Beary Warm | BOOM BOOM | Painkiller 2.0

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Both my winter gloves developed a hole on the index fingertip, which is great!

Now my hands stay warm while skipping podcast commercials 🤣

—Steve

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Beary Warm

Greasy polar bears are waaay ahead of most humans in winterization. Researchers identified how these snowy giants keep the ice off.

• Polar bear fur is coated in sebum

• Sebum = hydrophobic greasy coating

• Washing the hair removed sebum and allowed ice to stick

Polar bears use their fur to silently slide across ice, hunting seals at breathing holes. Something the Inuit people have long known and copied with fur-lined tools and clothing. But now you can say “sebum” and giggle, as a scientist.

Boots with the brrrrrr

BOOM BOOM

Anyone know how to repair a sound barrier? Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 broke it three times on a test flight.

• Reached Mach 1.1 (~730mph) at 35,390 ft.

• Fast enough to fly from NYC to LA in ~3 hours

• XB-1 = test vehicle for passenger plane (Overture)

Airlines pre-ordered 100+ Overtures to fly 64-80 passengers around the world at Mach 1.7 (~1,300mph). For context, most commercial airlines fly between 550-600mph. But…now I can only watch 1 movie per flight?

Boom boom

Painkiller 2.0

Non-addictive pain medication has arrived. The FDA approved Journavx, Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ non-opioid painkiller.

• Pronounced: jour-nav-x

• Blocks NaV1.8 sodium channel

• Stops pain signals at the PNS (peripheral nervous system)

By combating pain through the PNS, Journavx avoids reward/pleasure areas of the central nervous system targeted by opioids. Current approval covers short-term moderate-to-severe pain and ongoing trials are testing for expanded applications.

No pain, no problem

The Rundown is part of my AM protocol, you should try it! beep boop

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Unnatural Selection

Last week: “Which underwater hitchhiker would you pick up?”

Hmm, how does one hitchhike without opposable thumbs?

st3v on site

Boots w/ the Fur

Forgetting it removes their stealth features, st3v keeps washing the hydrophobic oils off his synthetic-fur winter-wheels.

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