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October 9, 2023
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1 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree1 CQ
Word of the Day
: October 9, 2023\JUNK-cher\ noun
What It Means
Juncture refers to an important point in a process or activity, or to a junct...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: October 9, 2023\JUNK-cher\ noun
What It Means
Juncture refers to an important point in a process or activity, or to a junct...
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FREEUS History Daily Curio #2737Free1 CQ
Hopewell that ends well! The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks along the Ohio River, best known as a park featuring ancient, grass-covered mounds, has just been declared a UNESCO World Heritage after being nominated last year. Built between 1,600 to 2,000 years ago in modern day Chillicothe, Ohio, the site contains a series of eight earthen structures and monuments. Credit for their construction goes to the little known Hopewell culture, which was made up of various tribes and groups who settled along the Ohio River. In addition to building the earthen structures, they participated in an extensive trade network. Their artifacts have been found in Ontario, Florida, Missouri, and the western sections of the Appalachian Mountains. Although the Hopewell culture isn’t represented today by any single indigenous tribe, historical advocacy groups in Ohio have been campaigning for a decade to have the earthworks added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Those outside the Hopewell culture first came to know about the earthworks when they were discovered on the property of Mordecai Hopewell in the latter part of the 19th century. Their purpose has been the subject of much speculation and debate over the years. One hypothesis is that the complex may have been a kind of ceremonial calendar, as the locations of the mounds are in alignment with the movement of the sun and moon, allowing the accurate tracking of solstices and equinoxes. Construction of the earthworks likely took place over the course of several centuries, a sign of cooperative effort between large groups of people. The mounds that are visible today are remnants of much larger structures, most of which have unfortunately been lost over time as people built over them and vegetation covered the remains. Still, the UNESCO designation officially makes this unusual place a jewel of the Rust Belt.
[Image description: A green mound, covered in grass, with a tree in the distance.] Credit & copyright: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons. This image or media file contains material based on a work of a National Park Service employee, created as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, such work is in the public domain in the United States.Hopewell that ends well! The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks along the Ohio River, best known as a park featuring ancient, grass-covered mounds, has just been declared a UNESCO World Heritage after being nominated last year. Built between 1,600 to 2,000 years ago in modern day Chillicothe, Ohio, the site contains a series of eight earthen structures and monuments. Credit for their construction goes to the little known Hopewell culture, which was made up of various tribes and groups who settled along the Ohio River. In addition to building the earthen structures, they participated in an extensive trade network. Their artifacts have been found in Ontario, Florida, Missouri, and the western sections of the Appalachian Mountains. Although the Hopewell culture isn’t represented today by any single indigenous tribe, historical advocacy groups in Ohio have been campaigning for a decade to have the earthworks added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Those outside the Hopewell culture first came to know about the earthworks when they were discovered on the property of Mordecai Hopewell in the latter part of the 19th century. Their purpose has been the subject of much speculation and debate over the years. One hypothesis is that the complex may have been a kind of ceremonial calendar, as the locations of the mounds are in alignment with the movement of the sun and moon, allowing the accurate tracking of solstices and equinoxes. Construction of the earthworks likely took place over the course of several centuries, a sign of cooperative effort between large groups of people. The mounds that are visible today are remnants of much larger structures, most of which have unfortunately been lost over time as people built over them and vegetation covered the remains. Still, the UNESCO designation officially makes this unusual place a jewel of the Rust Belt.
[Image description: A green mound, covered in grass, with a tree in the distance.] Credit & copyright: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons. This image or media file contains material based on a work of a National Park Service employee, created as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, such work is in the public domain in the United States. -
FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
A ceramic vessel shaped like a flying mammal? What’s bat about? This untitled piece of ancient pottery portrays a big-eared brown bat with its mouth open and its wings spread out. The vessel is light brown except on the nose and claws, which have a darker, reddish-brown hue. This vessel was created by the Moche people (also called the Mochica) of Andean Peru, who lived between the 1st and 8th centuries. Just as bats are associated with Halloween today, the Moche also believed in a connection between bats, spirits, and death. In Moche culture, the bat was seen as a paradox—it could fly like a bird but had fur like an earthbound animal. For that reason, they considered it a creature in transition between the world of the living and the land of the dead. Interestingly, the bat depicted in this piece of pottery is a big-eared brown bat, which wasn’t rediscovered by modern scientists until 2021. In honor of the Moche, it was given the scientific name Histiotus mochica. The Moche may be gone, but their spirits live on in the animal they so often depicted.
Big-Eared Brown Bat Vessel, 200–850 C.E., Ceramic, (18.4 x 17.7 x 15.8 cm.) 7.25 x 6.93 x 6.25 in.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, CC0 1.0 Universal, Public Domain Dedication]A ceramic vessel shaped like a flying mammal? What’s bat about? This untitled piece of ancient pottery portrays a big-eared brown bat with its mouth open and its wings spread out. The vessel is light brown except on the nose and claws, which have a darker, reddish-brown hue. This vessel was created by the Moche people (also called the Mochica) of Andean Peru, who lived between the 1st and 8th centuries. Just as bats are associated with Halloween today, the Moche also believed in a connection between bats, spirits, and death. In Moche culture, the bat was seen as a paradox—it could fly like a bird but had fur like an earthbound animal. For that reason, they considered it a creature in transition between the world of the living and the land of the dead. Interestingly, the bat depicted in this piece of pottery is a big-eared brown bat, which wasn’t rediscovered by modern scientists until 2021. In honor of the Moche, it was given the scientific name Histiotus mochica. The Moche may be gone, but their spirits live on in the animal they so often depicted.
Big-Eared Brown Bat Vessel, 200–850 C.E., Ceramic, (18.4 x 17.7 x 15.8 cm.) 7.25 x 6.93 x 6.25 in.), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio
[Image credit & copyright: The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, CC0 1.0 Universal, Public Domain Dedication] -
9 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Nearly one in six people in the United States is now 65 or older. While aging is often treated as an ominous economic problem, growing numbers of entrepreneu...
Nearly one in six people in the United States is now 65 or older. While aging is often treated as an ominous economic problem, growing numbers of entrepreneu...
October 8, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: October 8, 2023\ub-TAYN\ verb
What It Means
To obtain something is to gain or get it usually by planned action or effort, a...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: October 8, 2023\ub-TAYN\ verb
What It Means
To obtain something is to gain or get it usually by planned action or effort, a...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The 2023 Nobel Prize in literature was awarded this week to Norwegian author Jon Fosse. Though well known around the world, he’s not quite a household name i...
The 2023 Nobel Prize in literature was awarded this week to Norwegian author Jon Fosse. Though well known around the world, he’s not quite a household name i...
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FREELiterature PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Stephen King certainly has a fitting name. After all, he's the undisputed king of bestsellers, with more than 30 number-one novels in all. He’s also the king of horror, with spine-tingling books like Carrie, Pet Semetary, and The Shining making a (rather bloody) splash not just in the literary world but also on the big screen. It’s no exaggeration to say that King is one of the most prolific authors alive today, having published more than 65 novels and over 200 short stories. Yet this literary monarch’s background is surprisingly humble.
Born in Portland, Maine, in 1947, King’s family moved from his home state to Indiana and Connecticut before returning to Maine while King was still a child to help care for his grandparents. King showed an interest in writing from a young age. His father was interested in science fiction and horror stories, and had even tried his hand at writing. Unfortunately, King didn’t realize this until years after his father had abandoned the family, and King discovered a box of his father’s old writings. Nevertheless, the box inspired him, and he began to write short stories of his own. After high school, King attended the University of Maine where he studied English and wrote for the school newspaper. After graduating in 1966, King published his very first piece of writing, a short story called The Glass Floor, in Startling Mystery Stories. Though he intended to take up teaching after graduation, jobs were scarce and King temporarily fell on hard times. He took odd jobs and supplemented his income by publishing short stories. At one point, when he found himself arrested and fined $250 for stealing traffic cones, King had to use an incoming check from his aptly-named short story, The Raft, to stay afloat and pay the fine.
In 1971, King started teaching high-school-level English at Hampden Academy. It was during this time that he started writing Carrie, his breakthrough novel. The book follows the eponymous teenaged character as she starts to develop destructive supernatural powers while being bullied at school and abused at home. Eventually, after a horrifying prank sees Carrie doused in pig’s blood, she destroys her school and kills most of her tormentors. The novel’s narrative is structured as a collection of documents and perspectives from survivors that reveal the story. Although King didn’t believe that the novel would perform well, it was an instant commercial success after it was published in 1974. An equally-successful film adaptation followed in 1976, and it proved to be the first in a string of hit adaptations for the author.
Carrie was followed by the publications of Salem’s Lot, The Shining, and The Stand. The 1980 film adaptation of The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is considered one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Yet, somewhat surprisingly, another of the most highly-regarded King adaptations isn’t even horror. That honor goes to The Shawshank Redemption, which was nominated for seven Oscars after its 1994 release. The film and the 1982 novella it’s based on revolve around a wrongfully-convicted prisoner named Andy Dufresne, who orchestrates a prison break over the course of many years. Although the novella didn’t garner much attention when it was first released, the film shed light on King’s talents as a writer beyond his usual genre. More recently, Several of his works have been re-adapted after already getting the cinematic treatment. It, published in 1986, was first adapted in 1990 as a two-part miniseries. The second time around, it was made into two films with theatrical releases as It and It Chapter Two in 2017 and 2019. Carrie got the Hollywood do-over treatment in 2013, but not before becoming a Broadway musical in 1988. One book that’s unlikely to get an adaptation, however, is On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. King wrote this nonfiction literary guide as a way to inspire other writers, especially those who are struggling to get started. If you’ve got writer’s block, it only makes sense to seek council with the king.
[Image description: An open book floating inside a circle of stacked books amongst dimly-lit bookshelves.] Credit & copyright: Jaredd Craig, UnsplashStephen King certainly has a fitting name. After all, he's the undisputed king of bestsellers, with more than 30 number-one novels in all. He’s also the king of horror, with spine-tingling books like Carrie, Pet Semetary, and The Shining making a (rather bloody) splash not just in the literary world but also on the big screen. It’s no exaggeration to say that King is one of the most prolific authors alive today, having published more than 65 novels and over 200 short stories. Yet this literary monarch’s background is surprisingly humble.
Born in Portland, Maine, in 1947, King’s family moved from his home state to Indiana and Connecticut before returning to Maine while King was still a child to help care for his grandparents. King showed an interest in writing from a young age. His father was interested in science fiction and horror stories, and had even tried his hand at writing. Unfortunately, King didn’t realize this until years after his father had abandoned the family, and King discovered a box of his father’s old writings. Nevertheless, the box inspired him, and he began to write short stories of his own. After high school, King attended the University of Maine where he studied English and wrote for the school newspaper. After graduating in 1966, King published his very first piece of writing, a short story called The Glass Floor, in Startling Mystery Stories. Though he intended to take up teaching after graduation, jobs were scarce and King temporarily fell on hard times. He took odd jobs and supplemented his income by publishing short stories. At one point, when he found himself arrested and fined $250 for stealing traffic cones, King had to use an incoming check from his aptly-named short story, The Raft, to stay afloat and pay the fine.
In 1971, King started teaching high-school-level English at Hampden Academy. It was during this time that he started writing Carrie, his breakthrough novel. The book follows the eponymous teenaged character as she starts to develop destructive supernatural powers while being bullied at school and abused at home. Eventually, after a horrifying prank sees Carrie doused in pig’s blood, she destroys her school and kills most of her tormentors. The novel’s narrative is structured as a collection of documents and perspectives from survivors that reveal the story. Although King didn’t believe that the novel would perform well, it was an instant commercial success after it was published in 1974. An equally-successful film adaptation followed in 1976, and it proved to be the first in a string of hit adaptations for the author.
Carrie was followed by the publications of Salem’s Lot, The Shining, and The Stand. The 1980 film adaptation of The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is considered one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Yet, somewhat surprisingly, another of the most highly-regarded King adaptations isn’t even horror. That honor goes to The Shawshank Redemption, which was nominated for seven Oscars after its 1994 release. The film and the 1982 novella it’s based on revolve around a wrongfully-convicted prisoner named Andy Dufresne, who orchestrates a prison break over the course of many years. Although the novella didn’t garner much attention when it was first released, the film shed light on King’s talents as a writer beyond his usual genre. More recently, Several of his works have been re-adapted after already getting the cinematic treatment. It, published in 1986, was first adapted in 1990 as a two-part miniseries. The second time around, it was made into two films with theatrical releases as It and It Chapter Two in 2017 and 2019. Carrie got the Hollywood do-over treatment in 2013, but not before becoming a Broadway musical in 1988. One book that’s unlikely to get an adaptation, however, is On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. King wrote this nonfiction literary guide as a way to inspire other writers, especially those who are struggling to get started. If you’ve got writer’s block, it only makes sense to seek council with the king.
[Image description: An open book floating inside a circle of stacked books amongst dimly-lit bookshelves.] Credit & copyright: Jaredd Craig, Unsplash
October 7, 2023
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: October 7, 2023\por-TEN-tuss\ adjective
What It Means
Portentous is a formal and literary term that describes something tha...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: October 7, 2023\por-TEN-tuss\ adjective
What It Means
Portentous is a formal and literary term that describes something tha...
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
A whopping 336,000 jobs were created last month, according to the Labor Department. That figure is way higher than expected. We discuss how investors might b...
A whopping 336,000 jobs were created last month, according to the Labor Department. That figure is way higher than expected. We discuss how investors might b...
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FREEFootball Sporty CurioFree1 CQ
There’s crushing defeat, and then there’s whatever this is. On this day in 1916, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University 222-0 in the most lopsided football game in collegiate history. John Heisman (yes, as in the Heisman Trophy) was at the coaching helm during the pigskin pummeling, leading Georgia Tech to score 63 points by the end of the first quarter. With a comfortable lead of 126-0 at halftime, Heisman instructed his players to maintain course, reportedly saying, “You never know what those Cumberland players have up their sleeve. So in the second half, go out and hit ‘em clean and hit ‘em hard. Do not let up.” Whatever they may have had up their sleeves, it certainly wasn’t 126 points. The unusual brutality of the game was rumored to be the result of a vendetta on Heisman’s part. He also coached baseball, and he suspected Cumberland of having previously hired professional players to beat Georgia Tech on the diamond. In all likelihood, though, Cumberland’s palpable defeat had more to do with the fact that it had shuttered its football program during the spring term, and didn’t have much of a team to field. The school probably would have been wise to back out of the game, but due to a contractual obligation it wasn't allowed to. When all was said and done, Cumberland ended up with negative 28 yards and not one first down to Georgia Tech’s 20. How can you not be at least a little bit of a sore loser after that?
[Image description: A football by itself on a football field.] Credit & copyright: Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Pexels
There’s crushing defeat, and then there’s whatever this is. On this day in 1916, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University 222-0 in the most lopsided football game in collegiate history. John Heisman (yes, as in the Heisman Trophy) was at the coaching helm during the pigskin pummeling, leading Georgia Tech to score 63 points by the end of the first quarter. With a comfortable lead of 126-0 at halftime, Heisman instructed his players to maintain course, reportedly saying, “You never know what those Cumberland players have up their sleeve. So in the second half, go out and hit ‘em clean and hit ‘em hard. Do not let up.” Whatever they may have had up their sleeves, it certainly wasn’t 126 points. The unusual brutality of the game was rumored to be the result of a vendetta on Heisman’s part. He also coached baseball, and he suspected Cumberland of having previously hired professional players to beat Georgia Tech on the diamond. In all likelihood, though, Cumberland’s palpable defeat had more to do with the fact that it had shuttered its football program during the spring term, and didn’t have much of a team to field. The school probably would have been wise to back out of the game, but due to a contractual obligation it wasn't allowed to. When all was said and done, Cumberland ended up with negative 28 yards and not one first down to Georgia Tech’s 20. How can you not be at least a little bit of a sore loser after that?
[Image description: A football by itself on a football field.] Credit & copyright: Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Pexels
October 6, 2023
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The World Trade Organization originally thought that global exports would grow by 1.7% this year, but now thinks they’ll only gro...
From the BBC World Service: The World Trade Organization originally thought that global exports would grow by 1.7% this year, but now thinks they’ll only gro...
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FREEMind + Body Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Crunchy, tangy, and Halloween-y! Candy apples are all of the above, and they’ve long been associated with fall. These quirky confections have an equally quirky history (their inventor didn’t even intend for them to be eaten) and although they’re considered an old-fashioned Halloween treat today, they were originally created for a different holiday entirely.
Candy apples are exactly what they sound like: apples (usually tart, green varieties like Granny Smiths) coated in melted candy—usually a simple mixture of corn syrup, sugar, and water. Traditionally, the coating is dyed a cheery, bright red. It’s no wonder that they’re associated with Halloween, since candy is a staple of the holiday and apples are harvested in the fall. Oddly though, candy apples’ close cousins, caramel apples, aren’t as heavily affiliated with fall. This could be because caramel apples were invented second, giving candy apples a head start in the Halloween-treat competition.
As for why candy apples were created, it wasn’t for eating, but for advertising. In 1908, New Jersey candymaker William W. Kolb needed a way to advertise the red cinnamon candy he was selling for Christmas. He couldn’t set up a candy stand outside his shop, as he might have done in the summer, so instead he opted for a fantastical window display. Kolb skewered apples with sticks, then dipped them into his bright candy and set them in the window. But passersby didn’t just want the candy, they wanted the apples too. Eventually, Kolb agreed to sell the candy-dipped treats for five cents each. Before long, their popularity had spread throughout New Jersey. Although they were invented as a Christmas advertisement, they soon became a popular item to hand out to trick-or-treaters, and thus began their long association with Halloween.
Unfortunately, candy apples’ trick-or-treating days didn’t last. In the 1960s and 70s, urban legends about needles and razorblades embedded in Halloween apples rose to such prominence that they were even featured on television news. Even though there was little to no truth to the tales, candy apples’ reputation, along with those of all homemade Halloween treats, took a serious hit. Today, most people opt to hand out store-bought candy and snacks instead. But candy apples will never be banished from Halloween festivities entirely; they’re just too terrifyingly tasty.
[Image description: Rows of red candy apples, some coated in sprinkles.] Credit & copyright: karenbrockney, PixabayCrunchy, tangy, and Halloween-y! Candy apples are all of the above, and they’ve long been associated with fall. These quirky confections have an equally quirky history (their inventor didn’t even intend for them to be eaten) and although they’re considered an old-fashioned Halloween treat today, they were originally created for a different holiday entirely.
Candy apples are exactly what they sound like: apples (usually tart, green varieties like Granny Smiths) coated in melted candy—usually a simple mixture of corn syrup, sugar, and water. Traditionally, the coating is dyed a cheery, bright red. It’s no wonder that they’re associated with Halloween, since candy is a staple of the holiday and apples are harvested in the fall. Oddly though, candy apples’ close cousins, caramel apples, aren’t as heavily affiliated with fall. This could be because caramel apples were invented second, giving candy apples a head start in the Halloween-treat competition.
As for why candy apples were created, it wasn’t for eating, but for advertising. In 1908, New Jersey candymaker William W. Kolb needed a way to advertise the red cinnamon candy he was selling for Christmas. He couldn’t set up a candy stand outside his shop, as he might have done in the summer, so instead he opted for a fantastical window display. Kolb skewered apples with sticks, then dipped them into his bright candy and set them in the window. But passersby didn’t just want the candy, they wanted the apples too. Eventually, Kolb agreed to sell the candy-dipped treats for five cents each. Before long, their popularity had spread throughout New Jersey. Although they were invented as a Christmas advertisement, they soon became a popular item to hand out to trick-or-treaters, and thus began their long association with Halloween.
Unfortunately, candy apples’ trick-or-treating days didn’t last. In the 1960s and 70s, urban legends about needles and razorblades embedded in Halloween apples rose to such prominence that they were even featured on television news. Even though there was little to no truth to the tales, candy apples’ reputation, along with those of all homemade Halloween treats, took a serious hit. Today, most people opt to hand out store-bought candy and snacks instead. But candy apples will never be banished from Halloween festivities entirely; they’re just too terrifyingly tasty.
[Image description: Rows of red candy apples, some coated in sprinkles.] Credit & copyright: karenbrockney, Pixabay
October 5, 2023
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The 2030 Soccer World Cup will be held in six countries on three different continents, so how will it affect the bottom line — th...
From the BBC World Service: The 2030 Soccer World Cup will be held in six countries on three different continents, so how will it affect the bottom line — th...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: October 5, 2023\uh-fish-ee-uh-NAH-doh\ noun
What It Means
Aficionado is a synonym of devotee and refers to someone who both...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: October 5, 2023\uh-fish-ee-uh-NAH-doh\ noun
What It Means
Aficionado is a synonym of devotee and refers to someone who both...
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FREEPhysics Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
It was a real “blink and you’ll miss it” moment. For their innovative foray into the world of ultrafast laser pulses, the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics was recently awarded to Pierre Agostini of Ohio State University, Ferenc Krausz of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, and Anne L’Huillier of Lund University. The trio discovered how to fire laser pulses in durations measured in attoseconds, each a billionth of a billionth of a second. It’s a mind-bogglingly tiny increment of time; in fact, there are more attoseconds in a single second than there have been seconds since the beginning of the universe. The act of firing these brief pulses of light is called laser spectroscopy, and many of the advances in the technology were led by Agostini, Krausz, and L’Huillier working independently. The culmination of their work came when they used ultrafast laser spectroscopy on atoms of the chemical element neon. They fired photons that interacted with the fast-moving electrons of the atoms. That, in turn, allowed them to track the movement of the electrons, almost like they were using a camera with attosecond-scale shutter speed. The result was an unprecedented glimpse into electron dynamics. The research may seem esoteric, but it could very well spark innovations in medical diagnostic equipment and electronics. The future’s so bright, you’ve gotta wear shades…but only for an attosecond or two.
[Image description: A collage of stopwatches against a blue background.] Credit & copyright: geralt, Pixabay
It was a real “blink and you’ll miss it” moment. For their innovative foray into the world of ultrafast laser pulses, the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics was recently awarded to Pierre Agostini of Ohio State University, Ferenc Krausz of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, and Anne L’Huillier of Lund University. The trio discovered how to fire laser pulses in durations measured in attoseconds, each a billionth of a billionth of a second. It’s a mind-bogglingly tiny increment of time; in fact, there are more attoseconds in a single second than there have been seconds since the beginning of the universe. The act of firing these brief pulses of light is called laser spectroscopy, and many of the advances in the technology were led by Agostini, Krausz, and L’Huillier working independently. The culmination of their work came when they used ultrafast laser spectroscopy on atoms of the chemical element neon. They fired photons that interacted with the fast-moving electrons of the atoms. That, in turn, allowed them to track the movement of the electrons, almost like they were using a camera with attosecond-scale shutter speed. The result was an unprecedented glimpse into electron dynamics. The research may seem esoteric, but it could very well spark innovations in medical diagnostic equipment and electronics. The future’s so bright, you’ve gotta wear shades…but only for an attosecond or two.
[Image description: A collage of stopwatches against a blue background.] Credit & copyright: geralt, Pixabay
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FREETravel Daily Curio #2736Free1 CQ
When life gives you hurricanes, make haunted houses. In Philadelphia, a creative building owner is adapting to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ida in a rather spooktacular way. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian Corcodilos bought Mad River, a bar that operated for 11 years in what used to be an old textile mill in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk. Unfortunately, the bar was forced to close due to the pandemic. Then, in September 2023, Hurricane Ida flooded much of the city. Manayunk was among the hardest hit areas, sending Mad River up a creek, so to speak. The flood damage to the building was severe. Plenty of people in Corcodilos’ situation would have bulldozed the place, or sold it off for pennies. Instead, Corcodilos teamed up with his friend, Jared Bilsak, who used to run a haunted house with him during their college days. Bilsak was still up to his spooky shenanigans in Bethlehem, where he had a successful haunted house business. Looking at the damage wrought on the old mill, they decided that it looked pretty haunted, and they set out to convert the building into another horror attraction.
Named Lincoln Mill, the attraction is set to have around 40 actors decked out in costumes and grisly props. Corcodilos and Bilsak even worked Hurricane Ida into the fictional lore of their haunted house. According to the imaginary backstory, flooding from the storm revealed a previously-hidden room filled with the corpses of textile workers. The story goes that a former owner of the property was experimenting on his employees, which is why their wayward souls still haunt the mill. It’s certainly a novel approach to creating a haunted house, and it may serve as inspiration for other people whose properties were damaged by the hurricane. On top of all that, some of the money from Lincoln Mill will go toward a good cause. One dollar from each haunted house ticket will go to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The spirit of generosity is surely the least scary spirit on the property.
[Image description: A digital illustration of a spooky cabin in foggy woods, with light shining from one window.] Credit & copyright: ArtTower, Pixabay. This image is in no way associated with Lincoln Mill.When life gives you hurricanes, make haunted houses. In Philadelphia, a creative building owner is adapting to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ida in a rather spooktacular way. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian Corcodilos bought Mad River, a bar that operated for 11 years in what used to be an old textile mill in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk. Unfortunately, the bar was forced to close due to the pandemic. Then, in September 2023, Hurricane Ida flooded much of the city. Manayunk was among the hardest hit areas, sending Mad River up a creek, so to speak. The flood damage to the building was severe. Plenty of people in Corcodilos’ situation would have bulldozed the place, or sold it off for pennies. Instead, Corcodilos teamed up with his friend, Jared Bilsak, who used to run a haunted house with him during their college days. Bilsak was still up to his spooky shenanigans in Bethlehem, where he had a successful haunted house business. Looking at the damage wrought on the old mill, they decided that it looked pretty haunted, and they set out to convert the building into another horror attraction.
Named Lincoln Mill, the attraction is set to have around 40 actors decked out in costumes and grisly props. Corcodilos and Bilsak even worked Hurricane Ida into the fictional lore of their haunted house. According to the imaginary backstory, flooding from the storm revealed a previously-hidden room filled with the corpses of textile workers. The story goes that a former owner of the property was experimenting on his employees, which is why their wayward souls still haunt the mill. It’s certainly a novel approach to creating a haunted house, and it may serve as inspiration for other people whose properties were damaged by the hurricane. On top of all that, some of the money from Lincoln Mill will go toward a good cause. One dollar from each haunted house ticket will go to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The spirit of generosity is surely the least scary spirit on the property.
[Image description: A digital illustration of a spooky cabin in foggy woods, with light shining from one window.] Credit & copyright: ArtTower, Pixabay. This image is in no way associated with Lincoln Mill.
October 4, 2023
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7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against what it’s called a China-based network responsible for manufacturing and...
From the BBC World Service: The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against what it’s called a China-based network responsible for manufacturing and...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: October 4, 2023\splih-NET-ik\ adjective
What It Means
Splenetic is a formal word that typically describes expressions of sh...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: October 4, 2023\splih-NET-ik\ adjective
What It Means
Splenetic is a formal word that typically describes expressions of sh...
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FREEEngineering Daily Curio #2735Free1 CQ
The tooth fairy is about to get a lesson in inflation. All the dental floss and toothpaste in the world can’t replace a missing tooth, which is why dentists remind their patients to be diligent with oral hygiene. But a team of scientists in Japan may be close to regrowing teeth in humans. In fact, they’ve already succeeded in animal trials. Currently, there are a handful of ways to deal with teeth that fall out or have to be removed. Patients can get implants, bridges or dentures, but none of these compare to the real deal. Even when patients have a mouthful of unhealthy teeth, dentists often consider extractions a last resort. That’s because even bad teeth can be better than implants, which are expensive and may need to be replaced periodically. Removing enough teeth can also lead to a receding jaw bone, which can make further dental work difficult or impossible. With enough bone loss, patients may even become unable to use dentures, which are already prone to causing irritation and other issues.
It’s no wonder that regrowing teeth has long been a dream of dentists and their patients. Now, according to scientists at Toregem Biopharma, a startup based in Kyoto, Japan, that dream may be within reach. Their treatment uses a drug that targets a gene called USAG-1, which is responsible for suppressing activity in tooth buds. Everyone has undeveloped tooth buds, and the idea is to stimulate them into growing. So far, the team has managed to regrow teeth in ferrets, which have separate sets of baby and adult teeth just like humans. Clinical trials in humans are set to begin next year, but they’re starting with people suffering from anodontia, a disorder that causes a partial or complete absence of teeth. If successful, researchers hope to segue their efforts into regrowing teeth that have been lost to cavities. Chew on that!
[Image description: A set of dentures against a black background.] Credit & copyright: dental-inno, PixabayThe tooth fairy is about to get a lesson in inflation. All the dental floss and toothpaste in the world can’t replace a missing tooth, which is why dentists remind their patients to be diligent with oral hygiene. But a team of scientists in Japan may be close to regrowing teeth in humans. In fact, they’ve already succeeded in animal trials. Currently, there are a handful of ways to deal with teeth that fall out or have to be removed. Patients can get implants, bridges or dentures, but none of these compare to the real deal. Even when patients have a mouthful of unhealthy teeth, dentists often consider extractions a last resort. That’s because even bad teeth can be better than implants, which are expensive and may need to be replaced periodically. Removing enough teeth can also lead to a receding jaw bone, which can make further dental work difficult or impossible. With enough bone loss, patients may even become unable to use dentures, which are already prone to causing irritation and other issues.
It’s no wonder that regrowing teeth has long been a dream of dentists and their patients. Now, according to scientists at Toregem Biopharma, a startup based in Kyoto, Japan, that dream may be within reach. Their treatment uses a drug that targets a gene called USAG-1, which is responsible for suppressing activity in tooth buds. Everyone has undeveloped tooth buds, and the idea is to stimulate them into growing. So far, the team has managed to regrow teeth in ferrets, which have separate sets of baby and adult teeth just like humans. Clinical trials in humans are set to begin next year, but they’re starting with people suffering from anodontia, a disorder that causes a partial or complete absence of teeth. If successful, researchers hope to segue their efforts into regrowing teeth that have been lost to cavities. Chew on that!
[Image description: A set of dentures against a black background.] Credit & copyright: dental-inno, Pixabay -
FREEFinance Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
The Vegas entertainment industry is really rounding out. A new, eye-catching entertainment venue opened in Sin City on September 29, with some speculating that it has the potential to change the nature of the entertainment industry. The Sphere is an arena meant to host all sorts of performances, from concerts to sports games. But unlike a traditional stadium, the structure is almost entirely spherical. In fact, it’s being billed as the largest spherical structure in the world. The outside of the venue is covered in 1.2 million LED lights which can be programmed with all sorts of complicated, animated designs, turning the structure itself into a source of entertainment. After U2 played The Sphere’s official opening concert, the venue’s parent company, Sphere Entertainment, experienced a 15 percent stock-jump. The company’s market capitalization (the value of its publicly-traded shares owned by stockholders) currently sits at $1.4 billion. To top it all off, Sphere Entertainment also announced that they plan to build another spherical venue in London, assuming that they’re approved to do so. Have we entered an era in which traditional stadiums will be overtaken by higher-tech venues that light up their respective skylines? Here’s hoping we’re around to find out.
[Image description: A portion of the Las Vegas skyline at night, including the hot-air-balloon-sign and Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas.] Credit & copyright: Pexels, Pixabay. This image is in no way associated with Sphere Entertainment.The Vegas entertainment industry is really rounding out. A new, eye-catching entertainment venue opened in Sin City on September 29, with some speculating that it has the potential to change the nature of the entertainment industry. The Sphere is an arena meant to host all sorts of performances, from concerts to sports games. But unlike a traditional stadium, the structure is almost entirely spherical. In fact, it’s being billed as the largest spherical structure in the world. The outside of the venue is covered in 1.2 million LED lights which can be programmed with all sorts of complicated, animated designs, turning the structure itself into a source of entertainment. After U2 played The Sphere’s official opening concert, the venue’s parent company, Sphere Entertainment, experienced a 15 percent stock-jump. The company’s market capitalization (the value of its publicly-traded shares owned by stockholders) currently sits at $1.4 billion. To top it all off, Sphere Entertainment also announced that they plan to build another spherical venue in London, assuming that they’re approved to do so. Have we entered an era in which traditional stadiums will be overtaken by higher-tech venues that light up their respective skylines? Here’s hoping we’re around to find out.
[Image description: A portion of the Las Vegas skyline at night, including the hot-air-balloon-sign and Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas.] Credit & copyright: Pexels, Pixabay. This image is in no way associated with Sphere Entertainment.
October 3, 2023
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC World Service: In an exclusive interview, the Secretary General of the oil producers cartel OPEC warns of “dire consequences” for the global eco...
From the BBC World Service: In an exclusive interview, the Secretary General of the oil producers cartel OPEC warns of “dire consequences” for the global eco...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: October 3, 2023\FAYZ\ verb
What It Means
To faze someone is to disturb their composure. Faze is a synonym of disconcert and...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: October 3, 2023\FAYZ\ verb
What It Means
To faze someone is to disturb their composure. Faze is a synonym of disconcert and...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
No need to stand in line at the stadium, these record-breaking concerts are coming to a theater near you. The music scene this summer was dominated by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, both of which were hard to get tickets to. Fans who missed out needn’t despair, though. Swift recently announced that an Eras Tour concert film would be released in AMC movie theaters. In an industry first, the film was sold by Swift directly to the theaters, rather than released via an intermediary, allowing her to retain more than 50 percent of the profits. Now, Beyoncé has announced a similar deal, in which a concert film for her Renaissance World Tour will also be released at AMC. Not only will it feature concert footage (including performances of massive hits like Single Ladies and Run the World (Girls)) but also behind-the-scenes looks at her rehearsals and family life. With the world’s two biggest pop stars embracing this new, direct-to-theaters strategy, it’s likely that other artists will also use it to retain more profits from their own music. Who run the cinema? Girls!
No need to stand in line at the stadium, these record-breaking concerts are coming to a theater near you. The music scene this summer was dominated by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, both of which were hard to get tickets to. Fans who missed out needn’t despair, though. Swift recently announced that an Eras Tour concert film would be released in AMC movie theaters. In an industry first, the film was sold by Swift directly to the theaters, rather than released via an intermediary, allowing her to retain more than 50 percent of the profits. Now, Beyoncé has announced a similar deal, in which a concert film for her Renaissance World Tour will also be released at AMC. Not only will it feature concert footage (including performances of massive hits like Single Ladies and Run the World (Girls)) but also behind-the-scenes looks at her rehearsals and family life. With the world’s two biggest pop stars embracing this new, direct-to-theaters strategy, it’s likely that other artists will also use it to retain more profits from their own music. Who run the cinema? Girls!
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FREETravel Daily Curio #2734Free1 CQ
When it comes to haunted hotels, there’s one name that’s shining above the rest. Opened in 1909, the Stanley Hotel has a reputation for lodging both the living and the dead. In fact, it's said to be so beset by malevolent spirits that famed horror novelist Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining after spending just one night there. Lately, the hotel's fame has reached a new generation and it's become an oddly popular filming location for social media influencers.
The Stanley Hotel has a long history of ghost stories. It was built by inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley who moved to Colorado on the recommendation of doctors in order to recover from tuberculosis in the mountain air. Once his health improved, Stanley decided to settle down and build a luxury hotel to bring in wealthy travelers. After he died in 1940 at the age of 91, hotel staff and visitors claimed that his spirit lingered in the grand, Edwardian building. Another purported resident ghost is Elizabeth Wilson, a housekeeper who was caught in a gas explosion while at work. Even though she didn’t die in the explosion, her ghost is still said to be trapped in the hotel due to trauma from the incident.
Plenty of ghost hunters and supernatural enthusiasts consider the Stanley Hotel to be an important supernatural landmark. Recently, the hotel has become a trendy destination for ghost-hunting T.V. shows and online content creators looking to spook their viewers. There was even a bit of a showdown earlier this year when two Youtubers, Tyler Oliveira and Brent Rivera, ended up filming at the hotel at the same time. The content creators got into a squabble which ended with Oliveria being kicked out.
As for The Shining, the hotel did play a role in Stephen King’s inspiration…though not in the way you might think. As he tells it, King met a bartender named Grady at the hotel bar and then had a nightmare about a fire hose chasing his 3-year-old son down the hotels’ halls. Startled awake, he looked outside his hotel room window, at the view of the Rocky Mountains, and the idea for the book came to him. And yes, he really did stay in Room 217. A fire hose in the Rockies might not sound that scary, but just wait until one starts chasing you!
[Image description: A photo of the white-and-red Stanley Hotel under a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: kabaldesch0, PixabayWhen it comes to haunted hotels, there’s one name that’s shining above the rest. Opened in 1909, the Stanley Hotel has a reputation for lodging both the living and the dead. In fact, it's said to be so beset by malevolent spirits that famed horror novelist Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining after spending just one night there. Lately, the hotel's fame has reached a new generation and it's become an oddly popular filming location for social media influencers.
The Stanley Hotel has a long history of ghost stories. It was built by inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley who moved to Colorado on the recommendation of doctors in order to recover from tuberculosis in the mountain air. Once his health improved, Stanley decided to settle down and build a luxury hotel to bring in wealthy travelers. After he died in 1940 at the age of 91, hotel staff and visitors claimed that his spirit lingered in the grand, Edwardian building. Another purported resident ghost is Elizabeth Wilson, a housekeeper who was caught in a gas explosion while at work. Even though she didn’t die in the explosion, her ghost is still said to be trapped in the hotel due to trauma from the incident.
Plenty of ghost hunters and supernatural enthusiasts consider the Stanley Hotel to be an important supernatural landmark. Recently, the hotel has become a trendy destination for ghost-hunting T.V. shows and online content creators looking to spook their viewers. There was even a bit of a showdown earlier this year when two Youtubers, Tyler Oliveira and Brent Rivera, ended up filming at the hotel at the same time. The content creators got into a squabble which ended with Oliveria being kicked out.
As for The Shining, the hotel did play a role in Stephen King’s inspiration…though not in the way you might think. As he tells it, King met a bartender named Grady at the hotel bar and then had a nightmare about a fire hose chasing his 3-year-old son down the hotels’ halls. Startled awake, he looked outside his hotel room window, at the view of the Rocky Mountains, and the idea for the book came to him. And yes, he really did stay in Room 217. A fire hose in the Rockies might not sound that scary, but just wait until one starts chasing you!
[Image description: A photo of the white-and-red Stanley Hotel under a blue sky.] Credit & copyright: kabaldesch0, Pixabay