WEIRD FACTS
By Loz Blain, 2020 Apr 28 – Delivery drones don’t stack up in terms of energy consumption compared to ground vehicles in most circumstances. jukai5/Depositphotos. – As soon as there were drones, there were visions of drone deliveries. Robotic insects bringing parcels and pizzas …
It originated in India, and came to dominate Western interiors and fashion. Joobin Bekhrad traces the fascinating – and turbulent – history of all things ‘chintzy’. By Joobin Bekhrad 2020 Apr 21 – In a letter to her sister penned in 1851, the …
By Loryn B – Unless you are an avid historian, it’s very likely that you can’t seem to figure out how ecstasy and Titanic have one thing in common. And you probably couldn’t figure out how Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth are somehow …
By Kristen Rogers, CNN – Updated 2020 Apr 23 – The Mosuo, a Tibetan-descended population living in the mountains of Southwest China, were found to be at lower risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia than low-altitude Han populations. – Living near the Tibetan …
By Loz Blain – 2020 Apr 23 – The Nova’s ball is completely isolated, with its own battery system, and is driven by omni wheels in the base. Eight360. – By far the most extreme gaming and simulation platform we’ve seen, the Nova places …
By Nick Lavars 2020 Apr 22 – The first comprehensive geological map of the Moon. – Drawing on data from satellites and Apollo-era missions, scientists at the US Geological Survey (USGS), NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute have pieced together what they say is …
Narrated by Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Richard Kurin, the 24-part video series blends history with modern mainstays. – The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Nicolas Raymond via Flickr under CC BY-2.0) – By Katherine J. Wu, SmithsonianMag.Com – 2020 Apr 20 – Over the …
A new study of ancient climate has a dire warning about today’s dry conditions. In the Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona, forests struggle to keep up with recent increases in drought and wildfire activity, which are expected to continue due to human-caused climate …
The SARS-CoV-2 virus endures for days on plastic or metal but disintegrates soon after landing on copper surfaces. Here’s why. Copper wire (Getty Images) By Jim Morrison, SmithsonianMag.Com – 2020 Apr 14 – When researchers reported last month that the novel coronavirus causing …
People are understandably looking for good news. But the truth is, we’re nowhere near controlling coronavirus. By William Hanage Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage – ‘Half your population needs to have been infected to achieve a level of population …
