This video explains the weirdness of the McGurk effect, a perceptual illusion demonstrating that understanding speech is not just about what we hear, but also what we see. You can learn more about the McGurk effect at Yale's Haskins Laboratories dedicated to the science of the spoken and written wordl. (via Imaginary Foundation)
Hearing lips and seeing voices
Shrooms in space: fungi as extraterrestrial building materials, fertilizer, and, yep, to get astronauts high
Mushroom expert Paul Stamets, author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, is part of a new NASA-funded study on "astromycology," how fungi could be used in space as building materials, to generate healthy soil for agriculture, and even as batteries. Scientific American interviewed Stamets about his current research and also his… READ THE REST
Lemurs get high by licking toxic millipedes and rubbing them on their bodies
The toxic secretions of millipedes are a real trip for Lemurs who know not to eat them, but to lick them and rub the enslobbered arthropods around their furry flanks. The ritual has an evolutionary narrative with it—the toxins kill parasites—and getting high is part of the package. READ THE REST
Absolutely astonishing video of a single cell becoming a tadpole
Spoilers below. From Aeon Video: Native to central and southern Europe, the amphibious alpine newt breeds in shallow water, where its larvae are born, hatch and feed on plankton, before sprouting legs and moving to land. This timelapse video from the Dutch director Jan van IJken tracks the development of a single-celled zygote into the… READ THE REST
Turn any room into a relaxing oasis with this $13 smart LED light strip
Staying home for birthdays, date nights, or just a regular Thursday used to be boring, but by tweaking your surroundings, just a little bit, you'd be surprised at how different your space can feel, even if it's just your good old living room. If you want to create an ambiance that you'll always remember, these… READ THE REST
This highly-rated power strip is a must-have for your home office
Whether you work from home, are a gamer, or simply own a smart gadget or two, finding enough outlets to plug everything into feels a lot like hunting for the world's hottest toy at Christmas time. In other words, it's a little chaotic, to say the least. And while traditional power strips are an obvious… READ THE REST
Get the Apple MagSafe Duo Charger for just $120
iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watches, oh my! Okay, that may not be what Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, but if she lived in today's world, she very well may. While all these Apple gadgets have become a part of our daily lives, necessary for many of our routines and tasks, caring for them and… READ THE REST
