photography

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Sept 18-24, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

As we say farewell to September, fortify yourself for the last quarter of the year by getting your mental corn popping 🙂

Janelle Griffith: ex-Minneapolis police office sentenced to three years in George Floyd’s murder. NBC News

Erin Doherty: Cambridge joins elite universities grappling with ties to slavery. Axios

Erin Doherty reports that another nuclear power plant is at risk from Russian missiles. Axios

Karl Ritter: Putin issues partial military call-up, risking protests. Associated Press

Kim Fahner says Laurentian must rebuild, appeal to a variety of students. The Sudbury Star

The sharp axe method. Struthless

Theresa Massony says six planets are retrograde right now, which explains everything. Pop Sugar

Lori Cuthbert explains why the autumn equinox ushers in fall. National Geographic

Emily Zarevich introduces us to the lady who might have been Queen of England. JSTOR Daily

Rachel E. Gross: “feminist science” is not an oxymoron. Slate

Marshall Sheppard shares lessons from a mermaid about representation in science and engineering. Forbes

Mitochondia are the powerhouses of … Alzheimer’s? SciShow

Leila Gray take us beyond AlphaFold: AI excels at creating new proteins. University of Washington (UW) Medicine

Moss repair team also works in humans. Potential progress for the treatment of hereditary diseases. University of Bonn

Nina Bai announces that Emmanuel Mignot wins Breakthrough Prize for discovering the cause of narcolepsy. Stanford Medicine

New and ancient lessons from lunar eclipses. SciShow Space

NASA’s InSight “hears” its first meteoroid impacts on Mars. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Robert Lea: JWST’s first images of Mars reveal atmospheric secrets. Space.com

Laura Betz, Hannah Braun, and Christine Pulliam: new Webb image captures the clearest view of Neptune’s rings in decades. NASA

Grace Ebert: a rare glimpse of Comet Leonard’s last moments wins Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest. And the runners up aren’t bad, either. This is Colossal

Why it took 200,000 years to invent the wheel. Answer in Progress

Jesus Diaz says this new wind turbine concept isn’t like any we’ve seen before. Fast Company

Check out Audubon’s new Bird Migration Explorer! I could get lost in this for HOURS.

Rivka Galchen: peak cuteness and other revelations from the science of puppies. The New Yorker

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

I should be posting my next chapter update for September this weekend.

Until then, keep staying safe and well!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, May 15-21, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s the last thoughty Thursday of May, and your opportunity to get your mental corn popping.

Amy Forliti, Steve Karnowski, and Mohamed Ibrahim: ex-Minneapolis officer pleads guilty in George Floyd murder. Associated Press

Liz Tracey presents the Chinese Exclusion Act, annotated. JSTOR Daily

Kashmala Fida Mohatarem reports that Demi Potts soars in winning performance at one of world’s biggest powwows. CBC

Siege of Mariupol over as Russia says Ukraine’s holdout forces from the steelworks have “surrendered.” CBS News

Claire Lampen wonders which women do we choose to believe? New York Magazine

Yara Simón provides the introvert’s guide to running a business. Refinery 29

Clark Quinn explains the cognitive basis of learner experience design (LXD). Learnlets

Harold Jarche: management must move first.

Olivia Allen explains why she’s embracing her “no thoughts” era. Refinery 29

Annabel Gat and Random Rosenbohm: your life sucks, but not because of Mercury retrograde. Vice

Chelsea Papineau features stunning moon images taken in northern Ontario during the full lunar eclipse. CTV News

Rina Torchinsky reports that scientists successfully grow plants in soil from the moon. NPR

Isaac Schultz invites us to see this year’s best photos of the Milky Way. Gizmodo

Humans are still evolving. Be Smart

Bob Macdonald says seagrass is hiding a sweet, submerged, CO2 secret. CBC’s “Quirks and Quarks”

Serhii Plokhy explains why the future of power can’t be nuclear: poisoned legacy. The Guardian

Rachel Fobar: hundreds of beagles died at this breeding centre—but the US government hasn’t acted. National Geographic

Livia Gershon says dogs are the four-legged crime-fighters of Paris. JSTOR Daily

Helen Ray: pugs can’t be considered “typical dogs” because of dire health issues, study finds. CBS News

Thanks for stopping by. 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: Popping your mental corn, Feb 6-12, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Happy Friday eve! Get your mental corn popping in time for the weekend.

Sarah Burnett reports that Amir Locke, shot by Minneapolis cop, wanted music career. Associated Press

Derecka Purnell interviews Sybrina Fulton about her son, Trayvon Martin: grief over time. The Cut

Systemic racism? No thanks. How did we get here (part 1) | The Amber Ruffin Show

Livia Gershon considers music and spirit in the African diaspora. JSTOR Daily

Matthew Wills: Buffalo Soldiers and the bicycle corps. JSTOR Daily

Diana Opong Kuow reports that, for the first time in generations, Snoqualmie tribe has land. Indian Country Today

Natasha Lennard: anti-trans bills are moving through US state legislatures at alarming speed. The Intercept

Sam Knight examines the misogyny that led to the fall of London’s police commissioner, Cressida Dick. The New Yorker

Sudbury councillors push to establish living wage for city employees. CBC

John Michael McGrath: the loudmouths are losing. When this is all over, remember the helpers. TVO.org

Sharon Pruitt-Young reports that a new program in Canada gives doctors the option of prescribing national park visits. NPR

Anne Trafton: MIT engineers create the impossible—new material that’s strong as steel but lighter than plastic. Remember Star Trek IV? SciTech Daily

Tasnim Ahmed reports that new spinal cord stimulation study puts people with paralysis on their feet again. CNN

NASA fears SpaceX plan for 30,000 satellites could hamper space missions. The Guardian

We’ve never seen this before – JWST. Physics Girl

Ian Semple: nuclear fusion heat record a huge step in quest for new energy source. The Guardian

Tracey Anne Duncan reveals that scientists are trying to figure out how to make your dog live longer. MIC

Hannah Ryan presents the wildlife photo of the year, as chosen by the public. CNN

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you took away 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 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, 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, May 24-30, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

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

Ben Lindbergh: NASA and Space-X unleash the dragon as they count down to the next stage of space travel. The Ringer

Jacob Bogage and Christian Davenport report on the successful launch of the Falcon 9 with NASA astronauts and separation of the Dragon capsule. The Washington Post

Five ways solar energy could develop. SciShow

Maya Wei-Haas says, there are “mountains” bigger than Everest deep inside Earth. National Geographic

Jason Daley: a sorceress’ kit was discovered in the ashes of Pompeii. The Smithsonian Magazine

Terry Gross interviews James Nestor on how the “lost art” of breathing affects sleep and resilience. NPR

Michael Gresko explains how we make, recall, and forget memories. National Geographic

SciShow Psych separates fact from fiction about borderline personality disorder.

Gestalten explores the mystique of scent. The internet has a smell. Who knew?

Rebecca Friedel introduces us to the runner bean, JSTOR Daily’s plant of the month.

Open Culture shares John Coltrane’s illustration of the mathematics of music.

Leah Pellegrini shares breathtaking photographs that capture ballet’s finest dancing on the streets of New York. My Modern Met

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

This weekend, I should have my next chapter update for May coming out.

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

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, May 17-23, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s thoughty Thursday! That means tomorrow is Friday. Welcome the weekend by getting your mental corn popping 🙂

Lauren Grush introduces us to the two NASA astronauts Space-X will launch into orbit. The Verge

SciShow Space explains how some stars are eaten from the inside.

Yohana Desta interviews Janelle Monáe: artist in residence. Vanity Fair

Michael Bond explains why humans totally freak out when they get lost. Wired

Leah Collins shows you how to make your own ink from foraged spring plants. CBC

Terry O’Reilly discusses the secret language of flowers in Victorian England. Listen to the whole episode 🙂 It’s fascinating. CBC’s “Under the Influence”

This is one documentary I needed to find: Judi Dench talking about trees is as brilliant as you’d think. Eeeee! Joy! It was posted to Facebook! BBC

Nell Greenfield Boyce: herd of fuzzy, green “glacier mice” baffles scientists. NPR

Becky Ferreira warns that trillions of cicadas are going to rule America. Bow, humans! Vice

The animals caught on these wild webcams are adorbs! CBC

Kate Bubacz: how Joel Sartore works to document species before they go extinct. Beautiful photos! Buzzfeed

Aleta Burchyski shares how she became a backyard birder (so you can become one, too). Outside

Physics Girl has some more at-home experiments for you to try.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you take 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!

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, May 3-9, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s thoughty Thursday, and you know what that means. Tomorrow is Friday! You’ve made it through another week. Now it’s time to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Mary Katherine Keown reports on the little library that’s converted to a free seed distribution point for Sudbury residents. The Sudbury Star

Alex Morrs: how rebel botanists are using graffiti to name forgotten plants. The Guardian

Matthew Taub recounts the life and fiery death of the world’s largest treehouse. Atlas Obscura

Sarah Regan offers a beginner’s guide to reading palms. In case you’ve run out of yeast. Mind Body Green

SciShow Psych explores how physicists are helping neuroscientists understand the brain better.

Erika Hayasaki goes undercover with Marisol Nichols in a child predator sting. Marie Claire

Chi Luu: the linguistics of “cooties” and other weird things kids say. JSTOR Daily

Madison Feller: the youngest person to travel to every country has created your future bucket list. Elle

Murcury is so hot, it’s making ice. SciShow Space

Umair Irfan reports on the arrival of the giant Asian hornet, AKA the murder hornet, and its target is honey bees. Vox

For some perspective, Yvette Brend: “Murder Hornet” risk overblown according to BC’s top bee expert. CBC

Mattie Cook shares all the cuteness: the Miami Zoo’s meerkat pups. Totally the Bomb

Canadian photographer, Dennis Fast, captures polar bears enjoying a summertime field of flowers. The Mind Circle

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you found 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.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 29-April 4, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Here are a bunch of resources and useful information for your time of physical distancing. It’s time to get your mental corn popping.

Rachel Donadio explains how a millennial Prime Minister is leading her country through crisis. Vogue

Rodger Sherman: the eight types of people we turn into on Zoom. The Ringer

Erin Blakemore wonders what people used before toilet paper? Cause toilet stuff is fun 🙂 National Geographic

Amber Gibson: there’s an art to isolation—here’s how to stay centred. Medium

Sherpa says, wash your paws!

Starlight Williams shares five inspiring no-travel experiences. National Geographic

Joe Berkowitz lists 88 movies, music, series, and books releasing in the next month. Fast Company

Jennifer Nalawicki says that you can watch these six flower bloom events from your couch. The Smithsonian Magazine

Mike Mettler lists six must-see rockumentaries to shelter in place with. Sound & Vision

A.R. Williams: untouched 4,400-year-old tomb discovered in Saq’qara, Egypt. National Geographic

Michael Greshko: interstellar space is even weirder than expected. National Geographic

Robin George Andrews reports on the bizarre lifeforms found thriving in ancient rocks beneath the sea floor. Cause extremophiles! National Geographic

Jeff Goodell is concerned about rising tides, troubled waters, and the future of our oceans. Rolling Stone

Marina Koren considers the changes in land, sea, and air that have already resulted from the pandemic. The Atlantic

Chris Sweeny: the wondrous life and mysterious death of golden eagle 1703. The Guardian

Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė shares 30 photos by Julius Kähkönen that look like they come from dreams. Bored Panda

True facts about the giraffe. Ze Frank

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you took away something to support you in these challenging times, or to inspire your next creative project.

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

ThoughtyThursday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 22-28, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

In need of some distraction? You’re in luck. Thoughty Thursday is here to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Alex Beard: can AI ever replace the classroom? The Guardian

Laura Millan Lombrana: the post-virus economic recovery could be a green one. This is the hope of many people I know. Bloomberg

Elizabeth Landau discovers that the Fibonacci sequence is everywhere—even the stock market. The Smithsonian Magazine

Allison Meier: 18th Century lovers exchanged pictures of their eyes. JSTOR Daily

Stevie Keen shares ten photography projects you can do at home. Amateur Photographer

Eric Gross shares photographs of frozen waves in an alpine Colorado lake. PetaPixel

Jessica Stewart shares enchanting photos of Madeira’s Fanal Forest and its 500-year-old trees. My Modern Met

How Earth’s tides gave us life as we know it. SciShow Space

Tom Ward takes us inside Victor Vescovo’s mission to reach the bottom of all the world’s oceans. Wired

Ruth Doherty reports that Google Earth has released virtual tours of 31 of the world’s most incredible national parks. Country Living

Stella’s best leaf jumps of all time 🙂 Joy!

Lydia Schrandt shares ten of the best animal live cams for you to watch. 10 Best

PBS Eons answers the age-old question. The egg came first.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you take away some inspiration for your next creative project, or just some interesting reading and entertainment to ease your isolation.

This weekend, I’ll be diving into my March next chapter update.

Until then, be well, be kind, and stay strong. Now, more than ever, the world needs your stories!

ThoughtyThursday2019