fun facts
What’s a hell strip?
It’s the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street that’s notoriously hard to grow plants in. ~ learn more
fun facts
Beer goggles may be a myth, but liquid courage isn’t.
“A new study that investigated the effect that drinking alcohol has on men’s perceptions of attractiveness may have disproven one well-known drinking-related phenomenon while providing supporting evidence for another.” ~ learn more
fun facts
Diamonds don’t hold their value forever.
“De Beers has cut prices in the category by more than 40% in the past year…The impact on De Beers was clear…first half profits plunged more than 60% to just $347 million, with its average selling price falling from $213 […]
thoughts of food
Gen Z has declared pickles are cool now.
“Centuries after European immigrants began selling the humble brined veg from their Lower East Side pushcarts, the younger generation has become obsessed with the deli sandwich’s best friend. Crunch the numbers at TikTok, and you’ll see — the hashtags #pickle […]
under the microscope
Hookworms successfully prevent type 2 diabetes in human trial.
In another, more recent, experiment with human hookworm species Necator americanus, researchers found that “lowered HOMA-IR values indicated that people were experiencing considerable improvements in insulin sensitivity – results that were both clinically and statistically significant.” ~ learn more
under the microscope
Hookworm infections improve gluten tolerance in Celiac Disease.
This randomized, placebo-controlled trial from 2020 explored whether hookworm infections caused some protection against gluten consumption for those with Celiac Disease. While they did not restore gluten tolerance for big doses, the hookworms were “associated with improved symptom scores after […]
retail therapy
Could paper bottles be the future of wine and spirit packaging?
I hadn’t considered that some folks weren’t happy with glass for packaging, but it seems that paper has advantages for recyclability, de-carbonization, and weight. “Food Manufacture speaks to Frugalpac about the potential for paper bottles to challenge glass for wine […]
to your health
First-hand account of an Executive Physical.
“I was always aware that executive physicals— ultra-high-end, luxury concierge care— existed, but I had never met someone who went through one. and now, due to an accident with my flexible spending account, I ended up with enough cash to […]
to your health
How modernity made us allergic.
This is a wonderful deep-dive into allergies, their increasing prevalence, and the theories that might explain it. “Our very old immune systems can’t keep up with modern lifestyles and diets, leading to increases in all sorts of chronic health problems […]