And so we come inexorably to the end of another month, and our round-up of links to items you missed before and really don’t want to miss again. There’s lots in this month’s pack, so here goes …
Science, Technology, Natural World
DON’T PANIC! The massive star Betelgeuse could be 175m light years closer to us than was previously thought.
How does 2 meters of DNA fold up by a factor of 250,000 to fit in the cell nucleus (which has a diameter of around 10 millionths of a meter)? [LONG READ]
Who knew that the Victorians were into collecting and pressing seaweeds? Turns out to be a useful resource for studying the oceans.
Small bird flies 12,000km in 11 days, non-stop.
Why do some birds have a small downturned overhang on their bill?
Here’s a rather stunning chimera grosbeak – a half male, half female gynandromorph.
Health, Medicine
In a quick segue into the medical, a look at why scientists say bats are not to blame for Covid-19. [LONG READ]
Are we too anxious about the risks of nuclear power? [LONG READ]
Sexuality
Female journalist visits a sex doll factory and learns about male sexual desire. [LONG READ]
Environment
Why many dual-flush toilets waste more water than they save.
There’s often more tree cover in towns and cities than in the countryside.
Social Sciences, Business, Law
The airline industry has been hit hard by Covid-19. Samanth Subramanian in the Guardian takes a look. [LONG READ]
History, Archaeology, Anthropology
The giant geoglyphs of Peru’s Nazca Lines remain an enigma especially when researchers uncover a lounging cat! (Are we really sure it’s not April Fool’s Day?)
Sculpted head, possibly of Edward II, unearthed at Shaftesbury Abbey.
A look at the history of Waltham Abbey, from Saxon times to its destruction by Henry VIII. This is especially interesting for me as it is just across the marshes from where I grew up.
The myth of medieval Europe’s isolation from the Islamic world. [LONG READ]
The importance of Michaelmas in the medieval world. [LONG READ]
St Procopius of Sázava, a saint for Halloween.
On masculinity and the medieval theories of disease [LONG READ]
The British Library has released 18,000 maps from the Topographical Collection of King George III, free to download and with no copyright restrictions.
London
A London Inheritance takes a look at London’s long-lost Broad Street Station.
Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs
Now here’s an interesting idea: when things look bleak, thinking in terms of “hope horizons” can help. [£££££]
And finally … If our scientific theories are correct you don’t have free will, and you can’t change it, so don’t worry about it. But believe in free will if you wish, because in the words of Edward N Lorenz:
We must wholeheartedly believe in free will. If free will is a reality, we shall have made the correct choice. If it is not, we shall still not have made an incorrect choice, because we shall not have made any choice at all, not having a free will to do so.