Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 22-28, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila

Finland scraps subjects in its curriculum. Curricula? The Independent.

Why creatives don’t succeed in traditional, 9 to 5 working environments. No surprise there 😉 The Elite Daily.

What is psychopathology? The Creativity Post.

Questions you should ask yourself before giving up. Eponis/Sinope.

Yin yoga is one of the disciplines I enjoy. Here is a yin yoga sequence from Elephant Journal.

Jupiter may have destroyed our solar system’s first planets. i09.

Here’s a giant planet with four suns in its sky. Space.com.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is interviewed by Charlie Rose on 60 Minutes.

Get more Neil deGrasse Tyson in this Business Insider post.

And even moar! NdGT on what we should explore next:

Mitchell Moffit and Greg Brown of ASAP Science interviewed on the CBC’s Q.

Is the info-pocalypse nigh? BBC.

Why is myopia reaching “epidemic” levels? Nature.

The Atlantic presents amazing pictures of the European supertide.

Why dog germs might be good for us. The Huffington Post.

This is freestyle dog dance:

You’re welcome.

This lynx likes hanging out at the Terrace Bay post office. CBC.

Raise your Thoughty quotient and get on with your week.

Tomorrow’s Good Friday. Have a peaceful, reflective holiday.

See you Saturday for my Next Chapter Update.

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 15-21, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 2 Comments

There’s a whole lot of thoughty going on!

What kind of geek is Delilah S. Dawson? The kind that has to defend herself far too often.

The part of bravery people struggle with most. Michael Hyatt.

Things that introverts would never tell you. Higher Perspective.

Gideon Lichfield of The Atlantic explores the science of near-death experiences (NDEs).

I’ve been curious about trying absinthe since I was that the liquor store was selling it. I checked it out this weekend, though and it’s a little expensive for my taste. Maybe for a special occasion. This article on The Daily Beast on the resurgence of absinthe piques my curiosity, though.

Four reasons you should invest in a standing desk. Michael Hyatt.

Six things you should know about how you learn. The Next Web.

Neil deGrasse Tyson’s new late night television show will premiere April 20! The Verge.

This new Tesla battery has the power to take you off the grid 🙂 Inhabitat.

Since I live in the city, I didn’t get to see these, but apparently it’s been a very good week for aurorae 🙂 CBC.

What colour is the universe? It’s okay to be smart.

 

What your genes can and cannot determine. The Guardian.

How did an Arabic inscribed ring end up in a 9th century Viking grave? i09.

Oppression by omission: The women soldiers of the Civil War. Brainpickings.

Jane Goodall is still wild at heart. The New York Times.

Horses never forget their human friends. NBC news.

Check out this video of killer whales feeding in the Dodd Narrows in BC. CBC.

Fawn rescue:

 

Cookie Monster, life coach:

 

Office cats from AFV:

 

ViralNova wants to fill your cute cup to overflowing with these adorable animals!

I hope you were inspired by some of this edumacation 😀 Edutainment?

See you Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 1-7, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 5 Comments

How gardening, and specifically the microbes in soil, can make you happy. Gardening Know-How.

How healthy gut flora (bacteria) can also have an antidepressant effect. Scientific American.

Empathy might lead to social anxiety. Spirit Science and Metaphysics.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) affect your health. Includes an informative self-test. NPR.

More about your ACE score and a resilience quiz (as a bonus). ACES too high news.

And a supporting article from IFLS: childhood trauma affects the brain.

Surrender doesn’t mean defeat. OM Times shares the seven habits of surrendered people. It’s related to resilience.

How physicians and psychiatrists are medicating women rather than treating the underlying issues. Some of us don’t need prescriptions. Or we don’t need the prescriptions they think we do . . . The New York Times.

For the other side of the story, Emily Landau states that she has been helped immeasurably by prescription medications and that she doesn’t believe they’ve affected her adversely. CBC.

Eleven things introverts want you to know. Elephant Journal.

Last week, I shared the Desiderata text. For those of you who were curious, here’s the version set to music by Les Crane:

 

Stop procrastination by asking one question and considering the answer for three minutes. Inc.

Most consistently successful creative people say ‘NO.’ Business Insider.

The strange world of felt presences links Shackleton, sleep paralysis, and hearing voices. The Guardian.

Did the human alliance with dogs drive the Neanderthals to extinction? National Geographic.

New human fossil offers more detail for our family tree. National Geographic.

Here’s what scientists think methane-based life might look like (if they find it on Titan). From Quarks to Quasars.

Ancient Mars may have had an ocean. The New York Times.

Scientists have discovered another earth-like planet. Higher Perspective.

More on what’s coming up for Neil deGrasse Tyson. The Wall Street Journal.

Cats see things that are invisible to humans. Higher Perspective.

I’ve shared posts or videos about the rabbit island and the fox village in the past, now The Atlantic features some great pictures from a Japanese cat island.

I love crows and ravens and so this story about crows gifting the girl who’s fed them since she was four made me #furiouslyhappy.

This video shares an important message about equality and diversity.

 

It was a thoughty week!

Hope you find something to exercise your grey matter.

Until Saturday, be resilient 😉

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Jan 11-17, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 3 Comments

Let’s start with a moment of silence. Please use that time to look at these images from Paris in the wake of the terrorist attack. The Boston Globe.

 

Fast Company asks, what is your beautiful question of 2015?

The subtle art of not giving a fuck. This post by Mark Hanson was shared by Delilah S. Dawson. It’s pure awesomesause.

And here is one of my favourite memes on the subject:

Field of Fucks

Canva shares six ways to stay creative under pressure.

Mary Jaksh of Write to Done compiled this list of creativity posts and articles.

Why not everyone who tries drugs becomes an addict. IFLS.

Bell’s Let’s Talk campaign takes aim at ending the stigma around mental illness.

Clara Hughes’s testimonial:

 

How women are working to change the public perception of body image. UpWorthy.

How will language change in the next 100 years? The Wall Street Journal.

Bill Nye’s new book and talking Darwin over dinner. Science Friday.

i09 presents eight logical fallacies that fuel anti-science sentiments.

Space Suite, a short video by Lucas Green and shared by Phil Plait on his Bad Astronomy blog.

Neil deGrasse Tyson answers the question, “what’s the meaning of life?” UpRoxx. Best answer since 42.

How many smells can you smell? It’s okay to be smart.

 

Why do dogs watch—and react to—TV? National Geographic.

Does my dog know what I’m thinking? It’s okay to be smart.

 

Do our dogs miss us when we go away? BrainCraft.

 

Foxes in photos from MetaSpoon.

The beauty of abandoned greenhouses. MessyNessyChic.

Dark and lonely roads photographed by Andy Lee. Bored Panda.

2200 year old mosaics uncovered in ancient Greek city. Twisted Sifter.

Imogen Heap is one of my favourite musicians, but she’s also a musical inventor and innovator. Consider her brilliance in this article from CNN about her Mi.Mu gloves.

Owl City and Lindsey Stirling: Beautiful Times. Just lovely.

 

Last week was uber thoughty! Who’d a thunk it?

See you Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Jan 4-10, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila

Another small package of good things for you.

The haunting world of 19th century asylums. Abandoned places are so inspirational. Brainpickings.

A couple purchased an abandoned 1700s French chateau and took pictures of what they found. Wimp.com

Do the spiral and cup carvings have something to do with astrology? Irish Central.

Check out these pictures of the 2015 ice and snow festival in Harbin, China. The Atlantic.

Scientific American delves into the reasons why we’re so intrigued by zombies.

After years of podcasting, Neil deGrasse Tyson is getting his own late night talk show. (YAY!) The Verge.

CNN presents a cool kind of horse racing.

A picture of another winter horse race shared by a friend. Panoramio.

When I was a kid, this was entertainment:

 

The Thin White Dude has always been a fashion icon. Esquire.

Get thoughty with it!

See you on the weekend 🙂

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Dec 28, 2014-Jan 3, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 2 Comments

Peg Fitzpatrick shares Elizabeth Gilbert’s Happiness Jar project. Write the happiest moment of your day down and put it in the jar. It’s as simple as that.

The seven habits of happy people that they never talk about. Mind Body Green.

The age of loneliness is killing us. The Guardian.

WikiHow explains how to recognize a psychopath.

Back in September, just before DevLearn, Twist recorded a conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson about science literacy and the future of work. Awesome stuff.

The eight books Neil believes everyone should read to understand the thinking that has historically driven western culture. Brainpickings.

Moar Neil, this time from the Business Insider: Why role models are overrated. It starts a playlist, but they’re all interesting videos . . .

<script height=”489px” width=”869px” src=”http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#pbid=6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e&ec=htdmxhcjqAOEwxNpr-FROB9dclEGM8OZ”></script&gt;

 

This article by Keith E. Stanovich for The Scientific American made me think about thinking. Metathinking? Anyway, it’s about dysrational thought and intelligence.

Thought we were more enlightened than this? I did too. Excellent reality check and novel fodder. i09.

Ten comics intended to shut down terrible arguments (but that might really only inflame the situation—please use with caution). i09.

These ten Futurama jokes will make you smarter. i09.

Another study confirms that ereaders disturb proper sleep patterns leading to various health complications. If you read anything before sleeping, make it a paper book. NPR.

The science of sleep: dreaming, depression, and how REM sleep regulates negative emotions. Brainpickings.

Why is NASA looking at your Christmas lights from space? Futurity.

We didn’t get to see this, but apparently there was a comet that could be seen with the naked (or binoculared) eye on New Year’s. The Christian Science Monitor.

There’s this star and it’s headed straight for our solar system. IFLS.

The Large Hadron Collider is coming back online at double the power to track down that tricky Higgs Boson and solve more of the mysteries of the universe. The Independent.

Archaeologists have unearthed a 6000 year old mega-temple built by a matriarchal society. World.Mic

These photographs of ancient trees are absolutely fabulous. BoredPanda.

Here are the top five National Geographic videos of 2014. Varied topics, but all fascinating.

People buy the strangest things. The Examiner.

An old-timey cover of Stay with me by Christina Gatti:

 

This guy casts his boxer puppy as Indiana Bones. Too kawaii for words. i09.

That’s your thoughty for the week.

See you Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Aug 10-16, 2014

/ Melanie Marttila / 6 Comments

Of course, the big news of the week was the death of Robin Williams. I loved his work as a comedian and an actor. The circumstances of his death were tragic, but as a friend posted, so was his mental illness, the periodic substance abuse he engaged in throughout his life, and the effect that must have had on his family. The man touched me. He made me laugh. I’ll miss him. I’m just saying.

On that note, IFLS posted this on identifying and overcoming depression.

And my friend Kim wrote this lovely post. Seriously, one of the best I’d read on the subject.

The Globe and Mail’s offering: Thoughts on depression from an artistic mind, by Michael Redhill.

Shaking my head, not so briefly, to evict the maudlin.

This is verging on the Writerly Goodness, but I decided to put Justine Musk’s post, the art of being a heroine, in my Thoughty Thursday curation because it’s not so much about writing as about the intersection of myth and womanhood. Thoughty indeed.

Why we can’t catch our own typos, from Wired. Brain science explains why writers need editors.

Wired features Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win mathematics’ most prestigious prize.

A video love letter to Curiosity from Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

How wolves change rivers. This is amazing. IFLS.

What’s the smallest thing in the universe? IFLS features Talk Nerdy to Me.

The “super moon” of August 10th, as seen from space. IFLS.

The Atlantic featured more photos of the super moon on its In Focus page.

Imogen Heap has to be my favourite musical artist. Just lurve her to pieces. So when CBC music featured her new release Sparks as a “First Play” selection, I had to tune in. I listened to the whole thing in one night. The video is a great look behind the scenes too. Heaven. Of course, Ima buy it too, but I couldn’t resist the awesome.

A couple of great covers from Walk off the Earth. First, Rude, by Magic!

Next up, Say something, by A Great Big World.

Think I got carried away by music this week. Lindsey Stirling, Master of Tides.

And Beyond the Veil. This one caught me, because Fer spends a bit of time there . . . A candidate for the revision soundtrack?

This. Saturday. Can’t. Wait.

And this is fabulous: a fan made his own opening sequence for Doctor Who. Steven Moffatt saw it, and guess what happened? Space.

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, July 27-Aug 2, 2014

/ Melanie Marttila / 4 Comments

Science abounds this week.

Astronomers detect a signal 240 Million light years from Earth. IFLS.

More IFLS: Scientists have solved the mystery of the hole at the world’s end. Remember that article I posted a few weeks ago? Well, here’s the explanation.

ASAP science asks, how much sleep do you need?

 

NASA records ambient space music. That’s what ima call it anyway. I think it’s lovely.

 

Neil deGrasse Tyson refutes GMO fear mongering. Mr. Science says the same. Smart guy, my man 😉

 

Wired’s absurd creature of the week is the Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko. Personally, I think he’s beautiful.

Kathryn Schulz says a good life is not so much about regretting nothing, but about forgiving yourself for whatever it is you regret. TED.

Another TED talk, this time by Suzanne Talhouk. The Arabic language is in danger. Cultures around the world are trying to preserve their languages. Suzanne hopes to inspire the Middle East to do the same.

Vivek Wadwha predicts that automation will replace human workers more quickly than we’re prepared to handle. How will the world address this trend and what will we do?

Heading off to When Words Collide very early tomorrow morning. I’m still going to try to blog Saturday and Sunday, but you may have to forgive me if I get caught up in the panels, sessions, and workshops.

In other words, I’ll see you when I see you.

Hang tight, my writerly peeps 🙂

Thoughty Thursday

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz May 18-24, 2014

/ Melanie Marttila / 3 Comments

Tipsday

Roz Morris responded to a writer in a bind. The result was this post.

If you’ve read Lifeform Three, you’ll find this Roz Morris post on the inspiration of the Surrey landscape interesting. If you haven’t read the novel, you’d better get cracking!

The Geeks’ Guide to the Galaxy interviews Mary Robinette Kowal. Listen to the podcast.

Speaking of podcasts, listen to K.M. Weiland’s fourteenth instalment in the Creating Stunning Character Arcs series. Or read the post. As you wish, dear reader.

The draws and drawbacks of success as an author from The New York Times.

Jan O’Hara tells us why our characters need to make tough choices. Writer Unboxed.

And yes! Now WU has its web issues sorted, here’s Lisa Cron’s wonderful post: What kindergarten got (and still gets) really, really wrong.

Three more things you need to know about exposition and telling by Victoria A. Mixon.

Agent Carly Watters has some advice for when you start comparing yourself to other writers.

Maggie Stiefvater writes about how her characters are not based on her experiences, but they answer the questions she asks in her head.

Tech Crunch interviews Hugh Howey.

The Paris Review resurrects their interview with John Steinbeck.

Anne Lamott on how to handle the haters. Brainpickings.

Two of my favourite Neils talk about genius. More Brainpickings brilliance.

Writers’ Relief offers five techniques to help turn short stories into novels.

The Bookbaby blog presents this interesting infographic about 24 books that predicted the future.

Enjoy, my writerly peeps 🙂

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz April 13-19, 2014

/ Melanie Marttila / 3 Comments

Thoughty ThursdayI’m going to try something just a touch different this week. I’m not just dropping links, but hyperlinking text. Experts say readers prefer it.

Let me know what you think, will you?

What students really need to hear from Chase Mielke. Affective Living.

How social media has affected our reading habits. From the Washington Post.

Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty posted this fascinating article on the language of the minions. My interest in languages drew me in right away. LOVE.

Mindy Kaling featured on Upworthy. Backhanded compliments are so not.

Communication presented this bit of reverse psychology: 15 things highly confident people don’t do.

This post by Brenda Knowles on her introvert blog Space2Live was surprisingly controversial. At its core, it’s about the difference between being lonely, and being alone, but it sparked a small flurry of responses. Some people took exception to her association of decision-making with her masculine side and shopping with her feminine side. What do you think?

Upworthy presented Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s thoughts on marginalization in the sciences.

An amazing time-lapse video: the mountain.

Petflow.com share what a reporter discovered while filming beavers close to his house.

ViralNova’s 28 happy-making pictures.

Trending Monkey. Puppies cuddling stuffies. And get your mind out of the gutter! This is CUTE.

And that’s it for this week.

Off to watch Vikings—Rawr!