How Juneteenth has evolved over the years from its origins in Texas, and its reception today. How the Xerox machine (and several dozen dalmatian puppies) saved Disney Animation Studios from closing up shop. And a portal for exploring the cosmos… on Google Chrome. Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Links: Honoring Black History on Juneteenth (NY Times) On Juneteenth: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian Annette...
Jun 16, 2021•18 min
A new report from fifty of the world’s leading experts on the need to combine solutions for combatting the climate crisis and our planet’s rapidly declining biodiversity. California’s historically low water levels may have inadvertently helped solve the case of a missing plane that crashed fifty-six years ago. And an update on that telescope NASA is now planning to construct on the far side of the moon. Sponsors: UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Credi...
Jun 15, 2021•17 min
The full story of the man who was swallowed by a humpback whale on Friday and lived to tell the tale. Calories. Who’s responsible for their inclusion in the world of nutrition? Some weird highlights from the history of this controversial measurement. And the growing need for a bill of neuro-rights. Sponsors: Credit Karma, creditkarma.com/podcast UTEP Connect, Apply at online.utep.edu or call UTEP Connect at 1-800-684-UTEP Links: Man swallowed by whale by Cape Cod; MA lobster diver survives humpb...
Jun 14, 2021•20 min
Thanks to a new study that sequenced the genomes of several types of wild melons, we now have a better idea of the origins of the watermelon… but we still don’t know how tornadoes are formed. And that’s a problem. Plus, in a bid to continue dominating all Halloween-themed playlists, Danny Elfman released a new punk rock album today, his first since 1994. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Tornado warnings lag behind hurricane predictions because of a meteorology...
Jun 11, 2021•18 min
A new method of carbon capture that would turn carbon dioxide from the ocean into rocks. Mosquitos beefed up with virus-fighting bacteria have proven even more effective at preventing dengue fever than expected. And the often forgotten history of a turn of the century scientist way ahead of his time and his groundbreaking gender and sexuality clinic that was destroyed by the Nazis. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: To Combat Climate Change, Researchers Want to ...
Jun 10, 2021•20 min
Why some people don’t have a mind’s eye and others can visualize things in incredible detail. Watermelons on Mars and human-animal hybrid babies born across the world––neither of those are true, but if you read two of the biggest newspapers in the US, you might have been led to believe they are. And El Salvador has become the first country to officially recognize bitcoin as currency. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Can't See Pictures in Your Mind? You're Not ...
Jun 09, 2021•19 min
New ocean just dropped. And a new dinosaur species. Big release day. All about the fifth ocean and one of the newest, largest dinosaurs. Plus, what a new cereal says about current marketing trends, the state of cereal as a whole, fan-franchise relationships, and the contemporary fusion of ancient folklore. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: There's a new ocean now—can you name all 5? (National Geographic) New Dinosaur Species Is Australia’s Largest, Researchers ...
Jun 08, 2021•22 min
SpaceX just delivered a bunch of tardigrades and baby squids to the International Space Station. New research finding pupil size is an indicator of intelligence. And why it seems like vaccine lotteries are actually working. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why NASA Is Blasting Water Bears And Bobtail Squid Into Space (NPR) NASA Squid In SpaceX Mission To International Space Station (Jalopnik) SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Mission to Space Station (NASA) NA...
Jun 07, 2021•20 min
COVID-19 precautions largely prevented outbreaks of the flu this past winter, and they also may have caused two types of flu viruses to go extinct. Spinking of extinction, sharks apparently lost 90% of their population 19 million years ago and never fully recovered. And what day-to-day life is like for the first team to arrive at the Tokyo Olympic campus. Links: Flu virus became less diverse, simplifying task of making flu shots (STAT News) [January] Flu Cases Dramatically Low So Far This Season...
Jun 04, 2021•21 min
What if your pick-up truck could power your whole neighborhood? That’s the potential people are imagining with the new Ford F-150 Lightning. The science behind why unique people are more attractive. And updates from the annual State of NASA address, including the latest planet they’ll be returning to. Links: Can Millions of New Ford F-150 Trucks Become a Clean-Energy Storage Grid? (Curbed) 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Revealed! The Electric Pickup Has a Shockingly Low Price, Mega Specs (Motortrend)...
Jun 03, 2021•22 min
John Steinbeck’s secret unpublished werewolf novel that his estate doesn’t want you to read. Lithuania built a portal to Poland and more may soon follow. And set your alarms for the “ring of fire” solar eclipse next week. Links: Yes, Steinbeck Wrote a Werewolf Novel. Don’t Expect to Read It. (NY Times) John Steinbeck’s estate urged to let the world read his shunned werewolf novel (The Guardian) John Steinbeck's Lost Werewolf Novel Is HBO Max Gold (Jezebel) Beast of Eden tweet (Erik M. Gregersen,...
Jun 02, 2021•17 min
Five hundred years later the Medicis continue to ruin Michelangelo’s artworks, but fortunately some bacteria are on the scene to restore his works to their former glory. The new naming scheme for COVID-19 variants. And the story of Allandale, Texas––once the only village in the entire world to be fully air conditioned. Links: Send in the Bugs. The Michelangelos Need Cleaning. (NY Times) Bacteria get a fresh gig as art restorers in Italy (The Verge) Is it all Greek to you? Coronavirus variants ge...
Jun 01, 2021•17 min
Seven counties in the US state of Oregon have now voted to leave their state behind and merge with neighboring Idaho. Could this actually work? A new English dictionary of Ancient Greek fully and explicitly makes up for the modesty of its previous Victorian translators. And the best way to cook a hot dog. Links: Oregon's Rural Counties Search for Representation With Idaho (Business Insider) Don Kahle: Greater Idaho: thinking it through Don Kahle (The Register-Guard) Their Own Private Idaho: Five...
May 28, 2021•19 min
Potentially good news for longterm COVID-19 immunity. Pizza farms, not just a figment of my imagination, apparently they’re a real and wonderful thing. And the story of a naked mole rat named Joe who just won’t die, and what he could mean for human longevity. Links: Immunity to the Coronavirus May Persist for Years, Scientists Find (NY Times) Vaccinated COVID-19 survivors may be immune for life, according to new research (Mic) Pizza farm (Wikipedia) Pizza-shaped farm draws tourists with organic ...
May 27, 2021•18 min
Dr. B was the most well-known nationwide vaccine finder in the US. But did anyone actually end up getting their vaccine through the service? Plus, the artist raising awareness about the gender gap on the moon, Disneyland’s $100 sandwich and the newest Willy Wonka on the block. Links: Vaccine waitlist Dr. B collected data from millions. But how many did it help? (MIT Technology Review) We Know What You Did During Lockdown video (Kottke, Financial Times) An Artist Sketches the Giant Gender Gap on ...
May 26, 2021•19 min
The flavorful history of frozen pizza. We check in on how the pandemic continues to affect our dreams. And meet the dude actually taking advantage of Krispy Kreme’s free donut a day offer for vaccinated people. Links: Frozen Pizza History: Ready To Heat, Nearly Ready To Eat (Tedium) Pizza Was the Restaurant Hero of 2020 (NY Times) Frozen pizza sales are red hot and expected to outlast the pandemic (CBC) How Frozen Pizza Got Hot (Published 2004) (NY Times) Covid: How the pandemic is affecting you...
May 25, 2021•19 min
The latest floating wind farm technology and the part of the US that could make the biggest difference when it comes to offshore wind energy. What we can learn from the Amish about how we use technology. Links: Why the Northeast Could Be America's New Energy Capital Wind farms rivaling the output of coal (NY Mag) GE's designs controls for offshore wind turbines to ride the waves (The Verge) To be more tech-savvy, borrow these strategies from the Amish (Psyche) Biden admin wants to bring sexy bac...
May 24, 2021•19 min
The Brood X cicadas have reemerged and are losing their butts due to a zombie-inducing fungus. Bald eagles are reemerging from the brink of extinction, causing a new trend in puppy fashion: incredibly punk spiky vests. And one of the best fictional bands, Mouse Rat, has reemerged from the Pit to produce an actual real album coming later this summer. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: A Fungus Is Pushing Cicada Sex Into Hyperdrive And Leav...
May 21, 2021•19 min
Why the sun is about to get quite temperamental and how that could spell danger for NASA’s upcoming lunar mission. In other sun news, the case for turning airports into giant solar farms. And a website that will help make your Twitter timeline a bit more pleasant––if you’re okay with taking a rather extreme route. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: How space weather could wreck NASA’s return to the moon (MIT Technology Review) The sun is g...
May 20, 2021•18 min
A promising method for producing carbon-neutral gasoline from, basically, thin air. The strange story of the very first ransomware attack. And the surprisingly long history of bizarre ice cream flavors. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: How to Make Carbon-Neutral Gasoline Out of Thin Air (NY Magazine) The bizarre story of the inventor of ransomware (CNN) Ransomware attacks can take down pipelines but you could be at risk too (CNN) Who Inv...
May 19, 2021•17 min
What’s next now that China has officially landed their first rover on Mars? How come us mammals don’t have bright, fluorescent plumage like birds or cool neon stripes like bugs? A panel of scientists weighs in. And the little-known detail that makes the real-life story of the Brontë sisters even more goth and tragic than it already was. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: China has landed a rover on Mars for the first time—here’s what happe...
May 18, 2021•20 min
The microscopic error with major implications that seems to have delayed public health officials in acknowledging the aerosol transmission of COVID-19. Why Shrek continues to endure as a touchstone of internet culture and how it changed the game for animated films. And a quick look at two new video games doing some good in the world. Sponsor: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke Links: The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill (Wired) How “S...
May 17, 2021•22 min
What a new lawsuit against TikTok says about the rights of actors who lend their likeness to AI and similar projects. How nostalgia could help you make connections when you return to the office. And what is even the point of wasps? Sponsors: America Dissected, americadissected.com Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Actor says TikTok used her voice without permission for viral text-to-speech feature (The Verge) Actor sues TikTok for using her voice in viral tool (BBC) Voi...
May 14, 2021•19 min
How Netflix’s new top ten lists actually work, some other features they’re testing out, and what their findings mean for the future of algorithmic recommendations. Plus, how drones are helping change what we thought we knew about great white sharks––in both good ways and bad. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews America Dissected, americadissected.com Links: The Real Story Behind Netflix's 'Top Ten' Most Popular Lists (Vulture) Spying on California's great white sharks ...
May 13, 2021•17 min
A look at how epidemiologists are approaching their personal returns to everyday life. How Denmark has quadrupled their cardiac arrest survival rate and whether the same system could be adopted in other nations. And a program that will make your website inaccessible to visitors every night, all in the name of improving health and wellbeing. Sponsors: America Dissected, americadissected.com Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How US Epidemiologists Are Returning (Carefully...
May 12, 2021•19 min
A new book digs into the origins of Amazon’s Alexa and allegedly reveals the woman who provided the voice for their original virtual assistant. A teenage wannabe influencer from France is set to be Italy’s next queen. Didn’t think Italy had royal leaders anymore? You’re right. And someone should tell this noble family that. And, screw the free donuts and half-hearted store coupons we have as incentives in America, Romania is offering vaccinations inside Dracula’s castle! Sponsors: Indeed, Get a ...
May 11, 2021•19 min
America is off candy. All we want is chicken wings and lumber. At least according to the market. A productivity hack that lets you celebrate your accomplishments instead of wallowing in frustration about your unfinished tasks. And space coins. I somehow have multiple stories about space coins for you today. Sponsors: America Dissected, americadissected.com Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why is there chicken wing shortage? How Covid-19 spurred a rise in chicken wing p...
May 10, 2021•19 min
No, there is not evidence of mushrooms on Mars, and the story of how that misinformation spread yesterday goes even deeper than you may think. Part of the rocket China launched at the end of last month is hurtling uncontrollably back to Earth and no one exactly knows where it will land. And LEGO dropped an ASMR mixtape. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Links: N...
May 07, 2021•20 min
Are you cheugy? Am I cheugy? What the heck is cheugy? The more we post photos of ourselves online, the easier it is for AIs to recognize us. But what if there were a way for them to forget our faces? And a useful site that will tell you exactly how long you need to watch any TV show you want. Sponsors: Our Opinions Are Correct, Subscribe on Apple Podcasts ouropinionsarecorrect.com Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Links: Cheugy: Is New TikTok Slang A...
May 06, 2021•17 min
Company tries running Facebook ads that transparently point out how Facebook ads work. Facebook blocks the ads. Shocking! Mermaid diving––like free diving but while wearing a mermaid tail––is quickly becoming a real sport. Dunbar’s number says human brains can’t keep up with more than 150 casual friendships, but new research disagrees. And it’s time to vote on a name for the newest baby raven at the Tower of London. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.c...
May 05, 2021•19 min
