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 768

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

Christianity: Christianity Today discusses the matter of celibacy in priests, in an article with links to several related articles, some from quite some time back.

(and Politics) Relevant has an article which attempts to explain white evangelicals' support for President Trump. The author rejects anti-abortion as being too simple an explanation. For one thing, there were several candidates for President in 2016 who were anti-abortion. For another, recent polls show that terrorism, immigration and health care, not abortion, are the current top 3 issues for white evangelicals. There are other reasons given, that indicate that abortion isn't the main issue. The author concludes that "white evangelicals are ready for someone who punches back on their behalf," and that they feel marginalized by society.


Computing: (and more, including medical ethics) BioLogos has a fine, and thoughtful, article on transhumanism, from the viewpoint of a Christian thinker. Transhumanism is, for example, making our eyes more able to focus at long distances than they naturally can.

Environment: Numerous outlets report that Antarctica has recently had its highest temperature ever recorded.
Health: (and Politics) In the Trump budget proposal, funds to help other countries detect new outbreaks of infectious diseases has been drastically cut.

Politics: Relevant, and other outlets, report on past racist and sexist comments, and probably attitudes, of Michael Bloomberg.

Gizmodo/Earther criticizes a plan to plant a trillion trees. There are other, more effective, things we should do, like cutting back on fossil fuel consumption.

Science: National Public Radio reports on findings that suggest that long-ago humans must have mated with a hitherto unknown human-like species, in Africa. There is already good evidence that many of us have some Neanderthal DNA, and people from Oceania may have DNA from Denisovans, another group, also long extinct. More on this story, from The Scientist, which has links to related material.

From Listverse: 10 amazing scientific phenomena caught on video.

The Scientist reports on composting human remains.


Sports: (and Health) Gizmodo reports on a study showing brain impairment (perhaps temporary) in soccer players who hit the ball with their heads.

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

Thanks for looking!