All posts by Keith
Nanny State
Atlantic Insight has an interesting interview (podcast & transcript) with Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. He’s not at all impressed by the nanny state or public health lobbyists.
It’s worth a read, or listen: Interview with Christopher Snowdon
Oddity of the Week: B.O.
Nivea appear to have developed a smartphone app called Nivea Men Nose that will tell you (well men, ‘cos it’s aimed at men) if you have stinky body odour. The app needs a special phone case that has sensors to detect body odour chemicals. To find out your body odour level, you just hold the phone close to your armpit.
Why is it apparently for men only? Do male and female chemicals differ that much? Or it is confused by perfume? Or … ? Who knows.
But surely if you can’t be bothered to worry about body odour then you aren’t likely to be sort to use such an app, are you?
More in this really irritating video.
Quote: Life
Your future is not about people who walk away.
It’s about the people who stay in it for the ride.
Your Interesting Links
Lots of science-y bits again in this months offering …
Science & Medicine
I wonder when humans first started pondering about aliens? Well certainly they were in medieval times.
On the discovery of dinosaurs among us.
So what would you guess is the world’s deadliest poison? Well here are five of the top contenders.
Clean water. We all depend on it, but do you know what happens to it between its source and your tap? Simple explainer from Compound Interest.
Hugs generally feel good. Now researchers are beginning to understand why.
Wow! In what looks a stunning piece of work some neuroscientists have been able to create an atlas showing how words are organised in the brain. The implications could be worrying though.
Next up another stunning piece of research and development … A biotech company has developed a DNA sequencer that fits in a pocket and will go literally anywhere. Of course it is still expensive, but that should change. [Long read]
More new work shows that women get healthier after their husbands die. It must be finally having been able to stop doing childcare.
So really how do female astronauts cope with menstruation? Seems it is currently most down to persona choice.
Sexuality
So here are some of those sex myths debunked.
Here’s the story of a childless young lady who chose to be sterilised in her 20s and 40 years later she hasn’t regretted it, despite the harassment.
Social Sciences & Business
Bodyhackers: people who ave stuff implanted in them, like the microchips we put in our cats and dogs. They’re all around us. And most of them are women.
Language
Speed-reading. Too good to be true? Well that’s what the latest research is telling us.
History
Here’s an interesting piece on the early history of London’s St Paul’s Cathedral.
Archaeological divers found a 400-year-old dress in a shipwreck off the Netherlands. And it seems it sheds light on plot to pawn crown jewels.
The oddities of maritime history … the SS Baychimo, one of the strangest ghost ships on record sailing unmanned for 38 years.
Food & Drink
Well the French may call them pissenlit, but the humble dandelion is an interesting and useful herb. I remember when I was a kid we made both dandelion wine (lots of flowers) and dandelion coffee (from the roots). Love the illustrations too.
Out there are some amazing heirloom breeds: from woolly pigs to deodorant squash. And they’re vanishing, which is a shame as we’re losing some rich variety.
Shock, Horror, Humour
And finally … If you live near the sea what do you do with all the flotsam you find? If you’re artist Stuart Haygarth you sort it all to make interesting collections of weirdness.
More at the end of the month.
Weekly Photograph
Another doggie picture this week. Well, this one isn’t so much a dog as a bear. I certainly wouldn’t like to have to keep the animal in meat! Spotted at Castle Howard a few weeks ago.
Not So Much a Dog, More a Bear
Castle Howard, April 2016
Something for the Weekend
Oddity of the Week: Curly Pigs
The Mangalica (or Mangalitsa) is a Hungarian breed of domestic pig. It was developed in the mid-19th century by cross-breeding Hungarian breeds from Szalonta and Bakony with the Serbian Šumadija breed.
The Mangalica pig grows a thick, woolly coat similar to that of a sheep. It is a quick-growing, “fat-type” hog which does not require any special care, hence its popularity in Hungary.
The only other pig breed noted for having a long coat is the extinct English breed the Lincolnshire Curly Coat.
Lots more on Wikipedia.
Weekly Photograph
This week’s photograph is for Sue … One very mucky small terrier seen a couple of weeks ago on York station. Heaven knows where it had been as it wasn’t exactly a wet day.
Mucky Pup
York Station; April 2016
Word: Flocculate
Flocculate
1. (v) To cause individual particles suspended in a liquid to aggregate into small clumps or cloudy masses which often remain for some time suspended in the liquid rather than falling quickly to the bottom. (See diagram below.)
2. (n) The masses resulting from such flocculation.
Flocculation of suspended algae from pond water
Surprisingly the word was not in use until the mid-19th century.