How the Platypus and a Quarter of Fishes Lost Their Stomachs. The platypus is an anthology of weirdness. It has a leathery duck-like bill, a flattened tail and webbed feet. The males have a venomous claw on their hind feet, and the females lay eggs. And if you look inside a platypus, you’ll find another weird feature: its gullet connects directly to its intestines. There’s no sac in the middle that secretes powerful acids and digestive enzymes. In other words, the platypus has no stomach.
posted to MetaFilter by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:01 PM on July 14, 2023 (26 comments)

"We have identified the coldest star ever found to produce radio waves – a brown dwarf too small to be a regular star and too massive to be a planet." Kovi Rose and Tara Murphy in The Conversation, on their discovery of a star "barely hotter than a pizza oven." From the NYT: "Break Out the S’mores: This Star Is Cooler Than a Campfire" (archive link).
posted to MetaFilter by mittens at 9:09 AM on July 15, 2023 (9 comments)

What is the best adult jigsaw puzzle brand for a smart, 20-something, sophisticated kind of guy?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ojocaliente at 7:52 AM on July 14, 2023 (35 comments)

I hate cleaning my baseboards and my grout, so I never do it. They’re gross. Help me fix it!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by charmedimsure at 9:03 PM on July 4, 2023 (14 comments)

I've read a few recent articles on the discovery of gravitational waves (like this and this) that have unexpectedly captivated me. What books on similar topics might I, a non-science person, enjoy?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by fiery.hogue at 8:40 AM on July 1, 2023 (8 comments)

I converted an Ikea Milsbo into a plant cabinet and need to replace the grow lights I'm using. I'd like to get something appropriate but not too expensive. Any recommendations?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Kutsuwamushi at 5:35 PM on June 2, 2023 (3 comments)

From David Friedman’s Ironic Sans newsletter, a small collection of URLs you can use to stop getting (a bunch of) junk mail (in the US).
posted to MetaFilter by Going To Maine at 4:20 PM on May 24, 2023 (29 comments)

How do I turn off those "sign in with your google account!" popups? I never, ever want to sign in with my account! Yes, I already turned "off" that preference in all my Google accounts. And yet these popups persist.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Charity Garfein at 9:07 AM on April 25, 2023 (3 comments)

I work at a sit/stand workbench and am looking for a new chair that can go between desk- and counter-height. Since it needs to sit basically right in the middle of the living room in my teeny tiny apartment, I would also like it to look not obviously officey and maybe even a little stylish. Ideally it would also be at least somewhat comfortable, available in Canada, and not a gazillion dollars, but the first two criteria are most important for now. Thanks!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by btfreek at 9:48 AM on April 25, 2023 (4 comments)

How to Use AI to do Practical Stuff. "We live in an era of practical AI, but many people haven’t yet experienced it, or, if they have, they might have wondered what the big deal is. Thus, this guide. It is a modified version of one I put out for my students earlier in the year, but a lot has changed. It is an overview of ways to get AI to do practical things." Also: How to Use AI to teach the hardest skills. And Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok: How to Learn and Teach Economics with Large Language Models, Including GPT (PDF)
posted to MetaFilter by storybored at 9:43 PM on April 5, 2023 (66 comments)

A Martian glacier, rockets, asteroid samples, moons, and more rockets. From the fiery Sun to the search for alien civilizations, here's an update on humanity's exploration of space.

Sol
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured video of an immense solar flare followed by a solar tornado.
posted to MetaFilter by doctornemo at 3:14 PM on March 21, 2023 (8 comments)

Videos showing how all the different fields fit together in the map of mathematics and in the map of physics. Larnell Lewis demonstrates 13 levels of drumming. [Open Culture] Art History Shorts explaining famous works of art, artists, and art movements. [YouTube]
posted to MetaFilter by blue shadows at 1:26 AM on March 25, 2023 (4 comments)

Rebecca Solnit: How to meet the climate crisis? Redefine 'abundance.' [ungated] - "Much of the reluctance to do what climate change requires comes from the assumption that it means trading abundance for austerity, and trading all our stuff and conveniences for less stuff, less convenience. But what if it meant giving up things we're well rid of, from deadly emissions to nagging feelings of doom and complicity in destruction? What if the austerity is how we live now — and the abundance could be what is to come?"[1,2,3,4]
posted to MetaFilter by kliuless at 7:26 AM on March 20, 2023 (40 comments)

I'm looking for dapper oxford-like dress shoes to wear to conferences that won't wear out my feet wandering the city the conference is if I end up walking a mile. So cushy soles and/or lining but also snazzy on the outside please!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by azalea_chant at 12:33 PM on March 24, 2023 (15 comments)

The Music Lab has tests for you to learn how good you are at discerning melodic discrimination and recall, mistuning perception, and beat alignment and more (previously). "This Is What It Sounds Like" offers compare-and-contrast samples to help you reflect on your taste in melody, novelty, realism, timbre, and other elements. Its links lead to further online tests and demonstrations.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 9:58 AM on March 23, 2023 (37 comments)

I will be in Chicago at the end of June, where I will be meeting up with a group of about 10 to 20 people (still in flux). We'd like to purchase tickets for one of the river architecture boat tours. There seem to be several different companies selling tickets. Is there one you'd recommend? Also, we'd like to do a group dinner after. Are there any restaurants you'd recommend near the end of the boat tour that are under $40 per person? Thank you in advance!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by cursed at 9:54 AM on March 21, 2023 (16 comments)

I got a 3 month free trial of AppleTV+ so my kid can watch Prehistoric Planet (Which is excellent, btw). What should I, an adult, watch on there when he's not around? Canada. Leaving it open so you can just tell me what's great, and then I'll match up to my tastes.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by If only I had a penguin... at 9:22 AM on March 19, 2023 (34 comments)

BookRiot.com, a bit breathlessly, gives us 20 genre-defying sci-fi books that broke the mold. I've read four of these, and they were all very good, so I'm taking a chance on sharing the full list.
posted to MetaFilter by Harald74 at 12:54 PM on February 16, 2023 (83 comments)

One of my favorite Spotify playlists is this one that I made based on answers to a question from 2018. I would like to update it with songs that have come out since then. To quote from that Ask, "Please recommend some quiet, slow, happy songs. I'm looking for happy songs that aren't boisterous, loud, or fast... Bonus points if the song isn't a love song."
posted to Ask MetaFilter by OrangeDisk at 6:20 AM on March 18, 2023 (7 comments)

I have some small houseplants that I think need more light that my apartment orientation can't provide. How to growlight?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by greta simone at 1:27 PM on March 3, 2023 (5 comments)

What are your favorite methods for returning to sleep when you wakup at at 3:30 a.m. and your mind is racing?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mecran01 at 6:56 PM on February 18, 2023 (55 comments)

I'm 40 now. My old makeup routine isn't working on my aging skin. Looking for recommendations for a very light foundation/CC cream/tinted moisturizer, I think.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by greta simone at 7:51 AM on February 13, 2023 (25 comments)

If you had bad posture, especially forward-slumping shoulders, and you tried to change that, did it work long-term? If so, what did it take?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by daisyace at 5:56 AM on February 10, 2023 (30 comments)

There's a long history below the fold to explain some details but the bottom line is: I rent an apartment, been here for 28 years, ants have always been a minor issue but now they are becoming intolerable. I have cats and I'm not the property owner and the stuff about providing them with food that they take back to the nest and the entire nest dies is not nearly sufficient. What do I do that will kill the ants dead and yet will not endanger my relationship with my landlord (an individual, not a property mgmt company)?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by janey47 at 11:17 AM on February 9, 2023 (16 comments)

I listen to a lot of podcasts while working, but have tried and failed to really get into audiobooks because they feel less engaging than print books. There are some exceptions that I've liked, though, so I'm looking for more audiobooks like them. More inside.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Kutsuwamushi at 10:21 AM on February 8, 2023 (14 comments)

I am looking for all sorts of information pertaining to those lovable but oft-maligned creatures we call crows. Do you have a fascination for crows? Maybe you can help.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by captainsohler at 1:51 PM on February 8, 2023 (50 comments)

I own some really lovely furniture and lamps and so forth but don't have a feel for how to make it all look like it belongs together in a room. I think essentially what I'm saying is I don't have a skill for interior design, despite my demographics, but I have an idea it's not some totally innate have-it-or-don't situation. Any good book, online resources, stuff to browse? My only allergies are TikTok and pinterest. I'd be open to shows if they're on Netflix/Amazon.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by less-of-course at 8:59 AM on February 4, 2023 (8 comments)

Yunchan Lim is South Korean pianist who June became the youngest ever winner of the Van Cliburn piano competition. Among the pieces that the 18 year old player were Liszt's Transcendental Etudes and Mozart's Piano Concerto #22. Most notable however, was his performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto, which created something of a stir.
posted to MetaFilter by beisny at 10:53 AM on January 29, 2023 (17 comments)

Websites keep requiring my cell phone number, and I don't want to provide it - Paypal and ChatGPT being the most recent. Most free temporary cell phone number services (usually VOIP) don't work - ChatGPT refuses numbers from there. What workarounds or other options are there if I DO NOT WANT to provide my actual cell phone number?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kristi at 10:41 AM on January 26, 2023 (11 comments)

I recently discovered connectedpapers.com and it made me realize I'm probably out of touch with what's available in terms of science literature research search engines. My list of search engines is below the fold – does anyone know of others?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by StrawberryPie at 9:07 AM on January 24, 2023 (9 comments)

After several years in a job that caused me serious health problems, I can't shake the physical anxiety symptoms, even though I am no longer anxious about anything. Any strategies for coping with this?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by robot inside a grid at 3:33 PM on January 22, 2023 (15 comments)

A Guide to Your Most Common Thinking Errors. 21 biases explained in an animated video. Part 2.
posted to MetaFilter by storybored at 9:06 AM on January 22, 2023 (52 comments)

Just what it says! I'm thinking of immediate family, but larger family works too. I know a lot of the basic ideas that do work for us -- dinners together, board game nights, for example -- but I'm also looking for other ideas to tighten a family unit. Also things your parents did for you that worked also useful!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by heavenknows at 8:29 AM on January 17, 2023 (29 comments)

What is the name of the art style that combines a nostalgic view of the pastoral past with advanced technology?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by bangitliketmac at 8:26 AM on January 7, 2023 (8 comments)

Is there an environmentally friendly way to kill weeds? I have tall weeds growing between the gaps in my brick paving. I want to kill them, but I also don't want to harm the (Australian) wildlife in my garden, which includes frogs, fence skinks, insect eating birds and seed eating birds. I also don't want to get Parkinson's disease from weed killer exposure. Is there something like coffee, boiling water, or boiling salty water that would work?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:48 AM on January 6, 2023 (17 comments)

We have a small spot on the wall outside of our bath/shower door that always gets wet. We've had the contractor out -- nothing. We had a plumber out -- nothing. Maybe you can help? Or point us to people who can?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by fruitslinger at 4:45 AM on January 6, 2023 (12 comments)

What are some novel hobby projects one can do indoors? Things like: mushroom-growing kits, ant farms, cheesemaking, infusing liquors...
posted to Ask MetaFilter by escape from the potato planet at 12:42 PM on December 21, 2022 (25 comments)

My small houseplant collection needs more light, and I've been hunting for some standalone grow lights (i.e., can be placed in a table, floor or clamp lamp rather than suspended from a shelf or ceiling above). I don't know why, but I'm finding this purchase inordinately difficult. Do you have a set up that works for you?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Sockrates at 3:18 PM on December 18, 2022 (10 comments)

What's your favorite internet yoga these days that is not influencer-y?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by latkes at 5:25 PM on December 11, 2022 (18 comments)

So I made homemade bread. It was awesome. I’m making homemade Castile soap this weekend. Very excited. What other stuff should I be making at home?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by leotrotsky at 6:48 AM on November 29, 2022 (68 comments)

Looking for your favorite fuzzy socks! I want to get some fuzzy socks for a gift for an adult. If you have some favorite fuzzy socks you can link me to that would be awesome!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by cashman at 9:57 AM on November 29, 2022 (8 comments)

I am looking for ways to add nutritious foods to my regular eating routine. I'm not at all looking for tips on removing food from your diet. What are your best recipes and techniques?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Neely O'Hara at 10:43 AM on November 19, 2022 (34 comments)

I'm currently a heavy Evernote user and want to look at alternatives. We've had some good threads on notetaking/note management apps in the past, especially these threads from 2018: Notetaking app and Best note-taking app for serious note-takers? Since then, a couple of new products have entered the personal knowledge management market, like Roam, Obisidian, and maybe Notion. Details after the jump.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by BlueTongueLizard at 5:58 AM on November 18, 2022 (9 comments)

Spouse has bazillions of photos in iCloud and is bumping up against the storage unit for the next tier. He doesn’t want to spend $9.99/month for 2 TB of iCloud a month when we know we are going to be stuck being Amazon Prime customers forever for living-in-the-boonies reasons and can have unlimited storage there. What’s the best way to move them there?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by charmedimsure at 12:24 AM on November 15, 2022 (7 comments)

Have loved Brooks Ghost for years, but would like wider toe box now. The rest of the sneaker is great for me. Have tried Altras, they're not better in that respect, and worse in others. Do not want 'barefoot' sneakers, nor 'wide foot' sneakers. Just the toe box.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by bitterkitten at 8:32 AM on November 13, 2022 (26 comments)

YANMD. I'm about to be prescribed a statin drug because three years of lifestyle changes haven't lowered my cholesterol. In fact, my cholesterol has only grown worse. What should I know about statin drugs?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 10:25 PM on November 11, 2022 (26 comments)

We're going back to in-person at the office (two days a week) and it's my first time in a while working somewhere where I get a desk! This is exciting and I want to celebrate with a fun thing on my desk. Something more unique (and less annoying) than a Newton's Cradle. What are MeFi's go to "office toys"?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by LSK at 8:25 PM on November 8, 2022 (38 comments)

Are there any sites (other than, I'm assuming, Consumer Reports) that currently reliably only write about things the writer has physically examined or tested themself? It's OK if items include affiliate links (I know web hosting costs $!) but ideally they wouldn't avoid reviewing items that can't be purchased using an affiliate link (e.g. something only available direct from a manufacturer's website.)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by needs more cowbell at 5:19 AM on November 8, 2022 (20 comments)

I find myself in a crisis of sorts. I seek some sort of connection with something greater than myself but I'm feeling dead inside.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Zooming Right Along at 7:06 PM on November 1, 2022 (30 comments)

Wikipedia is notoriously complicated when discussing math-related topics but sometimes the concepts themselves are actually not that difficult when described in plain language. Let's talk about fractals, specifically the Cantor Set, the Sierpinski carpet, and the Menger sponge. Here's how they relate to one another, mathematically.
posted to MetaFilter by jessamyn at 9:31 AM on October 30, 2022 (28 comments)