Ten articles I enjoyed to read or write
Ten articles I expect readers of The Planet will also enjoy.
On the weekends, I try to forget about the short news cycles and escape from the bad news that gets so much attention in the media. Instead, I read in the weekends the kinds of articles that I enjoy much more, about science, arts, storytelling, history, space, animals, or anything else that makes me connect all the little pieces of knowledge in my brain in new ways.
I love to learn new facts and discover new insights, and store a lot of that information in my mind or my laptop. Sometimes it is years later that I dust off what's left of that knowledge and use it in new connections. It is how we learn and discover; if you like this newsletter, you will likely enjoy to connect, learn, and discover.
If you haven't subscribed yet, why not do so now? It takes just half a minute.
I found ten articles that I believe fit this description and that I hope you will enjoy.
1. Ancient horse DNA reveals gene flow between Eurasian and North American horses.
New findings show that ancient horse populations in North America, where horses evolved, remained connected to horses in Eurasia, where they were domesticated.
2. The Pompidou Center plans to open its first North American satellite museum in a renovated industrial building in New Jersey.
The museum is expected to open in early 2024 and will have access to art from the Pompidou Center's collection of around 120,000 works.
3. What would happen to the climate if we reforested the entire tropics?
What would happen if every single patch of farmland in the tropics, from Brazil through Congo, India, and Indonesia, was abandoned overnight and left to turn back into forests? A hypothetical experiment.
4. The fascinating science of pleasure goes way beyond dopamine, a neuroscientist explains.
5. An unusual meteorite, more valuable than gold, may hold the building blocks of life.
On 23 April 2019, rocks started to fall through the roofs in a village in Costa Rica. Read the story of what happened next.
6. Solving one of Viking Age Britain's greatest mysteries
Archaeologists have determined that a treasure cache, discovered by metal detectorists in Scotland seven years ago, is the richest and most complex Viking era hoard ever found in Britain.
7. Why studying Uranus and Neptune could help us find habitable planets in other solar systems.
A study recreating chemical reactions in the deep waters of ice giants has big implications for exoplanet research
In case you missed it, or if you are new to The Planet, this is what I wrote on this day, one month ago:
8. Brood X periodical cicadas and the amazing history of their first description
William Bradford, the Governor of the Plymouth Colony, wrote the first description of the periodical cicadas; he was not amused by these 'flies' that 'deafen the hearers.'
And this is what I wrote on this day, two months ago:
9. Early morning in the peatlands of Mer Bleue
History, facts, nature, wildlife, and stories about this nature area just east of Ottawa
10. And here is my very first post of 17 March 2021: 'Welcome to The Planet.'
For those of you that subscribed: thank you so much for your support!
For all the others that got this far… :
You can also give a subscription to friends and family:
And there is a comments button to write something kind :-)
Notes:
https://news.ucsc.edu/2021/05/horse-genomes.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/arts/design/pompidou-center-jersey-city.html?te=1&nl=evening-briefing&emc=edit_ne_20210604
https://theconversation.com/what-would-happen-to-the-climate-if-we-reforested-the-entire-tropics-160740
https://psyche.co/ideas/the-fascinating-science-of-pleasure-goes-way-beyond-dopamine
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/viking-age-britain-treasure-galloway-scotland-b1854434.html
https://www.salon.com/2021/05/20/how-a-study-on-neptunes-water-could-help-us-find-habitable-planets-in-other-solar-systems/
https://theplanet.substack.com/p/brood-x-periodical-cicadas-and-the
https://theplanet.substack.com/p/early-morning-in-the-peatlands-of
https://theplanet.substack.com/p/welcome
Many thanks for those articles. I have read about the Viking treasure but look forward to reading the others. Love your photo of the horses. They are magnificent animals.
Good morning Alexander,
thank you for this collection of wonderful articles with updates on current findings and issues. Sharing with us to stay on top of new natural and scientific developments. It is humbling to read them on this Saturday morning. Quite a lesson on the dopamine's happiness fix. And how the early(1 million years ago) worldly horses found their ways across the continents by tracing DNA. And the 'what if' explanation on reforestation . . . Wow! Kudos (-: