This week's recommended links take in post-apocalyptic cultures, slide rules, 6,000 thoughts a day, a secret and radioactive city, and the angle of the end of the world, among many other things. Don't miss them!
Why the asteroid's angle was so lethal in wiping out 75% of Earth's life: "Scientists are getting an increasingly clear picture of why the asteroid that hit Earth 66 million years ago was so catastrophic. The space object, which eliminated 75% of species, including the dinosaurs, struck the worst possible spot on the planet and, according to new research, the angle of its trajectory made it more lethal."
How long does a post-apocalyptic culture take to form?: "I'd like to briefly tell you about a little-known post-apocalyptic culture: post-Alodian. Alodia was the name of the most important Christian kingdom in Sudan. It existed for more than 600 years, between the 6th and 13th centuries. And it was impressive. We're talking about a truly outstanding kingdom, with cathedrals, kings who spoke Greek, and trade routes that connected the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Why did it sink? As usually happens, due to a combination of factors: desertification, droughts, conflicts."
Cases of meteorite impacts on humans and animals: "Just as some are born with a star and others born star-crossed, there are those who are touched by a star and those who are touched by a meteorite. That, of all the asteroids in space, one not only reaches Earth but impacts a living being is a matter of luck. Bad luck, to be precise. However, we have evidence of it." And here's the story of Ann Hodges, a woman who survived the fall of a 5.5-kilogram meteorite fragment.
14 Curiosities of “Seversk”, the secret and radioactive city of Russia: "The entire city is fenced with barbed wire, although it might seem terrifying to outsiders, for the citizens of this place it is common and they feel safe. (...) If you forgot your pass, you have to wait for someone to bring it to the checkpoint, because you won't be allowed into your own city until you present it at the entrance (the pass is different from any other in Russia). If you lose this pass, you'll get a new one in a week and a half." Thanks Francisco for the link!
“In half a year, the world will be divided into two halves according to how well each country controls the pandemic”: "The mathematician specializing in infectious disease outbreak analysis published The Rules of Contagion earlier this year. This almost prophetic book explains how diseases spread, but also ideas, panic, violence, memes, hoaxes, and even fairy tales. We talked to him, taking advantage of the fact that the book has just been published in Spanish."
The empty world: more and more experts are convinced that global population growth is about to collapse: "What happens is that globalization, with its urbanization, its work-related social dynamics and its family demands, is changing the playing field. It's not about moving migrants to globalized capitals; it's about bringing the culture of those globalized societies to where immigrants live. Cities around the world are, essentially, the same city: a city where few children are born."
14 Curiosities of “Seversk”, the secret and radioactive city of Russia: "The entire city is fenced with barbed wire, although it might seem terrifying to outsiders, for the citizens of this place it is common and they feel safe. (…) If you forgot your pass, you have to wait for someone to bring it to the checkpoint, because you won't be allowed into your own city until you present it at the entrance (the pass is different from any other in Russia). If you lose this pass, you'll get a new one in a week and a half." Thanks Francisco for the link!
“In half a year, the world will be divided into two halves according to how well each country controls the pandemic”: "The mathematician specializing in infectious disease outbreak analysis published The Rules of Contagion earlier this year. This almost prophetic book explains how diseases spread, but also ideas, panic, violence, memes, hoaxes, and even fairy tales. We talked to him, taking advantage of the fact that the book has just been published in Spanish."
The empty world: more and more experts are convinced that global population growth is about to collapse: "What happens is that globalization, with its urbanization, its work-related social dynamics and its family demands, is changing the playing field. It's not about moving migrants to globalized capitals; it's about bringing the culture of those globalized societies to where immigrants live. Cities around the world are, essentially, the same city: a city where few children are born."
Humans carry DNA from an unidentified ancestor, according to a new study: "In the new study, the researchers developed an algorithm to analyze genomes that can identify DNA segments from other species, even if that gene flow occurred thousands of years ago and came from an unknown source. They used the algorithm to look at the genomes of two Neanderthals, one Denisovan, and two African humans."
Psychologists discover that humans have more than 6,000 thoughts a day: "An average person will have more than 6,000 thoughts in a single day, according to new research on the human brain. The statistic comes from a team of psychology experts at Queen's University in Canada, who say they have developed an unprecedented way to detect when one thought ends and another begins, as described in an article published in Nature Communications."
56% of information is forgotten in an hour if there's no connection with prior knowledge: "56% of information is forgotten in an hour if there's no connection with prior knowledge, according to a recent study published in Neuron. The 1880 study by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus replicated in recent research: the importance of establishing connections between different pieces of knowledge."
How slide rules were used, the venerable predecessors of calculators and computers: "The operation of the slide rule is based on the use of logarithms (not 'algorithms', which is the computer term often confused with it). Many people are already terrified by this, but it's not that bad. With several linear and logarithmic scales, often adapted for civil engineering, construction, finance, etc."
Why did Rome's legions not want to be paid in denarii?: "Regardless of the devaluation decreed by the emperors, there was another devaluation characteristic of the roguish countries bordering the Mediterranean: that of the citizens themselves. Since these coins were made of precious metals, the less fortunate - those who couldn't even get the circus, let alone bread - scraped the edges of the coins and sold the metal shavings after melting them down."
Space propulsion by manipulating spacetime: can it go from paper to reality?: "The Alcubierre model, considered one of the most formally correct for proposing an interstellar voyage on paper, has motivated countless studies and not a few speculations. Recently, a report was published that the US Department of Defense commissioned from two physicists in 2010, titled Warp Drives, Dark Energy, and the Manipulation of Extra Dimensions."
VÍDEOS: What the mouse sensor sees, grandma's Minecraft empire, the world record for fitting tiles, tribute to the 80s, the Gathor, a 200-watt laser, what a flat iron burns, the ferret and the balls, puppy wants popcorn, 'Hellzapoppin'' in color, the impossible labyrinth of RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, the flying train of 1902, near death, 'Duck Tales' for 8 cellos, Freedom 2020 (George Michael), Alucard VS Dimitri (Castlevania VS Darkstalkers), 'Moonwalk', a horse of force, esquivolanding, what the hell..., how blind people use mobile phones, the world's largest labyrinth, human mouth or dog mouth: which is cleaner? 16 ways to hold the guitar, the crystal-winged butterfly, time-lapse video of a Corona beer, 'holographic' barrier, Freestyle skate, what the hen says, how (not) to peel a banana, and The Great Filter: The final exam of humanity.
GALERIES: The Descendants, the first photographs of lightning, vintage self-defense art, The Monstrous Simpsons, porcelain figures at the right moment, before and after haircuts, decorating streets with flowers, Nosey Mungo's ceramics, Flesh Gordon, covers of pulp magazines Stark Terror and Scream, the sci-fi art of Egor Klyuchnyk, Australia Professional Photography Competition, the cabramóvil, more photos of Mia Farrow, the Animated Dump and the Visual Dump.
Today there was an extra portion of links, so you can't complain. A hug and have a great weekend!
