⁉️ The 20 most “WTF” science stories of 2021

By Nick Lucchesi

The editors of Inverse introduce some exciting year-end countdowns and a big interview. Plus, we have just the right mental health column for this hectic time of the year. I’m Nick Lucchesi, editor-in-chief for Inverse, and this is Inverse Daily. Avail yourself with a five-minute distraction that will make you a little brighter by accident. 

WTF Countdown: Wildfires almost destroyed our best chance of finding aliens

Again this year, Inverse reviews some of the strangest scientific discoveries we reported on in 2021 for the December countdown. For each story, we looked at its impact, unique qualities, the potential for good, and the intangible quality that makes any reader wonder, after reading it, “WTF?” 

Today’s story on the countdown is all about how wildfires nearly ruined one of our best chances to find aliens. —Nick Lucchesi, editor-in-chief

Read the full story →

Related:

• Catch up with the complete WTF-in-science countdown

Why you feel older than your age

While your feelings might seem a less reliable measure than the number of birthday candles on your cake, subjective age is an important predictor of later-life health outcomes. Studies suggest people who feel younger than their age tend to have healthier brains, a greater sense of well-being, and live longer. —Sarah Sloat, contributor writer, and Sunday Scaries columnist

Read the full story →

Related:

• Read previous Sunday Scaries columns

The Geoff Keighley interview

What if the Oscars and Comic-Con were the same event? That's the premise behind The Game Awards, which honor the year's achievements in interactive entertainment amid a litany of jaw-dropping announcements. Inverse spoke with founder and producer Geoff Keighley about what to expect from this year's show, which airs on December 9. —Jen Glennon, senior gaming editor

Read the full interview →

Also new in gaming:

• In one year, Cyberpunk 2077 went from Dumpster fire to lovable trash heap

Inverse Scene Stealers

Every year, Inverse tips its hat to the characters who make binge TV so much fun. It's not always the protagonists who steal the show, but rather the supporting or guest characters who make our favorite shows so worthwhile. This year, Inverse will publish 30 essays that sing the praises of the year’s best TV characters who made us laugh, cry, cheer, jeer, and everything in between. We’re counting down the 30 best streaming TV characters of 2021. —Eric Francisco, editor for Scene Stealers ‘21

Read the full story →

See number 30:

• The darkest character on Midnight Mass could be the future of Netflix horror

Meanwhile ...

• Climate change is bringing destructive new invaders to Antarctica
  
• Elon Musk’s Mars Roadster comments reveal a big SpaceX problem
  
• New 'Matrix 4' trailer confirms a mind-blowing theory about Smith's return
• 6 thrilling sci-fi shows and movies coming to Amazon Prime in December 2021
  
• 8 tips for beginners before starting the 'Halo Infinite' campaign

Inverse Loot

Shop our favorite deals. We only recommend products we love.

• The best home & kitchen deals on Amazon right now
  
• 80 cheap gift ideas for the holiday season

That’s all for this Tuesday edition of Inverse Daily. We will be back tomorrow with a special announcement in this space.

About the newsletter: Do you think it can be improved? Have a story idea? Want to share a story about the time you met an astronaut? Send those thoughts and more to newsletter@inverse.com. 

• Go outside tonight: “The waxing crescent Moon will appear near Venus on the evening of December 6, Saturn on December 7, and Jupiter on December 8. The three planets will appear next to each other in the western twilight sky.” Get more details in our story: “December 2021 celestial event calendar.”
• Song of the day: “First Date” by Blink-182

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