Could woolly mammoths help slow the effects of the climate emergency? It’s not just a theoretical question. One entrepreneur is betting on it, and working to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction to prove it. Lorde has re-released part of her latest album with Māori language translations. And a new effort to potty train cows, for the environment. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Firm raises $15m to bring back woolly mammoth fr...
Sep 13, 2021•17 min
What exactly is blue moon-flavored ice cream and where did it come from? Plus, NASA is planning to purposefully hit an asteroid with a spacecraft, more on why and when. And this year’s Ig Nobel Prize winners have been announced! Links: The Enduring Midwestern Mystery of Blue Moon Ice Cream (Atlas Obscura) BLUE MOON (Chicago Tribune) The Cult of Blue Moon Ice Cream (Food & Wine) Blue Moon Core Area (BMCA) (somethingaboutmaps) NASA is going to slam a spacecraft into an asteroid. Things might g...
Sep 10, 2021•18 min
Forget air conditioners, give me radiative cooling panels on my roof! That’s what I hope I’ll be saying a few years from now. Plus, a new species of giant carnivorous dinosaur with shark-like teeth has been identified. And Moderna has announced they’re moving forward with their COVID-19 and seasonal flu combo vaccine. Links: Can nanoscience help make AC more efficient? (Popular Science) Designing an Air Conditioner That Doesn't Heat the Earth (Architect Magazine) Radiative cooling and solar heat...
Sep 09, 2021•18 min
What it’s actually like getting struck by lightning, and the community of survivors helping each other cope. Plus, another team of scientists say they have achieved a crucial and record-breaking milestone in the quest for clean fusion power. And an iconic 1970s band that has spawned countless tribute acts over the years is about to reunite to become their own tribute act, with a little help from Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic. Links: Lightning strikes: A man hit seven times (Washington P...
Sep 08, 2021•22 min
The Mars Perseverance Rover has secured its first rock sample, with big promise for insights to come. A billionaire is working on plans to build a new sustainable city “for the people” somewhere in America. And you may have heard of Little Free Libraries, but what about Little Free Blockbusters? Links: Mars rover grabs first rock sample, a major step in hunt for alien life (National Geographic) "I've got it!" (NASA’s Perseverance Rover, Twitter) NASA says the Mars Perseverance rover has collecte...
Sep 07, 2021•19 min
What if a room could charge all of your devices just by them being in there? Like no wires, no charging pads, just being in the room. Some engineers have made that a reality. Plus, new insights into the billion years of time that are missing from the rock layers in the Grand Canyon. And why Red Delicious apples are so common in the U.S. even though they’re not really that great. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: This Room Could Wirelessly Charge All Your Devices (Scient...
Sep 03, 2021•19 min
Why are hyperlinks blue? You ever think about that before? Plus, a look at the tech behind the wheelchairs and prostheses used by Paralympians. And what the heck is Grimace, the big purple McDonald’s mascot? A manager at a Canadian McDonald’s dropped a bombshell on the internet, but is he correct? Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Why are hyperlinks blue? (Mozilla Distilled) How Paralympic Wheelchairs and Prostheses Are Optimized for Speed and Performance (Scientific Am...
Sep 02, 2021•19 min
Would you take a flying rideshare taxi? NASA is betting on it. Plus, murder hornets are back and badder than ever. And the growing genre of “bedroom pop,” which isn’t what it maybe sounds like. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: NASA is testing electric air taxis with Joby Aviation (The Verge) Your air taxi has arrived: Why Joby could be the first commercial eVTOL (CNBC, Youtube) A Special Message from our CEO and Founder, JoeBen Bevirt (Joby Aviation, YouTube) NASA Begi...
Sep 01, 2021•20 min
The climate crisis is causing some animals to shrink, and that’s definitely not a good thing. Experts weigh in on the possibility of humans ever being able to edit or delete their own memories. And Netflix cheat codes to help you shake off the algorithm. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: When Insects Lost Their Homes, Evolution Clipped Their Wings (NY Times) Some birds, mammals, and fish are shrinking. Blame climate change. (Vox) Urbanization is Causing Mammals to Grow ...
Aug 31, 2021•18 min
Electric cars were being made as far back at the late 19th century, with entire fleets of electric cabs roaming the streets of several major cities. So what happened? Why didn’t they become the go-to vehicle from the beginning? Plus, the history of the very delicious and confusingly-named Boston Cooler. And the middle schoolers trying to clear the name of a woman accused of being a witch back in 1693. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at buyraycon.com/kottke Links: Why weren't cars electric from the ...
Aug 30, 2021•17 min
The history of and science behind the ICEE. Plus, Glenfiddich is now powering their delivering trucks with spent whisky. And some tips on cleaning your earbuds because, c’mon, how long has it been since you’ve actually done that? Sponsors: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: ICEE History: The Tech (and Science) Beyond a Sugary Frozen Drink (Tedium) Flashback: Raise your Slurpees to the drink that almost wasn't (Dallas Morning News) US3044878A - Process for the preparation of a beverage (Google Pa...
Aug 27, 2021•17 min
The 7,200 year old skeleton of a teenage girl is shaking up what we thought we knew about ancient human migration. The creative solution an Oregon hospital has come up with to support its overworked staff, and what we can do to help lessen their load. And a new startup that wants to disrupt the way we eat our meals, specifically by making all of our food look like identical little bricks. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: ‘Genetic fossil’: intact DNA from woman who lived 7,200 years ag...
Aug 26, 2021•17 min
The Paralympic Games kicked off in Tokyo last night. Here’s what you need to know and a brief history of the games. Plus, how did the Pfizer vaccine end up with the brand name Comirnaty , and what were some of the other contenders? Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Badminton And Taekwondo Make Their Paralympic Debut In Tokyo (NPR) When Did The Paralympics Start, And How Did The Event Get Its Name? (NPR) The Paralympics Finally Get To Prime Time (1A) Paralympics History - Evolution of t...
Aug 25, 2021•19 min
What exactly is a pixel? Pixar co-founder Alvy Ray Smith discusses its math and history and his new book. Plus, farmer’s markets, once a cornerstone of in-person weekend outings, have gone digital. And Liquid Death Mountain Water is selling skateboards infused with Tony Hawk’s blood. For real. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: A biography of the pixel, the elementary particle of pictures (Aeon) Hitting the Books: How our lying eyes trick the brain into seeing motion during movies (Enga...
Aug 24, 2021•18 min
Netflix is leaning into the clickbait game that soured online journalism ten years ago. Could this strategy affect the film industry overall, and has it been played before? Plus, how community members in Marseille took over a McDonald’s and turned it into a mutual aid center. And Facebook has released another transparency report, and it doesn’t make them look any better. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: Netflix Top 10: The streaming service's clickbait problem threatens to ruin it. (S...
Aug 23, 2021•20 min
What is the necrobiome and why do some think it’s crucial for restoring our ecosystems? More and more zoo animals across the US are getting their own special animal vaccine, but why doesn’t your pet cat need one? And Disney’s animatronics are getting a huge, AI makeover. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Rewilding death: The plan to restore the necrobiome (BBC) Meet the Necrobiome: The Microbes That Will Eat Your Corpse (The Atlantic) Bears, baboons, tigers are...
Aug 20, 2021•19 min
Facebook has released a report of their most widely viewed content, but the #1 most viewed link on the platform shows how the report isn’t exactly proving the point they’re trying to make. Plus, are realtors engineering weird listing photos so they’ll go viral? And it turns out we’ve been getting blue moons entirely wrong for at least forty years. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How an Obscure Green Bay Packers Site Became the Biggest Thing on Facebook (Wired...
Aug 19, 2021•19 min
A lab in California has achieved a historic breakthrough in nuclear fusion. Three new species from the post-dinosaur mammalian revolution have been identified, including one that’s been named after a Hobbit character. And recent studies shedding light on the pro’s and con’s of exoskeleton suits as consumer goods. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: US lab stands on threshold of key nuclear fusion goal (BBC) Physicists in California Achieve 'Historic' Nuclear Fusi...
Aug 18, 2021•16 min
Inside the world of the quasi-secret WhatsApp mango economy. It turns out Saturn is kind of jiggly inside. And the beginning of a season, marked by the end of an era for department stores. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why Are the World’s Greatest Mangoes Almost Impossible to Buy in the U.S.? (Eater) Saturn's Insides Are Sloshing Around (MIT Technology Review) Saturn’s Rings Are Like a Seismometer That Reveal the Planet’s Core (NY Times) Saturn Has a 'Fuzzy...
Aug 17, 2021•19 min
How one of the earliest bloggers predicted the dark side of the internet, and then went completely off the grid. Plus, the first tribally-affiliated medical school, on tribal land, in the US. is bridging gaps. And Yik Yak is back. Sponsor: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Philip Agre predicted technology's pitfalls and then he disappeared (Washington Post) Everything is too complicated: our annual list of confusing tech questions (The Verge) Missing Internet Pioneer Ph...
Aug 16, 2021•19 min
The groundbreaking study that has basically given us a daily diary of the entire life of a 17,000 year old woolly mammoth. Why coffee prices are spiking. And a ransom scam targeting authors that says a lot about the state of the world. Links: A Woolly Mammoth’s Tusks Reveal a Map of Where It Roamed in Life (NY Times) Ice Age mammoth's life story reconstructed in stunning detail (National Geographic) Mammoth's epic travels preserved in tusk (Nature) A Mammoth Tusk Reveals a Woolly (and Unpreceden...
Aug 13, 2021•20 min
How does a kid’s network establish their brand identity? Apparently, riff on a high brow architectural style and add heaping amounts of radioactive green slime. On the 30th anniversary of the first Nicktoons, a look back at Nickelodeon’s iconic aesthetic. Plus, a new––huge––study that upends a lot of what we thought knew about metabolism. And a fake website about fake movies. Links: How Nickelodeon Created Its Slime-Drenched ’90s Style (The Ringer) The Best Nickelodeon Character Bracket: The Eli...
Aug 12, 2021•18 min
Robin has officially come out of the closet. No statement yet from Batman, but I do have the other details, and a brief history of LGBTQ+ superheroes. Plus, SpaceX is planning to put billboards in space. And plastic pollution is confusing the hermit crabs in Yorkshire. Links: Robin, Batman's Sidekick, Comes Out, Which Only Makes Sense (NPR) Robin comes out as gay in new Batman comic, adding to DC's LGTBQ characters (Polygon) The Evolution of Extraño, DC's First Openly Gay Super Hero (DC Universe...
Aug 11, 2021•18 min
Why are CAPTCHA’s so frustrating and, in a way, so grim and disconcerting? Plus, botanists have identified the first carnivorous plant in twenty years, but don’t go calling it Audrey III just yet. And, a new development in the McFlurry Cold War. Links: Why CAPTCHA Pictures Are So Unbearably Depressing (Clive Thompson) How to Solve Captchas—and Why They've Gotten So Hard (Wired) 1st Carnivorous Plant Identified In 20 Years Grows Near Vancouver (NPR) This Flower Hides a Secret: It’s Actually a Car...
Aug 10, 2021•17 min
Some context and takeaways from the big UN climate report released this morning. NASA has opened applications for their Mars simulation mission. And why are some people in Japan sending bags of rice with their baby’s face on them to relatives? Links: The 2021 UN climate change report, explained: IPCC says humans caused “unequivocal” warming (Vox) New IPCC climate report is the clearest guidebook for selecting a future (Ars Technica) Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity' (BBC) Cl...
Aug 09, 2021•18 min
What are forest schools? And the science behind why gardening can make you feel happy and peaceful. Plus, the Perseid meteor shower is happening in just a few days. And the co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has been immortalized as a Barbie doll. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: We Should All Be Playing in the Dirt More… According to Science! (Literary Hub) Can Climbing Trees Replace Preparing for Tests? (NY Times) The Ground Beneath Us: From the Oldest Cities to the Last W...
Aug 06, 2021•18 min
As the tides trend toward requiring vaccinations for entry in more places, what is the landscape of apps and methods to verify vaccination status? Plus, meatball-scented candles from IKEA and two very different commercial space flight updates. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: More than 450 airlines can now use IBM's Digital Health Pass (Quartz) Unvaccinated People Need to Bear the Burden (The Atlantic) Privacy and efficacy concerns remain for New York's vaccine passport apps (NBC News...
Aug 05, 2021•17 min
The six countries most likely to survive all-out societal collapse from climate change. Why is snow on the Alps turning red? And a website that will transport you back to sleepy nights in front of the TV in the early 2000s. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: These 6 countries are most likely to survive a climate change-caused societal collapse (Mic) Study: Which Countries Will Best Survive a Collapse? (NY Times) Chocolate "snow" dusts Swiss town after malfunction at Lindt factory (CBS) ...
Aug 04, 2021•16 min
Edgar Allan Poe wasn’t just the sad author of spooky tales we all know and love, but also a passionate science journalist, and the writings he left behind can tell us a lot about our current relationship to misinformation and science communication. Plus, Starbucks officially sells more cold drinks than hot ones now, by a lot. What’s responsible for the trend and how do baristas feel about it? And the newly re-dubbed Cleveland Guardians can’t catch a break when it comes to their team name. Sponso...
Aug 03, 2021•20 min
What makes an Olympic sport an Olympic sport? And what does it take to get cut from the lineup? Namely, why is baseball getting cut once again in 2024, but breakdancing will make its Olympic debut? A breakdown of how it works. Plus, Boeing is trying again for a successful launch of their CST-100 Starliner tomorrow afternoon. What went wrong last time and what’s at stake? And, the mysterious jetpack man has returned to the Los Angeles airspace. Sponsor: Upstart, upstart.com/kottke Links: From ska...
Aug 02, 2021•20 min
