Flaco captured the hearts of New Yorkers
When a thoughtless vandal damaged an exhibit at the Central Park Zoo in 2023, a Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco escaped and found fame. Not on Broadway,…
Author: The Smart Reader Staff
Briefs and quick reads selected and edited by The Smart Reader's editorial team.
Could plastic in your blood lead to serious cardiovascular events?
Plastic is everywhere. On your kitchen counter, in your car, in your medicine cabinet. And potentially even in your veins. Recent research has found that…
Work smarter with the right productivity app
A good productivity app shouldn’t create more tasks at work or in your personal life — it should shoulder some of your mental workload with thoughtful…
Here’s why Jeff Bezos gave an admiral $50 million
Amazon’s billionaire founder Jeff Bezos just cut Admiral Bill McRaven a check for $50 million. Don’t worry, Bezos isn’t looking to build up a privte navy….
The first computer artist was a computer
Believe it or not, artificial intelligence art has a history — and not just within the last two years. In fact, the history AI-generated art goes back to…
How to catch and release a fish
These steps help you return a fish to the water so it can be caught again. They are from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fishing Basics (Alpha). * Land your…
The first televised April Fools’ Day hoax
Perhaps because of its serious reputation, the BBC pulled off the first successful April Fools’ hoax in 1957. During the program Panorama, distinguished…
Most expensive Big Macs
When the Big Mac debuted in 1968, it cost 45 cents. Times have changed. Today, Big Macs are most expensive in Hawaii, with an average price of $5.31….
Researchers make artificial limb that can feel
When Luke Skywalker famously got his hand lopped off, it wasn’t a big deal because the Jedi simply got a prosthetic hand and continued swinging his…
Report: Meta ignored internal warnings that new tools could fuel child exploitation
A Wall Street Journal investigation has found that teams at Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) knew that an Instagram subscription program might aid…