most of the U.S. where they once roamed. Then, in the 1970s, a few dozen turkeys were taken from nearby New York and relocated to western Massachusetts in the Berkshires. Just a year later, there were around 1,000 wild turkeys in the region, and now there are an estimated 30,000 in the entire state. They’ve staged such a successful comeback, in fact, that they seem to be running out of room. According to an official from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the turkey population has reached a point of “saturation,” which is why many of them are making their way into cities. But turkeys don’t always make the best neighbors. Many Cambridge residents have reported hostile encounters where turkeys squawked aggressively or puffed their feathers. People have also had food stolen by roving gangs of the birds, and there’s little they can do about it. Outside of strictly managed hunting seasons, the turkeys can’t legally be harmed in any way. Some city residents have chosen peace, and have been leaving out bowls of water and food for the birds to foster a more amicable turkey/human relationship. Or maybe it’s a way to get the turkeys to let their guards down before next Thanksgiving.
[Image description: A wild turkey with some man-made structures in the background.] Credit & copyright: Wilfredor, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
December 4, 2024
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #2989Free1 CQ
What has 43 tails and weighs almost 300 pounds? A monkey prison break! 43 rhesus macaques have just escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina, and as wild as that sounds, it’s not the first time something like this has happened. Weighing between six and seven pounds each, the escaped primates were part of a group of 50 being held at the facility. Rhesus macaques are often used in researching infection and immunity due to their similarities to humans. The monkeys have been used to research everything from HIV to influenza, so a bunch of them escaping from a lab seems pretty alarming. Fortunately, the macaques are too young to have been used in experiments already and are not carrying any diseases, but local residents around the facility have been advised to keep their doors and windows locked. Meanwhile, Yemassee police and staff from the research facility are working on locating and trapping them.
While 43 loose monkeys sounds chaotic enough, there was once an even larger breakout back in 1935. That year, on August 21, around 175 macaques escaped from Frank Buck’s Jungle Camp, a private zoo in Massapequa, New York. Formerly featured in the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, the monkeys were part of Frank Buck’s massive collection of animals that he either bought or trapped himself. In the ensuing days, the monkeys supposedly harassed locals, causing traffic accidents and general mayhem in the area. After three weeks of searching, most of the monkeys were accounted for. In fact, most had been trapped by locals for a reward. Near the end, just four females and one male, named Capone, were left. The females were eventually captured, but Capone eluded authorities. Unlike his namesake, Capone was never captured, which is just one reason that some believed the entire incident was a deliberate stunt orchestrated by Buck. Whatever the case, the 43 recent escapees seem to be much more inclined to avoid attention. Maybe they’ve learned that it’s best to avoid the limelight.
[Image description: A rhesus macaque monkey with light brown fur sitting in a tree.] Credit & copyright: agnestrekker, iNaturalist. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.What has 43 tails and weighs almost 300 pounds? A monkey prison break! 43 rhesus macaques have just escaped from the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina, and as wild as that sounds, it’s not the first time something like this has happened. Weighing between six and seven pounds each, the escaped primates were part of a group of 50 being held at the facility. Rhesus macaques are often used in researching infection and immunity due to their similarities to humans. The monkeys have been used to research everything from HIV to influenza, so a bunch of them escaping from a lab seems pretty alarming. Fortunately, the macaques are too young to have been used in experiments already and are not carrying any diseases, but local residents around the facility have been advised to keep their doors and windows locked. Meanwhile, Yemassee police and staff from the research facility are working on locating and trapping them.
While 43 loose monkeys sounds chaotic enough, there was once an even larger breakout back in 1935. That year, on August 21, around 175 macaques escaped from Frank Buck’s Jungle Camp, a private zoo in Massapequa, New York. Formerly featured in the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, the monkeys were part of Frank Buck’s massive collection of animals that he either bought or trapped himself. In the ensuing days, the monkeys supposedly harassed locals, causing traffic accidents and general mayhem in the area. After three weeks of searching, most of the monkeys were accounted for. In fact, most had been trapped by locals for a reward. Near the end, just four females and one male, named Capone, were left. The females were eventually captured, but Capone eluded authorities. Unlike his namesake, Capone was never captured, which is just one reason that some believed the entire incident was a deliberate stunt orchestrated by Buck. Whatever the case, the 43 recent escapees seem to be much more inclined to avoid attention. Maybe they’ve learned that it’s best to avoid the limelight.
[Image description: A rhesus macaque monkey with light brown fur sitting in a tree.] Credit & copyright: agnestrekker, iNaturalist. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. -
FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Gangly yet fluffy, gentle yet combative, useful yet challenging to manage. Alpacas are interesting animals, that’s for sure! As winter weather sets in, you may well find yourself bundling up in earmuffs, a scarf, or a hat made from alpaca wool. This wool is actually the main reason that alpacas exist today—they were bred specifically so that people could harness its amazing warmth and softness.
Alpacas are often mistaken for llamas, and the two animals are related, but alpacas’ closest relatives are wild vicuñas, a South American animal native to the Andes mountains. Because of their soft, fast-drying wool, vicuñas were domesticated by the Incas, which eventually resulted in the alpacas we know today. Alpacas are still part of the Camelidae family, which also includes llamas and camels. Like most of their relatives, alpacas are tall, lanky animals with large toenails and soft foot pads, rather than hooves. Of course, they’re distinguished by their fluffy wool, which can only be sheared once a year.
Once alpaca wool is sheared and washed, it is called roving. Roving can be spun into yarn, which can then be made into anything from scarves to rugs. While alpaca wool can be profitable, keeping alpacas isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Despite their fluffy good looks, alpacas aren’t exactly cuddly creatures. They prefer the company of their own herd to the company of people, and they can be fussy and finicky. Like camels, alpacas aren’t afraid to spit a wad of sticky mucus at anything or anyone that annoys them. Alpacas mainly eat hay, but they’re more than willing to nibble any other plants that they encounter. With their flexible, almost finger-like lips, alpacas can pluck individual leaves from trees or bushes and grind them up in their strong teeth. So, while it may sound fun to start an alpaca farm, you might want to make sure that your pasture is free from foliage…and that your clothes are spit-proof.
[Image description: Two newly-sheered alpacas. A brown alpaca looks to the left while a white one looks ahead.] Credit & copyright: Cybularny, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Gangly yet fluffy, gentle yet combative, useful yet challenging to manage. Alpacas are interesting animals, that’s for sure! As winter weather sets in, you may well find yourself bundling up in earmuffs, a scarf, or a hat made from alpaca wool. This wool is actually the main reason that alpacas exist today—they were bred specifically so that people could harness its amazing warmth and softness.
Alpacas are often mistaken for llamas, and the two animals are related, but alpacas’ closest relatives are wild vicuñas, a South American animal native to the Andes mountains. Because of their soft, fast-drying wool, vicuñas were domesticated by the Incas, which eventually resulted in the alpacas we know today. Alpacas are still part of the Camelidae family, which also includes llamas and camels. Like most of their relatives, alpacas are tall, lanky animals with large toenails and soft foot pads, rather than hooves. Of course, they’re distinguished by their fluffy wool, which can only be sheared once a year.
Once alpaca wool is sheared and washed, it is called roving. Roving can be spun into yarn, which can then be made into anything from scarves to rugs. While alpaca wool can be profitable, keeping alpacas isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Despite their fluffy good looks, alpacas aren’t exactly cuddly creatures. They prefer the company of their own herd to the company of people, and they can be fussy and finicky. Like camels, alpacas aren’t afraid to spit a wad of sticky mucus at anything or anyone that annoys them. Alpacas mainly eat hay, but they’re more than willing to nibble any other plants that they encounter. With their flexible, almost finger-like lips, alpacas can pluck individual leaves from trees or bushes and grind them up in their strong teeth. So, while it may sound fun to start an alpaca farm, you might want to make sure that your pasture is free from foliage…and that your clothes are spit-proof.
[Image description: Two newly-sheered alpacas. A brown alpaca looks to the left while a white one looks ahead.] Credit & copyright: Cybularny, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
December 3, 2024
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Don’t try to p-p-put them down! On this day in 1965, British rock band The Who released My Generation, their most famous album. The title track was an extremely unusual song for its time, harnessing the angst of young people in the UK and abroad. At the time, young nonconformists in the UK were known as “mods”, and they had little time for what they saw as the outdated social norms of their parents. Mods were known for staying out late, partying to loud music, and doing drugs. In fact, vocalist Roger Daltrey sang My Generation with a stutter at his manager’s request, to make it sound as if he was on drugs. While the song was considered crass by plenty of older folks, its raw vocals and clashing beat combined with its counterculture lyrics made it an instant hit with its intended audience, and today it’s considered one of the first proto-punk songs, which helped pave the way for full-blown punk in the 1970s. The Who still performs the song to this day, including the line “I hope I die before I get old.” Lucky we don’t always get what we wished for when we were young.
Don’t try to p-p-put them down! On this day in 1965, British rock band The Who released My Generation, their most famous album. The title track was an extremely unusual song for its time, harnessing the angst of young people in the UK and abroad. At the time, young nonconformists in the UK were known as “mods”, and they had little time for what they saw as the outdated social norms of their parents. Mods were known for staying out late, partying to loud music, and doing drugs. In fact, vocalist Roger Daltrey sang My Generation with a stutter at his manager’s request, to make it sound as if he was on drugs. While the song was considered crass by plenty of older folks, its raw vocals and clashing beat combined with its counterculture lyrics made it an instant hit with its intended audience, and today it’s considered one of the first proto-punk songs, which helped pave the way for full-blown punk in the 1970s. The Who still performs the song to this day, including the line “I hope I die before I get old.” Lucky we don’t always get what we wished for when we were young.
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FREEBiology Daily Curio #2988Free1 CQ
They say that fashion trends repeat themselves;. Just look at all the 80s stuff everywhere: oversized sweaters, neon colors… salmon hats? While the fashionistas on land are thrifting for mom jeans, orcas are having an 80s fashion comeback of their own. Back when glam rock and shopping malls were thriving, orcas in the Northwest Pacific experienced something of a cultural trend. A female orca was spotted “wearing” a dead salmon like a hat in the summer of 1987, and soon, other orcas seemed to follow suit. There was no discernible reason for them doing this, at least none that any scientists could deduce, but like a viral trend on social media, the curious behavior spread. Then, like most viral fads, the salmon-hat trend seemingly disappeared without a trace by the following year with no explanation to be had.
Then, just last month, another orca was spotted in South Puget Sound in Washington state wearing a dead salmon. Scientists were baffled to see this same, strange behavior almost 40 years apart. Some believe that the behavior was passed on by orcas who were around in the 1980s and remember the trend, and that’s actually not too far-fetched. Individuals in pods learn from other orcas, and everything from the way they communicate to how they feed can be distinct from other pods. Pods are even known to have “dialects,” where their whistles and clicks sound different from one another. But why would any killer whale put a dead fish on their head and swim around with it to begin with? Some researchers believe that an abundance of food might trigger the behavior. Both this year and 1987 saw high food availability, and this behavior might just be a way for them to save food for later consumption. Orcas have been known to tuck food between their body and their pectoral fin, but salmon might be too slippery for that, forcing them to balance them on their heads instead. Form and function combined? Now that’s forward-thinking fashion.
[Image description: Two orcas leaping from the water.] Credit & copyright: Robert Pittman, NOAA. This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken or made as part of an employee's official duties.They say that fashion trends repeat themselves;. Just look at all the 80s stuff everywhere: oversized sweaters, neon colors… salmon hats? While the fashionistas on land are thrifting for mom jeans, orcas are having an 80s fashion comeback of their own. Back when glam rock and shopping malls were thriving, orcas in the Northwest Pacific experienced something of a cultural trend. A female orca was spotted “wearing” a dead salmon like a hat in the summer of 1987, and soon, other orcas seemed to follow suit. There was no discernible reason for them doing this, at least none that any scientists could deduce, but like a viral trend on social media, the curious behavior spread. Then, like most viral fads, the salmon-hat trend seemingly disappeared without a trace by the following year with no explanation to be had.
Then, just last month, another orca was spotted in South Puget Sound in Washington state wearing a dead salmon. Scientists were baffled to see this same, strange behavior almost 40 years apart. Some believe that the behavior was passed on by orcas who were around in the 1980s and remember the trend, and that’s actually not too far-fetched. Individuals in pods learn from other orcas, and everything from the way they communicate to how they feed can be distinct from other pods. Pods are even known to have “dialects,” where their whistles and clicks sound different from one another. But why would any killer whale put a dead fish on their head and swim around with it to begin with? Some researchers believe that an abundance of food might trigger the behavior. Both this year and 1987 saw high food availability, and this behavior might just be a way for them to save food for later consumption. Orcas have been known to tuck food between their body and their pectoral fin, but salmon might be too slippery for that, forcing them to balance them on their heads instead. Form and function combined? Now that’s forward-thinking fashion.
[Image description: Two orcas leaping from the water.] Credit & copyright: Robert Pittman, NOAA. This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken or made as part of an employee's official duties.