Spookfish, sphingolipids and perky pumpkins
Hello sausage,
Well. You know I like to keep you occupied with lesser-known stories and fun facts…but I don’t know if this little ol’ newsletter could possibly compete with what’s going on in our country at the moment. My personal fave? Krishnan Guru-Murthy calling Steve Baker MP a c*** live on air. And it’d’ve been a sad, sad day if the lettuce had snuffed it first.
Anyway, I must soldier on and do my best for you. I’ve got pumpkins, cheese, old trousers and a fish with a transparent head – but if that’s not enough to distract you from all the govern-mental tomfoolery, you could try one of these 10 long-reads that Pocket promises will “transport you to another time and place”. God speed.
Let’s dabble…
The benefits of cheese!
Is cheese good for you? (I mean if the answer isn’t ‘yes’ I don’t want to know). If like me, ‘cheese is your weakness’, then I have good news for you: whether it’s down to the calcium, the vitamin K or the sphingolipids – fatty acids yo – it appears it may not be as terrible for you as previously thought. If you still need help resisting its siren call, scroll down in the article for a description of how cheese is made - all the curd chat might lessen its allure a bit.
Really old pants!
May I introduce: the world’s oldest pants. These expertly engineered trousers, estimated at 3,000 years old, were apparently worn with “a poncho that belted around the waist, ankle-high boots, and a wool headband adorned with seashells and bronze discs”. The Pocket Polymath: accidentally providing autumnal style advice since 2022.
The orgasm gap!
I hate to make you blush, darling, but did you know that less than 40% of women in heterosexual relationships are regularly having orgasms, compared to over 90% of fellas? This is something discussed in frank detail in this podcast episode by The Story of Woman. As a former Catholic I obviously had to self-flagellate after listening to it (and not in a fun way), but trust me, it’s worth it.
Transparent fish!
It’s worth reading this piece on the barreleye fish for the poetry of the writing alone, BUT it’s also a must-read for weird-fact-fans. This fish has a transparent head that acts as a huge lens over its eyes, allowing it to distinguish between sunlight and bioluminescence and thus find its prey in the depths of the deep ocean. ‘Spookfish’ indeed…
Pumpkin tips!
Ah, the annual conundrum: how to keep your pumpkins perky. If you want your Jack-lanterns to last the distance, there are some great tips here, from picking your perfect pumpkin to protecting it from precipitation. When I was a girl, we carved turnips – I attribute my strong forearms to this activity – so you kids these days have it easy.
Word of the week
Borborygmi [pron. bawr-buh-rig-mai]: “The characteristic growling or rumbling sounds that the stomach and intestines make as food, fluids, and gas pass through them.”
With thanks to Miranda!
The question on everyone’s lips:
Why are so many cakes named after fabric?
And finally…
See you next Friday!
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