Laurentian University

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, July 18-24, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

Thoughty Thursday is here to prepare you for the weekend by getting your mental corn popping. You know you need a bit of a boost this time of the week.

Jessica Chia reports that the lack of representation in dermatology can be deadly for people of color. Elle

Alaina Leary: disabled people have worked from home for years. Why did it take a pandemic for everyone else to start? Refinery 29

Nick Pearce: ground-penetrating radar search of Delmas residential school property to begin. Saskatoon Star Phoenix

The tragedy of the influencer. The Take

David Leadbeater: Laurentian University insolvency reflects a structural crisis in Ontario’s neoliberal university system. Academic Matters

Nadia Drake: Jeff Bezos reaches [for] space—a small step for big spaceflight dreams. National Geographic

Relive the Blue Origin “New Shepard” launch with space.com. Last week it was Branson, this week it’s Bezos (and Wally Funk—she’s the best part!). Who’s next?

Jess Romeo: space medicine for the inexperienced astronaut. JSTOR Daily

Katie Hunt reports that the Hubble Space Telescope is operational again after almost a month offline. CNN

Guy Kawasaki interviews Jodi Kantor, the prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times and a best-selling author who broke the Harvey Weinstein story with Megan Twohey and Ronan Farrow. Remarkable People podcast

Madeline K. Sofia, Berly McCoy, and Brit Hanson: building a shark science community for women of color. NPR

Are humans the only animals with culture? It’s okay to be smart

Shi En Kim reveals Carla Rhodes’ beautiful moth photographs. [Still think they’re creepy Muppets, but to each their own.] The Smithsonian Magazine

Thank you for visiting. I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

This weekend, I should be posting my next chapter update.

Until then, be well and stay safe!

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, July 11-17, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get your mental corn popping! Let’s get right to it …

Ohimai Amaize unpacks the “social distance” between Africa and African Americans. JSTOR Daily

Charlottesville removes Robert E. Lee statue that sparked deadly rally. NPR

Thema Bryant-Davis and Egypt Leithman (of Pepperdine University) want to heal the wounds of racial trauma. Division 45

Allison Hopper: denial of evolution is a form of white supremacy. Scientific American

Louisiana teen, Zaila Avant-garde correctly spells “muraya” to win Scripp’s National Spelling Bee. ESPN

Zoé Samudzi is looking after (museums and human remains). Art Forum

Huu-ay-aht First Nation begin process of reclaiming cultural artefacts from Royal BC Museum. CBC

Coaches argue Laurentian’s pool must remain open: community impact will be “immense.” Sudbury.com

Could solar panels in space solve our energy needs? SciShow Space

Susan Montoya Bryan and Marcia Dunn report that billionaire Richard Branson reaches space in his own ship. Maybe reaches for space? Associated Press

Do we have more than five senses? Spoiler: hella yeah. SciShow Psych

Lauran Neergaard: device taps brainwaves to help paralyzed man communicate. Associated Press

Barrie, Ontario, devastated by tornado that left 5-kilometre path of destruction. CBC

Rescuers rush to save hundreds trapped by flooding in Europe as death toll tops 125. CBC

True facts: wild pigs (and their crazy cousins). ‘Cause fun and educational 🙂 Ze Frank

John Flesher reports that pup births a hopeful sign for Ilse Royale wolves. Associated Press

Thanks for taking the time to visit, and I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, July 4-10, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s that time of week again. Get your mental corn popping and celebrate the coming of another glorious weekend.

Jelani Cobb: Derek Chauvin’s trial and George Floyd’s city. The New Yorker

Karen Attiah says that the challenge for educators amid the critical race theory backlash is how to fight hot air. The Washington Post

Richard Alba, Morris Levy, and Dowell Myers bust the myth of the majority-minority America. The Atlantic

Sasha Banks reveals the problem with patriotism. The Atlantic

The lost graves of Louisiana’s enslaved people. The New York Times

Etant Dupain, Gerardo Lemos, Ivana Kottasová and Caitlin Hu: Haiti president Jovenel Moise assassinated in attack on his residence. CNN

Serpent River First Nation celebrates their first Pride: living their truth. CBC

First woman elected as grand chief of Mohawk council of Kahnawake. CBC

RoseAnne Archibald to lead Assembly of First Nations as national chief. CTV News

Catharine Tunney and John Paul Tasker: Inuk leader Mary Simon named Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General. CBC

Kayla Rosen reports that the Manitoba Métis Federation signs agreement with Canada to advance right to self-governance. CTV News

John Tonin: Lower Post holds ceremonial demolition of its residential school. Yukon News

In Spain, police probe suspected hate crime targeting gay man. Associated Press

Ben Leeson reports that the Jeno Tehanyi Olympic Gold Pool at Laurentian University is unlikely to open this year; mayor vows to help save facility. The Sudbury Star

You are not a visual learner. Veritasium

Cal Newport explains how to achieve sustainable remote work. The New Yorker

Jackie Flynn Morgensen says, the pandemic made science more accessible than ever. Let’s keep it that way. Mother Jones

Philip Wang: the “eye of fire” that erupted in the Gulf of Mexico is under control, says Mexican-owned oil company. CNN

Becky Ferreira: a massive lake suddenly vanished in Antarctica. Vice

The Moral of Flowers was an illustrated Victorian encyclopedia of poetic lessons from the garden. Brain Pickings

Are some species more important than others? | In our nature |It’s okay to be smart

Elise Kjørstad reveals that wolf packs don’t have alpha males or females; it’s just a misunderstanding. Phys.org

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project. Let it percolate. A good story takes time to brew 🙂

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, May 16-22, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

Happy Friday eve! Get your mental corn popping in anticipation of a lovely weekend!

Laurel Wamsley: prosecutor says deputies were justified in their fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. NPR

The University of Washington reveals that almost all kinds of air pollution affect people of color hardest. Futurity

Khari Johnson: Black and queer AI groups say they’ll spurn Google funding. Wired

Fedora Abu introduces us to Britain’s first Black aristocrats. BBC

Kim Tran shows you the Asian American activism you won’t see on Instagram. Refinery 29

Geeta Pandey reports that India’s holiest river Ganges is swollen with covid victims. BBC

You can’t prove everything is true. Veritasium

Yuliya Talmazan reveals that BBC’s Martin Bashir used “deceitful” methods to secure Princess Diana interview. NBC

The neuroscience of tongue-twisters. SciShow Psych

Randy Pascal: Alex Baumann adds voice to Laurentian pool discussion. The Sudbury Star

Kayla Barron joins NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission to space station. NASA

What the crater from the extinction of the dinosaurs taught us about Mars. SciShow Space

Sierra Garcia wonders what green hydrogen will mean for international relations. JSTOR Daily

Patrick Barkham introduces us to the farmers putting trees back into UK fields. The Guardian

Related: Olivia Box also touts silvopasture, or, why are there cows in the woods? JSTOR Daily

Karen Zamora explains how a fungus is making cicadas sex-crazy (side-effect, dismemberment). NPR

Richard Luscombe says that sharks use Earth’s magnetic field as guidance system. The Guardian

Thank you for taking the time to visit, and I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, May 2-8, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

Let’s get your mental corn popping people!

Becky Sullivan: family and civil rights leaders mourn Andrew Brown Jr. at funeral. NPR

Emily Shapiro and Marlene Lenthang: Atlanta officer fired after fatally shooting Rayshard Brooks has been reinstated. CBS News

Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor considers the emerging movement for police and prison abolition. The New Yorker

Mohammed Elnaiem: the “deviant” African genders that colonialism condemned. JSTOR Daily

Paulina Cachero and Olivia B. Waxman compile 11 moments from Asian American history you should know. Time

Lam Thuy Vo: when their community suffered, these Asian Americans stepped up (where the government didn’t). Documented

Krystal Vasquez says, a disability shouldn’t be a death sentence during a natural disaster. Environmental Health News

Dhruv Khullar takes us inside India’s covid-19 surge. The New Yorker

Erica X Eisen reveals Georgian Britain’s anti-vaxxer movement: “The mark of the beast.” The Public Domain Review

Richard A Friedman says, you might be depressed now, but don’t underestimate your resilience. The New York Times

Why the Millennial vs. GenZ war needs to end. The Take

Kim Fahner: Laurentian is in pieces—those pieces need to be put back together with care. Sudbury.com

More Ingenuity. This time with sound! NASA JPL

Morgan McFall-Johnsen reports that SpaceX has safely landed four astronauts in the ocean for NASA, completing the US’s longest human spaceflight. Insider

Taylor Lorenz: what is cheugy? You’ll know it when you see it. The New York Times

Dorothy Woodend: “Mother Trees” are real. They model sharing and generosity. The Tyee

Why are we warm blooded? It’s okay to be smart

GDT nature photographer of the year 2021. The Guardian

Thanks for visiting. I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, April 18-24, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time, once again, to get your mental corn popping.

Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. Justice served. CBC

Vanessa Romo: Ma’Khia Bryant shot by Columbus police. NPR

Aymann Ismail says, there’s a reason this keeps happening in Minnesota. Slate

Frederick Joseph: the fact that the officer who shot Daunte Wright is a white woman matters. White supremacy isn’t just about white men. Cosmopolitan

Mitch Dudek: Adam Toledo remembered as a kid with a big imagination and an affinity for shows about zombies. Chicago Sun Times

Madeline Holcombe and Dakin Andone: the US has reported at least 50 mass shootings since Atlanta. CNN

Robert P Baird examines the invention of whiteness: the long history of a dangerous idea. The Guardian

Lauren Frayer relates how India went from a ray of hope to a world record for the most covid cases in a single day. NPR

Gina Kolato explains how Kati Kariko helped shield the world from coronavirus. The New York Times

David Treuer says, return national parks to the tribes. The Atlantic

How ocean currents work (and how we’re breaking them). It’s okay to be smart

Emma Newburger: here’s what countries pledged at Biden’s global climate summit. NBC

Molly Taft presents the history of Earth Day, from radical roots to elementary school classrooms. Teen Vogue

$20 million in NOSM money in jeopardy because of Laurentian insolvency, med school dean says. CBC

Angela Gemmill reports that the Laurentian University financial crisis is not typical of other northeastern Ontario post-secondary institutions. CBC

Ingenuity takes flight! NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

And then, the Perseverance rover extracts first oxygen from Mars. NASA

Nadia Drake: SpaceX launch kicks off regular commercial flights into orbit. National Geographic

New warp drive possibilities. PBS Space Time

Nikk Ogasa reports that nuclear fallout is showing up in honey decades after bomb tests. Poor bees! Science

Marie M. Daly, the unsung hero behind the building blocks of DNA. SciShow

Kara McKenna: how Canada is trying to protect its last three spotted owls. The Guardian

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you took away something to inspire your next creative project.

This weekend, I hope to post my monthly next chapter update.

Until then, be well and stay safe!

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, April 11-17, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get your mental corn popping with thoughty Thursday.

Mohamed Ibrahim: Minnesota officer meant to draw taser, not handgun. Why didn’t she, then?  Associated Press

Cheryl Teh: police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, prohibited tear gas—then broke the rule almost immediately. Insider

Jim C. Hines offers his thoughts on American violence and American racism.

Daikin Andone and Chris Boyette report that two Virginia police officers used excessive force during traffic stop of army officer. CNN

Livia Gershon explains how the media covered police brutality three decades ago. JSTOR Daily

Ashawnta Jackson looks back at Sesame Street’s first Black Muppet: Roosevelt Franklin. JSTOR Daily

Caitlin Dickerson: America never wanted the poor, tired, huddled masses. The Atlantic

Bryann Aguilar: Ontario gives police authority to stop pedestrians, vehicles, to ask purpose of travel. CTV

Jane Gersterthen reports that Ontario police won’t conduct random spot checks despite their new authority. CBC

Staff and students stressed and uncertain as Laurentian University job terminations announced today (April 12). CBC

And here’s the list of programs being discontinued. They’re calling it Laurentian University’s Black Monday. Sudbury.com

Charlie Angus speaks eloquently in defense of Laurentian University. CPAC

Casey Stranges reports that all hockey and swim varsity teams chopped as Laurentian cuts continue. CBC

What neuroscience can learn from meditation. SciShow Psych

Ashifa Kassam explains how a tiny grain could change how humanity eats. The Guardian

Jaclyn Diaz reports that Floridians catch meteor’s close brush with Earth. NPR

Donna Sarkar: Earth has been hiding a fifth layer in its inner core. Discover

Naomi Fry touts the low-key, Carter-era pleasures of The Muppet Show. The New Yorker

True facts: trap jaw ants. Ze Frank

Thank you for taking the time to visit. I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Feb 21-27, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

Happy Friday eve 🙂 It’s time to get your mental corn popping!

Daniel Prude protest in Rochester ends, but organizers vow to return. Democrat & Chronicle

David K. Li reports that an independent probe accuses police and paramedics of wrongdoing in the death of Elijah McClain. NBC News

Marcus P. Nevius delves into the legacy of racial hatred behind the January 6 insurrection. JSTOR Daily

Malcolm X’s family demands his murder investigation be reopened. BBC

Erin Blakemore: Black women have been writing history for over a century. JSTOR Daily

Katelyn Burns: why police single out trans people for violence. Vox

Stella Chan and Leah Asmelash: Angelo Quinto dies after police kneel on his neck for five minutes. CNN

Meaghan Beatley introduces us to Frida Guerrera, the Mexican detective hunting the men who kill women. The Guardian

Andrea Hill and Ryan Kessler report that the lack of funding for piped water on Saskatchewan First Nations means some of reserves can’t drink from their taps. Global News

Andrea Warner: for decades, Buffy Sainte-Marie has had to navigate systemic barriers to cultivate her art. The Globe and Mail

Robert Reich: Texas freeze reveals chilling truth—that the rich use climate change to divide us. The Guardian

Jennifer Moss says, brain fog is a real thing. CBC

Vignesh Ramachandran: Stanford researchers identify four causes of “Zoom fatigue” and their simple fixes. Stanford News

Chi Luu considers the punk rock linguistics of cottagecore. JSTOR Daily

Percy returns a recording of the wind on Mars. SoundCloud

And here’s video of the landing and some of the first images courtesy of CBC.

Kim Fahner writes a love letter to Laurentian University. The Republic of Poetry

Artist “finger paints” masterpieces in the dust of dirty Moscow trucks. Return to Now

Helena Smith reports that a 20-million-year-old petrified tree is found intact in Lesbos. The Guardian

Molly Blackall: rare Amazonian cactus flowers for the first time in UK. The Guardian

Krista Langlois explains why scientists are starting to care about cultures that talk to whales. The Smithsonian Magazine

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you found something to inspire your next creative project.

This weekend, I should be putting up my next chapter update.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Feb 7-13, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

As you prepare for the coming weekend, don’t forget to get your mental corn popping.

Laila El Mugammar announces that an emotional documentary about Canada’s legendary Black cowboy is streaming free now. Chatelaine

Samantha Kubota reports that the brand formerly known as Aunt Jemima reveals new name. NBC News

Azi Paybarah: KKK member who drove into BLM protesters gets more than three years in prison. The New York Times

Emotional intelligence, racial stereotypes, and the politics of emotional expression | Khadija Mbowe

Michele Debczak: new spacecraft named after Katherine Johnson honors the pioneering NASA mathematician. Mental Floss

How did the Milky Way get its spiral? SciShow Space

WHO says coronavirus unlikely to have leaked from Wuhan lab. CBC

Micheleen Doucleff: extraordinary patient offers surprising clues to coronavirus variants. NPR

Jaclyn Diaz reports that a second person dies of Ebola in the Congo, marking the virus’s return. NPR

Jason Slotkin: tens of thousands rally in Myanmar, protesting military coup. NPR

Eric Levenson, Stephanie Becker, and Dan Simon report that the rise in attacks on elderly Asian Americans in Bay area prompts new special response unit. CNN

Leah Brennan and Josh LaBella report that a Yale graduate student identified as the victim of Saturday’s fatal shooting in New Haven. New Haven Register

Michelle Ghoussoub announces that women’s rights activist Loujain Alhathloul released after 1,001 days in Saudi prison. CBC

Oliver Milman shares that air pollution in US subway systems stuns researchers. The Guardian

Sharon J. Riley explains how a public uprising caused a province built on fossil fuels to reverse course on coal mining. The Narwhal

Sandy Schaeffer compiles all the Joss Whedon abuse and misconduct allegations. #metoo ScreenRant

Deiter Buse: now is the time to ask what you can do for Laurentian. The Sudbury Star

Health Sciences North faces lawsuit over misread breast imaging results. CBC

Why you read slower as you age. SciShow Psych

Brenda Knowles examines imposter syndrome and how it can be a blessing in disguise. Space2Live

Stonehenge may have been first erected in Wales. Aljazeera

Listen to the sweet, soft warble common ravens sing to their partners. Audubon

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you took away something to inspire your next creative project.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Jan 31-Feb 6, 2021

/ Melanie Marttila

Happy Friday eve. It’s time to get your mental corn popping.

Former Columbus police officer Adam Coy indicted for murder in shooting of Andre’ Hill. Will justice prevail? Time will tell. WTOL 11 News

William Wan reports that coronavirus kills far more Hispanic and Black children than white youths, according to the CDC. Yes, this is from last September, but it speaks to the next article I’ll share. The Washington Post

Yueqi Yang: New York City initial vaccine data show deep race disparity. Bloomberg

Grace Hauck announces that Black Lives Matter nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for carrying forward “a movement of racial justice.” USA Today

Then, Terje Solsvik and Gwladys Fouche announce that US voting rights activist Stacy Abrams also nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. Reuters

David Crary reports that the ACLU elects its first Black president. Associated Press

Canada labels the Proud Boys and other neo-Nazi groups as terrorists. CBC News

Hanna Beech reports that Daw Aung Sun Suu Kyi is detained amid coup. Several countries have already spoken out against the move despite Myanmar’s problematic human rights record (read Rohinga genocide). The New York Times

Mohammed Elnaiem: what was the Zanj Rebellion? JSTOR Daily

Jenny Gross and Melena Ryzik reveal that Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of abuse. #metoo The New York Times

Amy Judd reports that Amanda Todd’s accused cyberbully extradited to Canada to face charges. Global News

Why some people can’t listen to music while they work. SciShow Psych

Heidi Ulrichsen: financially struggling Laurentian says filing for court protection was ‘best path forward’ as it restructures. Sudbury.com

Mary Winston Nicklin: Parisians want to recover legendary river now covered in concrete. National Geographic

Foxes might use magnetic fields to hunt. SciShow

Jan Wesner Childs shares the massive coral colony found in American Samoa. The Weather Channel

True facts about tardigrades. Because TARDIGRADES! Ze Frank

Karen McVeigh reports that sea level rise could be worse than feared. The Guardian

Damian Carrington says that plant-based diets are crucial to saving wildlife globally. Time to consider going vegetarian? The Guardian

Thanks for spending some time with me, and I hope you took away something to inspire your next work in progress.

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