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New to me Facts and Ideas in March 2024

By Justin G. on 24APR01MON

Twenty fresh facts in here. And remember the chitons!

Week 10

Began on 24MAR04MON .

• Half of the residents of Mumbai (called Mumbaikers, which I also learned), live in slums.
• Lightning kills or injures over a quarter of a million people each year globally. Via Damn Interesting.
• The Great Pyramids were all commissioned by one family over a ~100 year period. Via the Fall of Ancient Civilizations podcast episode that I mentioned last month because I hadn’t finished it.

Week 11

Began on 24MAR11MON . Was working on a few projects, so here are a couple of throwbacks.

• Fiber maybe helps with cognition
• No amount of alcohol is good for you
• Long covid linked with low iron, maybe
• Standard (winter or “natural” time) is the scientist preferred option (also) if we ever settle on a year round time, because it better aligns our clocks to sunlight throughout the year. Via Damn Interesting.

Week 12

Began on 24MAR18MON .

• Unintentional fall (like off a roof) is the leading cause of emergency room visits in adults. Via Hacker News comment.
• Chitons have eyes all over their shells, via Damn Interesting. I vaguely recall learning this sometime ago, but not being super clear on what a chiton is, so I mostly forgot it. But. But there is a bonus fact here (well, it’s actually the point of the article): chitons evolved eyes on four different evolutionary occassions (so just a bit less than crab body type), and they have two types of eyes. I mean two solutions to the vision problem were evolved, and they don’t both appear on the same species of chiton. … After reviewing the wikipedia article, I’m not entirely convinced that I’ll not forget they exist again, but I’ll try: they’re weird af and kind of a flexible and mobile clam or mussel, so a snail with a flexible shell (but they’re really their own thing).
• Icelandic pronunciation, because Iceland eruptions.
• The snack regions of the US, if you believe it. Via bookofjoe.
• Trends in weather forecasting accuracy show that 7 day forecasts were right about half the time in 1990 and now are approaching correct 80% of the time. Via Kottke
• Claim: Larry Page intended Google to be a money machine to fund AGI development. I don’t know if this is true or just some random thought he voiced. I have lots of those, some may become true in 30 years. It doesn’t mean it’s precience. Via Hacker News Comment.
• It still blows my mind that we might put people on the moon again as soon as the year after next! Via Damn Interesting.
• At the dentist they now have handheld x-ray guns. Via going to my dentist.
• Antibiotic resistent bacteria continue to advance, via Damn Interesting.
• Ötzi had 61 tattoos, which is a lot more than I expected. It’s another one of those things that I vaguely remember knowing that he had tattoos. This means we’ve been tattooing for at least 5000 years. Via Damn Interesting.
• Clouds disappear during an total solar eclipse, and that is wild. It’s only over land, and for certian kinds of clouds. But if the sun disappearing wasn’t a big enough deal, then even the clouds getting in on the act somehow makes it an even bigger deal to me. And probably ancient us too.

Week 13

Began on 24MAR25MON .

• GPS tracker darts are now legitimately a thing. Via Damn Interesting.
• Cocoa prices are up 60% over last year due to climate? Via News Minimalist.
• Colorectal cancers are increasing in younger people, which is why the age for screening was changed from 50 to 45 in 2021. Via New York Times

Email me the cool facts you've learned lately. Or a correction.