Forest & Bird, a conservation organization in New Zealand, annually holds a contest to elect the Bird of the Year, in order to raise awareness for some of the threatened native birds in New Zealand. The pūteketeke (Podiceps cristatus australis) was first recognized in 1844 as a subspecies of the great crested grebe and is native to Australia, Tasmania, and the South Island of New Zealand. Currently, there are fewer than 3,000 of the pūteketeke birds left in the wild.

Catching a whiff of the Bird of the Year contest, the staff of the late night show Last Week Tonight contacted the organization to ask them if they can campaign for the pūteketeke, to which they agreed. So, John Oliver released a worldwide campaign on behalf of the endangered bird. He and his team put out billboard ads in different parts of the world to convince people to vote for the pūteketeke. With all that effort, the pūteketeke won first with 290,374 votes, a landslide victory over the rest of its competition. Second place was taken by the North Island brown kiwi with 12,904 votes.

(Image credit: JJ Harison/Wikimedia Commons)

NASA was founded on July 29, 1958 under the Eisenhower administration. Its purpose was to conduct research into flying within and outside the earth's atmosphere, but it was also established to consolidate the different US missile and space programs being done by different branches of the military. Over its 65-year history, NASA has made great strides toward learning about space, the different celestial bodies within our galaxy, and other technological advancements that further our efforts toward interplanetary exploration.

There have been many breakthrough moments in NASA's history, the most famous being the first landing of humans on the moon. But apart from that, NASA also took the first image of a black hole, took a photo that gave us definitive proof that the Earth is spherical, showed us what the Earth looked like viewed from the moon, and captured a photo of the Earth from roughly 3.2 billion miles from the Sun, just beyond the orbit of Neptune. These 16 iconic photos from NASA have been a testament of how far space exploration has come, and how much farther we have yet to go.

(Image credit: NASA)

I grew up listening to a whole variety of songs. Being raised in a religious household, gospel music has become ingrained in me and although my preferences for that particular genre has shifted and my musical sensibility for that category of songs has become more scrupulous, many of the songs that I heard when I was a child are still a part of me. On Sundays, my grandmother would turn on her radio and listen to songs from the 50s and 60s, and those also left their mark on me.

So, nowadays when I listen to new songs or a different genre of music, it fascinates me how many of the songs I find appealing have a connection to songs that I have grown up with or that I heard when I was younger. I have discovered, however, that my particular taste in music gravitates toward the alternative rock genre and some electro pop. This is more likely influenced by my discovery of Japanese bands, and songs from Japanese animated shows.

These things are all factors that contribute to my music palate. According to Nolan Gasser, a musician and musicologist, sociology plays a tremendous role behind our musical tastes. What we hear when we were babies and throughout our formative years become the home base of our musical sensibilities. But as we grow older, our taste in music evolves and expands as we become exposed to different music. For a deeper dive into musical taste, you may check out Nolan Gasser's Why You Like It: The Science & Culture of Musical Taste.

(Image credit: Mohammad Metri/Unsplash)

No, it's not a virus that turns humans into vampires although that would be terrifying and cool at the same time, if the vampires get superpowers. But the vampire part is just an analogy used to describe the behavior of a particular bacteriophage which latches itself onto the 'neck' of another bacteriophage and leaving what looked like bite marks where its tendrils had been attached.

The bacteriophage, dubbed MiniFlayer, was first discovered by Tagide deCarvalho, the Assistant Director of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Maryland. At the time, she was supervising an undergraduate class wherein two students, Jenell Lewis and Hira Ahmed, had isolated and named their phage MindFlayer. However, when the genome sequencing turned out some odd and perplexing results, suggesting a contamination, deCarvalho looked at it, and found that there wasn't one phage, but two.

Bacteriophages usually infect bacteria in order to replicate themselves, but MiniFlayer had lost that ability, so instead, it found another method of reproducing through hijacking another virus' genetic machinery. DeCarvalho and her collaborator Ivan Erill have published a paper describing what they have observed, but they also hope that some other researchers who use a different form of electron microscopy could help illuminate what exactly is going on between MiniFlayer and MindFlayer.

(Image credit: Tagide deCarvalho/University of Maryland)

There have been a lot of comparisons between Gen Zs and other generations, it's like they're the new millennials except, according to a survey by the American Enterprise Institute's Survey Center on American Life, there are stark differences between experiences of Gen Z teens from the previous four generations as well as distinctive patterns that separate them from the usual experiences other generations had during that period in their lives.

The most salient point is how many Gen Z teens and adults have become accustomed to loneliness. The reason being that this generation grew up during the pandemic years, which contributed to feelings of isolation and challenges in socializing with others. Add to this the fact that they are the first generation to be true digital natives. They have become used to being on the phone all the time or developing parasocial relationships with other people online. Moreover, Gen Zs also struggle with finding meaning in life as well as personal identity and a sense of self.

The survey also indicated that, despite a growing detachment to religious activity, Gen Zs are less likely to use drugs, tobacco, or alcohol, which is completely the opposite from previous generations. Gen Z teens are also more likely to have gone to therapy. All this may be signs that young Americans are going through a major cultural shift beginning with Gen Zs. There were more insights gleaned from the survey and you may read about them on Deseret News.

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We know the bunyip as an Australian cryptid whose legend goes back hundreds of years in Aboriginal folklore. Descriptions of the bunyip are varied and murky because it is too scary to observe for long. One of the best known bunyip sightings came in 1879 when three miners went duck hunting at night in Hexham Swamp, near Newcastle, New South Wales. They were startled by a great roar "like that of a lion" and saw two eyes glowing gold. They left immediately. The legend of the Hexham bunyip had begun.  

Hexham Swamp is now a part of Hunter Wetlands National Park, and conservationists there are working to protect the Hexham bunyip, which is in danger of going extinct. This is not a hoax like the wild haggis, because experts have identified what creature the miners saw in 1879. Find out what it was, and read about the status of the Hexham bunyip at ABC News.  -via Metafilter

We know 42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. It's also the answer when you ask how many national emergencies the US is under right now. Why so many? Can you name any of them? Don't they expire at sometime or another? Well, first we have to define "national emergency." The idea is not in the Constitution at all, and it was only codified in the 1970s, but that bill was quite broad and led to what we have now. The US President can declare a national emergency, and then do all kinds of things that may or may not have anything to do with the emergency at hand. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on the situation, but since we have 42 current "situations," that's an awful lot of power to hand to one person. Half as Interesting takes the regulations the way they exist now and runs them with some utterly ridiculous possible scenarios. Let's hope that cooler heads prevail. The last minute of this video is an ad.    

Several months ago, residents of a neighborhood in Chevy Chase, Maryland discovered that an old fashioned pay phone had appeared on a quiet residential street. But the classic Bell design was labeled "Jokes". The instructions said that users should push different numbers for different types of jokes, such as #1 for a knock-knock joke. And it was free! There was no need to drop in a quarter.

The Washingtonian reports that resident Don Rutlege, who lives across the street from the phone, put it up. He purchased the old phone online and refurbished it into a joke-telling machine. A microcomputer inside connects to his home wifi network. Rutlege himself responds and provided the requested joke.

-via Atlas Obscura

Making books is a fascinating art. It's not simple but as Adam Savage says in the video, it is accessible. That is, with the right materials and equipment, anyone should be able to make a book on their own. My parents used to gather scraps of used paper and bind them to make notebooks for me when I was younger. That would probably be the rudimentary process of bookbinding, but in the video above, Adam Savage makes a book that looks as though it has been weathered through time. However, the process is pretty straightforward, though not perfect or efficient, he was still able to craft an old-looking tome.

The gist of the bookbinding process can be summarized into three parts. The first step is to sew the pages together, the second step is to make the book covers and gluing them onto the bounded pages, and finally, the finishing touches. The final product really looked as though it's an old leather book from the 19th century. For more DIY videos, you may check out the Tested website or the Youtube channel.

(Video credit: Adam Savage's Tested/Youtube)

Redditor DaisyHotCakes found a cookie cutter in her collection that completely stumped her. She thought it was a stand mixer without a bowl or beaters, but that doesn't make sense. It sort of reminds me of a meat grinder. Other redditors had other ideas.

Sid the Sloth by MandiLandi. Bearing a gift!

A pineapple by Carya_spp.

A Rose from FirexJkxFire.

Continue reading for more nonsensical guesses and the correct answer.

CinemaScore has surveyed audiences coming out of movie theaters to see what their reactions are after the film using a letter grade system since 1978. The results are then used to forecast box office performances. Sometimes, the data would reflect how majority of audiences will receive the film and thus, be a great predictor of how the film will fare throughout its run. However, that doesn't always happen. But there are a select few movies which have been given the rare "F" rating, and The Music Box Theatre in Chicago will be screening some of these movies again starting on December 5th.

Currently, there are 22 films which have received the "F" rating, and one might think that it means those are some of the worst movies ever made. However, Jeremy Marder and Matt Cipolla from The Music Box beg to differ. They argue that the CinemaScore rating simply reflects how audiences reacted to the film, and how they fared compared to people's expectations. They think that it is a testament of some brazen filmmaking, and that filmmakers should embrace the "F" rating as a badge of honor. For some cool stats on the CinemaScore ratings, you may check out this thread on Reddit by SanderSo47.

(Image credit: M@sh/Wikimedia Commons)

We all need cheering up once in a while, especially when we feel absolutely awful. Sometimes, words don't even need to be said, but simply having someone there for you is enough. We might have a few friends who would take us out to eat or bring us somewhere else as a change of pace, or do some fun activity that could help us take our minds off our circumstances. However, there are times when people try to give words of consolation, and instead of cheering us up, it ends up backfiring.

Preply, an online tutoring company, conducted a survey where they asked around 1,000 Americans what they thought about some popular positive phrases. And the consensus was that these 10 phrases are the cringiest and most annoying positive phrases. And it's understandable why people would feel that way. Some people don't want to be told to "choose joy" when obviously all they feel is sorrow, grief, loss, or anger. How can anybody choose joy in that kind of situation? Another phrase is just like it: happiness is a choice.

Anybody would be hard-pressed to find any comfort when being told such banal and inconsiderate words. Sometimes, I find it a lot easier to listen to words wherein you know people empathize or try to empathize with you like "that sucks" or "I hear you". And sometimes, actions speak louder than words, a hug or a gentle back message can be more palatable for some people. For the rest of the positive phrases, Reader's Digest lists them here.

(Image credit: Viktor Forgacs/Unsplash)

Hopefully none of us will have any use for the tips outlined in this article, but just in case we find ourselves in a plane that's about to crash, these could be life-saving tips, so it won't hurt to know them. Despite the horrific scenes and images we watch on TV about plane crashes, the data indicates that the survival rate from plane crashes was 95.7% according to the National Transportation Safety Board. That was from an analysis of plane crashes which occurred between 1983 to 2000. Furthermore, the odds of a plane crash even happening are rarer than we think. Not only that, but out of all the fatalities that did happen, 40% of those could have been prevented or survived, if proper actions had been taken.

Several of the tips are things that are probably common sense. Brace positions, reading the safety card, listening to the flight attendants, and putting on oxygen masks are perhaps stuff that we have heard numerous times every time we get on an airplane, however, they are quite necessary measures in case an emergency happens. Some of the uncommon tips include the Plus 3/Minus 8 Rule and the 90-second rule.

The Plus 3/Minus 8 Rule simply states that the chances of accidents happening on a flight are higher during the first three minutes after takeoff and the last eight minutes before landing. The 90-second rule refers to the amount of time that passengers have to evacuate a plane which has survived an emergency landing or crash. The reason being, a plane that has crashed will usually be on fire, and the fire will consume the entire plane in 90 seconds. For the rest of the tips, check them out on Art of Manliness.

(Image credit: Pascal Meier/Unsplash)

Whenever I went to the bookstore, there was always one aisle which I rarely looked at, and that was the romance novel section. There was just something about the concept of mainstream romance novels that never quite appealed to me. To be clear, I have no qualms about reading romance stories, and I would happily read one. But the type of romance stories that I prefer reading are stuff similar to Jane Austen's books.

Perhaps, my bias against romance novels of today are getting in the way as I have never attempted to read any of them. Maybe, it also has something to do with their covers. If you have walked through the romance section of a bookstore, then you'll most likely see a lot of clinch covers. In fact, The Pudding illustrates the history of romance novel covers, and mentions that clinch covers have been the staple for quite some time. However, in analyzing 1,400 romance novels from the past decade, they looked at several visual elements of the covers and how those remained or changed through time.

When in the 70s and 80s, clinch covers dominated the romance genre, these days, they have seen a decline in popularity. Publishers nowadays have opted for more illustrative covers with 72% of the books analyzed by The Pudding to have that kind of style in 2023. I think it just goes to show how the tastes and preferences of the culture has shifted. Romance is more than just the raunchiness of the characters, it's more to do with the emotion and the development of the characters, their relationships, and the dynamics of that. Still, it might take a little bit more persuasion for me to read some of the romance novels of today.

(Image credit: Reader's Digest)

I saw an infographic on RBTH which showed the Russian writers with the longest lives. The photo above is that of Leo Tolstoy, who is one of the few Russian writers I know. He's arguably one of the most famous figures in Russian literature, and although he lived to the ripe age of 82 years, his was not the longest. That title belongs to Daniil Granin, who lived to 98 years. Now, I got curious because the RBTH article mentioned that some of the most famous Russian writers and poets died young, and so I did a little bit of digging.

Some of the great Russian writers who tragically died at a young age were Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, Anton Chekhov, Osip Mandelstam, and Daniil Kharms, who all died before reaching 50 years. Particularly, Pushkin and Lermontov had very painful deaths, only dying a few years apart and from the same cause. Lermontov even wrote about the death of Pushkin and immortalized him in a poem, despite not knowing Pushkin personally.

They both died from duels - Pushkin from a disagreement over a woman, and Lermontov because a military schoolmate took offense with a comment Lermontov made about him - but theirs were not the only terrible deaths that Russian writers have suffered. This article lists the most dreadful ways Russian writers have died, and includes two other writers mentioned above - Daniil Kharms and Osip Mandelstam.

(Image credit: Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii/Wikimedia Commons)