Cool Stuff Daily

A new fossil analysis that bolsters the theory that primates may have lived alongside dinosaurs––and somehow survived extinction. The high school girl who invented color-changing sutures that show when a wound has become infected. And why the filter made famous from the viral Lawyer Cat video was installed as a default setting on thousands of Dell computers. Sponsors: Gabi Insurance, gabi.com/kott...

The gargantuan container ship is still blocking traffic from flowing in the Suez Canal, but it has not stemmed the creativity of people online––from memes to fanfic, here’s your Ever Given round-up. Plus, archaeologists have found the oldest yet discovered mass production brewery. And Grape-Nuts are back! Where did they go and what’s the deal with Grape-Nuts anyways? Sponsors: Audible, audible.com...

Have you ever wondered who or what comes up with the explanatory blurbs beneath trending terms on Twitter? I’ve got your answer. Your guide to eating and enjoying the Brood X cicadas. And a website to help you out when a word is just on the tip of your tongue. Sponsors: NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500...

The saga of the shrimp tails in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and what it has to do with Chance the Rapper, women’s basketball, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and Topanga. Scientists have identified the first “space hurricane.” And a round-up of the free stuff you can get if you get your vaccine. Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free tri...

How fast was Forrest Gump running when he jogged across the country? The running community on Reddit did the math. A study has confirmed that some people do actually age faster than others, quite a bit faster in fact. And turns out AIs are way better at coming up with pick-up lines than us humans are. Sponsors: NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.com/kottke or use coupon KOTTKE Audible...

The AI built to tell pastries apart that’s now being used for cancer research. It turns out a large portion of Mars’ water may be hiding in the planet’s crust. And, if one of your online orders got lost, it may now be lurking at the bottom of the ocean. Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial NordVPN, Get 70% off a two-year plan at nordvpn.co...

The family feud putting the US’s COVID-19 test swab supply at risk. Could we use our food waste and sewage to fuel jets? And the projected symbol that was spotted in towns all around the world last night. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke  StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Supply of Swab Tests for Covid-19 Rest...

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Paris Commune––and it remains as controversial as ever. Scientists have grown a mouse embryo in an artificial womb and have set their sites on human embryos next, speaking of controversy... And why people in Taiwan keep legally changing their names to "Salmon." Sponsors: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Skillshare,...

Why analog TVs never had channel 37. Spoiler: the answer includes aliens. The rise of bitcoin ATMs. And the pretty amusing self-reported symptoms from the AstraZeneca vaccine. And all the latest breaking marine mammal news. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke  StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Links: Why You Generally C...

How St. Patrick’s Day, as we know it now, is kind of more of an Irish-American holiday than a purely Irish one. More of the Dead Sea Scrolls have been uncovered in Israel for the first time in sixty years. And the family who decided to really lean into the “time is just a social construct” idea. Sponsors: StartMail, Get 50% off your first year at StartMail.com/kottke Skillshare, Get a free trial o...

Brood X is coming: what you need to know about your soon-to-be neighbors. A new discovery in Spain has led to questions about the true role of women in the Bronze Age. The science behind why, once you pop, the fun just don’t stop. And a new app that will purposefully sabotage your Zoom calls. Sponsors: Skillshare, Get a free trial of Premium Membership at skillshare.com/kottke  StartMail, Get 50%...

The proposal to create a “modern ark” aka scientists want to store sperm and eggs in lava tubes on the moon as a back-up plan in case we accidentally destroy the earth. A new tool that could help us spot deepfakes. And how beer-making used to be women’s work until men figured out how to monetize it and accused women brewers of being witches. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/...

It was written off as a forgery in 1883, but now it’s being reconsidered as the oldest known Biblical manuscript. Also, how the pandemic has affected the names people are choosing for their babies. And how a lake in Turkey may hold the key to finding signs of ancient life on Mars. Sponsors: Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership...

Reflections from a man who quit using the internet right before the pandemic started. A meteorite older than Earth was discovered in the Sahara Desert. And playable music videos? How film and music are pulling more and more from gaming both in terms of tech and mentality. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get 25% off a membership at Fitbod.me/kottke Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream...

Can we find extraterrestrial civilizations by searching the cosmos for their pollutants? Are humans hard-wired to be productive? And what can we learn about leisure from hunter-gatherer societies? Plus, a big uh-oh from HBO Max and masks that are sure to freak out everyone you encounter. Sponsors: Lightstream, Get a special interest rate discount at lightstream.com/kottke Fitbod, Get 25% off a mem...

Could The Simpsons replace their entire cast with AI replicas? A look at the scientific, artistic, and legal possibilities. Researchers have discovered an interesting trait in green tree frogs that they’re describing as built-in noise-canceling headphones. A few highlights from the 1,200 new words added to the German dictionary last year. And a website that lets you play streaming music on a vinyl...

Will warp drive ever be possible? These scientists say they’ve created the first physical model for how it could work. A lookback at the Star Wars immunization PSAs of the 1970s. And a potential new type of COVID-19 test that will double as a form of stress relief. Plus, vaccinated orangutans, SXSW in VR, and the first-ever podcast NFT? Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/GOODNEW...

Will NFTs bring about an economic and creative revolution for artists and change the way we buy our media? Kings of Leon are willing to give it a shot. A small village in Iceland is making a big bid for Oscar glory. And another small town that just might be the job capital of the U.S. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Indeed, Get a free $75 c...

Cuttlefish have passed a test designed for small human children. Polaroid has made a pen that draws in edible 3D candy. What we can learn from cats about being happier and more content with life. And a website that translates your typing into jazz music. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/GOODNEWS Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Li...

Scientists have created light-up OLED tattoos that could tell you when to put on sunscreen or when your avocados have gone bad. The Twitter account tracking Geneva Convention violations in video games. And good news: scientists have confirmed that all of us suck at ending conversations with each other. Sponsors: Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month mintmobile.com/kottke Indeed...

How the RNA-based platform used for some of the COVID-19 vaccines is already changing the game for other diseases. Plus, “I got vaccinated” stickers and selfie stations are starting to pop up. And an app that’s bringing back the disposable camera… without the disposable camera. Sponsors: Indeed, Get a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/GOODNEWS Mint Mobile, Get a new wireless plan for just $15 a month...

Delving into the world of crypto art and non-fungible tokens. A history of Mr. Potato Head, or, I’m sorry, just Potato Head? And a few links to help you chill out this weekend. Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/subscribe Links: ‎Techmeme Ride Home  Kenny Schachter Gets Sucked Into the Surre...

How to make your clothes last longer and practice the art of “radical keeping” according to “the anti-Marie Kondo.” A segment about #Buttergate in Canada that’s not really about Buttergate afterall. And a browser extension that shows you what the internet would look like without Big Tech. Sponsors: Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500-500 to start your 30-day free trial The Jordan Har...

How the flu you had as a kid could shape your immune response to future flu viruses. A bunch of videos have been going viral showing snow not melting when held up against a flame, but it’s not a conspiracy. It’s science. And the first song produced using the audio recorded on Mars. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/subscribe  Audible, audible.com/kottke or text kottke to 500...

Beer culture is perceived as overwhelmingly white, but its history and its present is not. A historical look at the erasure of Black brewers. The impact of pandemic boredom on the economy. And a new app that will put David Attenborough in your living room to teach you about the prehistoric world. Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, jordanharbinger.com/subscribe  Audible, audible.com/kottke or tex...