8-legged Uber | Knotty Record | Chopper Down

To keep warm, some geese snuggle sitting down and others on 1 leg. It’s probably a thermogenic reason, but I like imagining goose yoga.

P.S. I was recently impacted by a mass-layoff at my day job. If you or anyone you know works in biotech or software, I’d love to chat!

We can connect on LinkedIn or you can reply to this email.

-Steve

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8-legged Uber

Humans aren’t the only creatures that rideshare from A to B. Researchers observed pseudoscorpions tagging along on true scorpion’s backs. 

• Pseudoscorpions = small arachnids that look like scorpions w/o tails

• Also hitch rides on flies, beetles, birds, and bats

• Some even stay seated after the “taxi” dies

Scorp-sharing “surges” when ant foraging increases, suggesting the arachnids follow ant-trails to find new nests. It’s still unclear if the actual scorpion is being generous or tricked. 5 stars for not stinging the passengers.

Surge pricing really stings

Knotty Record

Chemists accidently tied the world’s smallest knot. While trying to create metal acetylides, they found a trefoil knot with just 54 atoms.

• Trefoil =  simplest knot fundamental to knot theory

• Nearly as strong as larger atomic examples

• Previous smallest was a nice 69 atoms

The last smallest knot was intentionally made but this one self-assembled in a way we still don’t fully understand. Learning more about its creation will help us assess how similar knots naturally form in RNA and DNA. Next up: tying the smallest shoes.

Knot today

Chopper Down

Mars just got a little lonelier for NASA’s Perseverance rover. Its companion helicopter, Ingenuity, suffered a broken blade, ending its mission.

• Flights: 72 (initially planned for 5)

• Total distance: 11 miles

• Gathered data and scouted terrain for Perseverance

Ingenuity became the first aircraft to fly on another planet, paving the way for future off-world recon. Its success is already being compared to the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight. Still doing better than Boeing right now.

Get to the choppa

Unnatural Selection

Last week: “What's your preferred energy booster?”

Rumor has it that combining caffeine and a power nap grants superpowers.

st3v on site

Card Games

Some games just hit different when you’ve spent years searching for evidence of fish. At least st3v fixed Ingenuity’s wing!

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