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December 2, 2024
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Snow: it’s the only thing that people anticipate with equal parts dread and excitement. American painter Childe Hassam managed to capture the quiet beauty of fallen snow while highlighting the hassle of it at the same time. His piece above, Sweeping Snow, shows a woman wearing a blue headscarf and a yellow sweater over a white dress as she sweeps snow that has accumulated on the steps. Snow covers the handrails and the bottom steps, which are made of brick. Hassam, who lived from 1859 to 1935, was an admirer of Claude Monet and other French Impressionists. Of his American contemporaries, Hassam is considered to have adhered most closely to the style pioneered by the French, and many of his works clearly feature direct inspiration from Monet. Like Monet, Hassam also didn’t shy away from painting the seemingly mundane. He once said of his art, “The man who will go down to posterity is the man who paints his own time and the scenes of every-day life around him.” Just like snowflakes, every given day and every person in it is unique to history.
Sweeping Snow, Childe Hassam (American, 1859–1935), c.1890s, Oil on canvas, 23 x 18 cm. 9.06 x 7.06 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Childe Hassam, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Henry A. Everett for the Dorothy Burnham Everett Memorial Collection 1938.42, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, Public domain.Snow: it’s the only thing that people anticipate with equal parts dread and excitement. American painter Childe Hassam managed to capture the quiet beauty of fallen snow while highlighting the hassle of it at the same time. His piece above, Sweeping Snow, shows a woman wearing a blue headscarf and a yellow sweater over a white dress as she sweeps snow that has accumulated on the steps. Snow covers the handrails and the bottom steps, which are made of brick. Hassam, who lived from 1859 to 1935, was an admirer of Claude Monet and other French Impressionists. Of his American contemporaries, Hassam is considered to have adhered most closely to the style pioneered by the French, and many of his works clearly feature direct inspiration from Monet. Like Monet, Hassam also didn’t shy away from painting the seemingly mundane. He once said of his art, “The man who will go down to posterity is the man who paints his own time and the scenes of every-day life around him.” Just like snowflakes, every given day and every person in it is unique to history.
Sweeping Snow, Childe Hassam (American, 1859–1935), c.1890s, Oil on canvas, 23 x 18 cm. 9.06 x 7.06 in., The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: Childe Hassam, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Henry A. Everett for the Dorothy Burnham Everett Memorial Collection 1938.42, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation, Public domain. -
FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2987Free1 CQ
This ain’t your grandma’s ferry. Lake Tahoe will soon see hydrofoil ferries shuttling passengers around at breakneck speeds, and the best part? The ferries will be electric with zero-emissions. Nestled between California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The lake and surrounding area offers its 15 million annual visitors everything from ski resorts to long-distance hiking trails, but their presence presents several conundrums. First, the very things that attract people to the area are under threat due to having to support so many visitors. Every vehicle kicks up road sediment, which threatens the clarity of the famously clear, blue lake. While tourism makes up a large portion of the local economy, the locals are often frustrated by the congestion and associated delays from having to share their space with so many visitors. Some workers who commute to tourism-related jobs find it difficult to get there due to all the traffic.
The solution seems almost too fantastical to be real: a high speed ferry that can cross the lake in less time than it would take to drive around it, while having a smaller environmental impact. A local company called FlyTahoe is teaming up with Candela, a Swedish tech company, to create the Candela P-12, an electric hydrofoil ferry. The zero-emission vessel is capable of carrying 30 passengers at 25 knots, which means commuters and visitors can cross the lake in around 30 minutes. And because the hydrofoil design lifts the hull above the water for most of the journey, the vessel is around 80 percent more energy-efficient than other boats. FlyTahoe is currently working with local businesses to secure docking rights for their ferries, but soon enough, there might be electric boats flying around Lake Tahoe. Water relief that would be.
[Image description: A close-up photo of the surface of water under the sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Matt Hardy, PexelsThis ain’t your grandma’s ferry. Lake Tahoe will soon see hydrofoil ferries shuttling passengers around at breakneck speeds, and the best part? The ferries will be electric with zero-emissions. Nestled between California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The lake and surrounding area offers its 15 million annual visitors everything from ski resorts to long-distance hiking trails, but their presence presents several conundrums. First, the very things that attract people to the area are under threat due to having to support so many visitors. Every vehicle kicks up road sediment, which threatens the clarity of the famously clear, blue lake. While tourism makes up a large portion of the local economy, the locals are often frustrated by the congestion and associated delays from having to share their space with so many visitors. Some workers who commute to tourism-related jobs find it difficult to get there due to all the traffic.
The solution seems almost too fantastical to be real: a high speed ferry that can cross the lake in less time than it would take to drive around it, while having a smaller environmental impact. A local company called FlyTahoe is teaming up with Candela, a Swedish tech company, to create the Candela P-12, an electric hydrofoil ferry. The zero-emission vessel is capable of carrying 30 passengers at 25 knots, which means commuters and visitors can cross the lake in around 30 minutes. And because the hydrofoil design lifts the hull above the water for most of the journey, the vessel is around 80 percent more energy-efficient than other boats. FlyTahoe is currently working with local businesses to secure docking rights for their ferries, but soon enough, there might be electric boats flying around Lake Tahoe. Water relief that would be.
[Image description: A close-up photo of the surface of water under the sky at sunset.] Credit & copyright: Matt Hardy, Pexels
December 1, 2024
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FREEWorld History PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
It’s not exactly floating on cloud nine, but it might feel pretty close. Since they first took to the skies, airships have held the popular imagination captive. Some of the world’s first airships (a term that includes blimps and dirigibles) used hydrogen to become lighter than air. Hydrogen was eventually replaced by helium, which was much less explosive. The very first airship to use helium took its maiden voyage on this day in 1921, and things seemed to be looking up for the future of airships. To the disappointment of many enthusiasts, however, they never really took off as a popular form of transportation.
Airships were, unsurprisingly, inspired by hot air balloons, which were invented in 1783. French engineer Jean Baptiste Meusnier was the first to build on the concept of a lighter-than-air vessel with a design that included steering by way of three propellers and a fully sealed balloon filled with gas, not hot air. Unfortunately for Meusnier, his design was never built, though it went on to inspire others. In 1785, French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr John Jeffries made history by crossing the English Channel in a hydrogen-filled airship. Their success launched a new airship industry in which improvements and innovations developed fast. One major improvement was steam power, first used in 1852 by yet another French engineer, Henri Giffard. The most famous contribution to airship technology came in 1895, from German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The count designed an entirely new type of airship, named after himself: the Zeppelin, which was much more rigid than its predecessors. The first Zeppelin was built by Hungarian inventor David Schwarz, and was shaped like a long cigar that was wider at the front, with fins at the rear. Its rigid frame the Zeppelin faster than other airships of the time, capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 miles-per-hour. Zeppelins were also more resilient to adverse weather conditions.
Other airships soon adopted more rigid frames. While they were largely used for scenic passenger flights, Zeppelins were also used as military aircraft to bomb Britain during WWI due to their impressive cargo capacity. The U.S. military also adopted the use of airships, though they mostly used non-rigid dirigibles. The most prevalent among them were the Goodyear Pilgrims, invented in 1925. Though these were only capable of carrying two passengers and two crew members, and were originally made for scenic passenger flights, during the war they were utilized for surveillance by the U.S. Army and Navy. In fact, the first helium airship was the U.S. Navy’s C-7 blimp, which could carry a crew of four. Goodyear also made other nonrigid airships, or blimps, and they were a common sight during large events, where they served as advertisements. Some of these even remain in service today. With varied uses and designs, airships seemed to be on the rise during the early 20th century. One tragic event, however, changed course of the airship industry forever: the Hindenburg disaster. The Hindenburg was the first airship to provide regularly-scheduled service between Europe and North America, carrying passengers across the Atlantic faster than any ship of the time. But in 1937, the Hindenburg crashed during its landing approach in Lakehurst, New Jersey. After a hydrogen leak caught on fire from a static discharge, flames consumed the fabric covering containing the gas. In almost no time at all, the Hindenburg fell to the ground in a smoky blaze. Of the 97 passengers and crew on board, 35 lost their lives. Once the terrifying images of the conflagration spread around the world, the golden age of airships was essentially over.
With modern airplanes that can ferry hundreds of passengers across continents in hours, it might seem like airships are irrelevant today. Yet, these unusual aircraft do manage to find a place in modern times. Airships are still used to deliver aid relief to remote, undeveloped areas with no landing strips, since airships can safely drop cargo without having to land. They’re also widely used in scientific research and military surveillance, though in a reversal of past trends, there is a growing interest in airships for scenic flights. Then there are the enthusiasts who still fly dirigibles just for the fun of it. Don’t worry though; airships nowadays are filled with helium, making tragedies like the Hindenburg much less likely to occur. Who’s up for a leisurely blimp ride?
[Image description: A black-and-white image of the airship Captain Ferber in its hangar with people in uniform standing about.] Credit & copyright: Epinal Municipal Library, Limedia galleries. Etalab Open License, Public Domain.It’s not exactly floating on cloud nine, but it might feel pretty close. Since they first took to the skies, airships have held the popular imagination captive. Some of the world’s first airships (a term that includes blimps and dirigibles) used hydrogen to become lighter than air. Hydrogen was eventually replaced by helium, which was much less explosive. The very first airship to use helium took its maiden voyage on this day in 1921, and things seemed to be looking up for the future of airships. To the disappointment of many enthusiasts, however, they never really took off as a popular form of transportation.
Airships were, unsurprisingly, inspired by hot air balloons, which were invented in 1783. French engineer Jean Baptiste Meusnier was the first to build on the concept of a lighter-than-air vessel with a design that included steering by way of three propellers and a fully sealed balloon filled with gas, not hot air. Unfortunately for Meusnier, his design was never built, though it went on to inspire others. In 1785, French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr John Jeffries made history by crossing the English Channel in a hydrogen-filled airship. Their success launched a new airship industry in which improvements and innovations developed fast. One major improvement was steam power, first used in 1852 by yet another French engineer, Henri Giffard. The most famous contribution to airship technology came in 1895, from German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The count designed an entirely new type of airship, named after himself: the Zeppelin, which was much more rigid than its predecessors. The first Zeppelin was built by Hungarian inventor David Schwarz, and was shaped like a long cigar that was wider at the front, with fins at the rear. Its rigid frame the Zeppelin faster than other airships of the time, capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 miles-per-hour. Zeppelins were also more resilient to adverse weather conditions.
Other airships soon adopted more rigid frames. While they were largely used for scenic passenger flights, Zeppelins were also used as military aircraft to bomb Britain during WWI due to their impressive cargo capacity. The U.S. military also adopted the use of airships, though they mostly used non-rigid dirigibles. The most prevalent among them were the Goodyear Pilgrims, invented in 1925. Though these were only capable of carrying two passengers and two crew members, and were originally made for scenic passenger flights, during the war they were utilized for surveillance by the U.S. Army and Navy. In fact, the first helium airship was the U.S. Navy’s C-7 blimp, which could carry a crew of four. Goodyear also made other nonrigid airships, or blimps, and they were a common sight during large events, where they served as advertisements. Some of these even remain in service today. With varied uses and designs, airships seemed to be on the rise during the early 20th century. One tragic event, however, changed course of the airship industry forever: the Hindenburg disaster. The Hindenburg was the first airship to provide regularly-scheduled service between Europe and North America, carrying passengers across the Atlantic faster than any ship of the time. But in 1937, the Hindenburg crashed during its landing approach in Lakehurst, New Jersey. After a hydrogen leak caught on fire from a static discharge, flames consumed the fabric covering containing the gas. In almost no time at all, the Hindenburg fell to the ground in a smoky blaze. Of the 97 passengers and crew on board, 35 lost their lives. Once the terrifying images of the conflagration spread around the world, the golden age of airships was essentially over.
With modern airplanes that can ferry hundreds of passengers across continents in hours, it might seem like airships are irrelevant today. Yet, these unusual aircraft do manage to find a place in modern times. Airships are still used to deliver aid relief to remote, undeveloped areas with no landing strips, since airships can safely drop cargo without having to land. They’re also widely used in scientific research and military surveillance, though in a reversal of past trends, there is a growing interest in airships for scenic flights. Then there are the enthusiasts who still fly dirigibles just for the fun of it. Don’t worry though; airships nowadays are filled with helium, making tragedies like the Hindenburg much less likely to occur. Who’s up for a leisurely blimp ride?
[Image description: A black-and-white image of the airship Captain Ferber in its hangar with people in uniform standing about.] Credit & copyright: Epinal Municipal Library, Limedia galleries. Etalab Open License, Public Domain.
November 30, 2024
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There are new details on the Department of Government Efficiency. It’s not a government agency but a kind of commission headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk ...
There are new details on the Department of Government Efficiency. It’s not a government agency but a kind of commission headed by tech billionaire Elon Musk ...
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FREESoccer Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
How can a team that’s suffered its share of losses still be a winner? When it’s the San Marino national football team. This scrappy soccer team is making a surprising showing in the Nations League group, where they’re competing for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. As it stands, it’s unlikely that San Marino will make it to the World Cup, but the possibility is impressive considering their overall record. The team made its debut in 1986, and since then, they’ve played a total of 216 games. Of those, they have lost 202. Of the times they didn’t lose, they have played to a draw 11 times and have only won three games—all against Lichtenstein, including their latest 3-1 win on November 25. A small, landlocked nation located within Italy, San Marino only has a population of about 35,000. With such a limited pool to choose from, it’s a wonder that they’ve managed to field an entire team of players that can compete at the international level. Though victories are scarce for the team, each one is greatly appreciated. After their latest match against Lichtenstein, San Marino soccer federation president Marco Tura told the press, “I even cried among the boys, I hugged the captain and it was an incredible thing.” That’s a team that anyone could root for.
How can a team that’s suffered its share of losses still be a winner? When it’s the San Marino national football team. This scrappy soccer team is making a surprising showing in the Nations League group, where they’re competing for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. As it stands, it’s unlikely that San Marino will make it to the World Cup, but the possibility is impressive considering their overall record. The team made its debut in 1986, and since then, they’ve played a total of 216 games. Of those, they have lost 202. Of the times they didn’t lose, they have played to a draw 11 times and have only won three games—all against Lichtenstein, including their latest 3-1 win on November 25. A small, landlocked nation located within Italy, San Marino only has a population of about 35,000. With such a limited pool to choose from, it’s a wonder that they’ve managed to field an entire team of players that can compete at the international level. Though victories are scarce for the team, each one is greatly appreciated. After their latest match against Lichtenstein, San Marino soccer federation president Marco Tura told the press, “I even cried among the boys, I hugged the captain and it was an incredible thing.” That’s a team that anyone could root for.
November 29, 2024
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
As we sort through our Thanksgiving leftovers starting today, we’ll inevitably find ourselves eating lots of potatoes. Mashed with gravy or roasted in their skins, these hearty root vegetables are a staple of the holiday. One particularly fancy iteration of Thanksgiving potatoes is the scalloped variety. But where did this sumptuous side dish get such a seafood-esque name? And are scalloped potatoes really just the same thing as potatoes au gratin?
Scalloped potatoes is a dish of thinly sliced potatoes baked in heavy cream or milk. Garlic and herbs are sometimes added to the cream, as are chopped onions. Cheese is a common topping, but traditional recipes don’t call for any cheese at all. No one quite knows where scalloped potatoes got their name from. One theory is that it comes from a fancy, 18th century dish of oysters served in scallop shells. The story goes that, as a cost saving measure, potatoes eventually replaced the oysters. However, the name could also come from the 14th century English word “collops”, which roughly translates to “thick slice.”
However it got its name, there’s no doubt that this dish has a bit of an identity crisis. The term “scalloped potatoes” is often used interchangeably with “au gratin potatoes”, (also known as potatoes au gratin) but there are some differences between the two dishes. First, au gratin potatoes are French, while scalloped potatoes are thought to have originated in England. Both dishes feature potatoes that have been sliced and baked, but au gratin potatoes always include cheese and, critically, a thin crust of sprinkled breadcrumbs. In fact, “au gratin” means “grated” or “with a crust.” Because of the cheese and breadcrumbs, au gratin potatoes tend to have a much thicker, bubblier crust than scalloped potatoes. But hey, the lack of crust just makes it easier to spoon more scalloped potatoes onto our holiday plates.
[Image description: A close-up photo of raw potatoes.] Credit & copyright: Marco Antonio Victorino, PexelsAs we sort through our Thanksgiving leftovers starting today, we’ll inevitably find ourselves eating lots of potatoes. Mashed with gravy or roasted in their skins, these hearty root vegetables are a staple of the holiday. One particularly fancy iteration of Thanksgiving potatoes is the scalloped variety. But where did this sumptuous side dish get such a seafood-esque name? And are scalloped potatoes really just the same thing as potatoes au gratin?
Scalloped potatoes is a dish of thinly sliced potatoes baked in heavy cream or milk. Garlic and herbs are sometimes added to the cream, as are chopped onions. Cheese is a common topping, but traditional recipes don’t call for any cheese at all. No one quite knows where scalloped potatoes got their name from. One theory is that it comes from a fancy, 18th century dish of oysters served in scallop shells. The story goes that, as a cost saving measure, potatoes eventually replaced the oysters. However, the name could also come from the 14th century English word “collops”, which roughly translates to “thick slice.”
However it got its name, there’s no doubt that this dish has a bit of an identity crisis. The term “scalloped potatoes” is often used interchangeably with “au gratin potatoes”, (also known as potatoes au gratin) but there are some differences between the two dishes. First, au gratin potatoes are French, while scalloped potatoes are thought to have originated in England. Both dishes feature potatoes that have been sliced and baked, but au gratin potatoes always include cheese and, critically, a thin crust of sprinkled breadcrumbs. In fact, “au gratin” means “grated” or “with a crust.” Because of the cheese and breadcrumbs, au gratin potatoes tend to have a much thicker, bubblier crust than scalloped potatoes. But hey, the lack of crust just makes it easier to spoon more scalloped potatoes onto our holiday plates.
[Image description: A close-up photo of raw potatoes.] Credit & copyright: Marco Antonio Victorino, Pexels
November 28, 2024
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FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Forming memories is kind of the brain’s thing. That’s where all the information about our past is stored…right? As it turns out, the brain might not be the only organ in the human body capable of forming memories, according to a paper published by New York University (NYU) researchers in Nature Communications. Memories in the brain are stored by neurons—specialized cells that are uniquely structured for that purpose. However, researchers at NYU have found that memory genes can be activated in nerve cells and organs to help them function more efficiently using something called the massed-spaced effect. It’s a phenomenon where people retain information better when they’re exposed to it in spaced intervals rather than in a single occurrence. When cells outside the brain are exposed to chemical signals, it’s similar to the process by which neurotransmitters interact with neurons. Researchers found that it activates the cells’ memory genes and, like neurons, the cells can then “remember” better when signals come in intervals rather than in single, large bursts. The memories these cells form aren’t quite like memories in neurons, though. They appear to be specifically related to improving their individual functions and can’t be consciously accessed. This study sheds more light on how neurons work, but it also gives enormous insight into how the rest of the body functions. One of the co-authors of the study, Nikolay Kukushkin, said in the university’s press release, “This discovery opens new doors for understanding how memory works and could lead to better ways to enhance learning and treat memory problems. At the same time, it suggests that in the future, we will need to treat our body more like the brain—for example, consider what our pancreas remembers about the pattern of our past meals to maintain healthy levels of blood glucose or consider what a cancer cell remembers about the pattern of chemotherapy.” A disease that remembers the last time you tried to kill it? Frankly, that’s something we’d rather forget.
[Image description: Models of a human brain and lightbulb against a pink background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
Forming memories is kind of the brain’s thing. That’s where all the information about our past is stored…right? As it turns out, the brain might not be the only organ in the human body capable of forming memories, according to a paper published by New York University (NYU) researchers in Nature Communications. Memories in the brain are stored by neurons—specialized cells that are uniquely structured for that purpose. However, researchers at NYU have found that memory genes can be activated in nerve cells and organs to help them function more efficiently using something called the massed-spaced effect. It’s a phenomenon where people retain information better when they’re exposed to it in spaced intervals rather than in a single occurrence. When cells outside the brain are exposed to chemical signals, it’s similar to the process by which neurotransmitters interact with neurons. Researchers found that it activates the cells’ memory genes and, like neurons, the cells can then “remember” better when signals come in intervals rather than in single, large bursts. The memories these cells form aren’t quite like memories in neurons, though. They appear to be specifically related to improving their individual functions and can’t be consciously accessed. This study sheds more light on how neurons work, but it also gives enormous insight into how the rest of the body functions. One of the co-authors of the study, Nikolay Kukushkin, said in the university’s press release, “This discovery opens new doors for understanding how memory works and could lead to better ways to enhance learning and treat memory problems. At the same time, it suggests that in the future, we will need to treat our body more like the brain—for example, consider what our pancreas remembers about the pattern of our past meals to maintain healthy levels of blood glucose or consider what a cancer cell remembers about the pattern of chemotherapy.” A disease that remembers the last time you tried to kill it? Frankly, that’s something we’d rather forget.
[Image description: Models of a human brain and lightbulb against a pink background.] Credit & copyright: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA, Pexels
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FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2986Free1 CQ
Ah rats, there’s too many drivers on the road this time of year…including actual rats. When a group of neuroscientists taught rats to drive tiny, specially-made cars, they weren’t surprised by their success. They were surprised, however, by how much the rats seemed to enjoy it. One of the researchers, Kelly Lambert at the University of Richmond wrote in Live Science, “Rats typically prefer dirt, sticks, and rocks over plastic objects.” Yet when Lambert and her colleagues started training rats to drive, the rambunctious rodents took to it quickly—and with gusto. Maybe it was just the breakfast cereal researchers used as rewards, but the rats didn’t seem to mind the strange little contraptions they were placed into. The “cars” they drove, which consisted of a clear box on wheels steered by wires the rats could pull on, were fairly rudimentary and definitely not street-legal (rat rods, one might call them), but they were still unnatural contraptions that the rats were unfamiliar with. It would have been reasonable to assume that the rats would fear the cars. Yet, the rodents seemed to love them. As Lambert further elucidated, humans didn’t evolve to drive cars either. What allows us to enjoy driving is the human brain’s flexibility, a trait also shared by rats. It even seems that, just as humans sometimes go driving to regain a sense of control when stressed, so can rats. After driving, the rats were found to have lower levels of corticosterone, the rat equivalent of humans’ cortisol, the “stress hormone.” At the same time, their levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) went down. DHEA is a hormone that protects against the effects of corticosterone. Of course, the researchers didn’t do all of this just for kicks, as adorable as the concept of driving rats may be. This was part of a larger study exploring the effects of chronic stress in humans, including its negative health consequences, like type 2 diabetes. These scientists managed to perform valuable research while giving the world rats that can drive. Rats off to them!
Ah rats, there’s too many drivers on the road this time of year…including actual rats. When a group of neuroscientists taught rats to drive tiny, specially-made cars, they weren’t surprised by their success. They were surprised, however, by how much the rats seemed to enjoy it. One of the researchers, Kelly Lambert at the University of Richmond wrote in Live Science, “Rats typically prefer dirt, sticks, and rocks over plastic objects.” Yet when Lambert and her colleagues started training rats to drive, the rambunctious rodents took to it quickly—and with gusto. Maybe it was just the breakfast cereal researchers used as rewards, but the rats didn’t seem to mind the strange little contraptions they were placed into. The “cars” they drove, which consisted of a clear box on wheels steered by wires the rats could pull on, were fairly rudimentary and definitely not street-legal (rat rods, one might call them), but they were still unnatural contraptions that the rats were unfamiliar with. It would have been reasonable to assume that the rats would fear the cars. Yet, the rodents seemed to love them. As Lambert further elucidated, humans didn’t evolve to drive cars either. What allows us to enjoy driving is the human brain’s flexibility, a trait also shared by rats. It even seems that, just as humans sometimes go driving to regain a sense of control when stressed, so can rats. After driving, the rats were found to have lower levels of corticosterone, the rat equivalent of humans’ cortisol, the “stress hormone.” At the same time, their levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) went down. DHEA is a hormone that protects against the effects of corticosterone. Of course, the researchers didn’t do all of this just for kicks, as adorable as the concept of driving rats may be. This was part of a larger study exploring the effects of chronic stress in humans, including its negative health consequences, like type 2 diabetes. These scientists managed to perform valuable research while giving the world rats that can drive. Rats off to them!
November 27, 2024
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FREEBiology Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Is that a nose or a vacuum? For giant anteaters, it’s both. These strange-looking animals have long, luxurious fur, a prominent stripe, and intimidating claws. But their most stand-out feature is their long muzzle and the tongue inside, which can extend over two feet. Giant anteaters use this impressive appendage to reach deep inside anthills and termite mounds and effortlessly lap up the insects within. Since giant anteaters are currently considered a vulnerable (but not yet endangered) species, the recent birth of a giant anteater pup at the Cotswold Wildlife Park in West Oxfordshire, England, has made international headlines and piqued worldwide interest in this unusual species.
There are only four species of anteaters in the world, and, as their name implies, giant anteaters are by far the biggest. They can reach lengths between six and eight feet, and weigh up to 140 pounds. For a long time, scientists assumed that giant anteaters were related to pangolins and aardvarks because they look so much alike, with long noses and curved claws. Thanks to DNA analysis, we now know that these similarities were due to convergent evolution (when two species evolve similar traits because they fill similar niches) and giant anteaters are actually more closely related to sloths and armadillos.
Since they’re native to Central and South America, giant anteaters are always surrounded by animals that are just as large and powerful as themselves. Jaguars pose a particular threat, especially to anteater pups. Giant anteaters have no teeth to defend themselves with, but their curved claws can be used both for digging up insects and for self defense. On the rare occasion that a giant anteater gets into an altercation, it may rear onto its hind legs, using its tail for balance, and slash at an opponent with its claws. Don’t let their friendly demeanor, toothless mouths, and funny-looking faces fool you—these insect-eaters pack a wallop.
[Image description: An anteater standing with its nose in the air at San Francisco Zoo.] Credit & copyright: Daderot, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain DedicationIs that a nose or a vacuum? For giant anteaters, it’s both. These strange-looking animals have long, luxurious fur, a prominent stripe, and intimidating claws. But their most stand-out feature is their long muzzle and the tongue inside, which can extend over two feet. Giant anteaters use this impressive appendage to reach deep inside anthills and termite mounds and effortlessly lap up the insects within. Since giant anteaters are currently considered a vulnerable (but not yet endangered) species, the recent birth of a giant anteater pup at the Cotswold Wildlife Park in West Oxfordshire, England, has made international headlines and piqued worldwide interest in this unusual species.
There are only four species of anteaters in the world, and, as their name implies, giant anteaters are by far the biggest. They can reach lengths between six and eight feet, and weigh up to 140 pounds. For a long time, scientists assumed that giant anteaters were related to pangolins and aardvarks because they look so much alike, with long noses and curved claws. Thanks to DNA analysis, we now know that these similarities were due to convergent evolution (when two species evolve similar traits because they fill similar niches) and giant anteaters are actually more closely related to sloths and armadillos.
Since they’re native to Central and South America, giant anteaters are always surrounded by animals that are just as large and powerful as themselves. Jaguars pose a particular threat, especially to anteater pups. Giant anteaters have no teeth to defend themselves with, but their curved claws can be used both for digging up insects and for self defense. On the rare occasion that a giant anteater gets into an altercation, it may rear onto its hind legs, using its tail for balance, and slash at an opponent with its claws. Don’t let their friendly demeanor, toothless mouths, and funny-looking faces fool you—these insect-eaters pack a wallop.
[Image description: An anteater standing with its nose in the air at San Francisco Zoo.] Credit & copyright: Daderot, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication -
FREEDaily Curio #2985Free1 CQ
Treason is a pretty incendiary crime…especially when actual fire is involved. This month in 1864, a group of eight men calling themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan attempted to set fire to New York City using improvised firebombs. Their plot, however, didn’t quite go as planned. By the fall of 1864, the American Civil War was drawing to a close. It was clear that the Union was likely to emerge victorious, and by September, General William Tecumseh Sherman had trampled through much of the South, razing the city of Atlanta in the process. Some Confederates weren’t ready to call it quits just yet. Robert Cobb Kennedy and other like-minded Confederates hiding out in Canada began conspiring to deliver a devastating blow to the Union. First, they tried to affect that year’s elections by taking federal buildings in New York by force. Once in control of the buildings, the goal was to raise support for the South among New Yorkers, many of whom had economic interests in the cotton industry. That plan was thwarted when President Lincoln sent troops to guard the buildings. Following this failure, Kennedy and his cohorts pivoted to a different strategy: bring the Union to its knees by burning New York.
Their plan was relatively simple: each man would carry ten firebombs and would go from hotel to hotel setting them alight in the hopes that the fire would spread. Yet even this straightforward plan fizzled out. On November 25, the appointed date, two of the men didn’t show up and the remaining six failed to cause much more than a nuisance. The unsuccessful avengers of the South fled back to Canada to wait out the war, but Kennedy tried to sneak back in through Michigan, where he was caught and arrested. At a military trial, the former Confederate captain was found guilty for his part in the plot and sentenced to hang. Kennedy tried to have his sentence commuted to life in prison by appealing to Lincoln, but to no avail. On March 25, 1865, Kennedy earned the ignominious honor of being the last man to be executed during the Civil War, just two weeks before it ended. He had a burning passion, but with too short a fuse.
[Image description: A painting of a Civil War battle. A brown horse rears as its rider is shot. Union Soldiers holding the American flag stand in the right foreground. The Confederate army can be seen in the distance.] Credit & copyright: National Gallery of Art,
Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0).Treason is a pretty incendiary crime…especially when actual fire is involved. This month in 1864, a group of eight men calling themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan attempted to set fire to New York City using improvised firebombs. Their plot, however, didn’t quite go as planned. By the fall of 1864, the American Civil War was drawing to a close. It was clear that the Union was likely to emerge victorious, and by September, General William Tecumseh Sherman had trampled through much of the South, razing the city of Atlanta in the process. Some Confederates weren’t ready to call it quits just yet. Robert Cobb Kennedy and other like-minded Confederates hiding out in Canada began conspiring to deliver a devastating blow to the Union. First, they tried to affect that year’s elections by taking federal buildings in New York by force. Once in control of the buildings, the goal was to raise support for the South among New Yorkers, many of whom had economic interests in the cotton industry. That plan was thwarted when President Lincoln sent troops to guard the buildings. Following this failure, Kennedy and his cohorts pivoted to a different strategy: bring the Union to its knees by burning New York.
Their plan was relatively simple: each man would carry ten firebombs and would go from hotel to hotel setting them alight in the hopes that the fire would spread. Yet even this straightforward plan fizzled out. On November 25, the appointed date, two of the men didn’t show up and the remaining six failed to cause much more than a nuisance. The unsuccessful avengers of the South fled back to Canada to wait out the war, but Kennedy tried to sneak back in through Michigan, where he was caught and arrested. At a military trial, the former Confederate captain was found guilty for his part in the plot and sentenced to hang. Kennedy tried to have his sentence commuted to life in prison by appealing to Lincoln, but to no avail. On March 25, 1865, Kennedy earned the ignominious honor of being the last man to be executed during the Civil War, just two weeks before it ended. He had a burning passion, but with too short a fuse.
[Image description: A painting of a Civil War battle. A brown horse rears as its rider is shot. Union Soldiers holding the American flag stand in the right foreground. The Confederate army can be seen in the distance.] Credit & copyright: National Gallery of Art,
Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0).
November 26, 2024
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FREELiterature Daily Curio #2984Free1 CQ
Are witches bad, good, or can they be either? Until L. Frank Baum published his Oz series—starting with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900—witches were evil by default. The concept of a “good” witch, like Glinda, was actually inspired by a real woman: Baum’s mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, a suffragist and abolitionist. With Wicked now in theaters, it might be a good time to learn about the inspiration behind the iconic witches featured in the movie.
For centuries, fictional witches were portrayed as murderous women or agents of the devil. Even in Baum’s time, they were associated with occult or devious deeds and were often the villains in children’s stories. Of course, real life wasn’t any kinder to so-called witches. Throughout history, many people (mostly women) lost their lives after being accused of witchcraft. The history of witch hunts was a topic of great interest to Matilda Joslyn Gage. As a women’s rights activist, Gage worked with the likes of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The three were co-founders of the National Woman Suffrage Association and wrote History of Woman Suffrage together, but they didn’t always see eye-to-eye. While Anthony and Stanton aligned themselves with the temperance movement and its religious cohorts, Gage was adamantly against religion and its effects on government and women’s rights. Gage saw religion as one of the main causes of historical witch hunts and of women’s subjugation.
While there are no written records of Gage and Baum’s conversations on the matter, it’s clear that Baum’s inclusion of a “Good Witch” in the Oz series was a deliberate breakaway from the evil witch archetype. It’s also been suggested that the character of Glinda, a powerful, benevolent figure who encourages Dorothy on her journey, is based on Gage herself. If that’s true, it’s probably the only time someone compared their mother-in-law to a witch as a compliment!
[Image description: A black-and-white engraving of feminist activist Matilda Joslyn Gage wearing a black dress.] Credit & copyright: Harper, Ida Husted, History of Woman Suffrage (1881). Wikimedia Commons. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.Are witches bad, good, or can they be either? Until L. Frank Baum published his Oz series—starting with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900—witches were evil by default. The concept of a “good” witch, like Glinda, was actually inspired by a real woman: Baum’s mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, a suffragist and abolitionist. With Wicked now in theaters, it might be a good time to learn about the inspiration behind the iconic witches featured in the movie.
For centuries, fictional witches were portrayed as murderous women or agents of the devil. Even in Baum’s time, they were associated with occult or devious deeds and were often the villains in children’s stories. Of course, real life wasn’t any kinder to so-called witches. Throughout history, many people (mostly women) lost their lives after being accused of witchcraft. The history of witch hunts was a topic of great interest to Matilda Joslyn Gage. As a women’s rights activist, Gage worked with the likes of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The three were co-founders of the National Woman Suffrage Association and wrote History of Woman Suffrage together, but they didn’t always see eye-to-eye. While Anthony and Stanton aligned themselves with the temperance movement and its religious cohorts, Gage was adamantly against religion and its effects on government and women’s rights. Gage saw religion as one of the main causes of historical witch hunts and of women’s subjugation.
While there are no written records of Gage and Baum’s conversations on the matter, it’s clear that Baum’s inclusion of a “Good Witch” in the Oz series was a deliberate breakaway from the evil witch archetype. It’s also been suggested that the character of Glinda, a powerful, benevolent figure who encourages Dorothy on her journey, is based on Gage herself. If that’s true, it’s probably the only time someone compared their mother-in-law to a witch as a compliment!
[Image description: A black-and-white engraving of feminist activist Matilda Joslyn Gage wearing a black dress.] Credit & copyright: Harper, Ida Husted, History of Woman Suffrage (1881). Wikimedia Commons. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.