That's Interesting

  • The Hidden Butterfly Trade

    Butterflies are perhaps the most extensively traded animals on the planet.  But just how many are traveling, of which potentially endangered or threatened species, and from which points of origin, has been a mystery.  Unlike elephant ivory or pangolin hide, butterflies pass invisibly through X-ray scanners at international ports of entry.

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  • How the World’s Deadliest Crises Go Unseen

    In the Central African Republic, researchers found an astronomical death rate. Could a major emergency be invisible?

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  • The Economic Dynamics of City Structure: Evidence from Hiroshima’s Recovery

    The article provides a new theory and evidence on the resilience of internal city structure after a large shock, by analyzing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which destroyed the city center but not
    its outskirts.

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  • Longitudinal evidence that infants develop their imitation abilities by being imitated

    Theoretical advances in social sciences over the last century purport imitation as a central mechanism for the emergence of humans’ unique social-cognitive abilities.  Uncovering the ontogeny of imitation is therefore paramount for understanding human cultural evolution.

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  • 5 things serious coffee fans should know

    A look at the science behind the beverage that 63% of Americans drink daily (more than tap water), according to the National Coffee Association.

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  • Pointless: the climate impact of frequent flyer status

    Frequent flyer programs (FFPs) are a key part of the business model of ‘full-service’ airlines, driving not just ticket sales, but increased flight provision.  FFPs increase air travel emissions by incentivising the most carbon-intensive seating options and encouraging additional flights. This article assesses the emissions associated with gaining different levels of membership in the frequent flyer programmes offered by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

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  • Frequent Flying’s Dirtiest Habit: Mileage Runs

    Imagine taking a flight you don’t want or need, to stretch your legs in the destination airport before heading straight back. For years, frequent flyers have been taking mileage runs – also sometimes referred to as segment runs or tier point runs – solely to maximize the airline points or reward status they accrue. On message boards and social media, they trade nerdily specific details of flight routes, airline promotions, and reward tiers, calculating the exact itineraries that will bring them to a certain status or keep them there.

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  • Wonders of Street View

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  • The tamer the cow, the smaller the brain

    The first large-sale study of brain sizes across cattle breeds reveals that docile dairy and beef cows have smaller brains than aggressive bullfighting breeds

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  • The Real Magic of Rituals

    We might call them superstitions or spells, but they genuinely drum anxiety away.

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