Link About It: This Week’s Picks
The Concord 2.0, classic Italian cars, salads in space and more in this week’s look around the web
1. NYC to London in One Hour
While many thought the days of the Concord long gone, aircraft manufacturer Airbus has just won a patent for a hypersonic plane, which is being dubbed the Concord 2.0. The curious-looking aircraft (which would be able to travel at four-and-a-half times the speed of sound) is set to be a passenger plane—meaning a flight from NYC to London could take just one hour. Apparently the jet will feature hammock-like seats for travelers and cart just 20 people at a time. It will also be angled in such a way that its sonic boom won’t disturb those on the ground. The reality of the Concord 2.0 remains to be seen and, if it does indeed happen, it could be 30+ years in the future.
2. Patti Smith’s “Just Kids” Coming to TV
The legendary Patti Smith is joining forces with Showtime to make a TV series out of her beautiful, cinematic memoir “Just Kids,” which focuses on Smith’s relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The news has been met with excitement and terror—if done well, the show could be both insightful and magical, but Smith’s writing in the book is so evocative and emotional that some believe a film or TV series isn’t necessary. Smith apparently began writing the screenplay with John Logan back in 2011 and the two will be billed as co-writers and co-producers.
3. NASA’s Space Salads
NASA astronauts on the International Space Station are taking the idea of farm-to-table to new heights—literally. The team has just harvested their “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce that’s been growing in space as part of the plant experiment called Veg-01. While the astronauts will consume half of the produce, the other half will be frozen and sent back to Earth for analysis. More than just a space salad, this experiment is essential as humans travel further and further into space.
4. Ancient Egyptian Women Had Eight-Foot Long Prenups
A stunning 2,480-year-old, eight-foot long scroll on display at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago is a legal, marital document—a prenup, in fact. However, unlike the comparable prenups of today, “they were purely economic, promising not eternal faithfulness or mutual responsibility but cold, hard cash.” Unbeknownst to many, Ancient Egyptian women actually had the same legal rights as men, says Dr Emily Teeter, an Egyptologist at the Institute. They could sue (and be sued), serve on juries, file for divorce and more. Read the full, fascinating story on Atlas Obscura.
5. Spicy Food Leads to Longer Lives
The next time you’re debating between hot or mild salsa for your burrito, go for the spicy; it’ll actually lower your risk of death. At least that’s what researchers are stating in the medical journal BMJ after studying the subject for seven years. The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences surveyed nearly 500,000 men and women between the ages of 30 and 79 and found a strong correlation between spicy eaters and long lives. People who ate fiery foods once or twice a week had a 10% reduced risk of death, while it was a remarkable 14% for people who ate spicy foods almost every day.
6. Say Thank You to Your Workmates
It might seem like common knowledge that manners matter, but recent studies have proved that saying thank you to colleagues isn’t just the kind thing to do—it also positively effects their motivation. A survey cited in Janice Kaplan’s new book “The Gratitude Diaries” states that 81% of people are willing to work harder for an appreciative boss, and yet only 10% of survey participants said they regularly thank their workmates. A great reason to show some gratitude today, please—and thank you.
7. The Five Design Houses Behind Iconic Italian Cars
Italian automotive design owes its prestigious legacy to five main design houses: Pininfarina, Zagato, Bertone, Italdesign Giugiaro and Carrozzeria Ghia. It’s because of these five firms that Italian cars have become synonymous with speed, luxury and quality—and, while the hood ornaments may not show it, many Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, and Fiats owe their existence to them. For those not familiar with the history behind these design juggernauts, Gear Patrol rounds up their most iconic designs and how they’ve inspired other cars in the industry.
8. Footage From Club Kid Michael Alig’s 1989 Party at McDonalds in NYC
Gothamist discovered footage—filmed by Nelson Sullivan—from club kid Michael Alig’s illegal bash held at a Times Square McDonalds in 1989. The hour-long video takes viewers into the party—wandering up and down stairs—as kids sing Elton John, dance, chat and rebel their youthful hearts out. It’s a journey through a party (hosted by a man who would become notorious) which is at times dull, at times wild and entirely fascinating.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily on social media and published weekly every Saturday morning.
