PONDERWALL | Magazine of Science & Culture

THE SCIENCE OF FOREST THERAPY

AN EARLY EXPRESSION OF DEMOCRACY, THE US PATENT SYSTEM IS OUT OF STEP WITH TODAY’S CITIZENS

The American patent system was designed to stimulate innovation, but some citizens argue that it’s hurting innovation and limiting access to technology.

VIDEO GAMERS MAY SOON BE PAID MORE THAN TOP PRO ATHLETES

Technology

The realm of professional sport has been taken by storm by the rise of eSports. These video game events now compete with traditional sports leagues.

TRUMP COULD BE USING ADVANCED GAME THEORY NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES

Politics

Trump is trying to throw world leaders off-balance so that he can extract more trade concessions from them; or he is just adrift.

BABE RUTH IN A KIMONO: HOW BASEBALL DIPLOMACY HAS FORTIFIED JAPAN-US RELATIONS

Politics

The role of baseball in Japanese-U.S. diplomacy has a long and rich history after it was introduced to the Japanese people in the 1870s.

SWITZERLAND BANS THE PRACTICE OF BOILING LOBSTERS ALIVE

Science

Starting from March 1st 2018, the Swiss government banned the common practice of boiling lobsters alive. They “will now have to be stunned before they are put to death” as stated in the government order.

MEUCCI INVENTED THE TELEPHONE, NOT BELL

Technology

Antonio Meucci is the true inventor of the telephone, not Alexander Graham Bell. This century-long controversy had finally been settled by the Congress in 2002. The acknowledgement was the result of the House of Representatives’ vote of the resolution H.RES.269.

WHAT FRENCH POPULISTS FROM THE 1950s CAN TEACH US ABOUT THE ‘YELLOW VESTS’

Politics

In 1956, a movement similar to the ‘Yellow Vests’ was led by a bookstore owner. Tens of thousands gathered in Paris to express their disgust for the elites.

OIL AND GAS EXECS OUT-EARN THEIR PEERS THANKS TO THE PAY-FOR-LUCK PROCESS

Politics

Oil prices are highly variable and completely out of the control of individual executives. So why do executives earn more when oil prices go up?

WHY DO INNOCENT SUSPECTS CONFESS TO CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT?

Politics

The Reid technique can even convince some innocent suspects that they are guilty. Suspects will sometimes reenact a crime they did not commit.

IT’S HARDER THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT FOR CHARITIES TO GIVE BACK TAINTED MONEY

Politics

When these scandals strike, charities face a dilemma – keep the money given by the now-tarnished donor or return the tainted funds.

CRACKING THE MYSTERY OF THE WORLDWIDE HUM

Misc

The classic description of the Hum is that it sounds like a truck engine idling. For some, it’s a distant rumbling or droning noise. It can start and stop suddenly or wax and wane over time.

EXPERIMENT SHOWS EINSTEIN’S QUANTUM SPOOKY ACTION APPROACHES THE HUMAN SCALE

Science

Nothing in the formulation of quantum mechanics that mandates that it should apply only to the very small, and not to the human scale.

WHY THE FREE MARKET FOR DRUGS DOESN’T WORK AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT

Science

While economists generally oppose government intervention in a “free market,” the current situation cries out for change.

WHAT BIG PHARMA PAYS YOUR DOCTOR

Politics

Receiving money from opioid makers in one year is associated with doctors prescribing more opioids the next year, according to disclosed data.

STOP WORRYING ABOUT HOW MUCH ENERGY BITCOIN USES

Technology

Bitcoin, and other new technologies – such as data centers, computers and before them trains, planes and automobiles – are often energy-intensive.

MANCHESTER’S GIGGS MAGIC GOAL AGAINST ARSENAL – FA CUP SEMI-FINAL 1999

Sports

Arsene Wenger: For years it was always THE game of the season that decided the Premier League, at this moment it’s not the case but it is still a big game. It could be again

HOW DAVID BECKHAM CAUSED GLOBAL WARMING: THE MAN U CLIMATE MODEL

Sports

A plot of global temperatures and the Manchester United Climate Model reveals that half of global warming is the result of Manchester United.

TRUST IN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY WILL BE THE INTERNET’S NEXT FRONTIER

Technology

Online information isn’t reliable, whether it is news or search results, and social media is vulnerable to manipulation by hackers or foreign powers.

TRUCK DRIVERS ARE OVERTIRED, OVERWORKED, AND UNDERPAID

Politics

Research shows that economic pressure pushes drivers to work extremely long hours, contributing significantly to truck crashes.

FACEBOOK RISKS STARTING A WAR ON KNOWLEDGE AFTER CLOSING ITS DOORS TO RESEARCHERS

Technology

Facebook is closing its doors to researchers. The latest casualty is the app Netvizz, a research tool used by hundreds of academics.

RACE OF MASS SHOOTERS INFLUENCES HOW THE MEDIA COVER THEIR CRIMES, NEW STUDY SHOWS

Politics

Media tend to cast the violent acts of white criminals as unfortunate anomalies of illness. For black shooters they render them as inherent criminality.

GERMAN GOVERNMENT FACES A CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLAINT FOR ILLEGAL HACKING OF MOBILES PHONES

Politics

Digitalcourage filed a complaint at the Constitutional Court against the German government for using Trojan spyware to illegally read encrypted messages.

APPLE’S TRILLION DOLLARS VALUE DOES NOT MEAN IT’S THE BIGGEST COMPANY

Technology

Jerry Davis, University of Michigan On Aug. 2, Apple became the first U.S. public corporation to achieve a US$1 trillion valuation, making it the largest company in the world – by one measure at least.