Month: September 2016

At the Johnson Space Center in Houston, astronauts learn to walk in space by diving into a giant pool of water. The focal point of NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL), the massive indoor pool is equipped with a full scale replica of the International Space Station, and is designed to re-create the weightlessness of outer space.

In the short, 360 degree video above, astronauts-in-training explore the cavernous underwater space station with the help of support staff in scuba gear. In their bulky space suits, they must learn not only to walk in zero gravity, but to master repairs on the space station. The video explains that every astronaut must go through rigorous and lengthy underwater training before launching into space: “By the time our astronauts perform a real space walk,” the narrator explains, “they will have spent more than 100 hours practicing inside the NBL.”

[h/t Engadget]

Banner Image Credit: NASA, YouTube

If you often find yourself compulsively clicking your pen, jangling your keys, or drumming your fingers on your desk, Antsy Labs may have the perfect gadget for you. The company, founded by brothers Matthew and Mark McLachlan, has created a handy little device they call the Fidget Cube, designed to keep fidgety hands occupied.

The Fidget Cube, which can be pre-ordered on Kickstarter, features something different to fidget with on each side: There are buttons to press, switches to flip, and joysticks to push. While some buttons mimic the satisfying clicking noise your favorite pen makes, others are silent—making them perfect for quiet classes or meetings. The McLachlan brothers explain that the Fidget Cube isn’t a procrastination tool—rather, it’s designed to help fidgety folks focus.

“We are passionate about the idea that fidgeting is a process that, with the right tools and outlet, can have positive and real-life applications,” they explain. “We believe that Fidget Cube provides a tangible way to capture your floating attention, regardless of whether you fidget consciously or subconsciously.”

[h/t Boing Boing]

It’s easy to get down on yourself when you’re having a rough time with a workout or don’t finish a race as fast as you’d hoped. But the power of positive thinking is real—especially when it comes to athletic performance. Staying optimistic not only ups your motivation, it also makes you less likely to burn out and more likely to appreciate your physical accomplishments, according to research from the University of Murcia in Spain.

Of course, thinking happy thoughts can be easier said than done when you’re huffing and puffing mid-exercise, but recognizing when self-doubt begins to creep in is part of the battle. “When I notice that negative thoughts are becoming my refrain, I work on switching my script a little bit,” says eternal optimist Deena Kastor, who won a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics and holds the American record in the marathon. “I think, if I’m going to commit to that starting line, then I need to get optimistic on myself.” Read on for her tips on how to do just that and stay positive when the workout gets tough.

1. TEACH YOURSELF.

Thinking positively doesn’t come naturally to you? Don’t worry, it’s not an inherent trait for most people. The good news is, you can learn how to do it. “None of us are born optimists—you have to practice it,” says Kastor. “Practice makes perfect.”

When you notice yourself feeling discouraged, think about shifting your thoughts back to your goal and how you can achieve it or adjust it.

2. TALK YOURSELF UP.

Positive self-talk can help you power through a tough workout or race, but don’t always stick to the same mantra. To stay effective, what you say to yourself should evolve. “Mantras change over time,” says Kastor, who’s repeated phrases like “define yourself,” “believe and achieve,” and “find a way” to inspire herself mid-run. “Mantras change their power, so when they cease empowering you, it’s time to change them.” For new pump-up words, she suggests drawing inspiration from songs or powerful quotes.

3. KNOW IT’S NOT JUST YOU.

When you can’t reach one of your fitness goals, it can feel you’re the only one struggling with setbacks. “There are a million and one challenges out there; some people have multiple challenges, some are just trying to overcome one,” says Kastor. “But no one ever has a perfect race build-up or perfect training schedule. Life happens and we choose to focus on what’s good or what’s bad.”

4. THINK ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS.

If you’re dealing with a setback like an injury or illness, brainstorm different ways you can deal with it proactively. “You can change a moment of self-pity into a solutions-based mindset,” says Kastor. For instance, “Look at an injury as an opportunity to reassess your health.” You might need to stretch more, work on increasing your strength, or change up your diet.

5. LOOK FOR GROWTH.

Instead of focusing on aches or weakness or that you’re slower than you’d like to be, think about how much you can improve from your current state. “That mindset has made me face challenges with a sense of excitement, rather than facing it with a dread or sense of self-pity,” says Kastor. “It’s an exciting time. What seems like a challenge, which sounds negative, is actually a platform for growth.”

Watch (or read) a few of William Shakespeare’s plays and you’ll start noticing recurring character types: Tragic monarchs like King Lear or Macbeth, passionate young lovers like Romeo and Juliet, and strong, independent women—Viola in Twelfth Night and As You Like It’s Rosalind—who don male disguises, to name a few.

In the infographic below, Oxford University Press’s blog (OUPblog) lists facts about another one of the Bard’s favorite stock characters: the Shakespearean fool. The fool is an entertaining, clown-like figure who either provides minor entertainment or doles out sage bits of wisdom to more important characters. To learn more about the ubiquitous jester, read on or download the infographic as a PDF and click it for links to relevant scholarly articles [PDF].

[h/t OUPblog]

You don’t have to become president to have a street address in common with Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Wexford, the 1963 estate she designed as a presidential getaway, is up for sale, Curbed reports. 

The 166-acre property in Middleburg, Virginia was only used for one weekend by the then-First Lady and President Kennedy before he was assassinated. The one-story ranch house has a pool, tennis court, and a stable, so you can ride through the countryside just like the famously horse-crazy First Lady. 

Sure, the interiors are looking a little dated—photos show it’s been remodeled since the Kennedys left—but such is the price of historic significance. The asking price is $5.95 million.

[h/t Curbed]

All images © MRIS via Redfin

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Don’t miss an episode of mental_floss on YouTube—subscribe here! Images and footage provided by Shutterstock. Here’s a transcript courtesy of Nerdfighteria Wiki:

1. Did you know that it’s a misconception that Barbie is from Malibu? According to an early episode of Crash Course: World History, she is actually a resident of the Indus Valley civilization from thousands of years ago. But according to Mattel, she’s from Willows, Wisconsin, which is a made up town.

2. Ruth Handler, who created the Barbie doll, was inspired by a German doll from the ’50s and ’60s called Bild Lilli. The dolls were sold in places like tobacco shops and adult stores, because they were essentially gag gifts for events like bachelor parties. Mattel eventually acquired the rights to Bild Lilli, and now we have Barbies.

3. Barbie was co-designed by an engineer and professional missile designer named Jack Ryan, who was also married to Zsa Zsa Gabor; he was her sixth husband.

4. Mattel Inc. was founded in 1945, but Barbie didn’t debut until 1959; 351,000 of them were sold that year. Ken was introduced two years later, in 1961.

5. Even before Barbie came to be, Mattel was the first toy company with commercials directed toward children.

6. Speaking of ads, years later many actresses had their first jobs in Barbie commercials, including Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, and Maureen McCormick, who was Marsha Brady in The Brady Bunch.

7. Barbie and Ken were named after real people—Ruth’s children, Barbara and Kenneth Handler. So arguably, the most famous couple of all time are named for real life siblings.

8. Talking Barbies might seem more modern, but actually, the first Barbie who talked was released in 1968.

9. And Barbie didn’t reach her peak until 1992. The best selling Barbie so far is the Totally Hair Barbie, which had hair down to the ground. Over 10 million were sold in 1992.

10. In 2004 it was announced that Barbie and Ken had broken up. Barbie then started dating an Australian surfer named Blaine, but in 2011 she got back together with Ken, but only after he was redesigned with more muscles.

11. Blaine isn’t Barbie’s only forgotten companion; she’s got a bunch of discarded family members, like her siblings Tutti and Todd and Krissy. Also her cousins Francie and Jazzie.

12. How popular is Barbie? Well, two-and-a-half times more Barbies are sold every year than babies are born in the United States. In fact, a Barbie is sold every three seconds.

13. And now that you know how many Barbies are sold, I’m sure you can only imagine the amount of Barbie clothes that are made annually. Mattel is actually one of the biggest clothing manufacturers in the world.

14. And Mattel employs people whose only job is to design Barbies and their looks. According to one designer, once a design has been submitted, it might only take a year until that Barbie can be found on the shelves.

15. As you’re probably aware, Barbie has been controversial at times. For instance, in 2014, the plotline of the Barbie book I Can Be A Computer Engineer went viral. In the book, Barbie designs a computer game, but requires the assistance of her male friends to actually do the coding. People accused the book of being sexist, for good reason, and it was discontinued.

16. Another controversy: In 2014, a study from Oregon State University was published which claimed that girls who played with Barbies believe that boys have more career options than girls. In the experiment, girls between the ages of 4 and 7 played with either some Barbies or a Mrs. Potato Head. Afterwards they were given a list of careers and asked if they could have that job in the future; they were also asked if boys could have that job. Girls who played with Barbies picked fewer careers for themselves than the girls who played with Mrs. Potato Head, although to be fair that could just be because Mrs. Potato Head is the greatest toy of all time.

Long time Barbie supporter and Mental_Floss head writer Meredith would like me to say that she thinks Mrs. Potato Head is literally two-faced.

17. Meredith also wants me to mention that Barbie’s had about 150 careers at this point, including astronaut, surgeon, firefighter, and many more.

18. There have also been multiple military Barbies. She’s been in the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marine Corps, and Mattel actually has the Pentagon approve Barbie’s military outfits.

19. Another career she’s tried out: vlogging. She’s released a few vlogs onto her very own YouTube channel. She’s also an avid Instagrammer, so I guess Barbie and I have more in common than I thought.

20. But Barbie and I also have our differences. For instance, she has her own reality show and I promise you that I never will. It’s called Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. You’ll be surprised to learn that the show centers around Barbie going to her closet and talking about fashion.

21. Speaking of the dreamhouse, it was announced in 2013 that Barbie would be selling her dreamhouse in Malibu. According to Mattel, the home was worth around $25 million, a bargain at Toys R’ Us for $170. It was also announced that the cast of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing would be helping her sell the 8500 square foot home, which—I just want to emphasize this—is fictional.

22. Anyway, that was quite the upgrade from Barbie’s first home which was released in 1962, it was a small, one room apartment. She moved to a townhouse in 1974.

23. An estimated 99 percent of girls in the United States between the ages of 3 and 10 own at least one Barbie and the average that girls 3 to 6 own is 12 Barbies.

24. But Barbie isn’t just popular in the U.S.—there are Barbies of around 50 nationalities that have been released.

25. And she’s also popular with PETA, believe it or not. In 2015 Mattel announced that they would discontinue SeaWorld Barbie because of the company’s questionable practices and a spokesperson from PETA commented, “Barbie has a rich history as an animal rights activist. She’s actually been fur-free for her entire history. We are delighted to see that she can retain her animal-friendly image.”

26. And finally, more about Barbie’s animal-friendly image. There have been two Barbies with the ability to clean up after dogs. There was the Barbie and Tanner playset, which came with the dog, Tanner, his poop, and a pooper-scooper; and there was also a Barbie potty training pup set in which the puppies actually peed on little newspapers.

There’s something fishy about the seafood business. According to a recent report by the ocean conservation group Oceana, seafood suppliers are pulling a bait and switch on consumers, mislabeling a full 20 percent of fish globally. That means, whether you’re dining out or purchasing fish at your local grocery store, there’s a good chance you’re not eating the fish you think you are.

The New York Times explains that the report, which looked at 200 studies from 55 countries and a total of 25,000 seafood samples, found instances of fish fraud all around the world. In some cases, the vast majority of the fish tested were mislabeled: In Brazil, for instance, 80 percent of the “catfish” tested were not, in fact, catfish, while in Italy 82 percent of the perch, groupers, and swordfish tested were mislabeled. Other major phony fish included red snapper (in South Florida, for instance, 90 percent were mislabeled) and wild salmon (in New York City, 75 percent of “wild salmon” were actually cheaper farm-raised salmon).

For the most part, the report explains, seafood suppliers simply swap expensive fish for cheaper ones. But in some cases, suppliers are selling fish known for dangerously high mercury levels or fish on the endangered species list: In one particularly egregious case, California sushi chefs were even discovered serving endangered whale meat as tuna. The report also notes that it can be hard to tell exactly where fraud is occurring; instances of mislabeling were discovered on every rung of the supply chain from wholesalers and importers to retailers.

“We kept thinking we’d find a success story, a place where seafood wouldn’t be mislabeled,” Oceana senior campaign director Beth Lowell told The New York Times. “Every single study that we reviewed except for one found seafood fraud.”

Check out the interactive map below to see the fish fraud for yourself:

[h/t New York Times]

Spider silk is remarkable: The material boasts some of the highest tensile strength found in nature. It’s also capable of transmitting vibrations like the strings of a guitar. According to new research, spiders have adapted to tune these strings like tiny, eight-legged musicians, Gizmodo reports.

The study, recently published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, examined the webs of the garden cross spider (Araneus diadematus) to see what makes them such great natural instruments. Certain frequencies can tell a spider a lot: They might signal prey, potential mates, or structural issues with the web.

Measurements of web vibrations taken with lasers revealed that web tension, silk stiffness, and the shape and structure of the web all impact its data transmitting capacities. The research also showed that spiders can alter each of these qualities. When a spider modifies the threads of its webs, tweaking things like tension and stiffness, it’s doing more than building a sound trap. It’s tuning the web to transmit frequencies it recognizes.

The researchers suggest that a spider’s dragline silk—the silk used to weave the spokes and outer rim of a web—may have evolved so spiders can adjust it for this reason.

“Spiders, unlike most other animals are able to shape their immediate environment through making their own materials for integration into highly adapted structures,” the study authors write. “Spider behaviour and silk properties are variable but tunable, perhaps allowing spiders to shape their extended phenotype for multifunctional outcomes.”

A spider’s ability to spin finely tuned webs makes up for an area where it’s sorely lacking. Despite sporting eight eyes, spiders have awful vision. Tuning and plucking their webs allows them to detect prey they might not have been able to spot otherwise.

[h/t Gizmodo]

Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com.

Some of the 20^th century’s most enduring board games—Candy Land and Operation among them—have come from the minds of independent inventors. But thanks to today’s legally insulated corporate environments, it can be hard (or impossible) to submit ideas without an agent.

Hasbro believes it has an answer. Now through October 23, the company will be accepting entries for its Fall 2016 Gaming Challenge, a crowd-sourced search for the next big idea in analog tabletop gaming.

If you think your game has potential, you can submit the premise directly to Hasbro via the NextGreatGameChallenge portal. Hasbro employees and game experts will review entries for playability and creativity, with five finalists getting an opportunity to have a Hasbro-backed campaign appear on the fundraising site Indiegogo. The grand prize winner will receive $25,000 and the potential (though not a promise) for the game to hit retail shelves. Shark Tank’s Daymond John will be part of the finalists’ judging panel.

For impenetrable legal reasons, the contest is open to anyone in the U.S. and Canada except citizens of Quebec. Last year’s winner, Irresponsibility: The Mr. Toast Card Game, is set to go on sale exclusively at Target later in the year.