My Favorite Bit this week was about Mozak, an online game that helps researchers map the brain. The game provides players with images of 3-D neurons which they trace from the pictures to make it easier for scientists to classify and study them. These players from around the world have accelerated the rate of neuron reconstruction over three-fold and helped scientists to more quickly unlock the secrets of the brain.
Elsewhere in science and technology we take a look at the simple math Elon Musk uses to map out a viable (if daunting) strategies for his many companies and at the nobel laureates who discovered the ways our bodies’ circadian rhythm affects our lives. The United States’ National Security Agency has been under scrutiny since Edward Snowden’s 2013 revelations of the agency’s massive surveillance capabilities. More recently, the theft of the NSA’s digital tools for exploiting software vulnerabilities has called into question the ability for the spy agency to protect the massive amounts of data they collect on U.S. citizens and has brought about calls for the agency to delete all of their data.
A few articles about family show the nuances of the relationships we have with our parents, spouses, and children. Picking a spouse is one of the most important decisions a person makes and while some people hope their spouse will be their best friend, this is not necessarily the role that a life partner should play. Male partners, in heterosexual relationships, should also take a look at how housekeeping and child-rearing responsibilities are predominantly shouldered by women and what message this sends to their children. Anyone who has been around teenagers knows that they sometimes are in a bad mood; while this can be distressing for their parents, teenagers are really looking for a safe and accepting environment to work through their emotions. On the other end of the age spectrum are aging parents who want to be able to look to their grown children for support without being treated like a child themselves.
A hodgepodge of articles looks at the sensible gun control regulations advocated by a conservative, Republican, gun owner, how Dan Savage’s Hump! Festival uses porn to help people develop empathy for the wide variety of humanity’s sexual proclivities, and the humbling philosophy that has helped make Denmark one of the happiest countries in the world. Lawrence Ware shares a story from his grandmother, a black woman born in Indian Territory (that would become Oklahoma) in 1898, about a race riot that killed her cousin, hundreds of other black Americans, and cemented his grandmother’s lifelong distrust of white people. And we also take a look at King Arthur Flour, a place where employees enjoy going to work because they are treated well.
Finishing off your week in review is a somber photo collection of Dutch marines before, during, and after serving in Afghanistan.
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Have a great rest of your week!