The Life Expectancy of Ancient Humans, Star-Destroying Black Holes, McDonald's, etc.
In which I give you homework, perhaps to distract from how short the newsletter is this week...
🌞 Happy Sunday!
🤞So this is the thirteenth weekly occurence. Is the number unlucky?
🎼 I’ve asked this on social media before, but please share a song with me that you love. And not just really like or think is great, but love, to your core. Not looking for “correct” or “cool” answers, just honest ones. Let me know in the comments or reply to this email. I will share a Spotify playlist next week.
🍔 McDonald’s was, by an insane margin, the most downloaded food app last year. “The next most downloaded apps worldwide for 2022 were UberEats, with a total of 60 million downloads, and DoorDash, with 42 million -- even combined, they didn't come close to the McDonald's app last year.”
🦅 Your moment of zen: a three-minute video of a kestrel hovering and hunting. "Kestrels are one of nature’s most skilled aviators, capable of hanging in the sky like a kite tethered to a string. They maintain their equilibrium in fluctuating winds with exquisite aerial adjustments that help prevent distortion in their vision.”
🐧 I learned this week that penguins basically propose with pebbles. “Gentoo penguins know a good pebble when they see one. Scooping them up in their beaks, they carry them to their partner; a gift that acknowledges the relationship between the two penguins and helps grow the nest for their budding family.”
📺 Breaking News: Man Not Accepting Any More Television Recommendations At This Time.
🛫 This is something I’ve given way too much thought to in my life: how long is the runway in the sixth Fast and Furious?
🤖 This is in my wheelhouse: sci-fi movie typefaces.
🔭 Astronomers have spotted the nearest star-destroying black hole. “…ripping a passing star to shreds, not only was this cataclysm closer to Earth than ever seen before, but its location and light emissions were unusual, hinting at a large unseen population of these events.”
🧬 What was the life expectancy of ancient humans? [Early humans] used to live, have children, then die immediately from disease or predation.”
📚 I love and am slightly envious of Ted Gioa’s lifetime reading plan. “I am not recommending these tips and techniques for anybody. What I did was extreme, and driven by an intense desire to expand my mind and broaden my understanding of the world. I went beyond what was reasonable—almost the way a high performance athlete trains for some ultra-competitive event.”
🕺🏿No better way to wind this down than with a video of children from Uganda dancing to “Smooth Criminal.”
🍻 Here’s to a great week ahead. Remember to keep the Hoping Machine running.
Love,
Luke
