Study: "Participants reported their spine curving and their muscles bulking to accommodate four-legged running. Breathing changed to panting."
Naps just got WILD!
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STORY OF THE WEEK
Fake sleep, real results
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While you sleep, your brain runs maintenance: neurons reset, memories form, waste clears out.
But what if you could trick your brain into thinking all this happened?
A U of Wisconsin team just achieved exactly that with mice, using optogenetics (a technique where light manipulates neurons). They recreated on-off firing patterns that occur during deep sleep while mice were awake!
The result? Sleep-deprived mice performed just as well on memory tasks as mice that slept.
Implied possibilities are nuts. If I got three hours last night, can I add the equivalent of five with a daytime treatment? Will people sleep every other night at some point?!
Caveat: optogenetics isn't ready for humans. Stick with unconsciousness for now…
IN OTHER NEWS
Tipsy chipsy, lefty pups, fear decoded...
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Drunchies
A U of Sydney study found alcohol makes your body crave salty/savory over sweet. Chips over candy, for instance. A specific booze-activated hormone drives cravings.
Paw Preference
University of Bari researchers just rolled out the Doginburgh Test – an exam that determines if your dog is left or right pawed. My dachshund Taco is a lefty!
Fear x Gender
Virginia Tech researchers discovered female brains process fear via an entirely different brain pathway than male brains. A unique "tagging system" locks in fear memories.
Aging Ankles
New research shows the way we walk isn't fixed – it changes as our ankles age. "The ankle shifts from being a propulsion engine to acting more like a stabilizing brace."
Lost World
CU Boulder just reconstructed a Mars-sized planet that orbited our sun before being shattered in a collision. Our early solar system was a demolition derby.
HACK OF THE WEEK
Music on boss mode
image: self
The age-old question: to jam at work or not.
It's tough because "focus music" consists of lo-fi loops that blur together and your main playlist is distracting (singing along ≠ A+ spreadsheets).
And silence is boorriinngg.
Solution? Video game soundtracks.
Composers for games like Zelda and Final Fantasy are hired to lock you in. The music's engaging enough to keep you playing but not distracting enough to break the spell.
Plus, "inbox zero" feels like slaying a dragon.
SHOWER THOUGHTS
1. I wonder what my dog named me.
2. Even when a balloon is half inflated, it is completely full.
3. If James Bond is the most famous spy, wouldn't that also make him the worst spy?
4. When we're young, we sneak out of our houses to go to parties. When we're old, we sneak out of parties to go home.
5. Fire trucks are really water trucks.
POST OF THE WEEK
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QUOTE / TIL / WORD / TRIVIA
Maya Angelou: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Today I learned Sloths can hold their breath underwater longer than dolphins. They slow their heart rate to about one-third of normal, which lets them stay submerged for up to 40 minutes. Dolphins, by comparison, max out around 10. (more here)
mondegreen [ MON-de-green ] - noun A misheard or misinterpreted lyric or phrase. Belting 'Hold me closer, Tony Danza' instead of 'Hold me closer, tiny dancer' is the textbook mondegreen.
