These are a few things I’ve learned this week:
- King George III spent a considerable amount of time in a straightjacket to treat his mental condition. Beyond limiting self-harm, it was also designed to provide calm in the form of a self-hug.
- The asphalt road covering that is sometimes referred to as macadam was named after John Louden MacAdam whose innovation helped spur the industrial revolution as it made road transportation more reliable and efficient.
- Situational agency refers to practices that reduce our need for willpower by changing our environment to make desired actions easier – like putting out your workout clothes at night so they’re waiting for you to start your morning workout.
- There is a procedure to stop bleeding in your chest where your lung is twisted 180 degrees called the pulmonary hilum twist.
- The term jerry-rigged used to describe a makeshift solution was originally called, jury-rigged – which is a nautical not judicial reference.
- Speaking of which, 3% of judges are 90 years and older. Another 13% are between 80-90%
- On some maps, Greenland will appear to be larger than the U.S but in fact the U.S. is four and half times larger.
This group of novel facts are unrelated except that I stumbled upon them all this past week.
They came to me via a PBS documentary, my daughter’s homework assignment, reading the newspaper, watching the HBO drama The Pitt, perusing a magazine, and looking at a map.
While none of them involved me stepping into a formal classroom, the “course work” covered would have included, European History, Engineering, Psychology, Linguistics, Criminal Justice and Cartography.
The reaction each solicited in me ranged from “hmm”, “really?” “who knew”, “how cool” and “wow.” Reactions that one would hope students of all ages in schools experience numerous times each day.
The benefits of being exposed to novel information and ideas is well documented. In the short term it triggers our brain’s reward system sending us a dopamine hit. In the long-term it builds neural plasticity, improving our memory and brain function.
Exposure to novel information doesn’t require a ton of effort, just an openness to expose ourselves to different sources of information.
As someone who loves me some dopamine, let me know some novel information you’ve stumbled on this week. Just send me a note or better yet, leave a comment. You’ll be doing myself and fellow readers a big favor to jump start our weeks.
This Week’s Recommendation. Zach Bryan dropped a new album this week, With Heaven on Top. It opens with a powerful spoken word poem called Down, Down Stream (you read that right). Other early favorites are Bad News and Cannonball. I listened to it as I used to listen to albums in my younger days. One sitting, headphones on, eyes closed. Check it out.
Consider sharing this or other novel information with someone who could use a pick me up.