Cool Stuff Daily

Latest Episodes:

Thu. 05/21 - CDC Updates Guidelines on Touching Surfaces May 21, 2020

Show notes

The CDC updates their guidelines on the spread of the virus via surfaces. Is it safe to go swimming? How much of an effect does population density have on the spread of the disease? Plus, throwing cold water on that “NASA discovers a parallel universe” story. Some tips to improve your walking. And the most heartwarming YouTube channel to go viral in a long time.

Links:

Coronavirus 'does not spread easily' by touching surfaces or objects, CDC now says. But it still 'may be possible.' (USA Today)
How Covid Spreads (CDC)
What is the coronavirus risk in the ocean, pools, and lakes (LA Times)
How Does a Virus Spread in Cities? It’s a Problem of Scale (Wired)
No, NASA didn't find evidence of a parallel universe where time runs backwards (CNET)
How to improve your walking technique (Suunto)
Learning life skills with Rob Kenney of 'Dad, How Do I?' (WCIU)
Dad, How Do I? (YouTube)

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Wed. 05/20 - How A.I. Can Help Us Develop a Vaccine More Quickly May 20, 2020

Show notes

U.S. states are all reopening in some fashion this week. How AI-powered biotech can speed up the vaccine development process. And COVID-19 patients are running their own surveys to show the true effects of the disease. Plus, a livestream from Stonehenge. Chuck E. Cheese’s new front. And a British man who has turned one hundred, gotten a book deal, topped the music charts, and been knighted all in the last two months.

Links:

Airlines see signs of higher demand but pandemic clouds outlook (CNBC)
OpenTable reservations dataset link & commentary (Paul Krugman, Twitter)
This N95-like mask would allow you to unlock your phone with Face ID (CNET)
AI-Powered Biotech Can Help Deploy a Vaccine In Record Time (Wired)
Guidelines Say Covid-19 Symptoms Last Two Weeks. Survivors Know Better. (Elemental)
Stonehenge Summer Solstice 2020 Livestream (Mental Floss)
Chuck E. Cheese Is Selling Pizza on Delivery Apps as 'Pasqually's' (Food & Wine)
Things I Didn’t Need to Know: Chuck E. Cheese Has a Whole Backstory and It’s Incredibly Bleak (The Mary Sue)
Chuck E. Cheese Wiki
Captain Tom Moore 'overawed' by knighthood for NHS fundraising (BBC)
The 100-Year-Old Who Raised $40 Million for U.K. Health Workers (NY Times)

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Tue. 05/19 - Where Tests Abound, Why Aren't People Getting Them? May 19, 2020

Show notes

Testing is expanding in the US, but people aren’t showing up. More findings on people who test positive again after recovering. And "bumper tables" for social distancing. Plus, debunking misconceptions about the 1918 flu pandemic, why we might be seeing an animation renaissance, and is Etsy the new Grubhub?

Links:

Initial surge in news use around coronavirus in the UK has been followed by significant increase in news avoidance (Reuters Institute)
Thinking of Buying a Bike? Get Ready for a Very Long Wait (NY Times)
The COVID Tracking Project
A.C.L.U. Warns Against Fever-Screening Tools for Coronavirus (NY Times)
Shakespeare's Globe May Permanently Close (The Mary Sue)
Ocean City Bar Buys 'Bumper Tables' For Socially Distant Dining (CBS Baltimore)
US states see COVID-19 testing supply improvements, but challenges abound (Washington Post)
Covid Patients Testing Positive After Recovery Aren’t Infectious, Study Shows (Bloomberg)
Ten Myths About the 1918 Flu Pandemic | History (Smithsonian Magazine)
Why You’re Going to See More Animation (Thanks, Pandemic) (Wall Street Journal)
Listen to this mashup of Saturday morning cartoon themes (AV Club)
If You're Jonesing for a Homemade Snack, Try Etsy (LifeHacker)

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Mon. 05/18 - Phase One of Moderna's Vaccine Trial Looks Promising May 18, 2020

Show notes

Promising results from the Moderna vaccine trials. Brazil’s cases are mounting. How much of a difference it makes when everyone wears a mask. Plus, why you might be having trouble replying to texts recently, how climate change played a role in the evolution of rice, and the hottest new sport in town: marble racing.

Links:

State-by-state hospitalization rates (Scott Gottlieb, Twitter)
Coalition of 116 countries back Australia's push for independent coronavirus inquiry (SBS News)
TSA Prepares to Screen Temperatures at Airports During Pandemic (Gizmodo)
Coronavirus Vaccine Trial by Moderna Shows Promising Early Results (NY Times)
Dow soars 700 points for biggest jump in a month, boosted by coronavirus vaccine hope (CNBC)
COVID-19 Vaccines Are Coming, but They’re Not What You Think (The Atlantic)
If 80% of Americans Wore Masks, COVID-19 Infections Would Plummet, New Study Says (Vanity Fair)
Visual simulations show why we all need to wear masks now (De Kai, YouTube)
Why Is Texting People Back Suddenly So Hard? (Vice)
Global Cooling Event 4,200 Years Ago Spurred Rice's Evolution, Spread Across Asia (NYU)
John Oliver rolls up a ridiculously brilliant remedy for our sports-starved existence (A/V Club)
Jelle's Marble Runs

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Fri. 05/15 - Have Birds Gotten Louder During Lockdown? May 15, 2020

Show notes

How far can respiratory droplets fall when we speak? What would a public health plan targeted towards the elderly look like? Some advice on combatting COVID-19 symptoms from someone in recovery. Plus, have birds gotten louder recently? Why did Michael Jordan agree to star in Space Jam? And a site to help you discover new-to-you music on Spotify.

Links:

Experiment shows human speech generates droplets that linger in the air for more than 8 minutes (Washington Post)
Coronavirus: False claims viewed by millions on YouTube (BBC)
Covid Targets the Elderly. Why Don't Our Prevention Efforts? (NY Magazine)
Opinion | Coronavirus Is Making Young People Very Sick. I Was One of Them. (New York Times)
Breathing exercise (Dr. Sarfaraz Munshi, YouTube)
Birdsong seems louder and the ravens are more relaxed (Irish Times)
Human Life Is Literally Quieter Due To Coronavirus Lockdown (NPR)
Do Those Birds Sound Louder To You? An Ornithologist Says You're Just Hearing Things (NPR)
Why Did Michael Jordan Star in 'Space Jam'? (Vulture)
SpaceJam.com
Forgotify

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Thu. 05/14 - How To Beat COVID-19 and Save The Economy May 14, 2020

Show notes

Mental health concerns for children as the pandemic goes on. The seven things we can be doing to beat COVID-19 and save the economy. How our changed behavior has confused the algorithms. Why humans freak out when they get lost, and a new interactive Netflix special to enjoy while you stay home this weekend.

Links:

Coronavirus suppression: Expert recommendations to beat Covid-19 (Vox)
Netflix’s first interactive sitcom: Good for laughs, deserves a better app (Ars Technica)
Our weird behavior during the pandemic is messing with AI models (MIT Technology Review)
Why Humans Totally Freak Out When They Get Lost (Wired)

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Wed. 05/13 - A Practical Guide to Avoiding COVID Risks May 13, 2020

Show notes

Los Angeles is considering extending their lockdown for three more months while other places begin reopening. A practical guide to avoiding COVID-19 risks. What the loss of smell and other neurological symptoms might mean for the relationship between coronavirus and the nervous system. Plus, a new online simulator from SpaceX, how to make cold brew in a french press, a comet to look out for tonight, and Guy Fieri and Bill Murray go head-to-head.

Links:

As coronavirus cases resurge, lockdowns reimposed on at least three continents (Washington Post)
Restaurants in Washington Need to Track Customer Info for Contact Tracing (Eater)
A Practical Guide to Covid-19 Risks and How to Avoid Them (Kottke)
Loss of smell, confusion, strokes: Does Covid-19 target the nervous system? (Knowable Magazine)
Try to dock with the International Space Station with this SpaceX Crew Dragon simulator (The Verge)
How to See Comet SWAN in Night Skies (New York Times)
How to Make Cold Brew in a French Press (LifeHacker)
Guy Fieri and Bill Murray are having a nacho cook-off for charity (Mashable)

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Tue. 05/12 - Why You Still Can't Find Clorox Wipes May 12, 2020

Show notes

Many countries around the world take cautious steps toward reopening, but spikes of new daily cases are still popping up. Should people with mild cases of coronavirus be allowed to isolate at home? Why the passage of time feels so disorienting right now. And why Clorox wipes are still so tough to find. Plus, and the gene that causes South African bees to have “virgin births.”

Links:

Coronavirus tracked: has your country’s epidemic peaked? (Financial Times)
Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count (New York Times)
Should Mild Coronavirus Cases Isolate at Home? Many Asian Countries Say No (Wall Street Journal)
Why Clorox Wipes Are Still So Hard to Find (Wall Street Journal)
Why quarantine has made time feel so weird, explained (Vox)
Here Are Some Easy Tips So You Can Make All Those Zoom Calls Less Exhausting (Science Alert)
Every episode of The Office is now playing out live on Slack (AV Club)
Virgin birth has scientists buzzing: Researchers discover a gene in honey bees that causes virgin birth (Science Daily)

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Mon. 05/11 - And Now For Some Good News May 11, 2020

Show notes

Numbers are looking relatively promising in a lot of places, but one incident has jeopardized South Korea. The FDA has approved the first antigen test, and what’s the difference between that and an antibody test? Why might a vaccine take so long to develop? Plus, the internet shares their favorite memories of Little Richard, how to cook murder hornets, using nanospacecraft to locate black holes, and how The Simpsons predicted 2020.

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