Earlier this week, Jason told you about a TEDx talk in which 19-year-old Boyan Slat presents a plan to remove plastic from the world's oceans. Lots of people are excited about this, which is reasonable. Particulate plastic in the ocean is a big problem that has, thus far, evaded any reasonable clean-up plans. There's just so much of it, it's so tiny, and the ocean is, you know, kind of huge. If a kid can come up with a plan that works, it would be fantastic. Unfortunately, the ocean scientists at Deep Sea News say Slat's system isn't as simple and practical as he thinks it is. Among the many problems: Slat's plan would catch (and kill) as many vitally important plankton as pieces of plastic, and it calls for mooring plastic-collecting ships in the open ocean where the water is 2000 meters deeper than the deepest mooring ever recorded. Here's a mantra to remember: TED Talks — interesting if true.
Ocean scientists say 19-year-old's "realistic" plan to clean up the ocean isn't actually realistic
Study demonstrates that anti-radiation phone stickers do nothing
Can stickers—as in adhesive- or magnetic-backed paper—block phone radiation? Not these ones, says the University of Surrey in England. The stickers are sold by a U.K. company, Energydots, to exploit the country's pitch into 5G conspiracy theories and mystic paranoia. The stickers are about $35 each, shipped; Energydots has also falsely claimed to be in… READ THE REST
Floating a foil boat on heavier-than-air gas
Others have done this demo, but this is a great recent example in a large tank full of sulfur hexafluoride. Their demonstration of its voice-lowering properties was not as good as some, though. Image: YouTube / Da Vinci TV READ THE REST
Is the human gaze a physical force?
Is the human gaze a physical force? It sure feels like it sometimes. Princeton University researchers scanned subjects' brains to gain insight into why we subconsciously interpret "other people's visual attention as an invisible, force-carrying beam projecting from the eyes." This isn't about the paranormal investigations into whether you can "feel" when someone is staring… READ THE REST
These 10 deals can teach you an instrument and get you started recording music your way
and Drums Master Class Bundle – $59.99; originally $1,791 You've gotta walk before you can run…which is why these instrument lesson packages are the perfect starting point for any budding musician. For ax men and women, The Ultimate Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle includes almost 60 hours of training in learning the guitar, proper… READ THE REST
From reading and math to social skills, Homer is a proven online aid for the distance-learning age
Back in March, most parents thought stay-at-home orders and the advent of distance-learning would mean a few weeks of discomfort before getting kids right back into the classroom. Unfortunately for millions, that's not how education has played out. Instead, despite the best efforts of most teachers and education professionals, learning has become fraught with delays,… READ THE REST
Pupums' all-natural dog treats care for your dog just as much as you do
A good parent doesn't raise their child on a constant diet of fast-food hamburgers and other junk. Yet, many pet owners may be feeding their dogs even worse culinary horrors without even realizing it. While there are strict guidelines about the types of by-products and chemicals that can find their way into food consumed by… READ THE REST