Dr. Becky

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Aug 11-17, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

Looking for something to trigger your next creative project? Here are some resources to get your mental corn popping.

Liam Tung: the US Navy is ditching touchscreens for physical throttles on their destroyers. Technology isn’t always our friend. ZDNet

In SciShow Space news: dark matter may have originated before the big bang. Also, what’s a neutron star glitch and what does it tell us about how the universe works?

Dr. Becky considers the “WTF” star (AKA Tabby’s star) and why its strange dimming remains a mystery.

Merrit Kennedy reports on experimental shorts that are really an exosuit that boosts endurance on the trail. NPR

Rachel Hartigan Shea take us inside Robert Ballard’s search for Amelia Earhart’s plane. National Geographic

Adrian Blomfield: Ebola has killed 2,000 people in the last year—why is it back? The Telegraph

Rachel Sugar says, in a world of chaos, escape rooms make sense. Vox

Kevin Loria: how to eat less plastic. Consumer Reports

E. Jamieson and Sadie Ryan explain how Twitter is helping the Scots language thrive in the 21st century. Because language! The Conversation

Annie Zaleski calls Kate Bush at 60 an exquisite pop genius whose influence endures. Salon

Erica Tennenhouse reports on a dolphin who adopts a baby whale and cares for it for three years. National Geographic

Nick Haddad relates the mysterious fate of the world’s largest butterfly. UnDark

Ben Hoare introduces us to seven of nature’s more colourful show-offs. Science Focus

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next tipsday, be well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Aug 4-10, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s that time of week again. Let’s get your mental corn popping!

Jake Cline: internet slang is more sophisticated than it seems. An introduction to Gretchen McCulloch’s new book, Because Internet. Because language 🙂 The Atlantic

Dr. Becky relates the story of the Milky Way.

Rowan Jacobsen dives into SoulBuffalo and their ocean plastic field trip for corporate executives. Outside Online

Veronique Greenwood explains why indoor air quality is important to our bodies and our brains. BBC

Bill Sullivan shares his surprising findings about why we like what we like. National Geographic

Joe tries out human echolocation. It’s okay to be smart

SciShow examines the mammalian dive reflex.

Kate Bueckert reports on a flicker of hope in the insect world: firefly and monarch numbers are up according to Ontario researchers. CBC

And that was thoughty Thursday. Thanks for visiting and I hope you found something you need.

Until next tipsday, be well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, July 28-Aug 3, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

And now, it’s time to get your mental corn popping.

‘They have become the new religion’: Esther Perel says we expect too much from relationships. “Out in the open” with Piya Chattopadhyay on CBC.

Why the trend of surveilling strangers online proves we are horrible. This ties in to the post I shared by Kim Fahner last week and why we should resist objectifying others for our amusement or sense of superiority. “Spark” with Nora Young on CBC.

Allie Volpe explains why kids invent imaginary friends. Guess us writers just never grew up 😉 The Atlantic

SciShow Psych looks at the differences between men and women who are diagnosed with ADHD.

Ethan Siegal: today is not 24 hours long. Forbes

Dr. Becky observes the cartwheel galaxy. Space is weird

The BBC reports on the discovery of a clay tablet on which the oldest extract of Homer’s Odyssey has been found. Struggled for a while over whether to post this in Tipsday or here on Thoughty Thursday, but the latter won out, because archeology.

Chris Dawson: North Bay unrolls its first accessible beach mat. The Northern Life

Jeffery DelViscio explains how a bionic hand helps amputees “feel” again. Scientific American

Martin Giles wonders, is AI the next big climate change threat? We have no idea. MIT Technology Review

Massive ice melt caused by heatwave over Greenland. CBC

Kent German explores the relationship between redwoods, birds, and microphones in the quest to save an endangered species. CNET

SciShow makes a dog Q&A compilation 🙂

Because tardigrades! Chubby, misunderstood, and not immortal. Journey into the microcosmos

Thanks for visiting and I hope you found some inspirational fuel for your next (or current) creative project.

Until tipsday, be well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

ThoughtyThursday2019