Sunspots 845

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to others*:

Finances: Apparently, some Amazon third-party sellers are

pressuring purchases to change negative reviews, according to Gizmodo.

Health: It shouldn't surprise anyone that the US has the worst healthcare among the top 10 industrialized nations. (Report in Relevant, Report in Gizmodo)

History: Gizmodo reports on the first known coins, which were made in China about 2600 years ago.

Humor: (or something) Gizmodo reports on a dishwasher than doesn't need to be directly attached to the plumbing.

Science: Gizmodo reports that birds sometimes pluck hair from animals and use it in nest-building.

Gizmodo also reports that giraffes have an elaborate social structure, on a par with those of elephants and chimpanzees.

Gizmodo tells us that methane is a big contributor to global climate change.

The Scientist reports that scientists have been able to send mouse sperm by regular mail. Such sperm were able to fertilize mouse eggs.

The Scientist also reports that many species of animals (including humans) have genes from species that are now extinct. Examples include dogs and pigs.

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

*I try not to include items that require a password or fee to view.

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunspots 828

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

Christianity: He Lives on the requirements for being baptized. (Many churches have a lot more than the New Testament church had.)

Relevant reports on a survey that indicates that over 40% of self-identified evangelicals go to church less than twice a year.

Peaceful Science has a good discussion of ways that Adam and Eve could have come to be.

Environment: Gizmodo on a report that methane release was alarmingly high in 2020. (Methane is a greenhouse gas.)

Science: Phys.org reports on greatly enhanced ability to turn genes off. This technique, a variation of the CRISP procedure, when studied further, might, for example, be used to fight Alzheimer's.

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

Thanks for looking!

Sunspots 696

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

Christianity: Relevant on Chris Pratt's faith.

A Relevant article asks if we have made the Bible into an idol.

A Christianity Today article discusses why so many of us don't read the Bible very much.


Computing: Google is forcing people to sign in to the Chrome browser. See here or here, if you are concerned about that.

Food: Laboratory-grown meat is getting closer to market.

Politics: Relevant reports on the current US Administration's shameful cutting of the number of refugees allowed into the US. Christianity Today also chimes in.

The Trump administration has rolled back rules on the emission of methane.

Amazing! The House and the Senate both passed a bill with no negative votes!


Newsweek and other sources report that prototypes of the proposed border wall are seriously defective, with at least one being even dangerous.

FiveThirtyEight examines the power of Republican political endorsements (in Republican primaries).

Science: ZME Science reports on the heaviest (and largest) organism in the world. It's really big.

(or something) Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina agriculture badly. About 1.7 million chickens have drowned, according to Earther.

Gizmodo reports that genetic analysis of elephant tusks and feces is being used to combat poachers, which are a serious problem. The article says that about 40,000 elephants are killed for their tusks each year.

A Japanese spacecraft has landed on a asteroid, and has sent back some photos, according to Gizmodo and other sources.

Thanks for looking!