The story of the man who invented the N95 mask. Birds in Canada have changed their tune in an unprecedented way that has stumped scientists. How to become a citizen scientist. The sixteenth century “reading machine” recreated by engineering students in 2018. And a new way to annoy your coworkers. Links: Peter Tsai invented N95 masks. He's come out of retirement to join the covid-19 fight. (Washington Post) Sparrows are singing a new song, in a rapid, unprecedented shift (National Geographic) Bir...
Jul 07, 2020•20 min
Scientists have discovered insects that have retained their shine after 99 million years. How to properly read an election poll, plus a little on Kanye West’s presidential campaign. After perhaps the most explosive Fourth of July in decades here in the states, is America now running out of fireworks? And the most American thing ever happened in Alaska over the weekend. Sponsor: Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership Links: These insects preserved in amber are ...
Jul 06, 2020•15 min
The full story behind America’s national anthem. The other American holiday kicking off this weekend that you may not have heard of. The legendary exploding whale of Oregon gets its own memorial park. And NASA’s 4K ten-year time lapse of the sun. Sponsor: Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership Links: The True Story Of Who Wrote 'The Star-Spangled Banner' (All That’s Interesting) This Week, Be Nice to Joisey. Oops. Jersey (NY Times) July 3-9 is Official Be Nice...
Jul 02, 2020•17 min
Physicists give us the lowdown on human teleportation. Some tips for taking actually impressive photos of fireworks this weekend. The nuns moonlighting as bartenders in Milwaukee. What works and what doesn’t for keeping mosquitos away. And the Katmai National Park bear cam is officially back. Links: Could Teleporting Ever Work? (Gizmodo) How to Take Awesome Photos of Fireworks With Your Phone (Wired) The Best Ways to Get Rid of Mosquitoes (Lifehacker) These Wristbands and Pricey Gadgets Don't Ke...
Jul 01, 2020•20 min
A massive star has vanished. Or collapsed into a black hole. We’re not really sure. The story behind the new 3D-printed plant-based meats. Tips on how to finish your side project. And why Dairy Queen isn’t allowed to say they sell “ice cream” and what Margaret Thatcher has to do with that. Links: A Massive Star Has Disappeared Without a Trace (Gizmodo) Did This Star Turn Into A Black Hole When We Weren’t Looking? (Forbes) These plant-based steaks come out of a 3D printer (Fast Company) How to fi...
Jun 30, 2020•19 min
A barber who’s invented a new, safe way to give people haircuts. The son who embarked on an eighty-five day solo trip across the Atlantic ocean to get to his dad’s 90th birthday after the coronavirus canceled all flights. An experiment in Australia that’s been running for almost a hundred years. Why we feel strangely "aggressive" impulses towards pets and babies we find unbearably cute. And a website that helps you virtually relive your daily commute. Sponsor: betterhelp.com/REPORT , for 10% off...
Jun 29, 2020•15 min
The church created to circumvent a loophole in Tennessee's elections. VR is getting smell-o-vision, but smelling things is not actually the point. How to prevent your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask. And a website that aims to combine the best of old fashioned TV channel surfing and the weird wonders of the web. Sponsors: OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership Links: A New Church in Tennessee Exists Purely to H...
Jun 26, 2020•16 min
Tips for collaborating with coworkers and other ways to maximize working from home. NASA wants your help designing a toilet for their next trip to the moon. How unwanted pests in some store-bought broccoli turned into a wholesome Twitter saga. And a new way to keep up to date with your favorite directors. Sponsors: Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Links: How to Work From Home Successfully (NY Times) NASA wants to hear...
Jun 25, 2020•16 min
A smart sponge that may be the key to cleaning up oil spills. How to mentally prepare as your town reopens. DIY instructions for making your own beehive bed. And the blossoming audience members that attended Monday night’s performance at the Barcelona opera house. Sponsors: OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership Links: Game-Changing New Smart Sponge Soaks Up Oil Spills, Saving Water And Wildlife (Forbes) How to Mentally Pre...
Jun 24, 2020•14 min
A pet robot that’s helping cure COVID-19 loneliness. If you thought the fireworks going off every night in your town was bad, let me tell you about a city in France that has set them off every single day for 150 years. Jurassic Park was #1 in the US box offices this past weekend. Like, the original Jurassic Park . From 1993. And are you ready to go to Flavortown, Ohio? Sponsors: Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Links:...
Jun 23, 2020•16 min
Another Neolithic structure discovered just down the street from Stonehenge. Why some people are more resilient than others. The cardboard cutouts stadiums are using in lieu of real, flesh-based human fans. And a contract job that will pay you $10,000 to record your bowel movements. Sponsors: OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 for a free trial membership Links: Stonehenge: Neolithic monument found near sacred site (BBC) What Makes Some People More...
Jun 22, 2020•17 min
Father’s Day-–its origins and how it’s celebrated around the world. How the astronauts onboard the International Space Station are giving a whole new meaning to “space cake.” A fake Nirvana song made with artificial intelligence. A library that is completely for the birds. And some more of the coolest videos I’ve seen this week for you to queue up this weekend. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: Father's Day Facts (Mental Floss) How 9 Countries Celebrate Father's Da...
Jun 19, 2020•17 min
Ahead of Juneteenth, a bit of background on its origins and the fight to make it a federal holiday. The inventor of the Segway has a plan to mass produce human organs. The productivity lifehack that lets you complain as much as you want. And the rickroll to end all rickrolls that happened just yesterday. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: Inside the Push to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday (TIME) Here are the companies observing Juneteenth this year (CNBC) NY, Vir...
Jun 18, 2020•18 min
The Statue of Liberty arrived in the US on this day in 1885––a look at its original intended meaning. How our poop could help flatten the curve. The Boccaccio Project that’s capturing the music of quarantine. And a video camera returned to its owners after being stolen over twenty years ago. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: The Statue of Liberty was created to celebrate freed slaves, not immigrants, its new museum recounts (Washington Post) New Statue of Liberty M...
Jun 17, 2020•15 min
A new promising treatment for COVID-19. Good news for LGBTQ+ Americans. Why people are more honest when they’re typing on their smartphones versus on their computers. The one man who created the stuffed crust pizza, the McGriddle, the Quizno’s Steakhouse Beef Dip, the Dollar Menu, and more. And a Taiwanese airport trying to make a tourist attraction out of all the worst parts of traveling. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: Scientists hail dexamethasone as 'major br...
Jun 16, 2020•19 min
The Kentucky tattoo shop fighting back against extremism. A small town in Washington that has straight up decided to start printing their own money. The science behind why heroes tend to downplay their heroic acts. And the dads who keep making and racing pinewood derby cars long after their kids graduate from Cub Scouts. Sponsors: BetterHelp, Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/REPORT FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: A Kentucky tattoo shop is offering to cover u...
Jun 15, 2020•17 min
With fans not allowed in stadiums, some sports leagues are using computer-generated crowds to fill the stands. If your hair has grown to a completely unmanageable length, this new site can help. Scientists have discovered massive unidentified structures deep beneath the earth’s surface. How to work out like a medieval night. And some video recommendations for your weekend queue. Links: Spanish soccer returns with computer-generated crowds, and it actually works (The Verge) Artificial crowd noise...
Jun 12, 2020•18 min
Weird comfort foods born out of historic times of discomfort. How to hug during a pandemic. Electric vehicle batteries may get a second life. Drones are now delivering library books to kids in Virginia. And the best custom birthday videos on the internet. Links: 6 Comfort Foods Born of Historic Times of Discomfort (Atlas Obscura) How to Hug During a Pandemic (NY Times) Used EV Batteries Could Power Tomorrow's Solar Farms (IEEE) Google sister company Wing will fly library books to students by dro...
Jun 11, 2020•20 min
The WHO’s new official advice on mask-wearing do’s and don’t’s. The 103 year-old retired Belgian doctor hoping to make a difference in the coronavirus effort. Archaeologists have uncovered an entire ancient Roman city without digging a single thing. Could going for walks replace your coffee habit? A Japanese zoo pivots to fashion. And an Italian woman who didn’t let a little thing like brain surgery get in the way of her cooking. Links: Here’s what WHO says your mask should have to prevent COVID...
Jun 10, 2020•18 min
A look at when epidemiologists will personally be resuming various daily activities. The real people behind one of Apple’s most famous sound effects. How dropping f-bombs might actually be a useful strategy. And the first American woman to walk in space makes history again. Links: When 511 Epidemiologists Expect to Fly, Hug and Do 18 Other Everyday Activities Again (NY Times) I was one of the kids who voiced the famous recording of the “kidscheering.aif” sound effect, which was later popularised...
Jun 09, 2020•18 min
New Zealand has officially reduced their number of coronavirus cases to zero. Apple apparently patented technology for socially-distanced group selfies. How to order first-class stamps with your face on them. What paleontologists predict animals will look like in the future. The weird music coming from the Golden Gate Bridge. And a Belgian man plagued by mysterious prank pizza deliveries. Links: New Zealand Has a 95% Chance of Eliminating Coronavirus (The National Interest) With No Current Cases...
Jun 08, 2020•17 min
A further look at the emerging controversy surrounding the data analytics company behind that big hydroxychloroquine study. Another study shows that humans apparently really do want to be kind to each other. Some perfectly specific words from other languages that have no direct English translation. It’s National Donut Day! Which it turns out, wasn’t invented by Dunkin––a look at its longer and more noble history. And some recommended videos to watch this weekend. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month f...
Jun 05, 2020•17 min
Confirmed case numbers continue to rise around the world as places that were previously spared are now the sites of major outbreaks. How do libraries disinfect books? Isaac Newton’s little known cure for the plague. New synthetic red blood cells that can act as a mechanism for therapeutic drug delivery. And Big Bird’s upcoming CNN Town Hall. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: Approximate Percentage of the Population That Has COVID-19 Antibodies (Scott Gottlieb, Twit...
Jun 04, 2020•16 min
The data analytics company throwing several major COVID-19 studies into question. How the pandemic has changed the way we sleep. Why shoe companies used to use x-rays to sell shoes. And South Korea’s gift to the Navajo Nation. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: Japan to give people US$190 a day to boost domestic travel (South China Morning Post) Coronavirus: Ibuprofen tested as a treatment (BBC) A mysterious company’s coronavirus papers in top medical journals may b...
Jun 04, 2020•17 min
A six month check in on the coronavirus. tl;dr it’s going to last a long time, wear a mask. Recreating what Johann Sebastian Bach’s music sounded like to him. The introvert and extrovert’s guide to thriving during lockdown. And even more evidence that dogs are indeed very good boys. Sponsors: FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 Links: Six Months of Coronavirus: Here’s Some of What We’ve Learned (New York Times) What Did Bach Sound Like ...
Jun 02, 2020•20 min
Is COVID-19 actually a vascular disease, not a respiratory one? And is the virus itself getting weaker? Plus, kicking off Pride Month with a look at how much same-sex weddings have boosted the US economy. Could human hibernation become a thing? A new exoplanet that could sustain life. And a 19th century clergyman’s advice for dealing with low spirits and isolation. Sponsors: OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews FitBod, Get one month free at Fitbod.me/goodnews Links: Coronavirus May Be a Blood Ve...
Jun 01, 2020•18 min
Today we’re looking at the different ways the virus spreads and what measures can be taken to prevent spread in different contexts. A new study shows coronavirus epidemics may have started later than originally thought. Plus, the grad student who solved a problem that had stumped experts for half a century. Why Sweden celebrates Taco Friday. And a round-up of Star Wars-related media to check out this weekend. Sponsors: Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/go...
May 29, 2020•20 min
Is the coronavirus more dependent on super spreaders than we thought? Research indicates possible biological markers to determine how severely an individual will react to COVID-19. And how the decline of local journalism is taking a toll on America’s small towns. Plus, will we be able to trust our memories of this time? Cannibalistic dinosaurs. And why oranges are sold in red mesh bags. Sponsors: OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 Links: Here’s th...
May 28, 2020•21 min
A third of Americans now show signs of clinical anxiety and depression. A round-up of where and how the virus spreads, including how safe you may be on planes and going into the office. Plus, the details behind the futuristic SpaceX flight suits. The woman on TikTok trying to trade a bobby pin for a house. And a soothing soundscape of narwhals. Sponsors: Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 303030 OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Links: More People Are Taking Drugs for Anxiety and Insomni...
May 27, 2020•19 min
Young people are getting sick with COVID-19 in very high numbers in Brazil. A rundown on what we know and don’t know at this point. And an argument against immunity passports. Plus, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launches tomorrow. A new space tax proposal. The world’s oldest living cat celebrates his birthday. How to get free pizza if you’re a graduating senior. And Catholic priests’ new weapon to fight coronavirus. Sponsors: OurCrowd, info.ourcrowd.com/goodnews Beachbody on Demand, Text "GOODNEWS" to 30...
May 26, 2020•23 min
