The countercultural witchcraft music of the 1960s, and a study exploring what it is about certain songs that give us a spine-tingling chill. Plus, elephants in Mozambique have evolved to be born without tusks. And the guy who discovered a budget hack for spending just $150 on meals all year: eat every meal at Six Flags. Sponsor: NetSuite, netsuite.com/kottke Links: 13 Vintage Halloween Songs from the 1910's, 20's, & 30's (History Tea Time with Lindsay Holiday, YouTube) A Look Back at America...
Oct 25, 2021•19 min
Thanks to a collab between trees and the sun, we can now pinpoint an exact year that the Vikings were in North America. Plus, are sirens actually effective tools for emergency vehicles? And why are apples associated with Halloween? Like what is up with apple bobbing? Sponsor: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Vikings visited North America in 1021 AD, long before Columbus (Syfy) Vikings Were in the Americas Exactly 1,000 Years Ago (NY Times) Sirens: Loud, Ineffective a...
Oct 22, 2021•19 min
Open captions are coming to the big screen as AMC Theaters takes a big step towards accessibility, and a look at captions’ growing popularity among the hearing. Plus, how some of the most popular memes are completely inaccessible. And the group of museums who have started an OnlyFans account. Sponsor: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: AMC Is Expanding Its Open Film Captioning Support Across the U.S. (Gizmodo) Do deaf people go to the movies? (Quora) Lauren Ridloff, MC...
Oct 21, 2021•20 min
A brief history of one of the most famous pizzas on the internet. Surgeons have successfully transplanted a kidney from a genetically-altered pig to a human. And how to watch the Orionid Meteor Shower this week, if the big ol’ full moon doesn’t get in your way. Sponsor: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: "On this day in history: "None pizza with left beef" was first..." (Adam Quinn, Twitter) The Great Pizza Orientation Test (The Sneeze) None Pizza with Left Beef | Spec...
Oct 20, 2021•19 min
A look at the micronation of Westarctica, whose Grand Duke Travis started a nonprofit arm of the micronation to raise awareness about the consequences of the climate emergency in Western Antarctica. Plus, AstroAccess successfully completed their first zero-g flight with their disability ambassadors, taking an important step towards space accessibility and inclusivity. And, in our latest shortage report: the 12 foot Home Depot Skeletons. Sponsor: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/ko...
Oct 19, 2021•18 min
How the push to search for signs of life on exoplanets fueled the development of the technology we use in our latest generation of smartphones. Plus, what your punctuation habits can say about you as a writer––and a new website based on a 2016 art project that allows you to visually analyze those findings. And walruses from space! Sponsor: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: How the Search for Extraterrestrial Life Helped Make Your Smartphone’s Screen Possible (Wall Str...
Oct 18, 2021•19 min
A proposal for approaching this next phase of the pandemic less like an epidemiologist and more like an engineer. Plus, new findings from the Mars Perseverance rover that has NASA breathing a sigh of relief. And product placement in novels, added without the author’s knowledge. It’s a real thing that I hope remains in the past. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Reimagining our pandemic problems with the mindset of an...
Oct 15, 2021•19 min
Should you read the spoilers for horror movies before you watch them? Plus, a butterfly species in Finland with parasitic wasps in its belly… and even more wasps inside of that one. And, what if instead of lamps we one day use glowing plants to light our homes? Sponsors: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Read Spoilers First So You Can Watch a Horror Movie Without Feeling Terrible (Lifehacker) Spoiler alert: spoilers make you e...
Oct 14, 2021•21 min
How candy corn went from a year round candy marketed at farmers to the love-to-hate it Halloween treat it is today. Plus, a new interactive image gallery that starkly shows what effects three degrees of global warming will have on coastal cities around the world. And, in ten years, one of the biggest comets ever recorded will be passing by Earth. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Why Is Candy Corn the Most Hated Hall...
Oct 13, 2021•21 min
What is it that makes spiders so frightening to us, and why do most of us kill them without sparing a second thought? Plus, a Scottish nightclub that’s using the body heat of their dancing patrons to heat and cool the venue. And Prince Charles, trying to out British everyone else, fuels up his Aston Martin with England’s finest wine and cheese byproducts. Sponsors: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why so many of us are casual...
Oct 12, 2021•16 min
It’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day. More and more local governments are making it official, but why did we start celebrating Columbus Day to begin with? Plus, the impressive and gnarly competition to be crowned Miss Navajo Nation. And the history of National Coming Out Day, including the connection between Pride celebrations and Halloween. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Biden is first president to mark Indigenous People...
Oct 11, 2021•23 min
The winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have been announced! As well as the winners in Chemistry and Literature. More on each winner, as well as a question about whether we really need the Nobel Prize. Plus, the remnants of the oldest Black church in the US have been uncovered in Colonial Williamsburg. And a Google AI has recreated famous works of art by Gustav Klimt that were lost in World War II. Sponsors: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Links: Maria Ressa is only the 18th woman to win the Nobel Peace ...
Oct 08, 2021•19 min
The WHO has officially approved the first-ever malaria vaccine. The United States Postal Service is trying out being a bank. And the story of a white-naped crane named Walnut who fell in love with a human named Crowe. Sponsor: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Links: World Health Organization Approves First Malaria Vaccine (NY Mag) Malaria vaccine: When will it be available? (BBC) World's first malaria vaccine gets WHO recommendation (NPR) WHO recommends groundbreaking malaria vaccine for children at ri...
Oct 07, 2021•19 min
A Russian film crew have arrived on the International Space Station to shoot the first-ever feature length film in space. A woman has received a brain implant that is successfully treating her depression by painlessly zapping her hundreds of times a day. And the seventeenth century health trend that was all the rage in Europe: corpse medicine. Sponsor: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Links: This Russian duo are set to make the first feature film in space (Euro News) Russian film crew in orbit to make ...
Oct 06, 2021•20 min
Are we prepared to reckon with how much of the world came to a stop when Facebook went down yesterday? Plus, thanks to a new discovery, you may soon be able to find out if you had an identical twin in the womb using just a simple cheek swab. And it’s Nobel Prize week! The winners announced thus far produced groundbreaking work using everything from spin glass to chili peppers. Sponsor: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Links: Why Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp All Went Down Today (Wired) Millions ...
Oct 05, 2021•19 min
The sexist history of the rollerboard suitcases. Plus, the facts about Merck’s new COVID-19 antiviral pill, including its connection to Thor. And the return of Nick Lutsko’s absurdist Spirit Halloween music videos. Sponsor: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Links: Meet molnupiravir, Merck’s Thor-inspired pill that hammers COVID (Ars Technica) How Merck's Covid-19 pill molnupiravir could change the Covid-19 pandemic (Vox) Merck's antiviral pill reduces hospitalization of Covid patients (STAT) How Merck's...
Oct 04, 2021•18 min
The persisting myth of tampered-with and tainted trick-or-treat candy, and why it’s an urban legend that will never die. Plus, how we humans produce speech and a website that shows you both the beautiful engineering and the chaos of our mouths. And a selection of haunted houses you can sleep over at in case you’re looking to up the ante on your spooky experiences this month. Sponsor: NetSuite, netsuite.com/kottke Links: For the Last Time: No One Is Trying to Give Your Kid Edibles (LifeHacker) Co...
Oct 01, 2021•16 min
The very American history of the Chinese takeout box, and a look at the new “Americancore” trend. Plus, archaeologists have uncovered a hidden neighborhood in the ancient Maya city of Tikal that sheds new light on the imperialism of the Teotihuacán. And a lost David Bowie album is finally being released. Sponsor: NetSuite, netsuite.com/kottke Links: The Chinese Takeout Box is As American As Baseball and Apple Pie (The Dieline) Chinese Food Delivery Containers, Explained (Eater) The Chinese-Takeo...
Sep 30, 2021•19 min
What will happen to the bodies of people who die on Mars? Plus, AI has indicated that a famous painting at the National Gallery might be a phoney. And festival-goers at Glastonbury are endangering rare eels with their drug-addled refusal to use public toilets. Sponsor: NetSuite, netsuite.com/kottke Links: How Would Humans Decompose on Mars? (Discover) What Happens If Someone Dies on Mars? (Atlas Obscura) How to die on Mars (Space) Was famed Samson and Delilah really painted by Rubens? No, says A...
Sep 29, 2021•19 min
Could removing methane from the atmosphere be a viable strategy for slowing global warming? And are all of these disparate new ideas and strategies to solve the climate crisis going to lead to real solutions? Plus, pulling back the curtain on the on-going supply chain problems. And the crypto-trading hamster showing up the pros. Sponsor: NetSuite, netsuite.com/kottke Links: Pulling methane out of the atmosphere could slow global warming—if we can figure out how to do it (MIT Technology Review) C...
Sep 28, 2021•18 min
How 19th century New Yorkers took advantage of a loophole in the strict drinking laws and ended up creating the world’s worst sandwich. Plus, a supernova that’s been missing since the twelfth century has been found! And how a young woman on Tiktok accidentally caused havoc to thousands of scientific studies. Sponsor: NetSuite, netsuite.com/kottke Links: To Evade Pre-Prohibition Drinking Laws, New Yorkers Created the World's Worst Sandwich (Atlas Obscura) A supernova missing since 1181 AD has fin...
Sep 27, 2021•19 min
Ancient footprints discovered in New Mexico are shaking up what we thought we knew about when humans first arrived in the Americas. Plus, how much plastic do we unknowingly ingest each year? The answer is probably more than you’re comfortable with, but it also turns out that babies take in way more of it than adults. And a new, very unauthorized website that will bring you Chick-fil-A on a Sunday. Sponsors: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Ancient Foot...
Sep 24, 2021•22 min
The dark side of the history of epidemiology. Plus, a study that proves, yes actually, birds were louder and more numerous during lockdown. And two women in their hundreds who have lived incredible lives and refuse to quit doing what they love. Sponsors: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Links: How Transatlantic Slave Trade Shaped Epidemiology Today (TIME) Birds Thrived During Covid-19 Lockdowns, New Study Shows (Wall Street Journal) Fri. 05/15 - Have Birds Go...
Sep 23, 2021•19 min
Sharing some reflections, some poetry, and a bit of a historical context on what it is that makes fall strike such a strong chord with so many of us, in honor of this first day of fall. And a look at NASA’s upcoming Lucy mission to Jupiter’s asteroids that somehow includes facts about the Beatles, Mexican track and field athlete Norma Enriqueta Basilio Sotelo, and The Iliad. Sponsors: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Between Restlessness and Rapture: A...
Sep 22, 2021•20 min
How Ted Lasso filled a whole stadium for a crowd scene during the pandemic, and how advances, especially in AI, are beginning to change filmmaking. Plus, a Colorado man has won a yearlong treasure hunt for golden tickets, making him the new owner of a candy factory. That last part wasn’t a joke. It was literally a golden ticket competition for a candy factory. And finally, an ambient noise website for the most chaotic among you. Sponsors: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Novo, BankNov...
Sep 21, 2021•18 min
The history and science of mosh pits. Exciting developments in the treatment of poison ivy reactions, including a possible vaccine. And how to catch tonight’s Harvest Moon, and why we call it that. Sponsors: Novo, BankNovo.com/kottke Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Moshing: The History, Anatomy & Art Of The Dance Form (Consequence of Sound) The Science Behind Mosh Pits (Professor Politics, YouTube) Moshpits.js (Jesse Silverberg et al) Mosh Pits Teach Us About the Physics o...
Sep 20, 2021•18 min
The history and future of food trucks, and a look at the old tradition of “night lunch.” The visually-striking lanternfly that eastern US states are begging people to kill. And why you may not be getting that book you ordered anytime soon. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Before Food Trucks, Americans Ate 'Night Lunch' From Beautiful Wagons (Atlas Obscura) The Rise of the Taco Truck (JSTOR Daily) Taco Bell's Subscription Service: W...
Sep 17, 2021•17 min
How the social lives of the characters from Jane Austen’s novels are analogous to our digital ones today, and what we can learn from them about being over-stimulated. Plus, a study illustrating how we could build bases on Mars out of astronaut blood. And a couple of updates from the world of LEGO. Sponsors: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Is Jane Austen the Antidote to Social Media Overload? (JSTOR Daily) Scientists Want to Build Mars Bases...
Sep 16, 2021•21 min
SpaceX’s Inspiration4 all-civilian crew is blasting off tonight in Cape Canaveral. Here’s everything you need to know about the historic launch. Plus, the Māori Party in New Zealand has introduced a petition to rename the country its Māori language name, Aotearoa. And a newly identified species of insect has been named after RuPaul. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: SpaceX's Latest Mission Will Launch Four People Into Orbit (NY Time...
Sep 15, 2021•19 min
How gas stations actually make money, and their prospects for the future. Steve Wozniak says Don’t Mess With Space. And, a timeless question for the ages: how many s’mores could you make from the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters ? Sponsors: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why most gas stations don't make money from selling gas (The Hustle) Apple Cofounder Steve Wozniak Starting Space Company Privateer (Business Insider) Ste...
Sep 14, 2021•19 min
