Sunspots 795

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

Finance: FiveThirtyEight has economists discuss what happens to the US economy if a vaccine is found. The consensus is that it would take months, maybe a year or more, for the economy to return to normal.

Health: Gizmodo tells us why using plasma from convalescent COVID patients may not be such a good idea.

NPR reports that the rationale for using such treatments seems to be more political than it should be -- the science isn't clear yet.

Humor: (or something - it is potentially not funny) Some researchers have figured out how to make a key to break in to a lock by using the sounds the keys make when they are inserted.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight discusses the history of how women have voted, since gaining the right to vote 100 years ago. At first, they voted just like men. No longer.

FiveThirtyEight also discusses the Republican party, which, it says, has been turning in a Trumpian direction even before Mr. Trump, and is almost certain to continue in that direction.

Science: An asteroid, as large as a car, came within 2,000 miles of the earth recently, says Gizmodo and other outlets.

Gizmodo also reports that the Tasmanian Tiger (which became extinct less than 100 years ago) was not as large as we thought it was.

Listverse tells us about some amazing mushrooms.

Sports: (And, maybe, Christianity) The WNBA teams are all living and playing at the same place, in Florida. But each game has a designated home and visitor team. The home teams are doing significantly better, and no one is sure why, according to FiveThirtyEight. That's hard to explain. One possible factor is the chapel meetings before the games.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 749

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

Christianity: A Christianity Today article suggests ways of dealing with temptation to sexual sin.

Computing: (And Politics) A web page that lists the best fact-checking sites.

Education: Grammarphobia on why we say "zig-zag," not "zag-zig."

Environment: CBS News, and other outlets, report that Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is being severely harmed by border fence construction.
 
Finance: (and politics) Catherine Rampell says that the economy probably won't be enough to keep President Trump from being impeached.

Catherine Rampell also points out that  President Trump has brought back the much-criticized individual mandate.

Food: (and politics) NPR reports that most Himalayan pink salt is actually from Pakistan.

Politics: Catherine Rampell describes another whistleblower matter -- about the President's tax returns.

FiveThirtyEight examines the question of whether Democratic Presidential hopefuls Sanders, Warren or Harris are likely to move toward the center if they become the Democratic nominee.

FiveThirtyEight also reviews evidence that most of us (of whatever political persuasion) see things through serious bias.

Michael Gerson believes that President Trump is being driven by a bizarre conspiracy theory.

Science: The Scientist tells us that macaques are not able to hear patterns and frequency ratios in music.

Gizmodo reports on a study that indicates that human fetuses have limb muscles that disappear during embryonic development. These muscles are like those found in reptiles.

Gizmodo also reports on evidence that a large object struck the earth about 12,800 years ago.

The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.
 
Thanks for looking!