This Week I Learned

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned about the origins of curling stones.

From island to ice: The origins of Olympic curling stones

How curling stones are carved from ancient Scottish rock and shaped much as they were half a century ago.

ReutersAnand Katakam and Adolfo Arranz

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned about the problem with women's clothing sizes.

Sizing chaos

The inter-generational struggle to find clothes that fit more than a tiny portion of women

The PuddingThe Pudding

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned about the most joyful girl on the internet - and this young lady is from here in Ireland!

Video The most joyful girl on the internet

ABC News’ Will Ganss spoke with Dory, the Irish 9-year-old charming the world of social media and the messages winning her millions of fans.

ABC NewsABC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a various points in history, coffee was illegal - and even punishable by DEATH! Nowadays of course, it just tries to make us bankrupt...

4 times drinking coffee was illegal—or even punishable by death

Rulers once closed cafés, burned beans, and even executed someone—all for a cup of coffee.

Popular ScienceAnne Ewbank

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that in January 2026, Norway sold only SEVEN petrol driven cars, and just 98 diesel cars.

Even after cutting EV incentives, Norway only sold 98 diesel cars in January

Norway cut EV incentives, resulting in a rush and record sales. That would usually cause a hangover, but EVs still took 94% share in January.

ElectrekJameson Dow

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned about the cry-cry horse, a stuffed toy made to celebrate the 'Year of the Horse' with a minor stitching mistake.

From a stitching mistake to viral hit: Meet the ‘Cry-Cry Horse’

With the Year of the Horse approaching, a netizen in Hangzhou recently shared photos of a stuffed horse toy that came with an unexpected flaw – its mouth had been stitched upside down.

CGTNCGTN

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that ANYONE can decide how public funds are spent in Paris - this includes children who can propose major urban projects.

Anyone in Paris Can Decide How the City Spends Its Money

Through ‘participatory budgeting,’ residents as young as eight years old can propose major urban projects, over 1,000 of which have been implemented.

Reasons to be CheerfulPeter Yeung

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that NASA is running a competition to figure out how to feed people when they are on Mars. I'm definitely not saying Mars Bars are the answer. #dadjoke

How to help NASA cope when DoorDash is 200 million miles away

NASA has launched a competition to help develop food sources for astronauts on Mars. The winning idea might even help people on Earth.

USA TODAY, USA TODAY

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that White Storks are making a comeback to the streets/skies of London. I saw a ton of them in huge nests Marrakech last summer (picture above), but I've never see one in my old hometown!

White storks to make historic return to London in 2026

Species extinct as breeding birds in Britain since 1416 to be reintroduced in Barking and Dagenham as part of rewilding effort

The GuardianPatrick Barkham

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned WHY alcohol hits harder on a plane, than when you are on the ground. Seems it's down to both the altitude AND the environment you are in. Worth bearing in mind when you feel like a cocktail on your next flight!

Why Alcohol Hits Even Harder on a Plane

The altitude and the environment both play a role.

SELFKorin Miller

Every week I post something new I learned whilst preparing my weekly newsletter, I've highlighted some of my absolute favourites from 2025. (2024 list here)

1. Nigel Richards regularly wins foreign language Scrabble competitions, despite not speaking the languages (The Guardian)
2. Sausage Kiosks in Vienna are being awarded UNESCO 'Intangible Cultural Heritage) status. (Yahoo Life)
3. Humans have toenails to aid with our sense of proprioception, that's our 'position in space'. (Mental Floss)
4. Saturns Rings are going to disappear for a while, but they will be back. (EarthSky)
5. The Grand Canyon is home to a poo museum, although it looks like it is closed now. (Poo Museum)
6. Sweden is building a sustainable city of the future, made entirely from timber. (Time Magazine)
7. Cooling Towers are shaped in a specific way, to aid the cooling. (ScienceABC)
8. Sleep is regulated by a tiny blue dot inside in all of our brains (BBC)
9. There are 350 different shapes of pasta, and even more names for them. (Italy Magazine)
10. The Amazon River doesn't have any official bridges. (IFL Science)
11. Bison are making a comeback in the UK, and its driving real biodiversity. (Reasons to be Cheerful)
12. Our teeth are radioactive. (YouTube)
13. There is an active 'volcano' in East London that no-one seems to be able to stop (The Guardian)
14. Ancient Greek statues often had clothing, and smelt of perfume. (Archaeology Magazine)
15. A Swiss town is prescribing museum visits as therapy for patients (AP News)
16. Before the invention of the bicycle, the average distance between the birthplaces of spouses in England was ONE mile. (Galibier)
17. A day on Uranus is 28 seconds longer than it used to be. (AP News)
18. The Uber Lost and Found Index is a strange and mysterious place. (Uber)
19. Scientists discovered a new colour. Not a favourite colour, a brand new colour that no-one has seen before. (BBC)
20. There is an annual competition for imitating the screech of a seagull. It is as extraordinary (and annoying) as you are imagining. (BBC)
21. Cardinals don't live on the strictest of rations when they are locked in a conclave, but they have NOWHERE to hide a message. (BBC)
22. People still use typewriters, every day in some parts of the world. (BBC)
23. Twins sometimes have the same allergies, but not always. (BBC)
24. You are statistically more likely to die on your birthday, than any other day of the year. (The Pudding)
25. A man in Norway woke up to find a container ship in his back garden. (BBC)
26. A spacecraft has taken photographs of the Sun's 'South Pole' for the first time. (BBC)
27. There is a website that tracks the number of people in space right now. It's the same now, as it was when I read about it - just 10. (HowManyPeople)
28. A Japanese airport had to cancel some flights due to a bear on the runway. (CBS)
29. All the fireworks have different names, and there are way more than I imagined. (Keystone Fireworks)
30. Counting a million dollars is not as easy as you would expect. (Calvin Liang)
31. There was a secret British Language which helped beat the Nazis in the Channel Islands during World War Two. (BBC)
32. Neil Armstrong had to complete a customs form when he landed back from the Moon. For the Rocks. (University of Cincinnati)
33. The Mizohata-Takeuchi Conjecture is a major math mystery that lasted 40 years, until a 17 year old solved it. (Quanta)
34. Keep Calm and Carry On became a phenomenon, almost 60 years after it was designed - here's why. (BBC)
35. A fourteen year old boy founded his own 'micronation' on the border between Serbia and Croatia. (The Guardian)
36. Dogs now have their own surfing championship. (World Dog Surfing)
37. In 1969, engineers stopped Niagara Falls from flowing for the first time in 12000 years. (1440 Daily)
38. Norway, controversially, has it's own version of the KitKat. It might look very similar but could well taste even better. (BBC)
39. Scandal ripped through this years Internatiomal Stone Skipping Championship when 'imported/doctored' rocks made their way into competition. (Popular Science)
40. Rappers make raps using incredible lyricism, but also some clever patterns of repetition that give them a signature sound. (Vox Magazine)
41. Wind Turbines have three blades for a very good reason, more or less won't do. Trust me, it's not (just) what you originally think. (YouTube)
42. A rare interstellar comet passed by Mars during 2025, and is being closely monitored. (The Guardian)
43. A very rare Snow Leopard has been born in captivity at Chester Zoo. (Nice News)
44. There was once a plan devised to slice up Europe like a Pizza, with Vienna at the middle. They even had maps made. (Big Think)
45. Our bodies goe through a 'mini jet-lag' when the clocks go forward or back - in some cases, even a mild depression. (ABC News)
46. There are two places in the world that sell a honey so full of psychoactives that it is nicknamed 'mad honey'. (CNN)
47. There is a database of the most dangerous roads in the world, you can check if there is a local one to drive. (Dangerous Roads)
48. I'm lucky enough to see the sea as I write this list, but until this year I never knew the hidden maths behind waves. (Quanta)
49. Vitamin D can affect both your immune system and your heart health, and in the winter, many of us don't get enough. (MIT Technology Review)
50. A mysterious black fungus is emerging at Chernobyl, and it looks like it might be 'eating' radiation. (BBC)
51. At last! A competition I'd back myself in - the World Parallel Parking Championship. (Car and Driver)
52. There is a massive black hole, speedining at over 2 million miles per hour through its home galaxy. (Space)

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that scientists have found a black hole, racing along at 2.2 million miles per hour! Seriously, this is fine.

James Webb Space Telescope confirms 1st ‘runaway’ supermassive black hole rocketing through home galaxy at 2.2 million mph: ‘It boggles the mind!’

“The forces that are needed to dislodge such a massive black hole from its home are enormous.”

SpaceRobert Lea

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there is a World Parallel Parking Championship - at last, a competition that I think I'd stand a chance in - I'm great at parking!

I Put My Reputation on the Line Competing in the Pittsburgh Parallel Parking Championship

We sent our ace road warrior to Pittsburgh to represent C/D in one of the truest tests of driving prowess.

Car and DriverChristi VanSyckle

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned scientists are tracking/monitoring a mysterious fungus that appears to be EATING radiation at Chernobyl, and it turns out it might have other uses.

The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation

Mould found at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster appears to be feeding off the radiation. Could we use it to shield space travellers from cosmic rays?

BBCAlex Riley

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned about what Vitamin D does to our bodies - and why in Northern Latitudes, we should 100% be supplementing.

We’re learning more about what vitamin D does to our bodies

The sunshine vitamin could affect your immune system and heart health.

MIT Technology ReviewJessica Hamzelou

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned about the hidden maths behind the waves - I'll never look at the sea across from my house in quite the same way.

The Hidden Math of Ocean Waves Crashes Into View | Quanta Magazine

The math of even the simplest ocean waves is notoriously uncooperative. A team of Italian mathematicians has made major advances toward understanding it.

Quanta MagazineJoseph Howlett

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there is a database of the most dangerous roads in the world, along with an interactive map where you can find ones near you and go for a spin. Carefully, mind!

World’s greatest driving roads

dangerousroads.org offers more than 12.000 roads online. Discover the most spectacular, scenic and dangerous roads around the world. Drive the most exciting and

dangerousroads

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned (twice - once on the TV, once online) that there is a honey FULL of psychoactives that can knock out a soldier, or a bear. It's known as mad honey, and only sold in two places.

This rare ‘mad honey’ is only found in two places in the world. It’s strong enough to fell bears and soldiers | CNN

“Mad honey,” or “deli bal” as it’s known in Turkey, is a rare and potentially dangerous delicacy with psychoactive properties. Turkey’s Black Sea region is one of only two places in the world where it’s produced.

CNNMaureen O’Hare

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned what actually happens to your body when the clocks 'fall' back.

Here’s what happens to your body when clocks ‘fall back’ an hour

Plan on a glorious extra hour of sleep as most of America “falls back” into standard time. But make sure to get outside for some morning sun, too - it’ll help your body clock reset faster.

6abc Philadelphia

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there once was a plan to slice up Europe like a Pizza. They even made maps for the new place. Which slice would you have lived in?

A Bizarre Peace Proposal: Slice Europe Up Like a Pie

All 24 cantons would meet at St Stephen’s cathedral in Vienna

Big ThinkFrank Jacobs

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a very rare Snow Leopard has been born at Chester Zoo, the first in its history.

First Snow Leopard Born at Chester Zoo: Footage

Hidden den cameras captured footage of the first snow leopard born at the Chester Zoo in its 94-year history.

Nice NewsRebekah Brandes

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a rare insterstellar comet recently flew past Mars - and scientists captured it on camera.

3/I Atlas: a rare comet from beyond our solar system is being closely tracked – what can it teach us?

Only the third interstellar comet ever to be seen contains material from other star systems that can be observed close up

The GuardianIan Sample

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned why wind turbines have three blades - and it's not (just) what I originally thought.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned how rappers construct their rhymes to make raps - some amazing lyricism on show.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that the International Stone Skipping Championships has had its fair share of scandal this year... but there was still a clear winner.

Scandal rocks international stone skipping contest

‘Nefarious deeds’ couldn’t keep Jon Jennings from winning the World Stone Skimming Competition.

Popular ScienceAndrew Paul

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that Norway has a chocolate bar that rivals the mighty KitKat - the resemblance is uncanny, but the Norwegian one may well be the winner on taste.

The controversial sweet that fuels Norwegians

Known as ‘the trip chocolate’, Kvikk Lunsj has fuelled outdoor adventures for generations. So, what makes this chocolate so controversial?

BBCJessica Furseth

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that in 1969, Niagara Falls stopped flowing for the first time in 12000 years...

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that dogs now have their own surfing championship! The photos are pretty awesome as well.

World Dog Surfing Championships – The Ultimate Surf Dog Championships

World Dog Surfing Championships

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned how a 14 year old boy founded his own 'micronation', somewhere on the border between Serbia and Croatia.

‘We would love to enter Eurovision!’ The boy who saw some unclaimed land – and founded his own country

Daniel Jackson was just 14 when he and his friends saw a strip of forest between Serbia and Croatia, and decided to claim it. Now 20, he is the president of Verdis, but has been forced to live in exile

The GuardianLucy Knight

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned how Keep Calm and Carry On became a sensation, SIXTY years after it was designed.

‘We had no idea of what it would become’: How Keep Calm and Carry On became a divisive 21st-Century phenomenon

After a forgotten WW2 propaganda poster was discovered in 2000, it found an astounding new resonance in 21st-Century Britain.

BBCTeja Lele

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a 17 year old recently solved a major mystery that has confounded mathematicians for 40 years.

At 17, Hannah Cairo Solved a Major Math Mystery | Quanta Magazine

After finding the homeschooling life confining, the teen petitioned her way into a graduate class at Berkeley, where she ended up disproving a 40-year-old conjecture.

Quanta MagazineKevin Hartnett

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that Neil Armstrong had to complete a customs form to bring back rocks and dust from the moon.

Neil Armstrong’s customs form for moon rocks

Former University of Cincinnati professor Neil Armstrong and his crew mates from Apollo 11 had to sign this Moon Manifest for the U.S. Customs Service to bring

University of Cincinnati

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there was a secret British language that helped beat the Nazis in the Channel Islands.

The secret British language that was used to outwit the Nazis

Very few people outside the island know that Jersey has its own language – or that it was cannily used as a clandestine code during German occupation in WW2.

BBCOliver Berry

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that counting $1,000,000 dollars is not as easy as you might think.

The Fed says this is a cube of $1M. They’re off by half a million. - Calvin Liang

Trust me, I counted.

Calvin LiangCalvin Liang

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that all the fireworks have different names, and there are way more than I expected!

Types of Fireworks Effects - Keystone Fireworks

Brocade – A spider like effect in the sky, much like fine lace. The brocade effect is generally a silver tail effect, and is brighter than the willow or tiger... Continue Reading

Keystone Fireworkskshaub

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a Japanese airport recently had to cancel flights due to a bear on the runway.

Bear on runway forces airport in Japan to cancel flights: “We’re in a stalemate”

Airport staff used a car to chase it away and closed the runway again, with the bear still at large somewhere in the facility.

CBS News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there are currently 10 (ten) people in space right now.

How Many People Are In Space Right Now?

How many people are in space right now?

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a spacecraft has taken photographs of the Sun's 'South Pole' for the first time.

Solar Orbiter spacecraft snaps first images of Sun’s south pole

Never before seen pictures will help scientists learn how the Sun’s activity changes from stormy to quiet periods

BBC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned a man in Norway recently wokeup to find a container ship in his back garden. The photos are extraordinary!

Man in Norway wakes to find huge container ship in garden

Johan Helberg says he was “quite astonished” to look out of his window and see the vessel.

BBC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned you are statistically more likely to die on your birthday, than any other day of the year.

Are you more likely to die on your birthday?

Yes. We’ll run a study to show you how, and why.

The PuddingThe Pudding

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned twins sometimes have the same allergies, but not always. As with life, it's complicated.

Do twins become allergic to the same things?

If one of a pair of twins is allergic to something, does that mean the other twin will be sensitive too?

BBCBreanne Hayes Haney

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned in some part of America, you can still hear the clack of typewriter keys, every day.

‘We use them every day’: In some parts of the US, the clack of typewriter keys can still be heard

Computers and smartphones might be where most writing is done these days, but typewriters still have work to do in the US.

BBCChris Baraniuk

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned what the Cardinals eat during a Papal Conclave. Here's a clue, they don't live on the strictest of rations - but there is nowhere to hide a message!

The great conclave secret: What do would-be popes eat?

For more than 750 years, strict rules have guarded what cardinals can and cannot eat to prevent hidden messages stuffed inside chicken, ravioli and napkins.

BBCElisa Tersigni

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there is an annual competition for imitating the screech of a seagull. It is as extraordinary as you might imagine.

‘Seagull boy’ swoops in to retain European screeching title

Cooper, 10, retained his screeching crown - though his little sister gave him a run for his money.

BBC News

“www.gullscreeching.eu”

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that scientists have discovered a previously unseen colour, a saturated blue-green.

Scientists claim to have discovered ‘new colour’ no one has seen before

“Olo” is said to be a saturated blue-green - but some say the existence of a new colour is “open to argument”.

BBC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that the Uber Lost and Found Index is a strange and mysterious place.

Who leaves their Chainsaw in a taxi?

The 2025 Uber Lost & Found Index

The 2025 Uber Lost & Found Index provides a snapshot of riders’ most commonly forgotten and most unique lost items. The 2025 Uber Lost & Found Index provides a snapshot of riders’ most commonly forgotten and most unique lost items.

Uber NewsroomBecky Davis

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a day on Uranus just got 28 seconds longer - all thanks to the Hubble telescope.

A day at Uranus just got 28 seconds longer

A day at Uranus just got a little longer. Scientists reported Monday that observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed it takes Uranus 17 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds to complete a full rotation.

AP NewsMARCIA DUNN

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that before the invention of the bicycle, the average distance between the birthplaces of spouses in England was one mile. 

Love is but a field away – Galibier

Galibiergalibier

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a Swiss town is prescribing Museum Visits as therapy for patients. I fully subscribe to this idea!

Stressed? Sick? Swiss town lets doctors prescribe free museum visits as art therapy for patients

The Swiss town of Neuchâtel is offering residents a novel form of preventative or preparatory medicine.

AP NewsJAMEY KEATEN

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that ancient Greek statues often had clothing, and perfume for a full sensory experience.

News - Ancient Greek Statues Smelled of Perfume - Archaeology Magazine

DELOS, GREECE—Many museums around the world are filled with marble statues from ancient Greece and […]

Archaeology MagazineJason Urbanus

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there is a 'volcano' constantly erupting in East London. It seems that no-one is able to stop it.

The Rainham volcano: a waste dump is constantly on fire in east London. Why will no one stop it?

Under Arnolds Field, tonnes of illegally dumped waste have been burning for years, spewing pollution over the area. Locals fear for their health – and despair that no one seems willing to help

The GuardianWilliam Ralston

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that teeth are radioactive. Just how radioactive are your teeth? This short video will help you understand.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that free roaming Bison are making a comeback in the UK, and they are making a real difference...

Bison Are Bringing Back Biodiversity to Britain

In just a few years, the only free-roaming bison herd in the U.K. has already made a tangible difference in the surrounding ecosystem.

Reasons to be CheerfulPeter Yeung

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that the Amazon River doesn't have any bridges, and there is a great reason for it.

The Amazon River Doesn’t Have Any Bridges – And For Good Reason

Like a bridge over troubled water.

IFLScienceTom Hale

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there are over 350 different shapes of pasta... and even more names for them!

So, How Many Pasta Shapes Are There?

Quanti formati di pasta esistono? Our latest dual-language article explores the seemingly endless shapes of pasta.

Italy MagazineSilvia Donati

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that my sleep is regulated by a little blue dot in my brain.

How the brain’s little blue dot regulates your sleep

The locus coeruleus is emerging as a major new area of research interest, with many important functions such as regulating our attention and sleep.

BBCDavid Robson

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned why cooling towers have that peculiar shape. Spoiler... its for the cooling.

Why Are These Structures So Common In Large Factories?

Have you ever wondered why cooling towers are shaped that way? Why don’t they have some other shape? Does this shape has a particular benefit?

ScienceABCAshish

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that Sweden is building the worlds largest city made entirely from timber.

Sweden is Building the World’s Largest City Made Entirely From Timber

Stockholm Wood City is swapping polluting steel and concrete for a more climate-friendly construction material: timber.

TimeMaddy Savage

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that the Grand Canyon is also home to a poop museum. Of course it is called the Poozeum.

The National Poo Musuem

The National Poo Musuem

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that Saturns rings are going to 'disappear' for a while - this only happens once every 29 years.

Saturn’s rings are disappearing!

Updates on your cosmos and world

EarthSky | Updates on your cosmos and worldKelly Kizer Whitt

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned why humans have toenails...

Why Do Humans Have Toenails?

Toenails probably originated with our primate forebears, and they still serve a big purpose.

Mental FlossShayna Murphy

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that athey don't make love songs like they used to, and someone has done a thorough investigation of the change.

Is the Love Song Dying?

We categorized songs in the Billboard Top 10 to see if love songs are on the decline.

The PuddingThe Pudding

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that a man recently won the Spanish Scrabble Championship, despite not beng able to speak Spanish. Turns out, he has form.

Scrabble star wins Spanish world title – despite not speaking Spanish

Nigel Richards has also been champion in English and – after memorising dictionary in nine weeks – French

The GuardianAshifa Kassam

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that sausage kiosks (Würstelstand) in Vienna are to be listed by UNESCO as part of the 'intangible cultural heritage' of Austria.

The Vienna sausage stand is more than just a snack stall. Now it has a UNESCO heritage recognition

The Vienna sausage stand is a place where the street sweeper, the manager, the tourist and the celebrity converge for the same tasty snack. The culture of the humble “Würstelstand” became this week one of the latest additions to the national list of intangible cultural heritage, overseen by the Austrian UNESCO Commission. It joins the Austrian capital’s distinctive wine taverns, or “Heurigen,” which have been listed since 2019, and the city’s famous coffee house culture, which was honored in 2011.

Yahoo LifePHILIPP JENNE

Every week, I share a link to something I learned in the previous 7 days... these are things that grab my interest, but don't make it into my weekly newsletter.

1. Europe has an Island that swaps nationality every six months.  Pheasant Island spends half the year French, and half the year Spanish.   Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of history behind this strange arrangement.
2. Good quality audio makes you sound 19% cleverer. So, it's worth investing in that better headset or microphone.
3. China's ROOFTOPS have more solar capacity than entire other countries' capacity. The challenge is getting all that solar into the grid.
4. Apple used to have a door-to-door repair service. Not so much a genius bar, as a genius car. (geddit?)
5. Someone dug a hole that is 12km deep. To put that in context, Mount Everest is 8.84km high.
6. Jigsaw puzzles are now a competitive sport. Enter the world of Speed Puzzling where 500-piece jigsaws take just 37 minutes.
7. The plague is back. A disease more associated with medieval times, is back in Oregon. Don't panic though, all is under control.
8. The American Revolution was (partly) planned in a beautiful UK seaside town.
9. US roadsigns look very different to everywhere else in the world. Turns out that the US trialled European (and other) signs, but preferred their own.
10. In pagan-era Finland, bears were given elaborate funerals and were treated like high ranking humans.
11. Each Oscar Nominee gets a goodie bag containing over $100k worth of gifts... including multiple holidays, kitchen products and 10,000 donated pet meals! 
12. Tornadoes can be predicted by a 'low frequency infrasound' that is inaudible to the human ear. Knowing this means scientists can build early warning systems that can save lives.
13. Other planets have 'Northern Lights' or Aurorae. Scientists at Reading University are currently studying aurora on Saturn, in some research that could change the way we understand those planets.
14. Barbie Pigs are a (potentially) new to science species found deep in the Pacific Ocean. Down near the sea potatoes, rattail fish and unicucumbers, things start to get weird.
15. NASA has approved 12 plants that can improve air quality. If you need better air in your living space, choose one of these.
16. Research has shown that some people think that Scrabble is too competitive. This has led Mattel to design a new version of the word game that is less 'intimidating'.
17. Some fish communicate with each other by hums and farts. 
18. A mirrorball is made in a way that I didn’t exactly expect. 
19. Birds get their colours through a multitude of factors, including evolutionary trade-offs and selective pressures.
20. Philadelphia (the state - not the soft cheese) now has a 24-hour cheese vending machine. For all your emergency cheese needs.
21. Kami Rita Sherpa has broke a record by summiting Everest for the 29th time.
22. Power washing can actually improve your mood. 
23. Slap Fighting' is now a professional sport. That's where two people 'slap' each other in the face until one goes down.
24. ‘Encephalartos woodii’ is the loneliest plant in the world, with only one known living example. Scientists are using technology to try and find a female. If they can't find a date, then they might try and change the sex of the one they have!
25. Soda cans are concave on the bottom for a very important reason.
26. Scientists have made a connection between sleep deprivation and memory.
27. Laying down is not a good way to avoid getting struck by lightning. It seems that there really is no escape, but lightning can be good for crops.
28. It is still 2016 in Ethiopia. It’s actually 2017 now.
29. Wild horses are returning to the Steppes of Kazakhstan for the first time in two-hundred years.
30. Sir David Attenborough helped change tennis balls from white to yellow
31. The American Library Association has for nearly 40 years been putting out “Read” posters featuring celebrities and their books.
32. Scientists have discovered a source of 'dark oxygen' on the floor of the oceans. These are lumps of metal, that act as batteries, generating oxygen into the sea.  It might mean that we need to change the way that we think about mining the ocean.
33. The habit of sending your partner or friends random pictures during the day, is similar to a behaviour that penguins have, pebbling. 
34. East Germany invented ‘unbreakable’ glass - and this year, it made a comeback.
35. Someone has built a robot that can solve a jigsaw puzzle 200x faster than the fastest human. 
36. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) look pretty incredible when viewed from space. This footage from the International Space Station is a revelation.
37. Scientists have found out where love lives in the brain. Turns out, different love = different places.
38. There are multiple ways of making decaffeinated coffee - the science is incredible
39. There are 3142 counties in the United States of America - 31 states have a Washington County.
40. You need a dictionary when you learn how to count in Japanese. Everything seems OK when you go from 1-10, but after that - things become more complicated.
41. If you own a restaurant that sits high in the Arctic Circle, you'll need to get creative with some of the ingredients.
42. Earth had TWO moons for a period of time this year.
43. In the past, there was a phone number with a (sort of) Wikipedia at the end of it. 
44. You don't really own your username, so keep an eye on your credentials. 
45. Modern technology has uncovered long lost cities along the Silk Road. Using drones and LIDAR scientists were able to map cities that have since disappeared. 
46. Japan launched a WOODEN satellite into space, using traditional techniques with no screws or glue. 
47. An emperor penguin was found thousands of miles away from his natural home.
48. Orcas (Killer Whales) sometimes wear a dead salmon as a hat, in what looks like a fashion statement.
49. Sausage kiosks (Würstelstand) in Vienna are to be listed by UNESCO as part of the 'intangible cultural heritage' of Austria. 
50. The 2025 colour of the year is ‘Mocha Mousse’ - so say Pantone, who decide these kind of things.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that Orcas (Killer Whales) sometimes wear a dead salmon as a hat, in what looks like a fashion statement.

Wearing A Salmon On Your Head Is Back In Fashion For Orcas, After A 37-Year Break

In 1987, there was a strange trend amongst killer whales. Recent sightings show it’s back in fashion.

IFLScienceJames Felton

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that the American Revolution was (partly) planned in a beautiful UK seaside town.

The quaint English town where the US’ future was planned

The English town where one of America’s Founding Fathers, and the world’s first international revolutionaries, sparked a spirit of rebellion that continues to this very day.

BBCRussell Higham

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that an Australian surfer recently came across an Emperor Penguin who was THOUSANDS of miles away from his Antartica home.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/surfer-spots-an-emperor-penguin-on-a-beach-in-australia-thousands-of-miles-from-its-antarctic-home-180985421/

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that Japanese scientists have just launched a WOODEN satellite into space. They're testing whether wood is a viable material for space, and they build their satellite using traditional joint methods - with no screws or glue.

Japan launches world’s first wooden satellite, will test if wood is suitable building material in space

LignoSat’s wooden panels, is made using magnolia wood using a traditional Japanese method that avoids screws and glue. This represents a novel approach to satellite design. Researchers believe wood could one day replace certain metals in space technology

FirstpostFP Staff

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that modern technology has uncovered long lost cities along the Silk Road.

Lost cities of the Silk Road

Lidar mapping shows large walled cities thrived along the Silk Road in the Tien Shan mountains.

Ars TechnicaJacek Krywko

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there is a growing market for second hand user names. You don't really own your username, so keep an eye on your credentials.

You don’t own your handle: The unregulated market of usernames

Despite account transfers being against the rules of most social-media platforms, the practice is widespread — and lucrative.…

Sherwood NewsRani Molla

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that there used to be a phone number you could call that all of Wikipedia at the other end. Kind of.

The Department of Everything

A world that has tossed out the print edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in favor of Wikipedia is not necessarily a richer one.

The Hedgehog Review

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week I learned that planet earth will have TWO moons for a short period of time.

Earth will have a temporary ‘mini moon’ for two months

Earth will have a temporary “mini moon” for two months. The mini moon is actually an asteroid about the size of a school bus.

AP NewsCHRISTINA LARSON

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week, I had a double learning:

1. I learned that you can play a game which simulates power washing.
2. Science has shown that virtual power washing can actually improve your mood.

It’s official: You can virtually power wash your way to a better mood

We officially have proof that video games are good for your mood – well, at least one in particular. An Oxford University study showed that playing the eponymous game Powerwash Simulator (PWS) showed a small improvement in the moods of more than 70% of its participants.

New AtlasSquare Enix

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week, I learned that if you own a restaurant that sits high in the Arctic Circle, you'll need to get creative with some of the ingredients.

The strange tastes of a restaurant at the end of the world

When your restaurant is high in the Arctic Circle, and most ingredients have to come in on a boat or a plane, you have to get pretty creative with your fine dining.

BBCVeronique Greenwood

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week, I learned that you need a dictionary when you learn how to count in Japanese. Everything seems OK when yo go from 1-10, but after that - things become more complicated.

In Japanese You Need a Dictionary to Count Things

On Josuushi and questionable language approaches

Aether MugMarco Giancotti

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week, I learned that there are 3142 counties in the United States of America. Unsurprisingly, 31 states have a Washington County. I've always been curious about how and why counties are named when I visit the US, so this page has all the information!

(Written whilst in Travis County - which only appears once in the big list, in Texas)

USA Counties

Information and maps of counties grouped by states

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow, they don't quite fit!

This week, I learned about the science behind decaffeinated coffee. I finish most days with a decaf, so it's good to know how it gets made.

Retaining flavor while removing caffeine − a chemist explains the chemistry behind decaf coffee

Even unstimulating coffee has stimulating chemistry.

The ConversationMichael W. Crowder

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find these while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow they don't quite fit!

This week, I learned that scientists have found out where love lives in the brain. Turns out, different love = different places.

Finding love: Study reveals where love lives in the brain

We use the word “love” in a bewildering range of contexts—from sexual adoration to parental love or the love of nature. Now, more comprehensive imaging of the brain may shed light on why we use the same word for such a diverse collection of human experiences.

Medical XpressScience X

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit!

This week, I learned that the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) looks pretty incredible when viewed from space.

Watch: The Northern Lights seen from space

A timelapse captured from the International Space Station shows the Moon setting into streams of aurora.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit!

This week, I learned that someone has built a robot that can solve a jigsaw puzzle 200x faster than the fastest human. Watch it in action at 16m50s - it's incredible!

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit!

This week, I learned that East Germans invented unbreakable glass - and in 2024, it's coming back!

Smashing idea: how East Germany invented ‘unbreakable’ drinking glasses

In the 1980s, a company called Superfest pioneered extra strong glass – but it disappeared with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now it’s making a comeback

The GuardianJens Malling

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit!

This week, I learned that my habit of sending random pictures to my wife during the day (a coffee, or a sign I saw) stems from a behaviour that penguins have - pebbling. I should say, it's a two-way thing - I get them back as well!

Pebbling: A Delightful Dating Trend Inspired by Penguins

This new dating trend is reconnecting couples—and it’s all thanks to penguins.

Psychology TodayMark Travers Ph.D.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit!

This week, I learned that scientists have discovered a source of 'dark oxygen' on the floor of the oceans. These are lumps of metal, that generate oxygen into the sea and might mean that we need to change the way that we think about mining the ocean.

Dark oxygen made by deep sea ‘batteries’

The discovery that lumps of metal on the seafloor produce oxygen raises questions over plans to mine the deep ocean.

BBC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days. I usually find this while I'm putting my weekly newsletter together but somehow it doesn't quite fit!

This week, I learned that the American Library Association has for nearly 40 years been putting out “Read” posters featuring celebrities and books. Some of these posters are vaguely unhinged, and I love them!

100 of the Greatest Posters of Celebrities Urging You to Read

The American Library Association has for nearly 40 years been putting out “Read” posters featuring celebrities and books. Lots of us remember these from school and libraries—my elementary school ha…

Literary HubJames Folta

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that Sir David Attenborough helped change tennis balls from white to yellow.

Wimbledon on Instagram: “Natural history narrator & tennis innovator 🎾”

183K likes, 436 comments - wimbledon on June 11, 2024: “Natural history narrator & tennis innovator 🎾”.

Instagram

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that laying down is not a good way to avoid getting struck by lightning. It seems that there really is no escape, but lightning can be good for crops.

Everything You Know About Lightning Safety in the Backcountry Is Wrong

Most backcountry lightning education—including what’s taught by major outdoor organizations—is antiquated. Here’s your overdue expert update.

Outside OnlineCorey Buhay

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that it is still 2016 in Ethiopia. Due to some quirks in the way that time is recognised in the country, and strong sense of national identity.

The country where it’s still 2016 | CNN

On September 11, Ethiopians will officially celebrate the beginning of the year 2017. So why is this East African country’s calendar seven years and eight months “behind” the rest of the world?

CNNTamara Hardingham-Gill

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that wild horses are returning to the Steppes of Kazakhstan for the first time in two-hundred years. Przewalski’s horses, the only truly wild species of the animal in the world and being reintroduced with help from a zoo.

Wild horses return to Kazakhstan steppes after absence of two centuries

Seven Przewalski’s horses, the only truly wild species of the animal in the world, flown to central Asian country from zoos in Europe

The GuardianSophie Kevany

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that scientists have made a connection between sleep deprivation and memory. Another reason to check in on your overall sleep hygiene.

Sleep deprivation disrupts memory: here’s why

Study in rats shows that a key brain signal linked to memory formation deteriorates after broken sleep.

NatureMax Kozlov

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned why soda cans are concave on the bottom - I thought it was for stacking, but turns out its more important than that.

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that the ‘Encephalartos woodii’ is the loneliest plant in the world, with only one known living example. Scientists are using technology to try and find a female. If they can't find a date using AI, then they might try and change the sex of the one they have!

The high-tech hunt for a lonely plant’s partner | University of Southampton

Artificial intelligence is being employed in the hunt for a female partner for a critically endangered male plant species that predates dinosaurs.

The University of Southampton

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that 'Slap Fighting' is now a professional sport. That's where two people 'slap' each other in the face until one goes down. It's a pretty ugly sport, but then all combat sports are - maybe that's why people love them.

Inside the Savage, Surreal, Booming World of Professional Slap Fighting

Propelled by its made-to-go-viral moments of violence, the combat sport—in which combatants take turns smacking each other in the face—is soaring in popularity.

EsquireAnder Monson

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that Kami Rita Sherpa has just broken a record by summiting Everest for the 29th time.

Mount Everest: Record summits made by Nepali and British climbers

Kami Rita Sherpa scaled the world’s tallest mountain for a 29th time while a Briton marked his 18th.

BBC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that Philadelphia now has a 24-hour cheese vending machine. For all your emergency cheese needs.

There’s a Cheese Vending Machine in Philadelphia You Need to Know About

Perrystead Dairy, located in the Olde Kensington neighborhood, has officially opened the city’s first self-service cheese dispensary — and it sells everything you need to put together a charcuterie board. (Yes, even the actual boards.)

Food & WineFood & Wine’s Editorial Guidelines

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned how birds get their colours. And more importantly why.

How do birds get their colors? A guide to your vibrantly hued, winged friends

Learn how birds chirping near your feeder get their rainbow of colorful feathers, how they serve them, and why we perceive them the way we do

USA TODAY, USA TODAY

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned how a mirrorball is made, it is not how I expected!

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that (some) fish communicate with each other by hums and farts... not THAT different to humans.

Boops, hums and farts: The mysterious world of fish communication

From mysterious clicking noises in a fish tank in a lab, to humming haddocks and singing toadfish, scientists are discovering the wonder of underwater communication.

BBCFrankie Adkins

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that people think that Scrabble is too competitive. This has led Mattel to design a new version of the word game that is less 'intimidating'.

Scrabble: Mattel launches new version of game which is ‘less competitive’

Mattel says the new board is designed to be accessible for those who find word games intimidating.

BBC News

Every week, I share something I learned in the previous seven days.

This week, I learned that NASA has approved 12 plants that can improve air quality. If you need better air in your living space, choose one of these.

12 NASA-Approved Plants That Actually Improve Air Quality

No space shuttle required—just light, water, and a little TLC.

Food52Nadia Hassani