Every morning, writer A.J. Jacobs grabs a fresh index card and writes a list of emotions. The first five are gratitude, delight, fascination, compassion, and awe. His list includes 23… Read the rest of the article: Moodwatching is like birdwatching but for your emotions
If your eyes water while cutting onions, blame syn-propanethial-S-oxide. It's the irritating compound that's released in the form of droplets when a knife blade slices through the bulb. The reason… Read the rest of the article: Scientists reveal the best way to cut onions without tears
When DHL delivered mail to Adafruit Industries last week, it wasn't a typical invoice but a gut punch: a $36,126.46 customs duty bill that had to be paid within seven… Read the rest of the article: Brooklyn electronics company Adafruit hit with surprise $36K tariff bill: "pay in one week"
Harvard professor Roland Fryer says algorithms could solve the problem of deciding who to admit to universities "far better than any committee armed with SAT scores, legacy flags and, worse,… Read the rest of the article: Algorithms in college admissions could make discrimination worse
Companies are using inscrutable algorithms to make life-changing decisions about your job, loans, and education — and California officials just made it harder for its residents to fight back. The… Read the rest of the article: California strips consumer protections against automated decision-making systems
A child scratched a Mark Rothko painting worth worth over $50 million at a museum in Rotterdam, reported the BBC. A spokesperson from the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen said the… Read the rest of the article: Parents may pay repair bill after kid scratches a $50 million Rothko painting
Our friend (and frequent Boing Boing contributor) Rusty Blazenhoff just released an invaluable guide for planning a trip to Japan. "What I Wish I Knew Before Going to Japan" is… Read the rest of the article: Your essential guide to not screwing up in Japan
Documentaries used to be about more than just true crime and celebrity deep-dives. Gary D. Rhodes' new book Weirdumentary: Ancient Aliens, Fallacious Prophecies, and Mysterious Monsters From 1970s Documentaries (May… Read the rest of the article: Remember when people paid real money to watch bug apocalypse documentaries?
I used to randomly hack away at bell peppers, ending up with oddly shaped slices covered in seeds. But a few years ago, I learned the trick to cutting bell… Read the rest of the article: The best way to cut bell peppers
Jeff Geerling bought a Bosch dishwasher to replace his old GE dishwasher, which was starting to rust and had a display that stopped working. The Bosch came highly recommended both… Read the rest of the article: New Bosch dishwasher requires internet connection just to rinse dishes
Roman Storm, a 35-year-old software developer in Seattle, Washington, created a cryptocurrency mixer to help people keep their transactions private. For example, the service allowed people to donate bitcoin to… Read the rest of the article: Crypto developer faces 40 years in prison for creating privacy software
"A thunderous sneeze is a learned behavior," says Mas Takashima, chair of the otolaryngology department at Houston Methodist. He told The Washington Post that "you hardly ever hear anybody sneezing… Read the rest of the article: Learn to sneeze more quietly with these science-backed techniques
Nobody captures the reality of showbiz like Drew Friedman, whose hyperdetailed portraits immortalize nearly-forgotten celebrities, aging comedians, and Hollywood burnouts. On March 29th, I'll be at the Aero Theatre in… Read the rest of the article: Artist Drew Friedman documentary LA premiere, March 29, 2025
Quite a few real companies are named Lumon (or Lumen), just like the sinister Lumon Industries in Severance. When the Apple TV+ series debuted in 2022, these companies didn't know… Read the rest of the article: Companies named Lumon embrace unexpected fame
Your next cup of coffee could be hotter than you think. Organized criminals in the United States, Brazil, and Viet Nam are stealing coffee beans by the truckload, reports Reuters.… Read the rest of the article: Coffee is so expensive, criminals are stealing beans by the truckload
Last November, we launched Boing Boing Premium, an ad-free version of Boing Boing. A lot of you subscribed, and we're grateful for your support. When I want to read my… Read the rest of the article: Give our ad-free Boing Boing Premium a try with a free trial
I've heard of Markov Chains, but I didn't understand them until I visited this site that explains them with simple interactive animations. Look at the illustration above. The gray circle… Read the rest of the article: What are Markov chains? Interactive guide with examples
From the excellent Boomerang newsletter (subscribe at their wehsite), here's a recommendations for the Sly & The Family Stone documentary streaming on Hulu: Your next TV-night absolutely needs to include… Read the rest of the article: New Sly Stone doc explores the price of musical genius
Disney employee Matthew Van Andel first discovered something was wrong when a stranger on Discord messaged him with details from his private workplace Slack conversations. As reported in The Wall… Read the rest of the article: Disney employee loses everything after hacker steals passwords and work data
What do you see in this image? From The Ape That Spoke : Language and the Evolution of the Human Mind, by John McCrone. At first sight this is an… Read the rest of the article: Can you see what is in this image?
