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11 Things We Learned This Week

What did you learn this week? This week, we learned …

… the world has twice as many birds as we thought it did.

Twice as many bird species to fit in the Photo Ark! Where would you start?

 

… what it will take to run a marathon in under two hours.

Nike’s Breaking2 quest to break the two-hour marathon barrier involves three top athletes: Lelisa Desisa (2:04:45), Eliud Kipchoge (2:03:05), and Zersenay Tadese (half-marathon 58:23). Photograph courtesy Nike
Nike’s Breaking2 quest to break the two-hour marathon barrier involves three top athletes: Lelisa Desisa (2:04:45), Eliud Kipchoge (2:03:05), and Zersenay Tadese (half-marathon 58:23).
Photograph courtesy Nike

What does it take to run more than a marathon?

 

… business tips from Syrian refugees.

Where are Syrian refugee camps?

 

… you can taste garlic with your feet. Great science experiment or greatest science experiment?

Get your experiment started by planting garlic in your garden!

 

… how the U.S. Naval War College prepares students to learn faster and retain information longer.

A bugler calls the morning alarm at the U.S. Naval Training Camp in Seattle, Washington, in 1917. We assume the Naval War College uses different means of motivating students for early-morning classes these days. Although, honestly, this would work. Photograph by the U.S. War Department, courtesy U.S. National Archives
A bugler calls the morning alarm at the U.S. Naval Training Camp in Seattle, Washington, in 1917. We assume the Naval War College uses different means of motivating students for early-morning classes these days. Although, honestly, this would work.
Photograph by the U.S. War Department, courtesy U.S. National Archives

Use our service-learning toolkit to bring a hands-on approach to your class.

 

… why so many French cafés have closed.

Cafés aren’t as crowded today as they were in 1936, when this photo was taken in Paris. Photograph by W. Robert Moore, National Geographic
Cafés aren’t as crowded today as they were in 1936, when this photo was taken in Paris.
Photograph by W. Robert Moore, National Geographic

How are schools preparing culinary students for the real-world challenges in the restaurant industry?

 

… organic farming doesn’t mean fair labor.

Of the roughly 2.5 million farmworkers in America, only around 25,000 are unionized. And only a small percent of those 25,000 work on organic farms. Photograph by James L. Amos, National Geographic
Of the roughly 2.5 million farmworkers in America, only around 25,000 are unionized. And only a small percent of those 25,000 work on organic farms.
Photograph by James L. Amos, National Geographic

How are the environmental and health concerns of agricultural labor factored in to a “top crop”?

 

… seasteaders are staking claims in the ocean.

Seasteaders’ artificial islands do not look close to this idealized image. Yet. Illustration by Andras Gyorfi, courtesy Wikimedia. CC-BY-3.0
Seasteaders’ artificial islands do not look close to this idealized image. Yet.
Illustration by Andras Gyorfi, courtesy Wikimedia. CC-BY-3.0

What’s the history of artificial islands and the sovereigns who rule them?

 

… American soldiers might be more like Roman legions than warriors.

The legions were combined arms forces, made up of recruits from all around the empire, and the end goal for the legionnaires was to retire with a plot of land and full citizenship in the Roman Empire. Photograph courtesy the National Geographic Channel
The legions were combined arms forces, made up of recruits from all around the empire, and the end goal for the legionnaires was to retire with a plot of land and full citizenship in the Roman Empire.
Photograph courtesy the National Geographic Channel

Meet a real Roman legionnaire!

 

… monkeys may be able to talk, but we’re glad they don’t.

Yes, these Ethiopian geladas are laughing at you. Or threatening you. Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic
Yes, these Ethiopian geladas are laughing at you. Or threatening you.
Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic

Learn a little about monkeys with our great graphic!

 

… Lego is the perfect toy, though no one can really say why.

Leg godt—play well!

3 thoughts on “11 Things We Learned This Week”

  3. How can people run marathon.. I can’t even run 1 km without stopping unless chased by a street dog… Hehe.. I think my slippers will help me more than my high heel sandles.. Jokes apart it’s really very difficult to run a Marathon and if it’s possible to get 1:59:59 marathon by changing shoes material than it would be a game changing technology…
    All the very best for all athletes of marathon and maybe one would achieve sub 2 marathon…

    Reply

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