Thoughty Thursday

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Jan 20-26, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

There’s just a little bit of thoughty for you this week. Still, I hope something pops your mental corn.

Rob Dunn shares the microscopic wonders of herbs. National Geographic

Rick Tetzeli reports on a radical new approach to Alzheimer’s that could mean a breakthrough. Fortune

Megan Scudellari: a 3D bioprinter makes a spinal implant in 1.6 seconds. Spectrum

SciShow looks into the uncomfortable phenomena of traveller’s constipation. [I just had to know: how do you deal with this lack of shit?]

 

Filmmakers Audrey Buchanan, Carlos Reyes, and Kaylee Cole explore how skateboarding helps members of the San Carlos Apache tribe reclaim their stories and culture. National Geographic

Thanks for stopping by!

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Jan 13-19, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

Three articles. Three videos. I hope something here gets your mental corn popping!

Ali May: you can hike to the end of the world—in a wheelchair. Ozy

Peter Kotecki and Frank Olito look at nine body parts humans no longer need (and some of us don’t even have anymore!). Business Insider

SciShow Psych looks at why music gives us the feels.

 

Shannon Odell: your brain on conspiracy theories. Inverse

 

Maggie Koerth-Baker thinks that the era of easy recycling may be coming to an end. FiveThirtyEight

Beethoven’s 5th Symphony on One Guitar – Marcin Patrzalek (this is freakin’ awesome)

 

And that was thoughty Thursday.

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Jan 6-12, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

YouTube has invaded thoughty Thursday, this week, but it should get your mental corn popping, anyway 🙂

Erin Winick: get ready for these rocket milestones in 2019. MIT Technology Review

SciShow Space wonders if there are planets even more habitable than Earth out there. (Spoilers: the answer is yes!)

 

Veritasium looks at how we determine the spin of a black hole and why it’s important.

 

Ephrat Livni looks at how physics explains why time passes faster as you age. Quartz

Signs of high-functioning depression that you shouldn’t ignore. BetterHelp

 

Ferris Jabr: how beauty is making scientists rethink evolution. The New York Times

Solving the mystery of the Great Unconformity. SciShow

 

What women with autism want you to know. Iris

 

Thanks for stopping by!

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Dec 30, 2018 – Jan 5, 2019

/ Melanie Marttila

Get your mental corn popping with some thoughty this Thursday.

Gloria Hillard reports on how abused wolves and troubled teens find solace in each other. NPR

Kelly McGonigal: how to make stress your friend. TED Talks 2013 (yes, it’s old, but it’s good)

Aida Edemariam delves into Roxane Gay and her philosophy: “Public discourse rarely allows for nuance. And see where that’s gotten us.” The Guardian

Mark Lorch: the periodic tables we almost had. Quartz

Neel V. Patel introduces us to Farout, the newest, most distant member of our solar system. Popular Science

SciShow Space considers why it’s so hard to land on Mars.

 

And then, they compile several of their videos to tell you everything your need to know to live on Mars.

 

Michael Greshko wonders, now that China’s landed on the far side of the moon, what’s next? National Geographic

The “snowman” shape of Ultima Thule is revealed by NASA’s New Horizons. Jonathan Amos for the BBC.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you found something inspiring in the mix.

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Dec 23-29, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Just a few thoughty links to get your mental corn popping. We’re starting off the year … gently.

Kyle Dickman examines how Baldomero Olivera is finding opioid alternatives in cone snail stings. Popular Science

Luke O’Neil revisits “Earthrise” at 50: the photo that changed how we see ourselves. The Guardian

Andrew Fazekas lists the top astronomical events in 2019. National Geographic

Marcelo Duhalde: for Forbidden City concubines in imperial China, beauty was more a curse than a blessing. South China Morning Post

Mack Lamoureux considers the strange case of the Antarctic researcher who allegedly attacked a colleague because he wouldn’t stop spoiling novels. “The two researchers were spending time at the Bellingshausen station for about half a year before Savitsky allegedly went all stabby.” Vice

I hope you found something to inspire your creative efforts.

Come back on the weekend for my next chapter update and 2018 wrap-up post.

Be well until then.

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Dec 16-22, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

I hope something in this mix gets your mental corn popping—or, at least makes you smile.

Julie Compton wonders why boys aren’t getting better access to mental health care. The answers are sad, but unsurprising. NBC

SciShow Psych looks at antisocial personality disorder, of ASPD, and why it’s not the same as introversion.

 

Amanda Shendruk: the line, circle, and triangle that can help you with your holiday anxiety. Quartzy

Charlie Jane Anders: seven trans performers share the challenges they still face and their hopes for the future. Teen Vogue

The Guardian considers the alba amicorum: was it the original Facebook to Renaissance teens?

ASAP Science: this is why the holidays can suck!

 

And two really cute vids, just to bring a wee smile to your lips (and maybe heart?):

Parrot steals bottlecap – and does a victory dance!

 

The pika (AKA bunny-rat) might be the world’s cutest thief! BBC

 

I hope you enjoyed this week’s edutainment mix.

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Dec 2-15, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Last week, I had two skimpy links to offer. As I said, my brain refused to brain in the week following NaNoWriMo. This week, the neurons mustered, and so I have a reasonable selection of stuff to pop your mental corn 🙂

The Guardian editorial staff shares its view on editing human DNA: a bad idea, and badly executed.

This “city” for people with dementia is the future of memory care. Katherine Schwab for Fast Company.

More neuroscience with Shannon Odell. Your brain on hangovers. Inverse

 

David Paul Kirkpatrick is breathing in the light. An instruction in the “Golden Flower” meditation. Better Humans/Medium

Matt Novak: how did Mary Queen of Scots send her secret messages? Paleofuture

Lizzie Philip takes a close-up look at the most influential medical book of the 16th century. Atlas Obscura

Robert Iriondo: differences between AI and machine learning and why it matters. Data Driven Investor

Brandon Specktor reports that Earth’s mysterious “deep biosphere” harbours millions of undiscovered species. NBC

Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that asbestos lurked in its baby powder. Lisa Girion for Reuters.

Christine Ro: the psychology behind stalking. Vice

And on that disturbing note, that was thoughty Thursday.

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Oct 21-27, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Here’s a good selection of articles and posts to get your mental corn popping (making those creative connections).

Fake news and lies: the caravan edition. Jim C. Hines (AKA the voice of reason)

Rachel Monroe profiles the FBI of the National Park Service. Outside

Former CIA chief explains how spies use disguises. Wired

 

Ivan Semeniuk interviews Canada’s newest Nobel Prize winner, Donna Strickland: I just wanted to do something fun. The Globe and Mail

Douglas Fox wants you to meet the endoterrestrials. The Atlantic

Phil Plait shares an awesome video that shows you how big the biggest stars really are. SyFy

Farhad Manjoo: a future where everything becomes a computer is as creepy as you feared. The New York Times

Emily Mullin explains how tuberculosis shaped Victorian fashion. The Smithsonian Magazine

Antonio Regalado relates one family’s race for a gene therapy cure. MIT Technology Review

Diana Kwon reports on the nerve pathway linking the stomach to the brain’s pleasure centers. Scientific American

Alex Williams: maybe your sleep problem isn’t a problem. Me? I’d prefer to sleep until 8 or 9 am and slowly roll into the day. Too bad I can’t actually do that. The New York Times

Sarah DiGuilio explains why some researchers think “brain tingles” could be the next big trend in relaxation. My ASMR aren’t triggered visually or auditorily, but tactilely. I’ve always had a thing for someone running their fingers lightly over my back. I used to bug my best friend to do it when I was a kid. NBC News

Sadie Caron says that nature is a free and easy way to manage anxiety. North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper

Maybe my stoicism and introversion are hard-wired? Laura Studarus explains how the Finnish survive without small talk. BBC

Check out this guilty dogs compilation. Laugh & Grin

 

Be well until the weekend!

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Oct 14-20, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

As we head into the home stretch for the weekend, take some time to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Gloria Galloway reports on the vast region of the Northwest Territories declared an Indigenous protected area. The Globe and Mail

Andi Murphy explains how the Navajo nation is reclaiming its native food culture. Eater

Ephrat Livni: there’s a problem at the heart of #metoo—here’s how we solve it. Quartz

David Freeman: an Antarctic ice shelf is singing, and it sounds like an eerie sci-fi soundtrack. NBC News

Andrew Freedman says, scientists still have hope that climate change can be mitigated. Click through to the UN report if you want to have nightmares, but really, it’s a call to arms. We can still take action to prevent the absolute worst from happening. Axios

SciShow Space reveals how space exploration could be done efficiently through the interplanetary superhighway.

 

Leslie Gonzales shares some lesser-known facts about the Vikings. History 101

Saga Vanacek pulled a 1,500-year-old sword from a lake. The Guardian

Bernhard Warner warns (ha!) of the dangers of building a better bee—frankenbee! The Guardian

The Pet Collective shares some trampoline fun!

 

Bubble time with raccoons. Viral Hog

 

And … that was thoughty Thursday for another week.

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

thoughtythursday2016

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, Oct 7-13, 2018

/ Melanie Marttila

Here are a few links to get your mental corn popping.

Steve LeVine shows us the state of current space exploration efforts worldwide: the new global race to space. Axios

SciShow Space News covers the potential discovery of the first exomoon and ice blades on Europa.

 

Diane Selkirk encounters North America’s nearly forgotten language. BBC

John Paul Brammer profiles eight LGBTQ+ and two-spirit Native Americans changing the world. them

Neri Oxman, working in MIT’s material ecology lab, has intrigued the likes of Björk and Brad Pitt. Penelope Green for The New York Times.

Samantha Nutt proposes the lessons women are asking men to learn. The Globe and Mail

SciShow takes a close, terrifying look at toxic shock syndrome.

 

I am mine. This is what Alzheimer’s looks like at 41. Shannon Proudfoot for McLean’s.

Jim C. Hines shares his thoughts on mental health awareness day (another post about depression).

Jenna Moreci does a special YouTube episode on mental illness, too (with bonus Cliff notes!)

 

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something you can use in your current creative project.

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

thoughtythursday2016