Criminal: I will not be second to Moriarty
Sebastian: Oh you’re not.
Criminal: …?
Sebastian: You’re a lot further down the list.
Category: Uncategorized
Human skeleton has become lighter over time
If you compare a chimpanzee’s bones with those of a modern human, one difference will immediately jump out at you. Chimp bones are densely packed with microscopic structures known as spongy bone. Human bones aren’t. That relative lack of spongy bone makes our skeletons lighter and increases our risk of fractures and osteoporosis. But weaker skeletons and more broken bones don’t seem like great evolutionary strategies. So why the change? Two papers published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences propose an explanation. In the first, the authors compare skeletons from modern chimpanzees, the early human ancestor Australopithecus africanus, Neandertals, early Homo sapiens, and today’s modern humans. They found that chimpanzees, Australopithecus, Neandertals, and even the early modern humans had much higher densities of spongy bone than today’s humans (see the illustration above, which tracks the change through CT scans of hand bones from each species; left to right: chimps, Australopithecus, Neandertal, modern human). That suggests that the driving force behind the change might be modern human’s sedentary lifestyle, free of the bone-strengthening exercise of chasing down prey and spending hours foraging for food. The second paper further supports that hypothesis by comparing the density of spongy bone in the hip joints of nonhuman primates, ancient hunter-gatherers, and ancient farmers. The hunter-gatherers’ hip joints were about as strong as those of the apes, whereas the ancient farmers’ hips showed a significant loss of spongy bone. The researchers conclude that a lack of rigorous exercise, rather than any evolutionary pressure toward lighter skeletons, is the reason for modern human’s weak bones. So if you want a stronger skeleton, start exercising like a hunter-gatherer.
“You don’t make a big deal of it,” Mary had explained as he had unwrapped the box, “but you love music and, well…I saw you drooling over this record player a few weeks ago and…oh hell — It’s too much, isn’t it? I went too big? I just knew you’d like it and—"John had cut her off with a gentle kiss. “It’s amazing and I love it. YOU’RE amazing. Of course, now I’m going to have to go start trolling the vintage vinyl shops and get a respectable collection up and running again.”"Oh! Wait! I have a start for you. I know it’s a little silly but…it’s Christmas. And a man in the store said I shouldn’t get you a record player and nothing to play on it, and he suggested that this would be festive, but would allow you to choose your own collection.” She’d handed him an unwrapped sleeve adorned with a semi-tasteful pile of holiday frippery and looping gold cursive text proclaiming the record full of ‘Holiday Favorites" and that they were “On Violin!" Most likely, the store over-ordered and was instructing every employee to push the record on unsuspecting customers.He’d smiled and kissed her cheek. “It’s lovely. Truly. It’ll make the flat positively cheery. Perhaps even jolly.”They’d giggled and sipped tea together while the first few flakes of an unexpected Christmas snowstorm fell and it wasn’t until after Mary had left to meet with her sister for an early lunch that he’d remembered the record. It seemed as though it might be a nice accompaniment to his dinner preparations.The first few strains of Silent Night had caught him off guard for a moment. Just hearing the echoing sighs of a violin inside 221b after so much time was…startling. He’d smiled sadly and then shaken himself back into the present. And once he got over the initial shock, the music really was quite nice. Actually cheery.Until a quiet, haunting solo version of I’ll Be Home For Christmas poured out of the speakers. He’d sunk down in his armchair and just listened for the length of the song, tea forgotten next to him. When it ended, he’d remained sitting for the next two songs, fighting prickles at the corners of his eyes.Mary returned a few hours later, as he was pulling together the last minute details for dinner."John, I tell you, we haven’t had a storm like this in YEARS, and for Christmas no less…” Her voice grew muffled as she struggled out the many layers of protection she was wearing against the weather. “Rather charming I suppose, though. Dinner smells amazing, love.” As she walked through the living room, she noticed the record on the turntable. “So you filled the place with holiday cheer this afternoon, did you?"John glanced over, confused for a moment, and saw what she was looking at. He cleared his throat. “Yes…it was. Actually…quite good. I enjoyed it. You’ll have to thank the man at the shop for me. It was…just the thing.”Mary didn’t even look back at him as she absently rearranged a few small items on the mantle. “Oh, he wasn’t an employee,” she said off-hand. “Just some bloke. Tall.”———————————————————————-In which I faff about with perspective and lighting in ways that surely are not in the least bit accurate to the laws of physics.NO.
Trans Siberian Orchestra | Carol Of The Bells
I will never understand why this Christmas song goes so hard.
OKAY MOTHERFUCKERS LISTEN UP
BECAUSE THIS SHIT IS NOT CAROL OF THE BELLS
IT IS CHRISTMAS EVE/SARAJEVO 12/24 AND IT IS SO MUCH FUCKING MORE THAN CAROL OF THE BELLS.
SO DURING THE BOSNIAN WAR (WHICH WAS THIS NASTY-ASS CONFLICT IN BOSNIA AND HERZGOVINA) THERE WAS THIS BADASS CELLO-PLAYING MOTHERFUCKER NAMED VEDRAN SMAILOVIC. HE WAS FROM SARAJEVO WAS UPSET ABOUT ALL THE SHIT AND NASTINESS THAT CAME ABOUT THROUGH THIS WAR (THIS WAS FULL-ON BROTHER-KILLING-BROTHER SHIT) THAT HE WENT AROUND TO BOMBED-OUT, BLOWN UP BUILDINGS AND FUNERALS—WHERE HE WAS AT RISK OF FUCKING SNIPER FIRE—AND PLAYING THE CELLO. THIS GUY WAS SO SET ON PROVIDING ONE TINY SPOT OF BEAUTY IN A SERIOUSLY NASTY WAR HE WAS RISKING BEING FUCKING SHOT OR BLOWN UP.
AND THIS IS THE GUY WHO INSPIRED THIS SONG.
HE’S WHY THERE’S THE CALM CELLO PART AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE EVERYTHING GETS ALL VIOLENT-SOUNDING. IT’S THEMATIC.
THAT’S WHY THIS CHRISTMAS SONG GOES SO FUCKING HARD.
This feels like it should be the song that plays every year when Krampus leaves its lair.
thank you for this correction!!! (but still, the studio version ain’t shit compared to it live. Holy fuck.)
Bless you for the correction.
And yes, this is literally my favorite Christmas song.
Cabin Pressure, Series 3 Episode Q: Qikiqtarjuaq
Let’s be having you then, Winnie!
I actually find this scene a little uncomfortable to listen to, but I made myself laugh so much drawing this that it can’t possibly bother me that much.
Lady Karasu 