Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, April 2-8, 2023

April 13, 2023April 9, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

My last thoughty Thursday! Parting is such sweet sorrow. Feel free to peruse the archives if you need to get your mental corn popping in the future.

Picture of a moon emerging from behind clouds.

Kaelyn Forde introduces us to the women fighting one of the harshest abortion laws in the Americas. The Walrus

Candace Maracle: Elisapie gets nostalgic with Inuktitut rendition of Blondie’s Heart of Glass. And it’s freakin’ awesome! CBC Indigenous

Guy Kawasaki interviews Temple Grandin: different minds for different times. The Remarkable People Podcast

Sagy Zwirn is all about the fire and brimstone, or how the dichotomy of heaven and hell came to be, and why it bears no resemblance to what the Bible actually says. JSTOR Daily

Lorne Cook and Matthew Lee: Finland joins NATO in major blow to Russia over Ukraine War. Associated Press

Anne Trafton reports that new nanoparticles can perform gene editing in the lungs, offering hope for Cystic Fibrosis and other lung disease patients. MIT News

Nicole Schmidt wonders, will groceries ever be affordable? The Walrus

Stephen Clark: NASA names crew for first human mission to the moon in over 50 years. Spaceflight Now

Brett Tingly explains why NASA’s Artemis II will only fly around the moon, not orbit, or land. Space.com

JWST scores another ringed world with new image of Uranus. Shiny! NASA

Gaia discovers a new family of black holes. Phys.org

Davide Castelvecchi: light waves squeezed through “slits in time.” Nature

Ashawnta Jackson: money, murder, and Mrs. Clem. JSTOR Daily

Erin Blakemore explains why England’s “lost king” ended up buried beneath a parking lot. National Geographic

Henry Grabar explains how Paris kicked out the cars. Slate

Bob Weber: scientists confirm first Canadian fossil of a dire wolf, Ice Age predator featured in Game of Thrones. The Globe and Mail

Researchers discover birds with neurotoxin-laden feathers in New Guinea. Phys.org

Annette McGivney takes us inside the stunning brains of natures hardest workers: “Bees are sentient.” The Guardian

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter update (returning to it’s monthly format, so the first weekend in May), be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 26-April 1, 2023

April 6, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

It is time, once again, to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Annie Hylton: where the children are buried. The Walrus

Michele Cyca wonders why more people are claiming Indigenous ancestry. The Walrus

Kai Chenk Thom says that kids deserve a new gender paradigm. The Walrus

Nathaniel Wade and Marilyn Cornish explain how to forgive yourself. Psyche Guides

Heidi Ledford: “astonishing” molecular syringe ferries proteins into human cells. This could improve drug delivery systems. Nature

Chris Vallance says AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million jobs. Not a new story. We’ve been hearing similar messages one way or the other since the industrial revolution. Sometimes it’s as bad as predicted, and sometimes it’s not. We have to wait and see. BBC

Guy Kawasaki interviews Wanda Harding about her journey from stars to students. The Remarkable People Podcast

Genelle Weule: Change’e-5 samples reveal water on Moon stored in glass beads. ABC

Daniel Lawler reports that a large asteroid to zoom between Earth and Moon. Phys.org

Alexandra Witze: JWST gets best view yet of planet in hotly pursued star system. Nature

The obscure history of Japanese sea lords. PBS Origins

Amy McCaig reports that ancient DNA reveals entwined African and Asian ancestry along the Swahili coast. Rice University

Human cells help researchers understand squid camouflage. American Chemical Society

Why does every animal look like this? Be Smart

Robotic system offers hidden window into collective bee behaviour. École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 19-25, 2023

March 30, 2023March 27, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

Tomorrow’s March 31^st! Prepare for April Fool’s Day by getting your mental corn popping 🙂

Ashawnta Jackson sings the Ballad of Railroad Bill. JSTOR Daily

Guy Kawasaki interviews Latanya Mapp Frett about the impact of everyday feminists. The Remarkable People Podcast

Sarah Barmak reveals what women (still) want. The Walrus

Mike Stobbe reports that autism now more common in Black and Hispanic kids in the US. But they have access to fewer supports. Associated Press

Marisol Martinez: immune system cells in the gut linked to stress-induced depression. Medical Xpress

Ryan O’Hare reports that advanced brain imaging hints at how DMT alters perception of reality. Imperial College London

Ingrid Fadelli: study hints at the promise of non-hallucinogenic LSD for treating mood disorders. Medical Xpress

Adrianna Rodriguez reveals the real (i.e., not cordyceps) fungal threat: the CDC warns against candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus invading health facilities. USA Today

Elizabeth M. Renieris wonders, will AI mean we’ll be able to work less? The Walrus

Will Dunham reports that an asteroid discovery suggests ingredients for life on Earth came from space. Reuters

Robin McKie: A Brief History of Time is wrong, Stephen Hawking told collaborator. The Guardian

First detection of neutrinos made at particle collider. Universität Bern

Egyptian startup turns millions of plastic bags into tiles. Reuters

New UBC water treatment zaps forever chemicals for good. University of British Columbia

Fiona Harvey reports that global fresh water demand will outstrip supply by 40% by 2030. The Guardian

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 12-18, 2023

March 23, 2023March 20, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

We’re heading into the last week of March. Finish March off strong by getting your mental corn popping!

Steven John and Dannielle Beardsley: a historian explains the real history of St. Patrick’s Day. The Manual

Khaled A.: Palestinian Tatreez is embroidering resistance and remembrance. Atmos

Guy Kawasaki interviews Ginni Rometty about being the first female CEO of IBM. The Remarkable People Podcast

Dolly Church: heavenly bodies, or how space burials sell the promise of immortality. The Baffler

Spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis III Moon surface mission debuts. NASA

Will Dunham: new analysis reveals dynamic volcanism on Venus. Reuters

NASA’s JWST captures rarely seen prelude to a supernova. NASA

Visually navigating on foot uses unique brain region. National Eye Institute

Can we solve the air conditioning paradox? Be Smart

Kristin Toussaint says that growing crops under solar panels makes food—and healthier solar panels. Fast Company

True facts animal awards. Ze Frank

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 5-11, 2023

March 16, 2023March 13, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome to thoughty Thursday, your opportunity to kick your brain into gear n time for the weekend. What are you waiting for? Get your mental corn popping!

Melissa Denes shares Elizabeth Stanko’s mission to change the way police investigate rape: “I know where the bodies are buried.” The Guardian

Anna Louie Sussman introduces us to a world without men. The Cut

Brandy Schillace reveals the forgotten history of the world’s first trans clinic. Scientific American

Brandon Chase: expert systems may help detect Alzheimer’s Disease from routine brain imaging tests. Massachusetts General Hospital

The world’s first horse riders found near the Black Sea. Phys.org

Edna Tarigan and Victoria Milko: Indonesia unveils construction site of new capital city. Associated Press

Christina Larson and Patrick Whittle report that nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas. Associated Press

Vaccines for honeybees. SciShow

Will Dunham: dwarf elephants and giant rats indicate strange island creatures at high risk. Reuters

Lina Zeldovich takes us inside Canada’s polar bear jail. Atlas Obscura

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 26-March 4, 2023

March 9, 2023March 6, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

Daylight saving begins this weekend. Get your mental corn popping before the time change.

Early life stress can disrupt maturation of brain’s reward circuits, promoting disorders. UC Irvine

Intense aurora borealis lights up northern skies. Sudbury.com

New discovery sheds light on very early supermassive black holes. Royal Astronomical Society

Aidan Lewis: scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. Reuters

Steel was already being used in Europe 2,900 years ago, according to study. Phys.org

The science of iridescence. Be Smart

Jorge Dubcovsky: scientists unlock the key to drought-resistant wheat plants with longer roots. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences | UC Davis

How smart are crows, actually? SciShow

Lauren Kaljur wonders, are herring making a comeback in BC? The Walrus

True facts: mussels that catch fish. Ze Frank

Thank you for spending some time with me, and I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 19-25, 2023

March 2, 2023February 27, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

Welcome March and the coming of spring by getting your mental corn popping.

Vicky Mochama says Black communities have known about mutual aid all along. Another pick from the archives for Black History Month. The Walrus

Matthew Wills says even the best Jim Crow school … was still a Jim Crow school. JSTOR Daily

Troy Sebastian/Nupqu ʔa·kǂ am̓ reports on the Nuchatlaht First Nation: how a legal battle could change land rights for good. The Walrus

Betsy Golden Killam: Mills Panoram and Soundies. JSTOR Daily

Sarah Gibbens and Amy McKeever list the top ten things to know about Mardi Gras. National Geographic

UEA scientists make breakthrough for next generation cancer treatment. University of East Anglia

Esteban Pardo: Germany’s Düsseldorf patient cured of HIV. Deutsche Welle

Guy Kawasaki interviews Jessica Wade about advocating for gender diversity in science. The Remarkable People Podcast

New aurorae found on Jupiter’s four largest moons. W.M. Keck Observatory

NASA’s planetary radar captures detailed view of oblong asteroid. Forgive me for being heretical, but it looks like a bobbing turd (!) Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Will Dunham reports that galaxies spotted by JWST rewrite understanding of early universe. Reuters

Space travel influences the way the brain works. Liège University

Bouncing seismic waves reveal distinct layer in Earth’s inner core. Phys.org

Nathaniel Scharping: paleotsunami detectives hunt for ancient disasters. So cool. Hakai

April Nowell explains what it was like to grow up in the last ice age. Aeon

The ancient promise of water. Archaeology Magazine

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

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 12-18, 2023

February 23, 2023February 20, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

It is time, once again, to get your mental corn popping (i.e., make weird mental connections that give you all kinds of great ideas for creative works)!

Erin Blakemore explains the origins of African American studies. National Geographic

Daryle Williams and Kristina E. Poznan are using data to discover and explore the stories of enslaved people. JSTOR Daily

Ashawnta Jackson is keeping scores: unearthing the works of Black women composers. JSTOR Daily

Anne Trafton: ingestible sensor could help doctors pinpoint gastrointestinal issues. MIT News

Christina Szalinski says the antibodies from camels and sharks could change medicine. Knowable Magazine

The dark room where science was invented. Be Smart

Ivan Semeniuk reports that the meeting of Venus and Jupiter under spectacular view of the moon offer reminder of space missions to come. The Globe and Mail

Ryan Jackson embarks on a scientific investigation of “The Last of Us” fungal pandemic. CNet

Beth Betkowski wonders, do trees really “talk” to each other through underground fungal networks? The “wood-wide web” contested. The University of Alberta

Dyani Lewis reports that sea life bounced back fast after “the mother of mass extinctions.” Nature

Krisztina Feyno: Hungarian research explores why your dog is prone to howling. Reuters

Sean Wetselaar says we own more dogs than ever before. We didn’t think it through. The Walrus

Thanks for spending some time with me. I hope you took away something to inspire an future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 5-11, 2023

February 16, 2023February 12, 2023 / Melanie Marttila

We’re rounding the bend to the weekend. It’s time to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Charmaine A. Nelson: the Canadian narrative about slavery is wrong. From 2020, but a good reminder. The Walrus

Ashawnta Jackson reveals the connection between secret societies and the fight for Black freedom. JSTOR Daily

Justin Gamble: MRIs show poverty and racism may alter brain development in Black children. CNN

Guy Kawasaki interviews Gretchen Carlson about how to be fierce. The Remarkable People Podcast

Dr. Alfredo Carpineti says major breakthrough paves the way for more powerful quantum computers today. IFLS

Hubble captures the start of a new spoke season at Saturn. NASA

Will Dunham: astronomers astonished by rings around frigid distant world Quaoar. Reuters

Partly melted rock under Earth’s surface offers insight into what makes plate tectonics possible. Brown University

Jules Bernstein reports that fungi and bacteria are binging on burnt soil. UC Riverside

Rita Da Silva is taking is slow: what turtles can teach us about living longer. The Walrus

Eloisa Lopez: love of sea turtles turns poachers into protectors. Reuters

Martha Henriques introduces us to the unknown giants of the deep oceans. BBC

Thanks for visiting, and I hope to took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Jan 29-Feb 4, 2023

February 9, 2023February 5, 2023 / Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

How’s your week going? Ready to get your mental corn popping in time for the weekend? Let’s go!

Scott Neuman shares three things to know about Black History Month. NPR

What is Juneteenth and why is it important? Karlos K. Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio. TED-Ed

Joanna Lonsdale and Jane Downs reveal the lost history of Tynemouth’s Holocaust safe home for girls. BBC

This injectable biomaterial heals tissues from the inside out. UC San Diego

Jadine Ngan explains why we made fewer memories during the pandemic. The Walrus

Fred Lewsey reports that tuning into brainwaves speeds learning in adults. University of Cambridge

Katina Bajaj says that our brains aren’t meant to work at optimal efficiency. Here’s how to offload your thoughts. Fast Company

Julia Métraux: how did Amy Robsart die? Fertile ground for an Elizabethan mystery 😉 JSTOR Daily

Emily Zarevich introduces us to Elizabeth Siddall, the real life “Ophelia.” JSTOR Daily

Jane Draycott introduces us to the other Cleopatra. Aeon

Alexandra Witze wonders, will an artificial intelligence discover alien life? SETI utilizes AI. The picture of ET is a little condescending and, as my spouse reminds me, what everyone’s calling AI is actually an expert system. Nature

Joey Roulette explains what to expect during the green comet’s encounter with Earth. Reuters

Will Dunham: astronomers document a not-so-super supernova in the Milky Way. Reuters

Becky Ferreira reports that archaeologists discover 1.2-million-year-old workshop in mind blowing find. Motherboard | Vice

Oliver Milman reports that US renewable energy farms outstrip 99% of coal plants economically. The Guardian

True facts: the smartest slime. Ze Frank