A Note From 2014 But Still Interesting:
A note from 2014 but still interesting:
Before the Communists came to power in 1949, China had only 22 dams of any significant size. Now the country has more than half of the world’s roughly 50,000 large dams, defined as having a height of at least 15 meters, or a storage capacity of more than three million cubic meters. Thus, China has completed, on average, at least one large dam per day since 1949. If dams of all sizes are counted, China’s total surpasses 85,000. - marginal revolution
*Photo | The Three Gorges Dam spanning the Yangtze River
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🕷️Meet Joe Arguelles, a comparative biology Ph.D. student in the Museum’s Richard Gilder Graduate School. His research focuses on understanding the molecular drivers of the incredible mechanical properties of spider silks.
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Psychedelic Cryptography
California-based nonprofit group called Qualia Research Institute has awarded cash prizes to artists who made videos encoded with hidden messages that can be most easily deciphered by a person who is tripping on psychedelic substances, such as LSD, ayahuasca, or psilocybin mushrooms.
Parrots learn to make video calls to chat with other parrots, then develop friendships with each other
Researchers from Northeastern University, in conjunction with scientists from MIT and the University of Glasgow, conducted a study exploring the impact of teaching a group of domesticated birds to communicate using tablets and smartphones. The findings indicate that utilizing video calls may assist parrots in mimicking the communication patterns observed in wild birds, potentially enhancing their behavior and overall well-being in the homes of their owners.
via smithsonianmag.com
Meet one of the planet’s smallest turtles: the bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii)! This petite reptile grows up to 4.5 in (11.4 cm) long. It’s easily identifiable by the orange patches on either side of its head.
The bog turtle has an impressive lifespan, with the oldest documented individual reaching an age of 61! Unfortunately, this species is critically endangered due in part to poaching and habitat loss as a result of human expansion.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, CC BY 2.0, flickr (juvenile pictured)
