At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

 “Leave It To Botanists To Turn Cooking Into A Science Lesson” by Jill Niemark, npr.org

“Have you ever wondered why kiwi fruits are green instead of red? Why okra is slimy but cooking it with tomatoes cuts the goo factor? Or how artichokes became giant balls of thick, spiny leaves endlessly furled over a small, soft heart? If so, you’re not alone.”

“How Benjamin Franklin’s Daily Schedule Can Make You More Productive” by Scotty Hendricks, bigthink.com

“To help organize his busy life and better live up to the virtue of order, he created a framework to structure his daily schedule around. It is included in his autobiography.”

“The Typo That Helped End WWII” by Jake Rossen, mentalfloss.com

“The mistake led to a moss specialist being deposited into one of the most intense covert operations of the war.”

“Chimps and Toddlers Use Same Gestures to Get Attention” by Jason Daley, smithsonianmag.com

“A new study shows 12 to 24 month old children and chimps use 46 of the same movements to communicate, including stomping, pointing and clapping.”

“Here’s What the Watermelon Was Up To Before It Tasted Good” by Abbey Perreault, atlasobscura.com

“Wild watermelons weren’t sweet, but they were incredibly useful.”

At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Both, quantum physics says” by Josh Hafner, usatoday.com

“’The weirdness of quantum mechanics means that events can happen without a set order,’ Jacqui Romero, a University of Queensland researcher, said in a statement.”

“Rediscovering Haystack Rock With An Assist From the ‘Puffin Man’” by Kirk Siegler, npr.org

They had me at puffins…

“A Surprisingly Disgusting History of Lemonade Stands” by Jake Rossen, mentalfloss.com

“Kids’ lemonade stands have long been a symbol of adolescent capitalism. And though contracting a paralyzing viral infection seems a heavy price to pay for patronizing one, as it turns out, these refreshment pop-ups have a long and sordid history. For many, they’ve been a downright dirty business.”

“Aliens? Demon? Nope, It’s Just a Fish” by The Brain Scoop, youtube.com

“Every specimen has a story; is this an alien, or a demon baby?! For hundreds of years, sailors sold these manipulated skates to tourists and oddity collectors marketed as such- but really, [spoiler] it’s just a fish.”

“5 Great Novels You May Have Missed In August” by Bethanne Patrick, lithub.com

“From war-ravaged Europe to 19^thcentury Korea…”

At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“Do Animals Experience Grief?” by Jessica Pierce, smithsonianmag.com

“A growing body of evidence points to how animals are aware of death and will sometimes mourn for or ritualize their dead.”

“Take Heart, Nerds—Science Says the Cool Kids Don’t Stay Cool” by Shaunacy Ferro, mentalfloss.com

“We have good news for young dweebs dreading returning to school: The cool kids in middle school don’t stay that way.”

“Two for the Road in 80 Countries (and Counting)” by Steven Kurutz, nytimes.com

“A Seattle couple near retirement in 2013 decided to globe trot full-time. So far, Michael and Debbie Campbell have visited 80 countries. The fifth anniversary of their journey in July seemed like agood time to check in.”

“The Ancient Origins of Both Light and Dark Skin” by Ed Yong, theatlantic.com

“A study of diverse people from Africa shows that the genetic story of our skin is more complicated than previously thought.”

“An Open Letter to Students Returning to School” by John Greene, youtube.com

This isn’t new, but it’s a great (and fun) reminder for kids about the purpose of education.