A World War II grenade apparently landed on a tree during fighting. It was then enveloped by wood growing around it to the point that it was invisible when the tree was chopped down for firewood and sold to the supermarket…

WhatsApp is cited in nearly half of all Italian divorce proceedings

Most American presidents destined to fade from nation’s memory, study suggests [more]

Women outperform men in some financial negotiations

Microbial succession in a sterilized restroom begins with bacteria from the gut and the vagina, and is followed shortly by microbes from the skin.

‘Off switch’ for pain discovered

Crazymeds.us gives mostly accurate and readable descriptions of the costs and benefits of every psychiatric medication.

Forty percent of trials reported significantly greater long-term weight loss with diet compared with aerobic exercise. Diet+aerobic exercise resulted in significantly greater weight loss than diet alone in 50% of trials.

A new study looks at the changes in social structures and diet during the transition from the Merovingian (6th to 9th c. CE) to Vikings era (9th to 11th c. CE) in Northern Europe.

things you (probably) didn’t know about the Middle Ages

Many theories have hypothesized that Protestantism should have favored economic development. Using population figures of 272 cities in the years 1300-1900, I find no effects of Protestantism on economic growth.

Does Religious Beliefs Affect Economic Growth? Evidence from Provincial-level Panel Data in China

The balcony scene in “Romeo and Juliet” is not actually in Shakespeare’s play.

Alfredo Martinez strapped his little brother to a rocket engine at the age of 12, was shot in the leg in Guatemala by a death squad in the 1980’s, and he himself shot his dealer at an art fair in New York City with a self-made gun.

Art

Much Contemporary Art is a Sham Says Famous British Critic

The FBI’s astonishing new facial recognition technology is the product of 175 years of innovation—and paranoia.

Startup wants to build you a personal website that’s automatically updated with your own data

The Cost of the “S” in HTTPS [PDF]

The tattoos are worn exactly as a regular temporary tattoo would be worn. The sensors simply sit atop the skin without penetrating it and interact with Bluetooth or other wireless devices with a signal in order to send the data.

New York City Pizza Principle

MIT holds satirical conference where researchers offer fake theories supported by real scientific evidence.

Big Bang, Universe, Sun & Earth, Life begins…

Amazing unknown transparent vehicle captured over Vienna, Austria - Nov 26, 2014 [Thanks Tim]

every day the same again | December 4th, 2014