Life
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Idiots By Any Other Name Would Still Like and Subscribe.
Convergent Evolution of Humans in a Modern World In the natural world, convergent evolution is a captivating phenomenon where unrelated species, separated by vast evolutionary gulfs, develop strikingly similar traits in response to comparable environmental pressures. A classic example is the wing, a marvel of adaptation found in both birds and bats, despite their distant ancestral origins. Both these creatures faced the…
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Dear Uncle Ned, Who is “They”?
You’re the one playing the pronoun game, sir. Dear Uncle Ned, Every holiday dinner I’m glued to my chair hearing you spot off about all the horrible things about to happen. It’s really quite amusing. No, not your stories. “They’re going to steal my house,” you say. “They’re coming to take our guns,” you say.…
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A Quarterback’s Conviction is My Fandome Conundrum
I’ve been a die-hard fan of the Metropolis Marvels for as long as I can remember. My fandom is deeply rooted in the team’s history, the city’s passion, and of course, the electrifying play of our star quarterback, Daffy McBest. In fact, I’m sure I was a fan before I was even born because my…
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The Greatest Songwriter You’ve Heard Of (And Sung Along To, Too)
Bob Dylan. The name conjures images of a harmonica, poetic lyrics, and a gravelly voice that’s been the soundtrack to countless road trips and singalongs. But how many of his iconic songs have you belted out without realizing they were his handiwork? We’re talking about songs so ingrained in popular culture, they transcend their original artist. Even publications like Rolling Stone, which…
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Chat G.P…Me? Hello World, We are Becoming A.I.
We’ve all seen it – AI programs churning out realistic art, writing basic articles, or holding simple conversations. But here’s the deal, Jack: AI lacks true thought. Yes, it processes information, identifies patterns, and generates outputs based on those patterns and other rules at play. But it does so without any internal reflection, debate, or…
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Is Your Indoor Air Making (or keeping) You Sick?
Have you ever felt sluggish or headachy after spending time in a crowded room? It might not just be the company! Recent research suggests a fascinating connection between carbon dioxide (“CO2”) levels and airborne virus survival. This really is quite fascinating stuff. Let’s look at some surface-level science related to this and also explore how…
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Becoming Big Brother: Learning From 1984’s Apple in the Fight For Our Privacy against 2024’s Apple and its Cohorts
In 1984, a young Apple defied expectations with its Ridley Scott-directed Super Bowl ad. The now-iconic “1984” commercial painted a chilling portrait of a future under the watchful eye of Big Brother, a symbol of oppressive conformity. Today, 40 years later, the enemy that Apple portrayed has become… well, let’s just say the irony is…
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“You Get a Manufactured Zeitgeist!” – How Our Tale is Manipulated and Why We Should Care
Imagine a world where the prevailing ideas, trends, and beliefs – the very “spirit of the times” – are not a reflection of organic social evolution, but rather a carefully crafted illusion. This chilling reality isn’t just science fiction; it’s a concept with growing relevance in today’s information age. 1984: A Glimpse into Information Warfare…
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If You’re Traveling to the 1980s Anytime Soon, Please Print This and Take it With You
The Decade of Excess: A Child of the 80s Reflects on a Spoiled Dream Growing up in the 80s, the air crackled with a certain energy. Shoulder pads were broad, neon was king, and the future gleamed with the promise of endless prosperity. The prevailing mantra of the day? “Greed is good.” As long as…
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The Never-Ending Summer: A Hail Mary to Four-Year-Olds Around the World
We haven’t solved this elementary issue so maybe they can. Hey there, Four-Year-Olds! While you’re busy conquering VPK, us grown-ups have been out here really missing the bowl. Big time. You see, we have these amazing machines called heat pumps that can, like magic, use outside air to heat up your pool. Well, except it’s…
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Ink or Divinity: Are Comic Book Superheroes Our Modern Gods?
From Olympus to Comic Books: Rethinking the Stories We Hold Dear Think back to your high school days, your Doritos fingers flipping through dusty textbooks filled with the fantastical tales of Greek mythology. Thunderbolts launched by Zeus from atop Mount Olympus, little dudes flying too close to the sun, gods and goddesses embroiled in epic…
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Faster Than Your Wi-Fi, Older Than Your Grandma: The Enduring Legacy of NASA’s Voyager I & II
What is obsolescence? Remember dial-up internet? Floppy disks? Encyclopedias? Yeah, me neither! Nowadays, things seem to get outdated faster than ever. That’s obsolescence – it happens when something becomes disused or neglected. Hear the footsteps? That’s the cruel march of time, rendering once-cutting edge tech about as useful as a fax machine. But then there’s…
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San Fran Gets Butt Hurt Over Name of Lake – Sues Oakland
SF Throws Shade, Sues Oakland Over Airport Name Change. Hold on to your Levi’s because the Bay Area is serving up some next-level drama. In a lawsuit that would make your parents roll their eyes, San Francisco has taken Oakland to federal court – because Oakland wants to change the name of its airport. Oakland…
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Blue vs. Green Bubbles: Mere Fiddling, or Fueling the Fire?
iPhone Text Bubbles and the Sad State of Modern Political Discourse. Buckle up, folks, because apparently the most pressing issue facing our great nation isn’t crumbling infrastructure, crippling student loan debt, or the ever-looming threat of climate catastrophe. No, according to the hot takes spewing forth from both sides of the political aisle, the real…
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3-Body Politics: Are We Doomed to a Collision Course?
It’s not science fiction. I cringe anytime I hear my dear Uncle Ned talk about the “good ol’ days.” I whince at his dog whistle rethoric. I hear the hatred he spews, and I feel sadness for him and for society. Because, even though I know in my heart that he’s a good person, when…
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Sorry, Honey, Vanilla is Better.
Alright, there’s something I need to confess. There’s another in my life. Don’t worry, it’s not what you think (though judging by the way you always ask for a taste of my my vanilla ice cream, maybe a little part of you feels the same way). Yes, spoiler alert – it’s vanilla. Yes, vanilla. The…
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Johnny Appleseed: Hard to His Core
From Johnny Appleseed to Hard Cider: A Journey Through America’s Liquid History Cider – the crisp, refreshing beverage made from fermented apples – boasts a rich history intertwined with the very identity of the United States. But to truly appreciate a good hard cider, we have to delve back into the orchards of the 18th…
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Great Scott! Leaping Forward: How One Extra Day (a Leap day) Can Inspire Us to Change the World
The Odd Day Out: Leap Year’s History, Science, and a Leap Towards a Better World It might not hit you every year, but every four years, February gains a day. This extra day, February 29th, is the product of a quirky calendar system called the leap year, and its story is as fascinating as it…
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Clockwise Tighten, Counterclockwise Loosen: A Coincidence or a Stroke of Genius?
Lefty-Loosy, Righty-Tighty, right? Have you ever struggled to remember which way to turn a screw to tighten it? Clockwise or counterclockwise? When I’m teaching my son, I tell him to use this simple trick: visualize the hands of a clock – tighten goes with turning right, like hands moving forward, and loosen goes with turning…