LINKS - December 21st, 2022
Welcome to LINKS — my attempt to provide Rhapsody readers with five interesting stories that tell us something about what it means to be human. LINKS is published every Wednesday. Have a link you want to share? Drop it in the comments.
This is your brain on Christmas music
By Laura Baisas, Popular Science
“In addition to being big business, there are some psychological drivers behind why so many of us feel drawn to this musical genre like ants to a gingerbread house. ‘A lot of Christmas repertoire is very nostalgic. We listen to much older music [now] than we listen to in the other 11 months,’ says Joe Bennett, a forensic musicologist at Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. ‘So, it’s that one time of the year where we are prepared to go back to this old repertoire.’”
Give Thanks for the Winter Solstice. You Might Not Be Here Without It.
By Shannon Hall, The New York Times
“Although, astronomers remain uncertain how a planet’s seasons might affect its likelihood to host life, Dr. Grinspoon argues that such dramatic swings — like those on Pluto — are likely a hindrance because they can make a planet unfit to live on for long stretches of time. ‘Life needs a continuously habitable zone to thrive,’ he said. Similarly, astronomers have long suspected that life would likely not survive on Earth should it have an axial tilt more akin to Uranus.”
'Zombie' Viruses, Up to 50,000 Years Old, Are Awakening
By Sam Walters, Discover
“Thirteen viruses from tens of thousands of years ago have been recovered and reactivated, according to a preprint paper published in BioRxiv. These threats had been idling in the Siberian tundra for approximately 30,000 to 50,000 years before being brought back.”
The Most Compelling Science Graphics of 2022
By Amanda Montañez, Scientific American
“Words alone cannot capture the full wonder (or horror) of all the stories science had to tell this year. That’s where graphics come in. Whether visualizing the most important data emerging around the COVID pandemic, explaining some mind-bending idea in quantum physics or synthesizing the incredible journey of a parasite through three different hosts, Scientific American’s graphics editors have helped cover a plethora of fascinating topics this year. Here is just a tiny sampling of our favorites.”
These 5 biomedical advances gave 2022 a sci-fi feel
“COVID-19 may continue to dominate headlines, but this year’s biomedical advances weren’t all about ‘the Rona.’ 2022 saw fruitful and seemingly fantastical research that could one day mean good news for patients.”