The origins of science fiction, mass hysteria in Quito, the Unabomber's life and the one-armed pianist, all that and more in this palindrome edition of recommended links. Perfect for spending the afternoon reading, watching videos, and exploring galleries.
The origins of science fiction: in the 2nd century, someone dreamed of extraterrestrials and interplanetary wars: "It might seem that such literature is relatively recent, but writers of the 19th century like Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells or Jules Verne were preceded by a much older work. 'True Stories' (also known as 'A True History') was written in the 2nd century by Lucian of Samosata, and in it this Syrian author dreamed of space travel, extraterrestrial life and interplanetary wars."
The War of the Worlds in Quito: "A decade later, on February 12, 1949, a very similar experiment was carried out without excessive preparation or thought. No one suspected the consequences could be more devastating. Radio Quito, which enjoyed great prestige and was located in the offices of the newspaper El Comercio, unleashed Armageddon when it interrupted a live broadcast (a performance by singers Benítez and Valencia, who fell silent) to claim it had spotted an unidentified flying object in the Galápagos Islands, which soon approached the city."
The birth of Japan's legendary arcades: "Yes, Japanese arcades have their roots in the games often seen at local fairs. But long before cafés installed arcade cabinets to capitalize on the Space Invaders craze of the late 70s, there were game machines atop department stores in cities like Osaka and Tokyo."
Why we are so bad at verifying information: "Cognitive psychology research shows that we are naturally bad at verifying information, and it is very difficult to compare things we read or hear with what we already know about a topic. In the so-called fake news era, this reality has important consequences for how we use journalism, social media and the rest of public information."
This is how Unabomber lives, the Luddite who terrorized the United States for 17 years with letter bombs: "ADX Florence is a facility specially reserved for the most dangerous and disruptive inmates in the U.S. penal system, for those whose escape would pose a risk to national security and, especially, for domestic and international terrorists. It has a capacity for 490 prisoners, who live in individual cells where they remain 23 hours a day. The cubicles consist only of a cement bed, desk and stool, as well as a toilet and a shower timed from the prison's central control."
Paul Wittgenstein, the one-armed pianist: "In the war he had the misfortune of being wounded while being captured by the enemy. The result of that ordeal was the amputation of his right arm, tragic for anyone, but even harder for a pianist. That did not, however, deter him from his idea of making a living from music as a piano performer. As a prisoner, he had no access to the instrument, as expected, but he still practiced piano."
When local calls were so expensive that parents put a lock on the phone: "Not long ago, calling sometimes was almost prohibitive, especially if it was outside our province. With no choice of phone company and little control over how many minutes were already consumed, many households opted for a solution as drastic as it was effective: putting a lock on the home landline."
Commodore's wheelchair: "But these two companies under the Commodore umbrella launched a different project: a wheelchair capable of climbing stairs. A very innovative product for the time, so much so that it would go on to win one of the U.S. Department of Employment contests for the disabled to promote the development of technologies and aids for this sector. However, Commodore was beginning to show its first economic problems, problems that the Canadian Irving Gould would later help solve."
The world's kindest thief asks permission to rob: "The strange robbery attempt took place in a shop in the Japanese city of Ogori. According to the police report, the unidentified man entered the 24-hour minimarket around 1:40 a.m. and told the manager: 'I came with the intention of intimidating you and robbing you. May I ask you to cooperate with me and give me the money?', with manners that any member of royalty would envy."
The kynodesme, the thread athletes used to tie their penises: "The kynodesme, also called dog leash or dog knot, was a very thin strip of leather, almost a thread, that athletes in ancient Greece used to tie their penis, more specifically the foreskin, to prevent the glans from showing. Sometimes it was not leather and truly was a thread. For them, who competed naked, showing the glans was shameful, and that's why they used the kynodesme. Moreover, I suspect the invention provided some comfort in certain competitions, since the thread was tied around the belly, holding the penis upward and leaving the scrotum visible."
The fatal fate of a Kawésqar girl sold as an attraction to a German businessman for his human zoo: "On September 30, 1881, a 2-year-old Kawésqar girl died in Paris. She had been abducted along with her family by the German 'entrepreneur' Carl Hagenbeck. She could not withstand the harsh living conditions and overcrowding and died in her mother's arms after being exhibited like an animal in Europe. This businessman's surname gives its name to one of Europe's most important zoos, the Hagenbeck Tierpark in Hamburg."
Bacteria vs. viruses, a millennial war with an unexpected ending: "A virus injects its DNA into a cell to try to take control. In its defense, the bacterium springs into action the moment a virus introduces its genetic material. The proteins in the cell seek out the virus's DNA, attach to it and send a signal to another protein that arrives and cuts the virus's DNA into strips," details a group of researchers from the Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) in an article published in *Science* magazine last year.
Videos
Doctor Strange leaves the portal open, traps for urinators, time-lapse of a Voldemort sculpture, the headless chicken monster, 2018 Classic Tetris World Championship Finals, a metal ball at 1000 degrees against everything, how glaciers move, the longest sea bridge, the Wonky Donkey song, MAX COOPER - PLATONIC, people scared watching 'The Exorcist', ghost at the door, Michael Jackson light show, VR arcade, and the shorts Progress Bar and Asleep on the Train.
Galleries
Disney Princess Millennials, photos of Mongolia, a futuristic Citroen, male affection, lip art, Halloween costumes, science fiction in post-war times, creative manipulations, the world's largest statue, Vertedero Animado and the Tiradero Visual of the week.
Thanks for reading, dear reader! See you next week!
