Cool Stuff Daily

Latest Episodes:

Mon. 08/03 - 2019 Tax Refunds Signed By Walt Disney Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

Australian scientists have figured out a way to grow colored cotton. How poetry is helping healthcare workers through the pandemic. Get your hands on some official Fyre Festival merchandise, thanks to the US Marshals. And the famous cartoon character who accidentally signed people’s tax refund checks.

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Links:

Cotton Conquest: Australian scientists discover how to grow coloured cotton (ABC Landline)
Putting the brakes on fast fashion (UN Environment)
What Poetry Means for Doctors and Patients During a Pandemic (Wired)
Fyre Fest: Merch from the infamous fraud is being auctioned off by the US Marshals (CNN)
08/13/20 US Marshals Service National Online Auction (Fyre Festival fraud scheme) (Gaston & Sheehan)
'Mickey Mouse' signs RI refund checks; technical error to blame (NBC 10)
Esther Day (This Star Won’t Go Out)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Fri. 07/31 - What Toddlers’ Nonsensical Emojis Mean Jul 31, 2020

Show notes

A medieval potion that apparently works as an antibiotic. How children's nonsensical emoji use affects their language development. How dogs may be using the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate. And the mysterious origins of everyone’s favorite song, “Who Let The Dogs Out?”

Links:

A Medieval Potion Proves Its Worth as an Effective Bacteria Killer (Gizmodo)
Children Are Using Emoji for Digital-Age Language Learning (Wired)
Dogs may use Earth's magnetic field to navigate (Phys.Org)
Unraveling the 20-Year Mystery of How 'Who Let the Dogs Out' Became a Global Phenomenon (Mental Floss)
Who Let The Dogs Out | Trailer (YouTube)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Thu. 07/30 - Plutonium: American Made, Martian Approved Jul 30, 2020

Show notes

NASA launched their latest Mars rover into space this morning. More details on Perseverance, its mission, and the origins of its Plutonium battery. Archeologists have confirmed the origin of some of the stones from Stonehenge. A few studies are showing that masks protect the wearer as well as others. Plus, some bathroom-humor tinged mask science. And the startup creating clean water out of thin air for the Navajo Nation.

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Links:

NASA’s Mars Rover Will Be Powered by US-Made Plutonium (Wired)
1940s Poster in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (r/PropagandaPosters)
Oak Ridge "The Secret City" – Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Atlas Obscura)
NASA's Perseverance Rover Launched on Mission to Mars (Wall Street Journal)
NASA’s life-hunting Mars rover is officially on its way to the Red Planet (The Verge)
We're going to record sound on Mars. It'll be eerie. (Mashable)
Archaeologists find the source of Stonehenge sarsen stones (Ars Technica)
Scientists solve mystery of the origin of Stonehenge megaliths (Reuters)
Does Wearing a Mask Protect Me? Some Evidence Says Yes (NY Times)
Why You Can Smell a Fart Through a Mask (LifeHacker)
Do Masks Work Or Not?? Proving Whether Masks Stop Covid-19 Transmission with Uncle Rob (Uncle Rob, YouTube)
Zero Mass Water brings its water-from-air tech to Navajo Nation (Fast Company)

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Wed. 07/29 - How To Peek Inside Someone Else’s Filter Bubble Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

The world’s largest nuclear fusion project has begun assembly in France, getting us one step closer to a possible future of unlimited, clean energy. Lockdown caused the world to be the quietest it’s ever been on record. What’s the benefit package look like for former US presidents? Asking for a friend… And how to view the YouTube homepage through the eyes of a flat earth-er, prepper, and more.

Links:

Iter: World's largest nuclear fusion project begins assembly (BBC)
Assembly begins on ITER, a massive scientific project that seeks to replicate the sun's fusion power here on Earth (CBS News)
Nuclear fusion is 'a question of when, not if' (BBC)
All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai (Penguin Random House)
COVID has Caused the Longest and Deepest Reduction in Human Noise on Record (Vice)
What Benefits Do Presidents Get After They Leave Office? (Mental Floss)
Presidential podcast (Washington Post)
TheirTube (TheirTube)
Rabbit Hole (New York Times)
BEHIND THE CURVE | Official HD Trailer (2018) (YouTube)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Tue. 07/28 - Your Lost Laundry May End Up On Instagram Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

Can trained dogs sniff out positive COVID-19 infections? It’s 2020 and people are apparently still finding legit buried treasure. This week NASA is sending a 600,000 year old martian rock back to where it came from. And the coolest new Instagram sensations are a pair of octogenarian laundromat owners from Taiwan.

Links:

Trained dogs were able to sniff out Covid-19 infections with 94% accuracy: study (CNBC)
Airport dogs could sniff out coronavirus (CNN)
Wiki Wormhole: In 2020, someone actually found buried treasure (A/V Club)
Forrest Fenn shares first photos of his discovered treasure (CNN)
The Secret (treasure hunt) (Wikipedia)
Humans Are About to Return a Rock to The Surface of Mars After 600,000 Years (Science Alert)
He’s 83, She’s 84, and They Model Other People’s Forgotten Laundry (NY Times)
萬秀的洗衣店｜WANT SHOW as young (@wantshowasyoung) (Instagram)

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Mon. 07/27 - The Year Without a Summer Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

How people kept cool, or like, stayed alive during heat waves before air conditioning, as well as the year the world skipped summer. How Animal Crossing helped return a lost Nintendo Switch to its owner. A promising handheld robotic mobility aid for vision-impaired people. And how the NBA is filing their stands without breaking their quarantine bubble.

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Links:

What Did People Do Before Air Conditioning? (Farmers’ Almanac)
1816: The Year Without a Summer (Farmers’ Almanac)
The Climate Event That Helped Create 'Frankenstein' and the Bicycle (The Paris Review)
Taiwan police use Animal Crossing to return lost Nintendo Switch (BBC)
Mobility device for the blind works like a handheld robotic guide dog (New Atlas)
"How I, as someone who is visually impaired use my iPhone" (Kristy Viers, Twitter)
CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION | Official Trailer (Netflix, YouTube)
NBA Will Use Microsoft Teams to Project Fans Into Game Arenas (Gizmodo)

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Fri. 07/24 - How AOL Inspired a Hamilton Song Jul 24, 2020

Show notes

The hottest new app that’s sending people on mysterious adventures. A heartwarming act of charity from Washington’s newly named team. Lin-Manuel Miranda dishes on some pretty mind-blowing inspirations for some of his biggest songs. And a kitchen hack for making better homemade popcorn.

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Links:

The App of the Summer Is Randonautica (The Atlantic)
What Is Randonautica, the App That Led Teens to a Dead Body? (The Cut)
Just 'Released': Get Your Gear (NHL)
Lin-Manuel Miranda Breaks Down His Biggest Hit Songs (Like "My Shot") (Kottke)
Before Lin-Manuel Miranda Sang About It, Here's How 90s Kids Learned Who Shot Alexander Hamilton (Digg)
The Secret to Perfect Homemade Popcorn Is Aluminum Foil (LifeHacker)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Thu. 07/23 - Are Apple Store Closures the New Waffle House Index? Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

A deep dive into America’s most dangerous water park. How to watch Apple’s decisions to predict upcoming COVID-19 hotspots. And the high school girls from Afghanistan who built their own low-cost, open-source ventilator.

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Links:

New Jersey's Action Park offered fun and injury for the whole family! (A/V Club)
Action Park New Jersey: History, stories of dangerous water park (Sports Illustrated)
Class Action Park documentary
Action Park book
Want to Know Where Covid-19 May Hit Next? Watch the Apple Store Closures (Wall Street Journal)
Afghan all-girls robotics team designs low-cost ventilator to treat coronavirus patients (Reuters)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Wed. 07/22 - A New, Reusable N95 Mask? Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

A promising N95 respirator replacement designed by a team from MIT. Tips for staying productive during this unprecedented time. Our first ever direct look at a multi-planet system orbiting a sun-like star. And the small Italian village that just welcomed the first baby born there in eight years.

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Links:

MIT researchers designed reusable N95 face mask for healthcare workers (CNBC)
How to Stay Productive When the World Is on Fire (Wired)
This is our first direct look at a multiplanet system around a Sun-like star (Science Mag)
Astronomers reveal the first-ever photo of 2 planets orbiting a sun-like star, taken from 300 light-years away (Business Insider)
Italian village celebrates first birth in eight years (The Guardian)
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Tue. 07/21 - Would You Wear a T-Shirt Made From Milk? Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

Throwing cold water on the panic around COVID-19’s alleged short-lived immunity. The latest wellness trend: hugging cows. T-shirts that are made out of milk. And are you guilty of revenge bedtime procrastination?

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