WEIRD FACTS
FitBit data is shining a light on just how much we lose when we don’t get enough shut-eye. By Emma Betuel – Even if you think you get enough sleep each night, your fitness tracker may be telling a very different story. In …
Report claims 400,000 insect species face extinction amid heavy use of pesticides. Damian Carrington Environment editor @dpcarrington – The study also indicates that insects, including bees, are vanishing due to damage to nature. Photograph: Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters. The “unnoticed insect apocalypse” should set alarm …
New research finds how power dynamics shape the speech of men and women. By Paul Ratner – A new psychology study finds differences in speech patterns between men and women. Men tend to use more abstract language, while women focus more on the …
November 10, 2019 – The PhoneBook is a plug-and-play device that turns any smartphone into a laptop. Anyware Technologies. – Our phones are incredibly powerful little computers, letting us work, play and stay connected no matter where we go. But that portability can …
When the protection of academic freedom is compromised, scholarship and greater society suffer the effects. By Big Think – Image via Getty Social media has made it easier than ever to succumb to mob mentality and let our worst instincts and impulses run …
by Napier López – Every year, Adobe lets its engineers have some fun with experimental projects to be demoed at the company’s Max conference. Called ‘Sneaks,’ the experiments often become integrated into Adobe products down the line. Perhaps the most interesting Sneak this …
You should never, ever skip washing your hands after you go. By Samantha Lauriello – If you do anything at all—even just one tiny thing—for your own health and the health of others, please just wash your hands after you poop. – That …
Three experts review claims of longer life, a healthier brain, and a slimmer body. By Alexandra Pattillo – Ever feel hangry when you miss a meal? Imagine waiting 16 or 18 hours before eating again. Or an entire day without breakfast, lunch, or …
The world’s largest cryptocurrency is hungry for power. By Mike Brown – Image by Grea. – Bitcoin is an energy beast. That’s the conclusion from a University of Cambridge tool released recently, which shows the world’s largest cryptocurrency uses a ton of electricity …
Slow wave sleep could be the brain’s very own rinse cycle. By Emma Betuel – The brain has a rinse cycle that’s activated during the (optimal) seven to nine hours you sleep every night — and it could play a key role in …