(via reddit)
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
The History of Salt
We all need salt to function, so animals evolved to seek it out. Lucky for us, the salty seas have left deposits of salt everywhere, if we can find them. Humans, however, sought salt so much that today our doctors tell us to lay off the salty snacks and put away the shaker because it can lead to high blood pressure. It wasn't always this way, because salt was not always so easy to get. the quest for salt as a commodity goes all the way back to the beginning of agriculture. Those who had it became rich selling it, although it wasn't easy- that's why working in the salt mines became a metaphor for backbreaking, unpleasant labor. Getting salt to those who had less became one of the reasons we developed global trade. This TED-Ed lesson brings us a short history of sale, but try to resist the urge to grab some chips while watching it.
Atomic Chicken
A flock of chickens seem to be living an idyllic life in the shadow of a nuclear power plant, because they are birdbrains and have no concept of the possible danger. Then one day something goes wrong, and the farm is showered with radioactive fallout. The effects are the ridiculous extremes we saw in 1950s B-movies, like immediate mutant growth and unexplainable super powers. The chickens are still birdbrains, but they have an idea of how to stop the nuclear plant from contaminating their environment.
Atomic Chicken is a student film from the French art school Ecole des Nouvelles, specifically the 2023 graduation film for animation students. I like the animated fabric textures, but was a little surprised at one point. "Hey, we can see this chicken's cloaca!" There's a reason for that, since a hen's main talent is laying eggs, and that's important to the story, although what they do with that talent is surprising. (via Kuriositas)
Robot Attack
Boys will be boys, even in the robot apocalypse.Brian Vowles had two sons and an iPhone, so he made a movie, a short film, about two young warriors who fall into a trap set by a robot programmed to destroy the human race. You can read about the project here, including a running video diary of the 4.5-year-long struggle to get Robot Attack finished. (Thanks, WTM!)
Monday Was a Big Day
The incoming Democratic Senate class makes its way into the Capitol
— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) November 9, 2026 at 11:52 AM
[image or embed]
The amount of dopamine my brain generated when I saw this image of Annie Andrews, James Talarico, and Troy Jackson showing up to Senate orientation nearly sent me into a coma.
— Mike Nellis (@mikenellis.bsky.social) November 9, 2026 at 11:00 AM
[image or embed]
Monday, November 09, 2026
Pervert Glasses
Julie Nolke, as a guy, tries to buy some Meta glasses. It doesn't go well, because he's too honest.
Star Wars Copies From the 1970s
When Star Wars came out in 1977, it was an immediate monster hit. Filmmakers everywhere, but especially in Italy, sat up and noticed. If the audience wants a space Western, that's what they'll get! But we had already seen space adventures for many years, so what was it about Star Wars that people loved so much? A series of movies were churned out that tried to emulate Star Wars as best they could, going so far as to rip off character designs and plot lines from a galaxy far, far away. The most famous of these knockoffs was Starcrash, an Italian film with movie stars and space battles, but not much else.
Evan Puschak looks at the phenomena of low budget Star Wars wannabe movies, and hones in on exactly what they were missing. Which any moviegoer who saw Star Wars on a big screen in 1977 knows to be true. This video is only seven minutes long; the rest is an ad. (via kottke)
Miss Cellania's Links
Marilyn Monroe as the Fabulous Enchantresses: When Monroe Recreated Photos of Five Famous Actresses From the Past, 1958.
It Was Failed Election Meddling, Not Absence of Election Meddling. (via Fark)
The Tesla Cybertruck Is Dead, The Ford F-150 Lives.
The Kyshtym Dwarf: What Was Alyoshenka, the Tiny Body Found in the Urals in 1996? Or, how weird conspiracies can arise from institutional failures. (via Strange Company)
The only real excuse for wearing a wedding dress to a friend's wedding is in this bizarre story.
Pasilalinic-Sympathetic Compass: The Snail Telegraph. I think Snail-o-Gram would have been a better name.
I’m an athletic trainer – here’s how to know when kids sports are too intense.
Doctors pull knife from man’s eye that went through his brain—and he’s fine now.
What is Federal Land?
You've heard of federal land, but who controls it, how does it differ from state or private land, and how did it become that way? Even if you've never wondered about it, when CGP Grey tackles a subject, you know it's going to be interesting, and that you'll learn more than you bargained for.
Life is Short
The great wisdom of the ages is surprisingly contradictory. This comic is from Go Borgo. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Sunday, November 08, 2026
Yes, 42 is a Special Number
Yeah, you saw the question in the title and said, "That's the answer to life, the universe, and everything!" And you are right; that was the premise of Douglas' Adams story The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But also remember, by the time the supercomputer once known as earth rendered the answer, it occurred to everyone that they no longer knew what the question was. The real question for Adams was, why 42? There was nothing special about that number, he assured us. But is that true? The number 42 crops up in plenty of ancients texts and classic literature. Could these have influenced Adams? And what if they didn't? The number is certainly important now, thanks to The Hitchhiker's Guide.
Portuguese Man O' War
The Portuguese man o' war is not from Portugal, and it's neither a man nor at war. but more importantly, it's not a jellyfish, either, although it looks like one. This creature cannot even propel itself through the water, and relies on ocean currents to move at all. As such, you'd think they would stay in their own ecosystem. But climate change is bringing warm waters to more places than ever before, and the man o' war is spreading with those waters. Why is this important?
For one, we don't know what effect they will have as an invasive species, and how the man o' war will upset the balance of nature. The other reason is closer to home- they can kill humans. A Portuguese man o' war's sting can range from painful and bothersome to lethal, with all kinds of unpleasant effects in between that can last up to a year. You don't want to mess with these animals, even when they are stranded on the beach. Even though they are pretty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)