PONDERWALL | Magazine of Science & Culture

THE SCIENCE OF FOREST THERAPY

DRUG USE IN ENGLAND AND WALES IS UP FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW

One of the most striking elements of the data is the ease with which people, especially young people, can obtain controlled drugs.

NOW THAT CANNABIS IS LEGAL, LET’S USE IT TO TACKLE THE OPIOID CRISIS

Politics

There’s growing evidence for the use of cannabis in treating opioid addiction. A study of found that those who used cannabis used opioids less often.

TEENAGE SEXTING LINKED TO INCREASED SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, DRUG USE AND POOR MENTAL HEALTH

Science

Researchers have found links between sexting and factors such as sexual activity, drugs and alcohol use and emotional health.

MILLENNIALS ARE $1 TRILLION IN DEBT BUT THEY’RE BETTER AT SAVING THAN PREVIOUS GENERATIONS

Economics, Politics

Millennials have racked up over US$1 trillion of debt. Yet, in comparison to previous generations this group is significantly more fiscally conservative.

THE AMAZON’S TALLEST TREE JUST GOT 50% TALLER – AND SCIENTISTS DON’T KNOW HOW

Science

The laser scanning technology that has enabled this and other recent mammoth tree discoveries isn’t just a plaything for tree lovers.

NEW YORK’S NEW RENTAL PROTECTIONS WON’T END THE OUTSIZE INFLUENCE OF BIG DEVELOPERS WHO PAY THE CITY’S BILLS

Politics

New York has the second most expensive rental market in the United States. More than half of all New Yorkers spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

SUPERBLOCKS: BARCELONA’S CAR-FREE ZONES COULD EXTEND LIVES AND BOOST MENTAL HEALTH

Geography, Politics

Barcelona’s urban superblocks are neighborhoods of nine blocks, where traffic is restricted to major roads, opening up streets to pedestrians.

ANIMATED HISTORY OF POLAND – 1000 YEARS IN 8 MINUTES

Geography, History

This animation takes you through 1000 years of history in about 8 minutes, 140 events that feature 500 characters from different historical periods.

RADICAL REFORMS TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE GONE UNNOTICED AND UNCHALLENGED AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF BREXIT

Politics

Reforms to the way local authorities are funded are the most radical and least discussed changes made by conservative governments since 2010.

HOW MANY AMERICANS BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE? PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU THINK, RESEARCH IN INDIANA SUGGESTS.

Science

Around 80% of the American respondents reported believing that climate change was occurring “somewhat” or “to a great extent.”

5 CHARTS SHOW HOW YOUR HOUSEHOLD DRIVES UP GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Politics, Science

Household consumption – food, housing, transportation, apparel and other personal services – is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

WE ASKED PEOPLE TO DO CLIMATE CHANGE MATHS. THEIR ANSWERS DEPENDED ON THEIR POLITICS

Politics, Science

We asked people to do climate change maths. Their answers depended on their politics Will J Grant, Australian National University In an ideal world, people would look at issues with a clear focus only on

AUSTRALIA BANS VIDEO GAMES FOR THINGS YOU’D SEE IN MOVIES. BUT GAMERS CAN ACCESS THEM ANYWAY

Technology

The Australian Classification Board has refused classification for at least four video games, effectively banning them in Australia.

LIGHTS IN THE SKY FROM ELON MUSK’S NEW SATELLITE NETWORK HAVE STARGAZERS WORRIED

Science

Musk is reported to be planning for up to 12,000 satellites in low Earth orbit. But this fleet of satellites could forever change our view of the heavens.

HOW BREXIT UNCERTAINTY IS HURTING THE UK ECONOMY – IN FOUR CHARTS

Politics

Each day brings with it new drama in United Kingdom’s politics and the course of Brexit – and it’s playing havoc with the UK economy.

HORIZON EUROPE: THE EU PLANS TO SPEND €100 BILLION ON RESEARCH – HERE’S HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM IT

Science

As the EU research budget has grown (from €3.8b in the 1980s to €100b for 2021-27), so has the pressure to produce greater socioeconomic benefit.

WHY WE NEED TO GET BACK TO VENUS?

Science

Venus is a planet almost exactly like Earth. It’s about the same size, is made of about the same stuff and formed around the same star.

DESERT FOX VS ARABIA’S JERBOA

Misc

SUSPENDING PARLIAMENT COULD BE THE ACT OF A CREDIBLE MADMAN OR MASTER BLUFFER – TOP GAME THEORIST ON BORIS JOHNSON

Politics

Boris Johnson has adopted what the late Nobel laureate game theorist, Thomas Schelling called the “madman theory” in his parliament suspension.

1929-1930: EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF LINCOLN’S ASSASSINATION.

History

Eyewitness accounts video recording of Lincoln’s assassination.

HOW WE DISCOVERED UK SHALE GAS RESERVES ARE AT LEAST 80% SMALLER THAN THOUGHT

Science

According to our new research, UK shale gas reserves may be just one sixth of the current official estimate; 1,300 trillion cubic ft down to 200 trillion.

POLAND INVITES NATIONALISM IN ITS COMMEMORATION OF WWII BY MOVING LOCATION AND INVITING TRUMP

Politics

Poland changed the site of the usual WWII commemoration ceremony from Westerplatte to Warsaw and, for the first time, invited a U.S. president to speak.

A CYBERATTACK COULD WREAK DESTRUCTION COMPARABLE TO A NUCLEAR WEAPON

Technology

People may be worried about nuclear tensions rising, but I think they’re missing the fact that a major cyberattack could be just as damaging.

SHOULDN’T THERE BE A LAW AGAINST RECKLESS OPIOID SALES? TURNS OUT, THERE IS

Politics

The number of Americans who died each year from a drug overdose while taking prescription painkillers soared from 3,500 in 1999 to more than 17,000 in 2017.

HUGE WILDFIRES IN THE ARCTIC AND FAR NORTH SEND A PLANETARY WARNING

Science

The arctic and far North are burning. This summer, over 600 wildfires have consumed more than 2.4 million acres of forest across Alaska.

FACEAPP’S FINE PRINT MEANS YOU EFFECTIVELY CAN’T SUE THEM, UNLESS YOU SEND A LETTER TO THEIR RUSSIAN OFFICE

Politics, Technology

Faceapp can do whatever it likes with your photos. More concerning is the range of disturbing conditions users unwittingly sign up to.

WHY FEWER AND FEWER AMERICANS ARE GETTING DIVORCED

Politics

The number of divorced persons per 1,000 Americans fell from 4.7 in 1990 to 2.9 in 2016. Who is driving this downward trend?

REDEFINING THE KILOGRAM MEANS REDEFINING HOW WE MEASURE WEALTH

Science

On World Metrology Day 2019, the kilogram was fundamentally redefined. Its value is now defined by the energetics of a hoard of photons.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: WHY THE TRANSFER WINDOW HAS LOST SOME OF ITS EXCITEMENT

Sports

English clubs spent £1.24 billion in 2018, even though they just reached 2017 record of £1.4 billion, 2019 window seems to have been an endurance event.

THE NEW FIELD OF SONOGENETICS USES SOUND WAVES TO CONTROL THE BEHAVIOR OF BRAIN CELLS

Science

Sonogenetics offers a novel therapeutic strategy for various movement-related disorders including Parkinson’s, epilepsy and dyskinesia.

DATA REVEALS THE VALUE OF AN ASSIST IN BASKETBALL

Sports

More than 90 percent of corner three-point shots are assisted, while shots above the break are assisted at a rate just above 70 percent.

WE FOUND RESERVOIRS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA ACROSS LONDON

Politics, Science

antibiotics resistant bacteria found in london reservoirs

Out of the 600 bacteria we found, nearly half were MRSA and multidrug resistant, meaning they were immune to treatment from several types of antibiotics.

GERMANY’S DEEP ROOTED OBSESSION WITH SAVING – A BRIEF HISTORY

Economics, Politics

Germans not only save more than their UK counterparts, but the deep rooted national habit has more implications for Germany than those numbers would reveal.

STIFF MUSCLES ARE A COUNTER-INTUITIVE SUPERPOWER OF NBA ATHLETES

Sports

For elite athletes like professional basketball players, muscle stiffness is not only something that is necessary, you could say it’s their superpower.