Curio Cabinet
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July 8, 2024
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
This leader certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The carving above portrays a Mayan ruler who has undergone artificial cranial deformation (ACD), also known as head binding. The carving appears on a large fragment of a conch shell. The white shell is engraved with the image of a seated Mayan man with an elongated head smoking a cigar while wearing an animal headpiece, possibly made from a rabbit or deer. ACD has been practiced among a variety of cultures around the world, and it was particularly popular throughout various indigenous cultures in the Americas. The process of reshaping the skull started when the subject was still an infant, and usually involved applying constant pressure with wooden boards or tightly wrapped cloth. The infants were usually restrained so they couldn’t move, and the process could last around six months. In ancient Mayan culture, elongated heads were considered a sign of nobility. Still, the long, involved process sounds like a bit of a headache.
Shell with Seated Noble, Maya, 600-900, Medium, 6.56 x 3.12 x 1.37 in. (16.6 x 7.9 x 3.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.]This leader certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The carving above portrays a Mayan ruler who has undergone artificial cranial deformation (ACD), also known as head binding. The carving appears on a large fragment of a conch shell. The white shell is engraved with the image of a seated Mayan man with an elongated head smoking a cigar while wearing an animal headpiece, possibly made from a rabbit or deer. ACD has been practiced among a variety of cultures around the world, and it was particularly popular throughout various indigenous cultures in the Americas. The process of reshaping the skull started when the subject was still an infant, and usually involved applying constant pressure with wooden boards or tightly wrapped cloth. The infants were usually restrained so they couldn’t move, and the process could last around six months. In ancient Mayan culture, elongated heads were considered a sign of nobility. Still, the long, involved process sounds like a bit of a headache.
Shell with Seated Noble, Maya, 600-900, Medium, 6.56 x 3.12 x 1.37 in. (16.6 x 7.9 x 3.5 cm.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection. Public Domain, Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.] -
FREEBiology Daily Curio #2903Free1 CQ
Rhinos might be tough animals, but even they need a helping hand sometimes. In South Africa, home to 15,000 rhinos, poaching is an ongoing crisis. To address the issue, conservationists from the University of the Witwatersrand are injecting radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. It may seem counter-intuitive to expose endangered animals to radioactive material, but there’s actually a very good reason for doing so. Every year, hundreds of rhinos are killed by poachers, and the number seems to be on the rise. Almost 500 rhinos were poached in 2023 in South Africa, an 11 percent increase from the previous year, and demand for the horns isn’t exactly on the decline. The horns have no practical purpose. They’re most commonly used in alternative medicines or as status symbols, and as rhinos themselves become scarcer, their horns rise in price, further incentivizing poaching.
Filling the horns with radioisotopes, however, renders them potentially deadly for human consumption and may even set off radiation detectors at border posts that smugglers often travel through. In short, it makes the horns too risky to handle or use even if poachers get their hands on them. The novel endeavor is part of the Rhisotope Project, led by James Larkin from the University of the Witwatersrand, which is located near a rhino orphanage. As well-intentioned as the Rhisotope Project is, not everyone is convinced that it will be effective. Critics of the project say that poachers and smugglers often avoid airports and border checkpoints where the radioactive horns might be detected. However, if the method does work, it would be much more cost-effective than the current practice of de-horning (trimming the horns every few years to devalue them). Larkin and his colleagues are injecting 20 rhinos with radioisotopes as a practical test. While it may sound dangerous, there’s actually no threat to the rhinos themselves. The amount of radioactive material isn’t enough to harm the animals and the rhinos are placed under sedation while the researchers drill a hole in which to place the radioisotopes. It’s a medical procedure with no “charge”, so to speak.
[Image description: Two rhinos eating in a field.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Komencanto, modified by ArtMechanic. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Komencanto. This applies worldwide.Rhinos might be tough animals, but even they need a helping hand sometimes. In South Africa, home to 15,000 rhinos, poaching is an ongoing crisis. To address the issue, conservationists from the University of the Witwatersrand are injecting radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. It may seem counter-intuitive to expose endangered animals to radioactive material, but there’s actually a very good reason for doing so. Every year, hundreds of rhinos are killed by poachers, and the number seems to be on the rise. Almost 500 rhinos were poached in 2023 in South Africa, an 11 percent increase from the previous year, and demand for the horns isn’t exactly on the decline. The horns have no practical purpose. They’re most commonly used in alternative medicines or as status symbols, and as rhinos themselves become scarcer, their horns rise in price, further incentivizing poaching.
Filling the horns with radioisotopes, however, renders them potentially deadly for human consumption and may even set off radiation detectors at border posts that smugglers often travel through. In short, it makes the horns too risky to handle or use even if poachers get their hands on them. The novel endeavor is part of the Rhisotope Project, led by James Larkin from the University of the Witwatersrand, which is located near a rhino orphanage. As well-intentioned as the Rhisotope Project is, not everyone is convinced that it will be effective. Critics of the project say that poachers and smugglers often avoid airports and border checkpoints where the radioactive horns might be detected. However, if the method does work, it would be much more cost-effective than the current practice of de-horning (trimming the horns every few years to devalue them). Larkin and his colleagues are injecting 20 rhinos with radioisotopes as a practical test. While it may sound dangerous, there’s actually no threat to the rhinos themselves. The amount of radioactive material isn’t enough to harm the animals and the rhinos are placed under sedation while the researchers drill a hole in which to place the radioisotopes. It’s a medical procedure with no “charge”, so to speak.
[Image description: Two rhinos eating in a field.] Credit & copyright: Wikimedia Commons, Komencanto, modified by ArtMechanic. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Komencanto. This applies worldwide. -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Tractor Supply Company — a farm, lawn and home improvement chain mainly in rural areas — recently announced it would abandon most of its diversity and climat...
Tractor Supply Company — a farm, lawn and home improvement chain mainly in rural areas — recently announced it would abandon most of its diversity and climat...
July 7, 2024
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: July 7, 2024\SWOHL\ adjective
What It Means
Someone described as swole is extremely muscular. In other words, they have a p...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: July 7, 2024\SWOHL\ adjective
What It Means
Someone described as swole is extremely muscular. In other words, they have a p...
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FREEPP&T CurioFree1 CQ
In honor of the holiday weekend, enjoy this curio from the archives about one of the Revolutionary War's most unlikely figures.
She wasn’t trying to start a revolution, but she wasn’t afraid to join one. Deborah Sampson was the first woman in U.S. history to receive a military pension—not as a spouse, but as a veteran. Born on this day 1760, Sampson disguised herself as a man and adopted a new identity to fight in the Continental Army. Later, she toured the newly formed nation as a lecturer.
Born in Plympton, Massachusetts, Sampson had a difficult childhood. Her father was lost at sea when she was just five years old, and her family struggled financially as a result. Starting from the age of ten, she worked as an indentured servant on a farm until she turned 18. Afterward, she found work as a schoolteacher in the summer and as a weaver in the winter while the American Revolutionary War raged on. But starting in the 1780s, as the war continued, Sampson tried to enlist in the Continental Army in disguise. Her first attempt ended in failure, leading to her immediate discovery and a scandal in town. That didn’t deter her, though, and her second attempt in 1782 was successful. Taking on the name Robert Shurtleff, Sampson joined the 4th Massachusetts Regiment. Her fellow soldiers didn’t catch on to her ruse and her true gender went unnoticed, although she was given the nickname “Molly” due to her lack of facial hair,
For 17 months, “Shurtleff” served in the Continental Army. Just months after joining, Sampson participated in a skirmish against Tory forces that saw her fighting one-on-one against enemy soldiers. She also served as a scout, entering Manhattan and reporting on the British troops that were mobilizing and gathering supplies there. Sampson’s cover was almost blown several times, but she was so determined to keep her secret that she even dug a bullet out of her own leg after she was shot, to avoid a doctor’s examination. This resulted in her living the rest of her life with some shrapnel in her leg. Unfortunately, she was found out after she came down with a serious illness. While in Philadelphia, she was sent to a hospital with a severe fever. She fell unconscious after arriving, and medical staff discovered her true gender while treating her. After being discovered, Sampson received an honorable discharge and returned to Massachusetts. In 1785, she married Benjamin Gannet, with whom she had three children. During this time, she did not receive a pension for her service, and she lived a quiet life. However, things changed as stories of her deeds spread due to the publication of The Female Review: or, Memoirs of an American Young Lady by Herman Mann in 1797. The book was a detailed account of Sampson’s time in the army. To promote the book, Sampson herself went on a year-long lecture tour in 1802. She regaled listeners with war stories, often in uniform, though she may have embellished things a bit. For instance, she claimed to have dug trenches and faced cannons during the Battle of Yorktown, but that battle took place a year before she enlisted. Nevertheless, her accomplishments were largely corroborated and even Paul Revere came to her aid to help her secure a military pension from the state of Massachusetts.
Today, Sampson is remembered as a folk hero of the Revolutionary War. After she passed away in 1827 in Sharon, Massachusetts, the town erected statues in her honor. There’s even one standing outside the town’s public library. It shows her dressed as a woman, but holding her musket, with her uniform jacket draped over her shoulder. In 1982, Massachusetts declared May 23 “Deborah Sampson Day” and made her the official state heroine. That seems well-deserved, given that she was the first woman to bayonet-charge her way through the gender barrier.
[Image description: An engraving of Deborah Sampson wearing a dress with a frilled collar.] Credit & copyright: Engraving by George Graham. From a drawing by William Beastall, which was based on a painting by Joseph Stone. Wikimedia Commons, Public DomainIn honor of the holiday weekend, enjoy this curio from the archives about one of the Revolutionary War's most unlikely figures.
She wasn’t trying to start a revolution, but she wasn’t afraid to join one. Deborah Sampson was the first woman in U.S. history to receive a military pension—not as a spouse, but as a veteran. Born on this day 1760, Sampson disguised herself as a man and adopted a new identity to fight in the Continental Army. Later, she toured the newly formed nation as a lecturer.
Born in Plympton, Massachusetts, Sampson had a difficult childhood. Her father was lost at sea when she was just five years old, and her family struggled financially as a result. Starting from the age of ten, she worked as an indentured servant on a farm until she turned 18. Afterward, she found work as a schoolteacher in the summer and as a weaver in the winter while the American Revolutionary War raged on. But starting in the 1780s, as the war continued, Sampson tried to enlist in the Continental Army in disguise. Her first attempt ended in failure, leading to her immediate discovery and a scandal in town. That didn’t deter her, though, and her second attempt in 1782 was successful. Taking on the name Robert Shurtleff, Sampson joined the 4th Massachusetts Regiment. Her fellow soldiers didn’t catch on to her ruse and her true gender went unnoticed, although she was given the nickname “Molly” due to her lack of facial hair,
For 17 months, “Shurtleff” served in the Continental Army. Just months after joining, Sampson participated in a skirmish against Tory forces that saw her fighting one-on-one against enemy soldiers. She also served as a scout, entering Manhattan and reporting on the British troops that were mobilizing and gathering supplies there. Sampson’s cover was almost blown several times, but she was so determined to keep her secret that she even dug a bullet out of her own leg after she was shot, to avoid a doctor’s examination. This resulted in her living the rest of her life with some shrapnel in her leg. Unfortunately, she was found out after she came down with a serious illness. While in Philadelphia, she was sent to a hospital with a severe fever. She fell unconscious after arriving, and medical staff discovered her true gender while treating her. After being discovered, Sampson received an honorable discharge and returned to Massachusetts. In 1785, she married Benjamin Gannet, with whom she had three children. During this time, she did not receive a pension for her service, and she lived a quiet life. However, things changed as stories of her deeds spread due to the publication of The Female Review: or, Memoirs of an American Young Lady by Herman Mann in 1797. The book was a detailed account of Sampson’s time in the army. To promote the book, Sampson herself went on a year-long lecture tour in 1802. She regaled listeners with war stories, often in uniform, though she may have embellished things a bit. For instance, she claimed to have dug trenches and faced cannons during the Battle of Yorktown, but that battle took place a year before she enlisted. Nevertheless, her accomplishments were largely corroborated and even Paul Revere came to her aid to help her secure a military pension from the state of Massachusetts.
Today, Sampson is remembered as a folk hero of the Revolutionary War. After she passed away in 1827 in Sharon, Massachusetts, the town erected statues in her honor. There’s even one standing outside the town’s public library. It shows her dressed as a woman, but holding her musket, with her uniform jacket draped over her shoulder. In 1982, Massachusetts declared May 23 “Deborah Sampson Day” and made her the official state heroine. That seems well-deserved, given that she was the first woman to bayonet-charge her way through the gender barrier.
[Image description: An engraving of Deborah Sampson wearing a dress with a frilled collar.] Credit & copyright: Engraving by George Graham. From a drawing by William Beastall, which was based on a painting by Joseph Stone. Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain -
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
As part of our “Golden Promises” series , we’re exploring the battle over slavery reparations in California. Today, Marketplace special correspondent Lee Haw...
As part of our “Golden Promises” series , we’re exploring the battle over slavery reparations in California. Today, Marketplace special correspondent Lee Haw...
July 6, 2024
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FREERunning Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
There's literally no hurdle that this runner can't get over. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has managed to beat her personal best and set a new world record during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials finale. It would be an understatement to say that McLaughlin-Levrone is good at what she does. During the 2022 World Championships, the seasoned runner set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.68 seconds. Now, she’s broken the record again at Hayward Field ahead of the Paris Olympics. With a time of 50.65 seconds, she finished nearly two seconds ahead of second place finisher Anna Cockrell (52.64 seconds) and third place finisher Jasmine Jones (52.77 seconds) after leaping over ten hurdles followed by a sprint. The 24-year-old runner is so fast that the hurdles don’t even seem to slow her down—she also holds the record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.75 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone is favored to take the gold in the event this summer, but she says she won’t stop there. After all, she already has a gold in the event from the last time she showed up to the Olympics. According to interviews, she’s aiming higher and hopes to break the 50-second barrier someday, possibly in Paris. At this point, she’s just racing against herself.
[Image description: Hurdles on an indoor track and field course.] Credit & copyright: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels
There's literally no hurdle that this runner can't get over. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has managed to beat her personal best and set a new world record during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials finale. It would be an understatement to say that McLaughlin-Levrone is good at what she does. During the 2022 World Championships, the seasoned runner set a new world record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.68 seconds. Now, she’s broken the record again at Hayward Field ahead of the Paris Olympics. With a time of 50.65 seconds, she finished nearly two seconds ahead of second place finisher Anna Cockrell (52.64 seconds) and third place finisher Jasmine Jones (52.77 seconds) after leaping over ten hurdles followed by a sprint. The 24-year-old runner is so fast that the hurdles don’t even seem to slow her down—she also holds the record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.75 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone is favored to take the gold in the event this summer, but she says she won’t stop there. After all, she already has a gold in the event from the last time she showed up to the Olympics. According to interviews, she’s aiming higher and hopes to break the 50-second barrier someday, possibly in Paris. At this point, she’s just racing against herself.
[Image description: Hurdles on an indoor track and field course.] Credit & copyright: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs in June, according to the labor department. But job growth in previous months was revised down significantly. What can we...
The U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs in June, according to the labor department. But job growth in previous months was revised down significantly. What can we...
July 5, 2024
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9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer, won a sweeping victory in the U.K.’s general election held Thursday. We’ll hear from v...
From the BBC World Service: The Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer, won a sweeping victory in the U.K.’s general election held Thursday. We’ll hear from v...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: July 5, 2024\KASS-tuh-gayt\ verb
What It Means
Castigate is a formal word that means "to criticize harshly."
// He was wid...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: July 5, 2024\KASS-tuh-gayt\ verb
What It Means
Castigate is a formal word that means "to criticize harshly."
// He was wid...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Happy belated Fourth of July! If a local fair was part of your celebrations this year, chances are good that you enjoyed some cotton candy with their fireworks. Highly portable, able to be served on sticks, in bags, or as a garnish on the rim of cocktails, cotton candy is a staple at American fairs. That’s fitting, since cotton candy made its worldwide debut at the 1904 World’s Fair in Saint Louis. Funnily enough, despite the fact that this sweet treat isn’t great for your teeth, it was actually invented by a dentist.
Cotton candy, sometimes called candy floss outside of the U.S., is a confection made from spun sugar. By liquifying sugar with heat and then spinning it through small holes, long threads of sugar are formed and gathered into fluffy masses. Food coloring (most popularly pastel pink and blue) and flavoring is often added for variety. Though pre-bagged cotton candy is popular, so is the fresh-spun variety, in which watching a vendor create the candy in a large, cylindrical tub is part of the experience.
Although historical records show that spun sugar has existed in various forms since at least the 1400s, it was very difficult to make before the 1897 invention of the cotton candy machine. That machine was created in Tennessee by confectioner John C. Wharton and dentist William Morrison. The duo debuted their sweet treat (which they called “fairy floss”) at the 1904 World’s Fair, to a crowd who had mostly never seen spun sugar. To say it was a hit would be an understatement. They sold over 68,000 boxes of it, and cotton candy machines were soon in high demand. In 1921, following the proud tradition of dentists making cotton-candy-related breakthroughs, a dentist from New Orleans named Joseph Lascaux coined the term “cotton candy” after inventing a machine similar to the original cotton candy machine. By the 1970s, automatic cotton candy machines made it possible for packages of the fluffy confection to be sold in stores. Today, cotton candy is sold all over the world, but it still retains its roots as a fair food. Personally, we think it’s still best enjoyed alongside a fresh corndog.
[Image description: A small piece of pink cotton candy against a hot pink background.] Credit & copyright: Nataliya Vaitkevich, PexelsHappy belated Fourth of July! If a local fair was part of your celebrations this year, chances are good that you enjoyed some cotton candy with their fireworks. Highly portable, able to be served on sticks, in bags, or as a garnish on the rim of cocktails, cotton candy is a staple at American fairs. That’s fitting, since cotton candy made its worldwide debut at the 1904 World’s Fair in Saint Louis. Funnily enough, despite the fact that this sweet treat isn’t great for your teeth, it was actually invented by a dentist.
Cotton candy, sometimes called candy floss outside of the U.S., is a confection made from spun sugar. By liquifying sugar with heat and then spinning it through small holes, long threads of sugar are formed and gathered into fluffy masses. Food coloring (most popularly pastel pink and blue) and flavoring is often added for variety. Though pre-bagged cotton candy is popular, so is the fresh-spun variety, in which watching a vendor create the candy in a large, cylindrical tub is part of the experience.
Although historical records show that spun sugar has existed in various forms since at least the 1400s, it was very difficult to make before the 1897 invention of the cotton candy machine. That machine was created in Tennessee by confectioner John C. Wharton and dentist William Morrison. The duo debuted their sweet treat (which they called “fairy floss”) at the 1904 World’s Fair, to a crowd who had mostly never seen spun sugar. To say it was a hit would be an understatement. They sold over 68,000 boxes of it, and cotton candy machines were soon in high demand. In 1921, following the proud tradition of dentists making cotton-candy-related breakthroughs, a dentist from New Orleans named Joseph Lascaux coined the term “cotton candy” after inventing a machine similar to the original cotton candy machine. By the 1970s, automatic cotton candy machines made it possible for packages of the fluffy confection to be sold in stores. Today, cotton candy is sold all over the world, but it still retains its roots as a fair food. Personally, we think it’s still best enjoyed alongside a fresh corndog.
[Image description: A small piece of pink cotton candy against a hot pink background.] Credit & copyright: Nataliya Vaitkevich, Pexels
July 4, 2024
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
The national debt is tremendous and growing. And as lawmakers talk about ways to address it, Social Security spending — which totals roughly $1.5 trillion a ...
The national debt is tremendous and growing. And as lawmakers talk about ways to address it, Social Security spending — which totals roughly $1.5 trillion a ...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: July 4, 2024\PAY-tree-ut\ noun
What It Means
Patriot refers to a person who loves and strongly supports or fights for their...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: July 4, 2024\PAY-tree-ut\ noun
What It Means
Patriot refers to a person who loves and strongly supports or fights for their...
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FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
They say the devil’s in the details, but it looks like they found him! Researchers at the University of Sydney's School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering have managed to interpret the atomic structure of alloys using atom probe tomography (APT), according to a paper published in Nature Materials. When scientists want to look at the atomic structure of a given material, they can’t exactly put it in a slide under a regular microscope. Instead, they have to use APT, which forms a 3D visualization using measurements of field evaporated ions. It’s not a direct peek at the atomic structure, exactly, but an advanced model created using data. Researchers at the University of Sydney used this technology to determine the short-range order (SRO) of a material, which they compare to the genome of living tissue. In other words, they were able to decipher how the smallest intricacies in the arrangement of atoms in a crystal affected the material as a whole. At the atomic level, the smallest changes can have huge impacts on a material’s properties, and being able to “see” the SRO of materials might lead to the development of advanced alloys that are stronger and lighter than their conventional counterparts. Would that be materials science or genetic engineering?
They say the devil’s in the details, but it looks like they found him! Researchers at the University of Sydney's School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering have managed to interpret the atomic structure of alloys using atom probe tomography (APT), according to a paper published in Nature Materials. When scientists want to look at the atomic structure of a given material, they can’t exactly put it in a slide under a regular microscope. Instead, they have to use APT, which forms a 3D visualization using measurements of field evaporated ions. It’s not a direct peek at the atomic structure, exactly, but an advanced model created using data. Researchers at the University of Sydney used this technology to determine the short-range order (SRO) of a material, which they compare to the genome of living tissue. In other words, they were able to decipher how the smallest intricacies in the arrangement of atoms in a crystal affected the material as a whole. At the atomic level, the smallest changes can have huge impacts on a material’s properties, and being able to “see” the SRO of materials might lead to the development of advanced alloys that are stronger and lighter than their conventional counterparts. Would that be materials science or genetic engineering?
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2902Free1 CQ
These instant noodles are causing lasting problems. Officials at the National Park Office of Mount Halla in South Korea are urging hikers to mind where they throw out their leftover ramen broth, as the salty soup has been found to be detrimental to wildlife. Mount Halla, located on Jeju Island, is the tallest mountain in South Korea and a popular hiking destination. In recent years, the hike has grown more popular than ever thanks to social media, and there’s even a trend where hikers post photos of themselves on the trail eating cups of instant ramen. It seems harmless enough, but the trend has led to some unexpected problems. According to officials, visitors have been dumping between 26 and 31 gallons of leftover ramen broth a day on the ground, and while that might not seem like a whole lot, it’s enough to disrupt the water supply that local fauna and flora depend on.
The issue with ramen broth is its high salt content, which officials say poses a danger to endangered plants found only on the island, as well as several species of insects and amphibians. Another issue is the smell—the aroma of ramen broth is apparently as enticing to weasels, crows, and badgers as it is to people. When broth is dumped on the ground, it attracts these animals, which venture into areas they would normally not be found in, disrupting the fragile ecosystem of the small island. To address the broth problem, officials are taking a two-pronged approach: they’re placing special containers on the trail where visitors are required to dump unfinished broth and also they’re also raising awareness of the issue on social media. Visitors who dump broth outside of the designated containers can face a fine of 200,000 won, which is the equivalent of about $150 or around 100 bowls of instant ramen. Imagine landing in hot water and not even having ramen to make with it.
[Image description: A block of instant ramen noodles against a gray background.] Credit & copyright: Ninosan, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.These instant noodles are causing lasting problems. Officials at the National Park Office of Mount Halla in South Korea are urging hikers to mind where they throw out their leftover ramen broth, as the salty soup has been found to be detrimental to wildlife. Mount Halla, located on Jeju Island, is the tallest mountain in South Korea and a popular hiking destination. In recent years, the hike has grown more popular than ever thanks to social media, and there’s even a trend where hikers post photos of themselves on the trail eating cups of instant ramen. It seems harmless enough, but the trend has led to some unexpected problems. According to officials, visitors have been dumping between 26 and 31 gallons of leftover ramen broth a day on the ground, and while that might not seem like a whole lot, it’s enough to disrupt the water supply that local fauna and flora depend on.
The issue with ramen broth is its high salt content, which officials say poses a danger to endangered plants found only on the island, as well as several species of insects and amphibians. Another issue is the smell—the aroma of ramen broth is apparently as enticing to weasels, crows, and badgers as it is to people. When broth is dumped on the ground, it attracts these animals, which venture into areas they would normally not be found in, disrupting the fragile ecosystem of the small island. To address the broth problem, officials are taking a two-pronged approach: they’re placing special containers on the trail where visitors are required to dump unfinished broth and also they’re also raising awareness of the issue on social media. Visitors who dump broth outside of the designated containers can face a fine of 200,000 won, which is the equivalent of about $150 or around 100 bowls of instant ramen. Imagine landing in hot water and not even having ramen to make with it.
[Image description: A block of instant ramen noodles against a gray background.] Credit & copyright: Ninosan, Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
July 3, 2024
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The United Kingdom goes to the polls in the general election tomorrow — and polling suggests the economy is the No. 1 issue with ...
From the BBC World Service: The United Kingdom goes to the polls in the general election tomorrow — and polling suggests the economy is the No. 1 issue with ...
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FREENutrition Daily Curio #2901Free1 CQ
Sometimes, it pays to not go with your gut. Our gut bacteria are an integral part of our digestive systems, but they don’t always play nice with us. As some scientists recently discovered, the wrong kind of bacteria can cause food addiction. Food addiction isn’t as well known as some other forms of addiction like alcoholism, but it can be just as devastating. Excessive eating can lead to obesity and all its associated health issues, significantly shortening someone’s life expectancy. Furthermore, food addiction can be difficult to overcome because it’s impossible to avoid food completely. Like any addiction, it can be treated with the right support, but food addiction isn’t recognized as an official diagnosis by many medical professionals. That may change, though, thanks to Scientists at the Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. They found that food addiction might actually be caused by a certain kind of bacteria in the gut, since its presence is correlated with food-addictive behaviors. The researchers studied the gut bacteria of mice and human patients and rated their behavior on the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0), which looks for food-seeking behaviors, motivation and compulsive behavior associated with food addiction. According to the results, humans with more bacteria in the Proteobacteria phylum and less from the Actinobacteria phylum were more likely to have food addiction. Researchers believe that Proteobacteria might be interfering with the expression of certain genes that regulate food-seeking and compulsive behavior. While gut bacteria have been increasingly found to affect behavior and mental health in recent years, this discovery is the first time that scientists have found a direct link between specific bacteria and their effect on gene expression. With this in mind, it might be possible in the future to treat food addiction by targeting the responsible bacteria in the gut as well as promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. That’s a lot to digest!
[Image description: A painting of food on a table including a basket of fruits and vegetables, a plate of pigs’ feet, a red plate with a fish on it, and a white-and-blue plate of butter.] Credit & copyright: Still Life with Meat, Fish, Vegetables, and Fruit c. 1615–20. Gift of Janice Hammond and Edward Hemmelgarn, Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.Sometimes, it pays to not go with your gut. Our gut bacteria are an integral part of our digestive systems, but they don’t always play nice with us. As some scientists recently discovered, the wrong kind of bacteria can cause food addiction. Food addiction isn’t as well known as some other forms of addiction like alcoholism, but it can be just as devastating. Excessive eating can lead to obesity and all its associated health issues, significantly shortening someone’s life expectancy. Furthermore, food addiction can be difficult to overcome because it’s impossible to avoid food completely. Like any addiction, it can be treated with the right support, but food addiction isn’t recognized as an official diagnosis by many medical professionals. That may change, though, thanks to Scientists at the Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. They found that food addiction might actually be caused by a certain kind of bacteria in the gut, since its presence is correlated with food-addictive behaviors. The researchers studied the gut bacteria of mice and human patients and rated their behavior on the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0), which looks for food-seeking behaviors, motivation and compulsive behavior associated with food addiction. According to the results, humans with more bacteria in the Proteobacteria phylum and less from the Actinobacteria phylum were more likely to have food addiction. Researchers believe that Proteobacteria might be interfering with the expression of certain genes that regulate food-seeking and compulsive behavior. While gut bacteria have been increasingly found to affect behavior and mental health in recent years, this discovery is the first time that scientists have found a direct link between specific bacteria and their effect on gene expression. With this in mind, it might be possible in the future to treat food addiction by targeting the responsible bacteria in the gut as well as promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. That’s a lot to digest!
[Image description: A painting of food on a table including a basket of fruits and vegetables, a plate of pigs’ feet, a red plate with a fish on it, and a white-and-blue plate of butter.] Credit & copyright: Still Life with Meat, Fish, Vegetables, and Fruit c. 1615–20. Gift of Janice Hammond and Edward Hemmelgarn, Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Domain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) designation.
July 2, 2024
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10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
From the BBC World Service : Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe is presenting lawmakers with a deal made by creditors after the country’s 2022 financ...
From the BBC World Service : Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe is presenting lawmakers with a deal made by creditors after the country’s 2022 financ...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: July 2, 2024\GLAYD\ noun
What It Means
A glade is a grassy open space in a forest.
// She felt the most at ease outdoors, ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: July 2, 2024\GLAYD\ noun
What It Means
A glade is a grassy open space in a forest.
// She felt the most at ease outdoors, ...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
This fast car sure hasn’t slowed down! We’ve written before about Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit Fast Car, a song famous for its unflinching look at working class struggles. On this day last year, the bluesy folk song became a chart-topper once again, this time as a country song. A cover by country star Luke Combs reached number one on the U.S. Country Airplay chart and stayed there for two weeks. Combs had been a fan of the song since his childhood, when his father would play it for him on a cassette tape. His own working class background made the song easy to relate to, and a natural one for him to cover. Of course, Combs’ version hits differently, with his unmistakably southern twang and country instrumentation in place of Chapman’s sparse, acoustic arrangement. The cover officially made Chapman the first black woman to top the country charts as a song’s sole writer, and she even appeared on stage with Combs at the 66th Grammy Awards for an emotional duet. It’s true what they say; a good song simply never goes out of style.
This fast car sure hasn’t slowed down! We’ve written before about Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit Fast Car, a song famous for its unflinching look at working class struggles. On this day last year, the bluesy folk song became a chart-topper once again, this time as a country song. A cover by country star Luke Combs reached number one on the U.S. Country Airplay chart and stayed there for two weeks. Combs had been a fan of the song since his childhood, when his father would play it for him on a cassette tape. His own working class background made the song easy to relate to, and a natural one for him to cover. Of course, Combs’ version hits differently, with his unmistakably southern twang and country instrumentation in place of Chapman’s sparse, acoustic arrangement. The cover officially made Chapman the first black woman to top the country charts as a song’s sole writer, and she even appeared on stage with Combs at the 66th Grammy Awards for an emotional duet. It’s true what they say; a good song simply never goes out of style.
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FREEScience Daily Curio #2900Free1 CQ
They may have been primitive, but they weren't cruel. Neanderthals are often portrayed as violent brutes, but several recent paleontological finds have proved that misconception very wrong. In fact, these prehistoric hominids looked out for and cared for one another as a matter of survival. Recently, researchers discovered a fossil belonging to a Neanderthal child who seems to have had Down syndrome and was at least six years old. The only way the child could have survived so long before the advent of modern medicine was for their family to provide them with continuous care. Down syndrome is a genetic disorder in which a person is born with 47 chromosomes instead of 46 (a pair of 23 chromosomes from each parent). This seemingly small change can have major impacts on a person’s health. The condition can affect the development of a person’s brain, leading to learning disorders, behavioral symptoms, and developmental delays. A host of other physical issues, including trouble breathing or seeing clearly, can also pop up. The syndrome can make one more vulnerable to infections and diseases and cause congenital heart defects that can greatly shorten a person’s life expectancy. It’s incredible that, faced with such immense odds, the Neanderthal child managed to survive for around six years. The 273,000-year-old fossil shows that these hominids were not only compassionate enough to care for a member of their family who could not help them in return, but that they had the means and knowledge to do so. It's all part of a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals might have actually valued compassion. In that way, they were more advanced than some of today’s homo sapiens.
[Image description: A painting of a family of neanderthals standing at the mouth of a cave. One is holding a spear.] Credit & copyright: Neanderthal Flintworkers, Le Moustier Cavern, Dordogne, France,
Charles Robert Knight (1874–1953). Wikimedia Commons,
American Museum of Natural History. Public Domain.They may have been primitive, but they weren't cruel. Neanderthals are often portrayed as violent brutes, but several recent paleontological finds have proved that misconception very wrong. In fact, these prehistoric hominids looked out for and cared for one another as a matter of survival. Recently, researchers discovered a fossil belonging to a Neanderthal child who seems to have had Down syndrome and was at least six years old. The only way the child could have survived so long before the advent of modern medicine was for their family to provide them with continuous care. Down syndrome is a genetic disorder in which a person is born with 47 chromosomes instead of 46 (a pair of 23 chromosomes from each parent). This seemingly small change can have major impacts on a person’s health. The condition can affect the development of a person’s brain, leading to learning disorders, behavioral symptoms, and developmental delays. A host of other physical issues, including trouble breathing or seeing clearly, can also pop up. The syndrome can make one more vulnerable to infections and diseases and cause congenital heart defects that can greatly shorten a person’s life expectancy. It’s incredible that, faced with such immense odds, the Neanderthal child managed to survive for around six years. The 273,000-year-old fossil shows that these hominids were not only compassionate enough to care for a member of their family who could not help them in return, but that they had the means and knowledge to do so. It's all part of a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals might have actually valued compassion. In that way, they were more advanced than some of today’s homo sapiens.
[Image description: A painting of a family of neanderthals standing at the mouth of a cave. One is holding a spear.] Credit & copyright: Neanderthal Flintworkers, Le Moustier Cavern, Dordogne, France,
Charles Robert Knight (1874–1953). Wikimedia Commons,
American Museum of Natural History. Public Domain.