🐾 Size does matter — if you are a naked mole-rat

By Ashley Bardhan

April 11 2022

Don’t be so sensitive — sometimes size matters. A large, comfy sofa is better than a small, comfy sofa, and a giant, glorious red rose is superior to a small, glorious red rose. Or, if you’re a naked mole-rat, you may be a little extra grateful for your enormous spleen.

New research indicates that the wrinkly creatures seem to correlate social stock with these large organs, which assist with fighting infection. Read more about naked mole-rats’ preferences in today’s Inverse Daily, then turn your attention to stories about “baby dragons” and electric vehicles. Oh, and a quick favor before you go: Vote for Inverse Daily in this year’s Webby Awards by clicking this link!

What's New

RUFUS?

Science

For naked mole-rats, social status correlates with this organ’s size

You know what they say about big spleens… Research published this week in Open Biology indicates that naked mole-rats, scientific name Heterocephalus glaber, care about size when it comes to the soft internal organ.

“All vertebrate animals have a spleen, an organ that is part of the lymphatic system whose job is to fight infections and keep the body’s fluids in check,” writes Elana Spivack. “The human spleen is fist-sized, and resides above the stomach and under the left-side ribs.”

Spleens might mushroom when you’re fighting an infection, but, uniquely, some naked mole-rats have swole spleens, which seem to correlate to high social ranking.

This could be because grand spleens are better at fighting infection, so big-spleen mole-rats are generally “stronger and more able to recover from infections received in battle,” writes Spivack. “If the large-spleened beings are destined for glory, it may be because they have a stronger immune response.”

Continue reading

Lights Out

Science

3D scans reveal how cave-dwelling “baby dragons” hunt in the dark

“In the pitch-black karst caves of Europe, completely blind salamanders called olms thrive,” writes Inverse card story editor Jennifer Walter. “Formally known as Proteus anguinus, the elusive creatures once intrigued the likes of Charles Darwin and other early naturalists.”

These naturalists once whispered that the spindly cave-dwellers were related to dragons, and although science has since put those rumors to rest, olms are still a mysterious type of guy. Scientists are particularly interested in why the blind salamanders live in caves, so they scanned their little bodies and made 3D models of their sensory organs. Hey, we’ve all done it (and you can enjoy the models for yourself online).

“The researchers found that olm eyes begin to develop as larvae,” writes Walter, “but once olms hatch, their eyes start to regress, and they never form the ability to see.” Their bodies make up for it with a keen sense of smell and buff jaw muscles, both of which are possible clues for understanding the secret life of olms.

Continue reading

Feature

Horizons

Innovation

Why Polestar’s controversial “moonshot” electric car plan just might work

In his latest feature for HORIZONS, Inverse’s new innovation newsletter, editor Mike Brown interviews Polestar COO Dennis Nobelius about his improbable plan.

“In April 2021, Polestar made a bold claim,” writes Brown. “The electric vehicle startup was going to create a climate-neutral car. Now, Polestar COO Dennis Nobelius tells Inverse [...] they had no idea how to actually do it.”

Nobelius doesn’t think anyone else in the EV industry knows how to do it, either, but even without a road map, Polestar is adamant about its goal to create a climate-neutral car by 2030. Other companies like Mercedes Benz and General Motors have also made flashy claims about climate-neutral cars, but they tend to be less ambitious in their timelines, scattering goalposts throughout the next 20 years.

Polestar is hoping to crystalize its dreams in just eight, but the company can’t do it alone. So far, Polestar has secured a series of project-related partnerships, like a planned collaboration with the steel company SSAB to create fossil-free steel.

“By working with other suppliers and manufacturers, Polestar could produce more than one climate-neutral car by 2030: By giving other car makers the blueprint to do it themselves,” writes Brown.

Continue reading

Reel Science

Netflix

The smartest sci-fi movie on Netflix reveals a dark truth about future technology

For Inverse reporter Tara Yarlagadda’s most recent installment for Reel Science, a series where she investigates the real science behind your favorite movies, we take another look at Her. “Released in 2013, the sci-fi drama Her was ahead of its time in anticipating the lightning-fast advances in AI that are now starting to shape our everyday lives,” writes Yarlagadda. “But was its depiction of artificial intelligence scientifically accurate?”

Experts say it isn’t… yet. In the movie, human being Theodore falls in love with his highly intelligent virtual assistant, Samantha. In real life, researchers would not be able to create a learning model as quick and versatile as Samantha — we don’t have the computer processing power.

And while “AI certainly could learn basic things about the world, they wouldn’t be able to use that information to rapidly change rapidly the way Samantha does in the movie, transforming from a naive virtual assistant to a complex artificially intelligent being that surpasses humans,” writes Yarlagadda. “But as quantum computing — a method of processing large amounts of data very quickly — takes off, we could get closer to a future where AI is interacting with humans in complex ways and even forming relationships.”

Continue reading

Meanwhile ...

New data on an elusive particle could upend physics as we know it

GMC's Hummer EV Pickup will make you forget all about the Tesla Cybertruck

Natasha Lyonne enters the multiverse in new 'Russian Doll' Season 2 trailer

Tim Burton's most influential sci-fi movie is finally streaming on HBO Max

On this day in history: The Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970, putting in motion the “first American emergency during mission,” NASA writes on its website. Though Apollo 13’s launch went well, an oxygen tank in the ship’s service module failed after two days in space, and the crew had to abandon its intended lunar landing for a safe, early re-entry to Earth.

Song of the day: “Come Back to Earth,” by Mac Miller.

About this 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.

Lifetime Stats

7879

lifetime opens

You rank in the 100th percentile of Inverse Daily subscribers with 7879 lifetime opens.

share Inverse Daily

Do you know someone who would enjoy reading Inverse Daily? Take a few minutes to share it with them.

Or copy & paste your personal referral link:
https://www.inverse.com/newsletter?referral_code=024cfe3d-65ed-4a7d-923d-6538f2414d1d&list=inverseDaily

You're receiving this email because you signed up to receive communications from BDG Media. If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.

315 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2022 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Key phrases

giant glorious red rose small glorious red rose editor Mike Brown interviews Inverse card story editor Polestar COO Dennis Nobelius small comfy sofa electric vehicle startup stronger immune response buff jaw muscles large comfy sofa high social ranking pitchblack karst caves other early naturalists new innovation newsletter soft internal organ naked molerats preferences

Older messages

🧠 Let’s talk about exercise and therapy

Sunday, April 10, 2022

This week we're talking about new research supporting a step you might want to take before therapy. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🚀 Elon Musk may have jeopardized SpaceX’s Starship mission to Mars

Friday, April 8, 2022

Plus: Astronomers may have discovered the most distant galaxy ever. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🍿 Review: 'Tokyo Vice'

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Ken Watanabe shines in 'Tokyo Vice,' a gorgeous but uneven new yakuza-centric crime drama. The first three episodes of the series premiere Thursday, April 7, on HBO Max. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🦠 Another bird flu outbreak is underway — should you be worried?

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Plus: A team of international researchers has finally managed to sequence a complete human genome. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🌩 One deadly weather combination could plague Americans by the year 2100

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Plus: All the launch information for Axiom Space's SpaceX-sponsored ISS mission, and more. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

You Might Also Like

The dirty side of retail

Thursday, April 25, 2024

+ when SCOTUS moved quickly on presidential case ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

☢️ Building the World of ‘Fallout’

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Plus: Astronomers just caught a dead star in a distant galaxy throwing a massive temper tantrum. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

TikTok, Transplant Breakthrough, and 'Baby Reindeer'

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Facts, without motives. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

“Kill All Arabs”: The Feds Are Investigating UMass Amherst for Anti-Palestinian Bias

Thursday, April 25, 2024

The Department of Education is probing claims that the school discriminated against Palestinian and Arab students amid Israel's war on Gaza. Most Read Chuck Schumer Privately Warns Pakistan: Don

I'll be honest: I'm asking for your money.

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Dear reader, Most news outlets try to conceal what these emails are really about with clickbait or misleading subject lines. But I'm going to get straight to the point: I'm going to ask you to

SIROTA’S SIGNALS: Trump Could Get New Powers — With Dems’ Help

Thursday, April 25, 2024

If bipartisan legislation passes and Trump wins, he'll have new power to punish nonprofits he deems to be “terrorist supporting.” SIROTA'S SIGNALS: Trump Could Get New Powers — With Dems'

How the Supreme Court weaponizes its own calendar

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Plus: Great news about air travel, bad news about bird flu, and more. April 25, 2024 View in browser Good morning! Today, the Supreme Court will hear former President Donald Trump's suit over

Desperately Trying To Fathom The Coffeepocalypse Argument

Thursday, April 25, 2024

... ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

The largest for-profit hospital chain is putting pregnant women at risk. Shareholders are fighting back.

Thursday, April 25, 2024

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, 14 states have imposed near-total abortion bans. (Arizona may soon join them.) While all of these states include exemptions to save the life

Numlock News: April 25, 2024 • Octocorals, Pinyin, Wizards

Thursday, April 25, 2024

By Walt Hickey Digital Books Libraries pay extra when it comes to e-books that they lend out, and it can pinch them financially. For instance, Britney Spears' memoir The Woman In Me cost a library