1) Eyes on Everyday Objects in Robyn Rich’s Art

Robyn Rich has launched a captivating art project titled Optics, where she paints eyes on everyday items like spoons and small containers, evoking a striking and eerie effect.

As noted by Colossal:

> What does it mean to see? To be seen? Artist Robyn Rich examines these questions through her realistic eye paintings on vintage tins and small vessels. These tiny artworks convey the emotions and unique traits of their subjects, whether through pronounced brows, wrinkles, or mascaraed lashes. Displayed in large collections, they provoke contemplation about perspective and the observer.

The presence of eyes adds a profound layer of meaning, reminiscent of the unsettling cover art for Stephen King’s Night Shift.

Rich’s work is currently showcased at Beinart Gallery in Australia, and you can also view it on her Instagram.

2) Wordle Solver Created with Excel Formulas

Carlos Granier has developed a clever tool named "Worldexcel," allowing players to solve Wordle puzzles within Excel using formulas.

To use it, simply download the Excel file. Enter your guesses into the official Wordle game, then note which letters are marked as “green” (correct letter and position), “yellow” (correct letter, wrong position), or “grey” (not in the word).

The Excel solver contains a comprehensive list of potential Wordle words. By entering the letters in the designated fields, it highlights the most likely answer. You can continue this process until you find the correct word.

I find this fascinating; it's amazing how Excel can push computational boundaries. Many programmers I’ve met started their journeys through complex Excel spreadsheets, eventually transitioning to languages like Python due to the similarities in logic.

Excel truly is a powerful tool!

3) Wooden Wind Turbines

Wood is emerging as a remarkable low-carbon alternative for construction, requiring significantly less energy to process compared to steel or concrete. Engineers are now exploring its use in wind turbine construction.

Laminated veneer lumber proves to be both strong and easier to assemble, allowing for glued joints instead of bolts, thus eliminating the need for constant inspections. Additionally, these wooden turbines can be recycled at the end of their life cycle, unlike traditional fiberglass blades.

According to New Scientist:

> Dölerud envisions that wood from decommissioned towers could be repurposed as load-bearing beams, then as partition walls, and ultimately as paper, creating a multi-step reuse cycle that maximizes the utility of each cellulose fiber.

The company has already erected a 30-meter tower on the Swedish island of Björkö, and a 100-meter turbine is in progress, expected to be completed next year, paving the way for broader use of wooden towers.

4) The Cyanometer: Measuring Sky Color

This week, my friend Debbie Chachra shared an intriguing historical device called the "cyanometer." Created in the 1780s by Swiss scientist Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, this tool was designed to measure the exact shade of blue in the sky.

Noticing the sky's deepening blue as he ascended Mont Blanc, Saussure sought a way to quantify this phenomenon. He initially used colored paper swatches to match the sky's color.

Over time, he refined this concept into a tool featuring a series of blue shades, ultimately demonstrating how sky color varies with altitude. I would love to have a high-resolution print of this artwork for my wall!

5) Archiving “Obsolete Sounds”

"Obsolete Sounds" is a delightful website that captures audio files of sounds that have largely faded from our daily experiences.

This includes sounds like the startup of an old Nokia phone, a Braun Sixtant shaver, and the classic modem dial-up tone, among many others.

It's a fun exploration of the acoustic landscape that once surrounded us, highlighting the often-overlooked sounds of machines that enriched our lives but have since vanished.

6) College Tuition and the “Chivas Regal Effect”

A recent piece in New York Times discusses how some private colleges are significantly reducing their tuition fees. For instance, Colby-Sawyer College has slashed its tuition from $46,000 to $17,500 for the upcoming academic year.

These drastic cuts stem from the realization that high tuition rates were misleading. Over 80% of students receive some form of financial aid, which lowers the effective cost. The administration found that high sticker prices deter potential applicants.

Interestingly, this shift in strategy contrasts with two decades ago when higher tuition was perceived as a mark of prestige, known as the “Chivas Regal effect.” Now, after years of rising prices, the overwhelming cost has led to a reversal in student psychology.

The private college system in the U.S. is in a state of disarray, influenced by these complex psychological factors.

7) A Quick Roundup of Interesting Reads

• Maker slang for 2022.
• Using “sludge” as a cybersecurity measure.
• Discovery of a new branch in the tree of life.
• Tom Lehrer’s albums now in the public domain.
• A blog dedicated to Super Mario.
• Insights on the land of ancient Mastodons.
• A creative take on a unicycle.
• Repairing a classic Coleco Pong game using Arduino.
• A daily flag display outside homes.
• Journalists reading their writing aloud during composition.
• An expert on “shrinkflation”.
• A free IBM COBOL course.
• An exosuit for meat tenderizing.
• A PhD student solving an ancient Sanskrit puzzle.
• Evidence that snakes possess clitorises.
• John Donne’s score-settling listicle.
• Popular video games searched on Pornhub, including Fortnite and Overwatch.
• The nihilistic perspective of viewing humans as “stochastic parrots”.

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I’m a contributing writer for New York Times Magazine, a columnist for Wired and Smithsonian magazines, and a regular contributor to Mother Jones. My works include Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World and Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing our Minds for the Better. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram as @pomeranian99 and on Mastodon as @[email protected].