Cool stuff that’s too small for a big article
Just like it says, Popcorn Shorts is about the kind of things we think are really interesting, but don’t really need a large article to explain them. From the sublime to the ridiculous, check in here for crunchy bits of info you’ll love to munch. By the way, much (but not necessarily all) of our delicious Popcorn comes from articles we’ve posted on our Facebook page. If you’re on Facebook, please stop by and “Like” us and we’ll keep a fairly-constant-but-not-frequent-enough-to-be-annoying stream of these coming to your virtual door!
Oregon Legislature passes ban on foam food containers
Well, we aren’t the FIRST state to do it, but we’re in the top 9!
(from KOIN TV)- “An Oregon law pushing restaurants to use eco-friendly takeout containers is now in effect. Approved by the Oregon Senate and House in 2023, Senate Bill 543 was officially enacted on Jan. 1. The legislation bans food vendors from giving customers prepared dishes in polystyrene foam containers, commonly referred to as Styrofoam. Food vendors who violate this law could face a penalty of up to $100 penalty for each day of the violation. Other people who sell the foam containers, or use them to distribute food, would also face a penalty of up to $500 for each day of violation. …”
No one understands how playing cards work
(from Polygon.com) “One of the embarrassment of applied probability is that we can not analyze the original game of solitaire… What’s the chance of winning, how to play well, how do various changes of rules change the answers?” Diaconis wrote. “Surely you say, the computer can do this. Not at present, not even close.” It’s not hard to see the relationship between magic and math. Cards contain limitless possibilities. In fact, math tells us there are more combinations of cards in a 52-card deck than there are atoms on Earth…”
You don’t need a smartphone: a practical guide to downgrading your device
(from The Guardian) “The most easily quantifiable benefit of downgrading is time. You will get hours of each day back when you stop scrolling… If you’re interested in switching to a dumbphone, you might have questions about how practical or even possible it is. How do we go about our lives without Google Maps, calling over wifi, and dual-factor authentication? These questions can make it hard to fathom downgrading. But just remember that people lived for millennia without smartphones. With time, patience and clever workarounds, we can all find our way back to that…”
OHSU researchers discover how to mimic hibernation in non-hibernating animals
(from GetPocket.com) “In the same way a bear instinctively lowers its body temperature to survive the winter’s chill, scientists have discovered a groundbreaking method to control human body temperature —potentially saving lives in emergency situations. Oregon Health & Science University researchers have identified a process that could one day help clinicians lower body temperature in people experiencing life-threatening events, such as heart attacks or strokes. If applied in humans, who can’t naturally hibernate, the discovery could mimic the natural ability of certain animals to lower their body temperature during hibernation.…”
You may also be interested in these links to an OPB interview with the researcher, or this link to the original paper.
