If you've got 10 minutes, you can learn the history of English — including some interesting background on where specific words and phrases came from. (If you don't have 10 minutes, you can also watch the whole thing one chapter at a time in less-than-two-minute segments.) Interesting note: The equal importance of both The King James Bible and early scientific publications/societies to the formation of English as we speak it today.
Animated history of the English language
Mars Perseverance rover successfully inhaled carbon dioxide and exhaled oxygen
The Perseverance rover has successfully converted carbon dioxide from the Red Planet's atmosphere into oxygen. Eventually, the technology inside the toaster-size Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) unit in Perseverance's belly could support human visits and perhaps even settlements on Mars. From NASA: While the technology demonstration is just getting started, it could pave the… READ THE REST
Buzzkill: Fauci and others no longer discuss herd immunity. "It's off the table" says one expert
"Herd immunity" is the magic phrase – the finish line we've all been running toward – that will get us to the other side of the devastating Covid pandemic. Once we get there, masks will be mostly a thing of the past (or so we hope). Handshakes and hugs might even come back. And now… READ THE REST
The many-headed hydra is a real creature that regenerates itself and can live "forever"
Named after the Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed water monster of Greek and Roman mythology, the real hydra is a small fresh-water creature with incredible biological superpowers that enable it to regenerate and live "forever." Unlike the Lernaean Hydra, it doesn't guard an entrance into the underworld. We think. From KQED's Deep Look: Cut a hydra… READ THE REST
SwiftCV lets you build a professional website to help get the job you want
If you're attacking your job search armed only with your resume and a cover letter, you're leaving a lot of important weapons on the table. Consolidating all your job candidate information to a social profile like LinkedIn doesn't hurt, but the limits of those platforms don't exactly shine a full spotlight into all of your… READ THE REST
This $105 biometric wallet lets you keep a tight leash on your cryptocurrency
For those who spent years or decades with a billfold or a wallet, understanding how a cryptocurrency hardware wallet works can be a bit of a head-scratcher. That's partly because a crypto wallet doesn't actually hold your money, even the digital money that Bitcoin and other cryptos represent. No, your hardware wallet is really about… READ THE REST
30 eco-friendly deals
It's a big and beautiful world. And sometimes, it's easy to feel afraid that all the ill effects we've heaped on our resilient planet have practically consigned us to our doom. But hey…that's quitter's talk. Progress only happens when everybody does their part. And in celebration of Earth Day, this is a great time to… READ THE REST