Magazine Posts

Many people are wired to seek and respond to rewards. Your brain interprets food as rewarding when you are hungry and water as rewarding when you are thirsty. But addictive substances like alcohol and drugs of abuse can overwhelm the natural reward pathways in your brain, resulting in intolerable cravings and reduced impulse control. More at The Conversation ➜

"This revolutionary prosthetic limb is giving amputees the chance to regain natural movement. Developed by bioengineers at Johns Hopkins University, the prosthetic limb connects directly to the wearer's peripheral nervous system. The limb is controlled by the wearer's own thoughts, allowing them to move the prosthesis with the same ease as a real limb. More at WIRED UK ➜

"In a “time bank,” members accumulate bankable hours, for instance by babysitting or doing repairs, and get “repaid” with assistance when they need it, usually later in life"   More at Reasons to be Cheerful ➜ 

"Kochava, the self-proclaimed industry leader in mobile app data analytics, is locked in a legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission in a case that could lead to big changes in the global data marketplace and in Congress’ approach to artificial intelligence and data privacy"  More at The Conversation ➜

"Supporters are calling on the school to reinstate what would have been 87-year-old artist’s first retrospective in the US...a show, titled Centers of Energy .... according to a missive penned by a board member of the  artist’s foundation, Madison Gordon, the school abruptly canceled the show via email in late December due to “safety concerns....The circulating petition, and emails reviewed by Hyperallergic, suggest that the university’s decision is related to Halaby’s vocal pro-Palestine advocacy, including her social media activity". More at Hyperallergic ➜    

"The strategy behind the “No-Blame” approach is counterintuitive but effective: enlisting the bullies’ help to solve the problem." More at Reasons to be Cheerful ➜

The removal of the Great Works Dam on the Penobscot River in Old Town, Maine shows that when dams are removed, a river and its fish can recover with surprising speed. More at Reasons to be Cheerful ➜ Krause

January opens the year with moments that altered the course of history. Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon in defiance of the Roman Senate. The Continental Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris, securing American independence. In Philadelphia, the first successful balloon flight in the United States lifts into the sky. The month also brings global cooperation and ambition, from the League of Nations convening its first Council meeting to the United States entering the space age with the launch of its first satellite.

January also reflects history’s sharper edges. “Bloody Sunday” echoes through the civil rights movement. The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster shocks the world. In a quieter but symbolic shift, the first McDonald’s opens in Moscow’s Pushkin Square, signaling cultural change at the end of the Cold War. Exploration continues beyond Earth as NASA’s Opportunity rover lands on Mars, extending human reach across the solar system.

Explore historical events throughout January by browsing the full month timeline, or jump to a specific date to see what happened on this day in history—from January 1 through January 31. Use the timeline to research individual years or trace the events that shaped January’s place in history.

A community in India called Banda has been facing severe water scarcity due to climate change and overuse of resources. Now it has found a way to combat drought by implementing a system of water budgeting to minimize overuse of resources and water waste.  The villagers have reported an increase in crop yields and have been able to maintain a steady supply of water for their daily needs. More at Reasons to be Cheerful ➜

"Christians in Bethlehem have been holding a muted celebration to mark Christmas amid the ongoing Israel - Gaza war. Worshippers lit candles and prayed at the nativity scene, with the figures standing amid an installation of rubble and razor wire, outside the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square in Bethlehem. In previous years, Christmas in Bethlehem has seen decorations of a tree and festive lights". More at The BBC ➜

"A symbolic moment of peace, grace, and humility amidst one of humanity’s most violent and disgraceful events".
"In December of 1914, a series of grassroots, unofficial ceasefires took hold of the Western Front in the heat of WWI. On Christmas, soldiers from an estimated 100,000 British and German troops began to exchange seasonal greetings and sing songs across the trenches",........ Continue Reading

"To look back on a year of reading is to be handed a clear mirror of your priorities and passions, of the questions that live in you and the reckonings that keep you up at night. While the literature of the present comprises only a tiny fraction of my own reading, here are a handful of books published this year that moved me with their tendrils of timelessness, with their questions and their consolations — selections neither exhaustive nor universal, as subjective as a shade of blue". Read more at the Marginalian