May 2022 Roundup: What I am Reading, Watching and Listening To
What I Am Reading:
When life was literally full of crap
“If you want a single, vivid, and frankly disgusting example to hold in mind to remember how much our lives have improved over the last ~150 years… Consider shit.”
The high-return activity of raising others’ aspirations
“This is in fact one of the most valuable things you can do with your time and with your life.”
“We have evolution to thank for shielding us from complete self-knowledge.”
What I am Watching:
How insects become airborne, slowed down to a speed the human eye can appreciate
“Whether you have an abiding interest in insect biology, or simply enjoy watching events that happen very, very quickly played back very, very slowly (and who doesn’t?), this short video from the Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University is a dazzlingly wild ride. Guided by the biologist Adrian Smith, who heads the lab, the film captures a series of 11 different winged insects – including a praying mantis, beetles and weevils – as they propel into flight at a riveting 3,200 frames per second, and are slowed down roughly 200 times for your viewing pleasure.”
What I am Listening To:
Using Deliberate Cold Exposure for Health and Performance
“I describe mechanisms by which deliberate cold exposure can enhance mental health, physical health, and performance. I detail specific protocols to safely engage in deliberate cold exposure, including minimal exposure times, time-of-day effects, determining optimal temperatures, recovery, mindset, and movement during cold exposure. I discuss how cold exposure can be used to safely stress the body to improve attention, mood, and cognitive focus and boost metabolism and reduce inflammation. Also, I explain how cold exposure on specific regions of the body (called glabrous skin surfaces) can be leveraged to enhance endurance and weight training and increase work output.”