Dovi’s Digest Volume 50
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual and physical needs
Hello! And welcome to Volume 50 of Dovi’s Digest.
One of the first pieces of hate mail I received when I started the digest (yes, I receive hate mail, and yes, it baffles me too that there are people in the world who don’t enjoy this stellar publication), was criticism of a fact I posted. The fact was “The number zero doesn’t exist in nature”. It’s a weird one, and one that can really hurt your brainium if you think about it too much. Luckily, I came across an article explaining what zero is, and this week it forms part of the main body of articles. I enjoyed the parts that I understood and am firmly of the opinion that if I was high, I would’ve understood much more. It’s pretty mind bendy. And seeing as 420 (IYKYK) was just last week, have at it!
Monday marked the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It’s a subject that I spent many years poring over when I was younger, and I still find it quite interesting. As such, instead of a single article, I’ve linked a list of articles that covers a few subjects. Whether you’re interested in the long-term effects of the radiation, or if Pripyat will be habitable again, or even if you want to find out about how the absence of humans has led to the exclusion zone becoming a wildlife refuge, there’s something everyone can enjoy. An article that I liked about why and how the engineers took on the challenge of constructing the sarcophagus that contains the nuclear plant itself isn’t included, so instead I’ve linked it here.
In other news, one of my lovely editors passed his accountancy board exams this week. Massive props to Isaac Lipschitz!!!! Now you can not only donate your time to editing, but also to cooking the books.
As I’ve mentioned before, many people enjoy it when I link charts or infographics. This week I was sent this delightful page by Jacqui Labovitz on spurious correlations. My personal favourite is the cheese vs engineering doctorates.
There were ZERO correct answer to last week’s riddle, well done to ME! I’m going to leave this one up for another week and may even give a prize to the first person who sends me the correct answer.
In this edition, we don’t only have near nuclear Armageddons and maths, there are many superb articles, of which my favourites are the story of the man who fell from the wheel well of a jet, and the enduring hit that is one of the best tracks to make the white folk dance, Mr Brightside.
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming,
All the best
Dovi
And now, the articles:
Out of Thin Air: The Mystery of The Man Who Fell From the Sky
(Courtesy of Elliot Djebreel)
In 2019, the body of a man fell from a passenger plane into a garden in south London. Who was he?
Treadmills Were Originally Used as Torture Devices for Prisoners
(Courtesy of Gila Brill)
It was used to crush people’s wills. That hasn’t changed much.
Mr Brightside: The Hit That Just Won't Die
(Courtesy of Eli Berkow)
It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?
How 3M Blew Its Reputation on the N95 Mask
The $32 billion company was known as an icon of manufacturing innovation. Then came the mask shortage—and Trump.
The Mind-Bendy Weirdness of The Number Zero, Explained
We explain nothing.
Human Evolution Is Still Happening – Possibly Faster Than Ever
Modern medicine keeps us alive longer, but does it affect our DNA?
Chernobyl:
Stories of the disaster and the aftermath.
Quote of the Week:
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” - Joseph Campbell
Facts of the Week:
The oldest object in the British Crown jewels is a spoon.
Knife marks on the oldest known book of English poetry suggest it was once used as a chopping board.
The world's oldest pot plant is 243 years old and weighs one tonne.
The two oldest men living in Britain in 2018 were born on the same day in 1908.
Blowing out the candles on a birthday cake increases number of bacteria on it by up to 1400%.
The least hygienic parts of an aeroplane are the tray tables.
Terrifying flights were prescribed in the 1920s to cure deafness.
In 1981 Margaret Thatcher refused to share Concorde with a giant panda.
Headline of the Week:
(Courtesy of Dr Stanley Wolberg)
Tweet of the Week:
Cartoon of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
James is now half as old as Jim was six years ago. Three years ago, Jim was three times as old as James. In six years, Jim will be twice as old as James will be then. How old are they now?
Last week’s Brainteaser and answer:
Did someone forward you this email?
Lucky you, they obviously think you’re clever.
Is there something you particularly liked or didn’t like? Just reply to this email!