Recent submissions

Comment · 2 years ago
You know how when your hand is relaxed, your fingers are curled?

When birds relax, their feet curl in a similar way, and this provides enough grip that if they're on a perch, they will automatically hold on as easily as if they're awake.

There's a bit more to it, as the way the tendons in their feet and legs are attached, the foot will automatically grasp when the ankle is bent, so it's a much stronger grip than our floppy relaxed fingers would provide. Here's a quick rundown with a good gif illustrating how it works. https://windycityparrot.com/birds-sleep-standing-one-leg/ They also have an extra balance organ between their hips that help them sray upright, so the whole anatomy lends itself to sleeping like this.

Additionally, when we're awake and moving, we're constantly on our feet, so our feet and legs will get tired and need a rest. However, our arms don't generally get tired just from walking around, right?

Birds are the opposite. They spend a lot of time flying, and their feet are mostly relaxed and resting while they're in the air. It's the wings and chest muscles that get tired.

So sleeping on their feet has a whole other connotation to them.

Comment · 2 years ago
wouldn't Russia/China/India just put nukes in orbit to be a step ahead?
Comment · 2 years ago
It's much easier to intercept than enter orbit. ASATs are 100 kg rockets.
Comment · 2 years ago
Diffuse debris while at higher orbit can take out satellites in those higher orbits (like Iridium, Kuiper, etc..)
Comment · 2 years ago
What if every time you accept new ideas, your old self dies a little bit?

Our five year old self is already dead.

Comment · 2 years ago
Quantity ingested
Comment · 2 years ago
Brainstorm: Artificial sugars, chemicals in so many products from Amazon, hormones in meat, vegan substitutes, new preservatives, new herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers

Empirical observation: the two young people I know who had cancer (one died, other survived) frequented marijuana and had high levels of radon detected in their homes. But that doesn't necessarily support younger cancer trends.

Comment · 2 years ago

Live from the official Hacker News API

A modern reader for Hacker News · SvelteKit + Skeleton