Research

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

/ Melanie Marttila / 2 Comments

Making up for last week!

Here are 13 reasons we need a change in government up here. Press Progress. And guess what? We got it (!) For better or worse. I hope for better. Really, anything’s got to be better.

Providing safe drinking water on reserves (one of numerous issues First Nations face) is simple. Just do it. The Globe and Mail.

Ken Taylor, the Canadian envoy who hid Americans during Iran Hostage Crisis, died last week. NPR.

Brainpickings has unearthed a rare BBC interview with Carl Jung.

Understanding sleep paralysis. IFLS.

The Psychiatric Times reviews the DSM-5 changes for sleep-wake disorders.

How we might cure Alzheimer’s (TED talks):

IFLS explains why you shouldn’t wear a bra. Your boobs will thank you 🙂

Eight things Michelle Coombs is too old for. The Huffington Post.

Bizarre star may suggest the existence of alien civilisations. BBC.

i09 lists five gruesome murders that inspired spooky ghost stories.

600 year old Henry V warship found in Hampshire river. The Telegraph.

Chivalry isn’t dead. You just don’t know what the fuck it is. Myths retold.

Doctors take women’s pain less seriously. The Atlantic.

Jennifer Lawrence speaks out on wage inequality in Hollywood. Salon.

A male engineering student explains why his female colleagues aren’t his equals. Click-bait title for a fair and thoughtful post. The Huffington Post.

Meg Urry writes about ending sexual harassment in astronomy. We need to do this across not only STEM fields, but all fields. Seriously people. Scientific American.

How California’s largest school district blamed an eighth-grader for her rape. This one made me swear. Copiously. The Atlantic.

Nobody cares how hard you work. 99u.

Ravens can tell if you’re a cheater who can’t be trusted. Corvus corvus rocks my world 🙂 IFLS.

Twin pandas were born last week at the Toronto Metro Zoo. IFLS.

Here’s a Red Panda and a pumpkin 🙂

I hope this will hold you until Saturday when I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the fall season television shows (what I’ve seen so far, at least).

Hang in there. Tomorrow’s Friday.

Now, hie thee to a thoughtery!

Thoughty Thursday

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

/ Melanie Marttila

I must have been a little light-headed last week . . .

Last week, Margaret Atwood had her say. This week, Joseph Boyden takes on Stephen Harper. MacLean’s.

A real nation would not let this happen. Why we need to care more about our First Nations. MacLean’s.

The rise of the teaching class: how the learning landscape is changing, by Simona Chiose for The Globe and Mail.

Arthur B. MacDonald shares the Nobel Prize for his work on neutrinos (done right here in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory – SNO)! CBC.

People can do some crazy things when they’re asleep. Psychiatric Times.

Tommy Walker explains why hope is not a valid social media strategy. ConversionXL.

What Dylan Thomas’s seminal poem can teach us about resilience. Forbes.

i09 shares the ten most excellent nicknames in history.

This song was just on Quantico this evening, and there I was, boogying in my seat. Beck – Dreams:

See you Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Sept 27-Oct 3, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila

Somber and reflective tonight. I turned on the furnace for the first time this fall. *sob*

T squared is bringing the mixed bag. I was challenged to find some kind of logical organization. I kind of gave up. Sorry, but you never know, it might encourage those creative connections.

We have an election coming up in a couple of weeks. I’ve tried not to post too much political stuff, but this is an important issue in Canada, and one that many people still don’t fully understand. Federal NDP candidate, Tom Mulcair, wants scientists to speak their minds. The Toronto Star.

President Obama challenged the media to compare terrorism-related deaths and gun-related deaths. So, Vox did.

Last weekend, there was a supermoon eclipse, or blood moon. Of course, just at we were getting to the good part, it got cloudy 😦

Here’s my consolation: Gizmodo shares their best images of the supermoon eclipse.

And then, Sudbury got hit by a couple of earthquakes, which I didn’t experience at all. CBC.

The Good News Network reports that deforestation in the Amazon has dropped by 90% in the last ten years.

i09 lists the five scariest cults in modern history.

SciShow looks at the real world of forensics:

Red dresses focus attention on Canada’s missing and murdered indigenous women. The Huffington Post.

Other people’s reproductive plans are NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. CBC.

Veritasium wonders, is glass a liquid?

Why Neil deGrasse Tyson is the smartest man on television. The Rolling Stone.

Vi Hart on “Happy Birthday” day:

Why self-care is central to Anna Lovind’s creative life. Annapurna Living.

In light of the Amazon expose, IKEA and Facebook are looking at a shorter work week. CNN.

Ask a Mortician takes a look at medieval zombies:

Here’s a fun bit of satire from The New Yorker: Earth endangered by a new strain of fact-resistant humans (!)

Have you been inspired? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments 🙂

See you again on Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, September 20-26, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila

Strap your thinking caps on people!

Anna Lovind asks, what fears do you have to face to commit to making your dream a reality?

Sir Ken Robinson explores creativity in teaching. Mind/Shift.

Elizabeth Gilbert on the connection between creativity and curiosity. The Science of Us.

The Canadian Supreme Court rules that we have the right to doctor-assisted suicide. A victory for compassion. The Globe and Mail.

One scientist proposes that starting work before 10 am is tantamount to torture. Personally, I’d be inclined to agree, but from the comments when I posted this to Facebook, everyone has their peak times, and many people start their work days early. The Plaid Zebra.

Four ways to recognize gaslighting. Everyday Feminism.

Why your new mantra for inner peace should be “I don’t care.” Elephant Journal.

The one practice you need to be truly happy. MindBodyGreen.

99u presents the four productivity styles.

Music from Anne Boleyn’s songbook is performed for the first time in 500 years. itv.com

A whale fossil was discovered in the mountains. How cool is that? i09.

The secret lives of horses. Scientific American.

How the Dark Net is going mainstream. Jamie Bartlett’s TED Talk.

More proof presented that galaxy-spanning super civilizations do not exist in the local universe. i09.

Hubble captures an incredible image of an exploding star. IFLS.

Cyanobacteria could be the key to colonizing (and terraforming) Mars. Gizmodo.

It’s always good to keep your scientific terms straight. Hypothesis, theory, and law. It’s Okay to be Smart.

Creativity is about seeing interesting and unexpected connections between apparently disparate things. I’ve given you the raw material. Now get thoughty with it.

See you Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, September 13-19, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila

Moar awesome in this curation.

Dan Blank is searching for Tim Cook’s energy bar on 99u. Tips on conserving time and energy for the important stuff.

Your attitude is more important than your IQ. Quartz.

Mindfulness on the rocks. Sudbury’s labyrinth featured on CBC.

Someone explains that Beauty and the Beast is really about intolerance and bullying. Tickld.

Margaret MacPherson finds strength in vulnerability during her summer of sickness. The Globe and Mail.

Elite Daily shares 41 mental health resources you can use when you can’t afford a therapist.

The Black Dot Campaign: a very important initiative in support of victims of domestic abuse. Bustle.

What happens when women aren’t consulted on “girl toy” creation and marketing. GeekXGirls.

Want to keep a secret? Give it to a tree (or bury it beneath). Medieval skeleton found in the roots of a fallen tree. i09.

SF authors take note: Twelve ways humanity could destroy the solar system. i09.

Vertical farming: A solution to the dustbowl future presented by Interstellar? i09.

Nova’s Secret Lives of Scientists features Mayim Bialik (Amy of The Big Bang Theory):

Check out the whole series on YouTube. Lots of cool ladies of science like Jane Goodall 🙂 And, of course, the guys . . . Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Alan Cumming shares his experience losing a pet and what it taught him. I so love this. We did a lot of the same things for Nuala. The Globe and Mail.

A few weeks ago, I shared a dolphin surfing on a whale. Now the seals are in on it! The Boston Globe.

I’ve showed these to you before, but it’s just so cool. In Morocco, the goats live in trees:

Hope some of this inspired some great ideas. That’s the whole point behind Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn for . . . some time now 😀

I should be able to get my shit together for more than pictures this weekend.

See you Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, September 6-12, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

Making up for last week (!)

And happy Friday (yeah, I’m posting this late . . .)!

Brené Brown writes about the physics of vulnerability and what resilient people have in common. Brainpickings.

How Katrina turned a psychiatrist into a coroner. The Atlantic.

Why some people are left-handed. Brainpickings.

Upworthy presents a comic that accurately sums up depression and anxiety and the uphill battle of living with them.

You are home. The Bloggess offers a lovely video and message in honour of World Suicide Prevention Day.

Bianca Sparacino explores how we ruin our lives without realizing it. Thought Catalog.

Everyday fantasia: the world of synesthesia. The American Psychological Association.

Your brain is particularly vulnerable to trauma at two distinct ages. Quartz.

Brainpickings shares Carl Sagan’s thoughts on the meaning of life.

Tornados on the sun? Yup. As long as they’re plasma tornados 🙂 IFLS.

The Daily Dot presents the twelve best science shows on YouTube. I follow several of these 🙂

Here are a couple of them now.

Is body shaming helpful? ASAP Thought.

And SciShow answers the question, why don’t spiders stick to their own webs?

Why people’s opinions of you aren’t real:

Homo Naledi, a new species in human lineage, is found in a South African cave. The New York Times.

The White Wolf Pack shares ten fascinating facts about ravens.

And my musical find of the week is Iron & Wine – Boy with a coin:

Have fun, and I’ll see you on Saturday.

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, August 30-September 5, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

Sorry guys, it was all about the writing this week. Still, I hope you get a few creative ideas from this week’s offerings.

Brainpickings pays tribute to Oliver Sacks: love, lunacy, and a life fully lived.

How kindness became out forbidden pleasure. Brainpickings.

Will the ten worst jobs in history give you any ideas? History Extra.

These ten close-up shots of dragonflies are amazing. Mental Floss.

Tickld shares 30 facts that sound like BS but are actually true.

KLM’s lost and found service:

Thanks for stopping by.

See you on Saturday!

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, August 16-22, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

We’re starting out seriously. Such is the nature of thoughty Thursday.

Anna Lovind’s wish for us all: the year without rape.

Amanda Palmer’s open letter to a fan on the topic of the choice to have a child as a working artist. Brainpickings.

Alison Bechdel gives credit where credit is due: please call it the Bechdel-Wallace test, thankyouverymuch. The Mary Sue.

Check out these anti-suffragette post cards from the early 20th century. Brainpickings.

Alan Watts speaks about death, in a beautifully animated short. Brainpickings.

The Canadian Medical Association is still polarized about doctor-assisted death. CBC.

I’ve just spent two and a half weeks in London, a city with the most wonderful, heritage buildings, well preserved by a concerned municipal council. So I wanted to share this post by Studio 123 that looks at how Sudbury is brightening up its downtown. [Mel’s note: The Forken Spoon is now a pizza joint O.o ]

Watch Jeff Bollow’s TED talk on how to expand your imagination:

Amazing photo captures a plane struck by lightning as it flies through a rainbow. What are the chances? IFLS.

Fire rainbows (actually circumhorizontal arcs) seen over South Carolina. ILFS.

The science of six degrees of separation from Veritasium:

An albino humpback whale! IFLS.

An Outlander post in the Thoughty Thursday curation? Yup. Cause its focus is on herbalism.

Tori Amos is one of my all time favourite musical artists. Silent all these years:

Have a fabulous Friday!

See you Saturday.

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, August 9-15, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila / 4 Comments

Lots of video fun this week 🙂

La Atwood’s hair-larious article in The National Post.

The article was pulled and then reposted, prompting this response in The Globe and Mail.

Professors exile laptops from the classroom. The Globe and Mail.

Buzzfeed presents seventeen graphs that perfectly describe being an introvert.

The lasting impact of natural disaster. The New Yorker.

Lakes across Canada face being turned into mine dump sites. Our water is a natural resource, too. CBC.

What happened when a girl was bullied for liking Star Wars. i09.

Have they found the ancient remains of a real life warrior princess? i09.

Nazi train loaded with gold reported found in Poland. CBC.

Photographer Kristy Mitchell’s “Wonderland” project and how her grief transformed into beauty.

Our greatest delusion. Veritasium.

Smoking vs. vaping. Is one better than the other? Smoker that I am, I think I have to concede that neither is part of a healthy living 😉 ASAP Science.

Were dinosaurs cold blooded, warm blooded, or something in between? SciShow.

Heart melting pictures of pets as they age. It’s the journey we accompany them on . . . BoredPanda.

One couple did a “newborn” photo shoot with their new puppy to keep everyone from asking when they were going to have a baby. Buzzfeed.

A bunch of burrowing owls are intrigued by a camera. Daily picks and flicks.

The walrus workout:

Horses having a ball:

Kate Bush’s “Running up that hill,” from The Dreaming.

And that was your edutainment for the week 🙂

Tomorrow is FRIDAY!

Have a great one.

Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, August 9-15, 2015

/ Melanie Marttila

Getting thoughty with it 😉

Anna Lovind shares her thoughts on the self-talk that can make or break you.

Susan Cain is interviewed on the CBC’s Q about the quiet revolution.

The kindness of strangers connects a poet to her grief. NPR.

The touching advice given to a young man in mourning. Tickld.

You’ve got this. On depression and hope. Be brave, and talk.

The science of being happier. Next Avenue.

Mindy Kaling’s guide to killer self-confidence. Glamor.

Jonathan Fields interviews Debbie Millman on what it takes to design a good life. Brainpickings.

Mary Engelbreit started drawing anti-racist illustrations for children’s books and some of her fans took exception. Buzzfeed.

Rose McGowan: Hollywood whistle blower. Buzzfeed.

Wasn’t sure where to put this . . . Irish Central shares some of the advice that was given to 19th century Irish women.

Eleven things introverts want you to know. The Elephant Journal.

How to get more sleep. Brendan Burchard.

Where do we draw the line between appreciation and appropriation? CBC’s Q.

Sudbury cancer researcher makes promising discovery. The Sudbury Star.

Space lettuce! Gizmodo.

How Minority Report predicted the future with surprising accuracy. Outer Places.

Why smart objects might be a dumb idea. The New York Times.

New report scorches Stephen Harper’s democratic record. Rabble.ca

Federal cuts to MD/PhD program will hamstring research. Just another underhanded move by the Conservatives. CBC.

Rick Mercer: Either Harper was in on it, or he’s psychotic.

Harper’s even made The New York Times: The closing of the Canadian mind.

Strandbeests. Strange and wonderful. The New Yorker.

This new New York carousel puts riders in the middle of a swirling school of mechanized fish. The New York Times.

Have a great weekend. I’ll be back next week with more Tipsday and Thoughty Thursday, and then next weekend, I’ll be back to my weekend posting habits. It’s been a long couple of weeks away from home. Looking forward to getting back to my usual, quiet life.

Thoughty Thursday