Cool Stuff Daily

Latest Episodes:

Mon. 11/22 - Oxygen From Moon Rocks Could Sustain Humanity for 100,000 Years Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

Could lunar explorers of the future be sucking air out of moon rocks? Could all of us? Plus, a device made from household objects could expand the world’s access to vaccines. And the psychological case for decorating for the holidays as early as you want.

Links:

The Moon's top layer alone has enough oxygen to sustain 8 billion people for 100,000 years (The Conversation)
This Cheap Device Could Expand the World’s Access to Vaccines (Scientific American)
India's Limit on Syringe Exports Hobbles Global Covid Vaccinations (NY Times)
What is syringe nationalism - and how is it slowing the global COVID-19 vaccine roll-out? (World Economic Forum)
Why It's Actually Good to Decorate 'Early' for Christmas, According to Science (LifeHacker)
POV: Does decorating for the holidays early improve mental health? (Vital Record, Texas A&M)
Adele gets Spotify to take shuffle button off all album pages (BBC)
Adele Asks Spotify to Remove ‘Shuffle’ Button From Her Albums, and It Does — Kind of (Variety)
Justice At Spotify (Union of Musicians)
Kottke.Org
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Fri. 11/19 - The Fake 2000s Yo-Yo Career of 'What We Do In the Shadows' Mark Proksch Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

A brief history of takeout and delivery. Plus, a What We Do In The Shadows actor’s previous career as an award-winning yo-yo-er. And the abomination that is RanchNog.

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Links:

How Apps Commandeered the Age-Old Idea of Takeout (Wired)
Hidden Valley Ranch Releases RanchNog Kit (Food and Wine)
Mark Proksch of 'What We Do in the Shadows' Pranked Midwest TV Stations as Yo-Yo Expert in the Early 2000s (Laughing Squid)
FRI Apr 22: Mark Proksch 1 (ADrinkWithDave, YouTube)
Zim Zam Yo-Yo Corp! (Doctor Popular)
Instant replay: Alleged yo-yo champ dupes TV shows (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
K-Strass on WGN Morning News 5/18/09 (Taobeth, YouTube)
Biden to transfer power to Harris during colonoscopy on Friday -White House (Reuters)
Biden will temporarily hand power to Harris during medical procedure (Politico)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Thu. 11/18 - AMC Will Soon Deliver Popcorn to Your Home Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Will we soon have a new Planet Nine? The first human trial for an Alzheimer’s nasal vaccine is about to be under way. And Papa John’s has changed their name. Technically. And AMC Theaters has said, “movies, who? Never heard of her. We’re a popcorn company now.”

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Links:

Planet 9: Old data could uncover the Solar System's newest world, 38 years late (Inverse)
A 1980s Space Telescope May Have Seen Planet Nine (Gizmodo)
Mysterious Object Glimpsed Decades Ago Might Have Actually Been Planet Nine (Science Alert)
In Depth | Hypothetical Planet X (NASA)
First human trial of Alzheimer's disease nasal vaccine to begin at Boston hospital (CBS News)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is testing a nasal vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease (Boston Globe)
Business Insider catches up with disgraced Papa John Schnatter (A/V Club)
Papa John's redesigns its logo and stores (CNN)
Papa John's drops apostrophe, is now Papa Johns (The Takeout)
AMC Theatres Will Start Selling Popcorn Outside of Movie Theaters (Variety)
AMC to start delivering popcorn straight to your house (A/V Club)
The end of “click to subscribe, call to cancel”? One of the news industry’s favorite retention tactics is illegal, FTC says (Nieman Lab)
Cancelling Cable (Saturday Night Live, YouTube)
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Wed. 11/17 - The 1930s "Streaming" Music Service from Seattle Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

The progenitors to on-demand streaming music, including the multiphone in the 1950s American west and the Théâtrophone in 1880s Paris. Plus, new findings about Jupiter’s Great Red Spot from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. And the woman whose own immune system seems to have effectively cured her of HIV.

Sponsors:

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Links:

Early On-Demand Music Streaming Required Lots of Nickels (Atlas Obscura)
Le streaming du XIXe siècle (ARTE Découverte, YouTube)
Seattle's original streaming music service was launched in 1939 (NBC King5)
Stop Everything and Behold this Mini Art Deco Telephone Jukebox circa 1935 (Messy Nessy)
Jupiter: mission unveils the depth and structure of planet's shrinking red spot and colourful bands (The Conversation)
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is deeper than we thought, NASA Juno spacecraft finds (NPR)
NASA’s Juno spacecraft finds just how deep Jupiter’s Great Red Spot goes (The Verge)
Scientists report finding a second person 'naturally' cured of HIV (STAT)
Woman's own immune system has possibly cured her of HIV (NBC News)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Tue. 11/16 - Pastel Pavement to Appeal to Women Drivers & More Tired Ideas From Auto History Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

The US finally has a national recycling strategy as of yesterday. Plus, what is the ultimate song to listen to at any time of the day or night? Scientists figured it out. The gendered history of car and road design. And the giant Reese’s cup “pie” that sold out in mere minutes.

Sponsors:

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Links:

The US finally adopts a national recycling strategy (The Verge)
EPA finalizes first national recycling strategy (Washington Post)
EPA unveils national recycling plan with goal of 50 percent rate (The Hill)
This particular song is perfect any time day or night, scientists report (Boing Boing)
'Every Breath You Take' is the ultimate all-round song (according to science) (NPR)
The Sorry History of Car Design for Women (JSTOR Daily)
I Just Found Out About Reese’s Take On a Thanksgiving Pie and It’s Already Sold Out (The Mary Sue)
Heinz Gravy 'Floa-lloonicle' Coming to Thanksgiving Day Parade (Nerdist)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Mon. 11/15 - Welcome To The Human Library Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

Zillow is out of the iBuying game. What does that mean for its competitors and for the future of real estate? Plus, a look into the Human Library. And astronauts aboard the International Space Station were forced to take shelter in their return ships this morning due to on-coming space junk.

Sponsors:

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Links:

Why Zillow Couldn’t Make Algorithmic House Pricing Work (Wired)
Is that viral TikTok about housing market manipulation true? (Input)
Redfin CEO explains how its iBuyer home buying program avoided pitfalls that sunk Zillow Group (Geek Wire)
Zillow (Saturday Night Live, YouTube)
This library lets you borrow people instead of books. It just may help bridge our bitter divisions (CNN)
Space debris forces astronauts on space station to take shelter in return ships (Space.com)
NASA was forced to change the orbit of the ISS due to space junk (Slash Gear)
Space Station Space Debris and Human Spacecraft (NASA)
Russia blows up a satellite, creating a dangerous debris cloud in space (The Verge)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Fri. 11/12 - The Year Without A Santa Claus? "Labor Shortages" Hit the North Pole Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

White-tailed deer in America have been found to be transmitting SARS-CoV-2 among each other in higher than expected rates. Plus, next week will be the century’s longest partial lunar eclipse. A new, huge species of dinosaur was discovered on the Isle of Wight. And it’s not just shipping delays to be concerned with this holiday season, now we have a shortage of Santas.

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Links:

How SARS-CoV-2 in American deer could alter the course of the global pandemic (NPR)
Maine experts respond to COVID-19 deer study out of Iowa (News Center Maine)
White-tailed deer study hints at a frightening new era for Covid-19 (Inverse)
Longest partial lunar eclipse this century: How to watch the moon darken Nov. 18-19 (CNET)
Map of Partial Lunar Eclipse on November 19, 2021 (Time and Date)
New species of big-nosed dinosaur discovered by retired doctor (The Guardian)
New species of iguanodontian dinosaur discovered from Isle of Wight (Science Daily)
Stuff your own stockings: There's a Santa Claus shortage (A/V Club)
Is Santa Claus Coming to Town? Maybe Not. Blame the Labor Shortage. (Wall Street Journal)
Last year's episode about virtual Santa visits (Kottke Ride Home)
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Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Wed. 11/10 - Could Dogs Survive Without Us? Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

The curious story of how sushi became popular in America. Plus, what would happen to dogs if all their humans disappeared? And in their latest stunt, Heinz says they’ve grown ketchup in Martian conditions.

Sponsors:

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Links:

The Untold Story of Sushi in America (NY Times)
Who could dogs become without humans in their lives? (Aeon)
Heinz grew “Martian” tomatoes that are good enough for ketchup (Quartz)
Introducing the Heinz Marz Edition (Heinz, YouTube)
Instead of Making the Orange Cream Shake a Permanent Menu Item, Arby’s Is Giving Us French Fry Vodka (The Mary Sue)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Tue. 11/09 - Why Does America Have So Few Public Restrooms? Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

A deep dive down the drain pipe to discuss why America has so few public restrooms. Plus, how Pinterest ruined Google Search, and a few options for fixing it.

Sponsors:

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Links:

Why Public Bathrooms Disappeared From US Cities (Bloomberg)
Which Cities Have The Most and Fewest Public Toilets? (QS Supplies)
How Pinterest utterly ruined photo search on the internet (Input)
Saturday Afternoon Ikea Trip Simulator
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter

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Mon. 11/08 - The Messy Legacy of Emily Dickinson and Her Favorite Cake Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

Another even more promising antiviral pill for COVID-19 has been announced, this time from Pfizer. Plus, why adults aren’t as good at learning new things as kids are, but is it such a bad thing? And the messy legacy of both Emily Dickinson and her favorite cake recipe.

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