The story of a self-described mad scientist who gave a microwave the soul of his childhood imaginary friend using AI, and then it tried to kill him. Plus, texting etiquette from Emily Post’s great-great-grandchildren. Sponsors: Outer, Get $300 off and free shipping at liveouter.com/kottke Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Someone Turned Their Imaginary Friend Into an AI Microwave and It Wanted to Kill Them (IGN) I gave my microwave a soul with AI and it tried to kill ...
Apr 20, 2022•19 min
A doctor was beamed up to the ISS in the first-ever holoportation to space. Plus, a new chopsticks invention that makes your food taste salty without adding any salt. And inside the world of a professional scream artist. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Outer, Get $300 off and free shipping at liveouter.com/kottke Links: Innovative 3D Telemedicine to Help Keep Astronauts Healthy (NASA) NASA Beamed a Doctor to The ISS in a World-First 'Holoportation' Achievement (S...
Apr 19, 2022•17 min
Why indie booksellers went from hating Barnes & Noble to defending it, and what that means for the future of publishing. Plus, a look at inflation through the lens of the Big Mac Index. Sponsors: Outer, Get $300 off and free shipping at liveouter.com/kottke Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: How Barnes & Noble Went From Villain to Hero (NY Times) Inflation comes for the Big Mac (Axios) The Big Mac index (The Economist) Thor: Love and Thunder's Trailer Is Wilder...
Apr 18, 2022•18 min
In a more serious take on yesterday’s musings, how is the pandemic and modern technology changing how we communicate about and understand time? Plus, speaking of time, why do Passover and Easter sometimes occur so far apart from one another? Let’s talk about the messy world of human-constructed calendars and natural cycles. And that startup trying to slingshot satellites into space has officially booked a test launch with NASA. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links:...
Apr 15, 2022•19 min
Should we be measuring time differently now that we spend more time with digital technology than nature? Paul Ford has some suggestions. Plus, how the heck is AriZona Iced Tea still just 99 cents and not playing any nefarious shrinkflation games like the other guys? And a new study analyzing the personality profile of absolute a-holes. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Time Got So Much Weirder. The World Needs a New Lexicon (Wired) How is AriZona Iced Tea still...
Apr 14, 2022•18 min
A very big comet. How sewage monitoring could transform public health beyond just its applications for COVID-19. Plus, libraries are relinquishing local library card requirements for eBooks in a bid to fight back against book bans. And a new National Park annual pass that won’t be valid for 150 years. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: NASA Just Confirmed The Largest Comet Ever Detected, And It's Truly Gargantuan (ScienceAlert) Hubble Confirms Huge Incoming Come...
Apr 13, 2022•19 min
How social media has created a Tower of Babel-like fragmentation of society. Plus, the infrastructure secrets behind a new-to-the-US reality show starring some very busy toddlers. And the brewing beef between Spirit Halloween and the King of Halloween. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid (The Atlantic) So You've Been Publicly Shamed a book by Jon Ronson by Jon Ronson How Japan Built Cities Where Yo...
Apr 12, 2022•20 min
The Maryland man livetweeting his bout of dysentery––don’t worry, he’s okay. Plus, scientists have managed to de-age human skin cells by thirty years. And an implausible NASA artifact was taken back to space this weekend by one of the Axiom Space private astronauts. Sponsor: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Beginning of dysentery thread (Jake Eberts, Twitter) A Man Is Tweeting Through His Dysentery, But Don’t Worry, It’s For Science (BuzzFeed News) Jake Eberts' Campaig...
Apr 11, 2022•18 min
We turn back the clocks to 1997 for a history of the song “Barbie Girl” and a look at its influence on music. Plus, the Neolithic origins of Short King Spring. And mark your calendars for the Great North American Solar Eclipse. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: The Oral History of Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' (Rolling Stone) Aqua - Barbie Girl (Off...
Apr 08, 2022•22 min
An impressively well-preserved dinosaur leg fossil has been found that could be the first-ever fossil evidence of the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Plus, Amtrak is stirring up some beef with their Twitch streams. And a new dream job opening: counting penguins in Antarctica. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com...
Apr 07, 2022•18 min
Some libraries cancel late fees, others get Interpol involved for missing manuscripts. Either way, missing books can become fascinating treasures when they’re finally returned. Plus, Hubble has spotted a rare planet in the earliest phase of formation. And the United Kingdom has announced plans to mint its own NFT. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke...
Apr 06, 2022•18 min
How to have the best odds of becoming a fossil after you die. Plus, the creators of the viral Marcel the Shell videos secretly made a feature-length film that’s coming out this summer. And a few other recommendations you can stream right now. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: How to turn yourself into a fossil (BBC Future) How can I become ...
Apr 05, 2022•18 min
Six million people and counting are creating a piece of artwork together right now in a reminder that sometimes we can have nice things on the internet. Plus, birds are laying their eggs almost a whole month earlier than they used to. And some sounds from Ukraine’s musical resistance to Russia. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Links: Internet com...
Apr 04, 2022•20 min
The human genome has finally been completely sequenced––twenty-two years after the initial “essentially” complete version was published. Plus, in another early 2000s follow-up, the “Star Wars Kid” breaks his silence two decades later. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Completing the Human Genome Sequence (Again) (Scientific American) Scientists publish the first complete human genome (Reuters) First complete gap...
Apr 01, 2022•19 min
New findings indicate that Pluto’s ice volcanoes are even weirder than we previously thought. Plus, a killer parasite is wiping out an entire species of ant in Texas… but actually it’s kind of a net positive. And US citizens will soon be able to select an X gender marker on their passport. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: There's Something Truly Unique About Pluto's Landscape, New Study Says (Science Alert...
Mar 31, 2022•20 min
Could alpaca antibodies one day provide treatment for COVID-19? Plus, the Hubble telescope has spotted the oldest star ever seen by humans, by a long shot. The European Union is cracking down on fast fashion. And the scammers trying to turn prayers in NFTs. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: Potent alpaca nanobodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants (Nano Magazine) Old episode with llama segment at the end (Coronavi...
Mar 30, 2022•18 min
Artist Jeff Koons’ next sculpture installation? On the moon. Plus, it’s not just you. Seasonal allergies really are worse this year, and the climate emergency is to blame. And, the Northern Lights might be visible Wednesday night in parts of the northern US and Canada, with bonus rockets being blasted into them by NASA. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: Artist Jeff Koons aims to send sculptures to the Moon ...
Mar 29, 2022•18 min
The Scottish dolphin who lives among and seems to “talk” with porpoises. Plus, how a Wikipedia hoax became official branding for Pringles. And sheep are pivoting to solar. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/start Links: For the first time, wild dolphin observed 'talking' with harbor porpoises (National Geographic) The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse The secret Wikipedia prank behind the Pringles mascot's first name (Mashable...
Mar 28, 2022•18 min
Digital resting points are an increasingly popular way to recharge and slow down in the midst of endless scrolling. Plus, are we facing a “sensory extinction?” And, meet the giant eerie glowing orb that might be installed in London. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: Doomscrolling got you down? Take a break at a digital rest stop. (Washington Post) Animal sounds are a marvel of evolution. We can't afford to...
Mar 25, 2022•19 min
The origin and fascinating evolution of “lol.” Plus, it turns out the speed of sound on Mars is different and weirder than anticipated. And some of the researchers behind the discovery of Captain Shackleton’s lost ship are developing a sort of Google Maps for arctic waters. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Why We Use “lol” So Much (Vice) The Speed of Sound on Mars Is Strangely Different, Scientists Reveal...
Mar 24, 2022•19 min
How genetically-modified lettuce grown in space could protect astronauts’ bones on long voyages. Plus, meet Doug, the false potato stripped of Guinness World Record glory in the eleventh hour. And, a two-carat diamond made out of ranch dressing, the Royal Mint in the UK is going to start recovering gold from the nation’s electronic waste, and an important announcement at the end of the show. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopif...
Mar 23, 2022•19 min
Turns out humans have been cooking and enjoying carbs for much longer than we initially thought, and the experiments some archaeologists have been conducting to lend credence to their hypotheses are very cool. Plus, welcome to the weird and wonderful world of competitive water drinking on YouTube. And a startup that wants to make earth-bound deliveries by taking a shortcut through space. Sponsors: Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/...
Mar 22, 2022•19 min
How to appear effortlessly charming to new people you meet. Plus, using squid technology to protect humans from the sun. And a new generation of search apps that search everything you touch on your devices. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottke Links: The tricks to make yourself effortlessly charming (BBC) How Squid Camouflage Could Help Prevent Skin Cancer in Humans (Northeastern University) Squid camouflage-inspire...
Mar 21, 2022•17 min
Should we be making a greater effort to reduce light pollution? Plus, scientists are trying to use murder hornets’ own sexual behavior to eradicate them. And an app that will help you safely find and eat roadkill. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance Links: The argument for switching off lights at night (BBC Future) We don't need more sleep. We just need more darkness. (Washingto...
Mar 18, 2022•17 min
Why have movies gotten so long recently? Plus, the startups working to develop lab-created chocolate. And a nightmarish creature from Texas to rival all the hype around those giant Joro spiders. Sponsors: Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: Why Are Movies So Long Now? (Variety) Silicon Valley Is Coming for Your Chocolate (The Atlantic) Watch Dark Side of Chocolate (Slave Free ...
Mar 17, 2022•17 min
How Prohibition was far more global and far more progressive than it’s often portrayed. And, is the United States about to stay in Daylight Saving Time forever? Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance Links: Myth Vs. Fact: Daylight Saving Time and Farming (AgAmerica) The Senate unanimously agreed to make daylight saving time permanent. (Slate) The Senate just voted to make daylight ...
Mar 16, 2022•19 min
Subvariants, spikes, and sewers. A few indicators remind us that we’re not quite out of the woods yet when it comes to COVID. Plus, a new method that shows how any person can be trained to harness the creativity inside of themselves. And what it means that the sun is getting more and more active. Sponsors: Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Engineering Links: U.S. Sewer Data Warns of a New Bump...
Mar 15, 2022•17 min
How many digits of pi is the right amount to use? Plus, what actually causes people to lose their sense of smell when they get COVID? And how can you work to recover yours if you lost it? And, Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson is going to space. Sponsors: DeVry University, Learn more at DeVry.edu/Future Lendtable, Use code KOTTKE at Lendtable.com to get an extra $50 added to your Lendtable balance Links: Vsauce short explaining Not A Wake (Vsauce, Twitter) Not a Wake: A Dream Embodying (Pi)'s ...
Mar 14, 2022•19 min
Abraham Lincoln was a telegraph power-user, and the one thousand telegrams he sent during his presidency might have helped the US win the Civil War. Plus, an app that can diagnose rare diseases just by scanning a child’s face. And, ten thousand people in New Orleans were without power for hours due to a surprising, but it turns out not uncommon, cause. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 i...
Mar 11, 2022•18 min
The giant yellow spiders set to invade the eastern seaboard of North America are… not as scary as the internet is making them seem. Plus, the Smithsonian is returning a number of artworks to Nigeria. And President Biden is considering a digital currency for the US. Sponsors: Novo, Sign up for a free business checking account and get access to over $5,000 in perks and discounts at novo.co/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/goodnews Links: Joro spiders likely to spread beyond Georg...
Mar 10, 2022•20 min
