Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Studying the female orgasm, a blue iPhone, internet on Everest and more in our weekly look at the web
1. The Blue iPhone 7
While it appears to be confirmed that preorder sales for the iPhone 7 will commence on 9 September, YouTube channel Unbox Theory is claiming to have their hands on one already. And in their highly informative video, all of the new design features have been addressed via this potential prototype model—and while it is not 100% confirmed, the features do align with rumors from the last few months. Most visible, of course, is the brilliant blue colorway and the fact that, yes, the device definitely lacks a headphone jack. However, there are also “docking” magnets for charging and an array of subtle tweaks all around. You can watch the whole video over at High Snobiety.
2. Evolution of the Female Orgasm
In a recent study by The Journal of Experimental Zoology, authors Mihaela Pavlicev and Gunter Wagner look back 150 million years to better understand the development of the female orgasm. For men, an orgasm directly coincides with ejaculation—meaning it is more or less encouragement to pass along semen. For women, however, it’s more complex—as an orgasm is not a requirement for fertilization. The authors propose that this is due to the development of the ovulatory cycle—something that occurred in only a few mammals. Our ancient mammal ancestors would ovulate when triggered by sex (as some still do today), but with a shift toward living in social groups, ovulation became monthly, and the clitoris slowly shifted away from the uterus.
3. Portraits of Prize-Winning Rabbits and Their Owners
Photographer Katya Rezvaya (from St Petersburg) laughed when she first visited the American Rabbit Breeders Association convention in Portland, Oregon. But she says, “Then I started thinking I should go there and take some portraits.” Rezvaya wants to make a book full of her photographs called “Oh My Rabbits,” which makes perfect sense since the rabbits and owners are just as delightfully charming, kooky and sweet as each other.
4. Instagram Stories Versus Snapchat
So we’ve all got Instagram’s new Stories feature now. And in an honest and informative interview with Tech Crunch, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom makes clear that Snapchat did provide the impetus for this update. But while Instagram has a vast built-in audience, a beautiful and easy UI, and Stories offers an array of fun accessories (more filters and writing options, like neon gaslight drawing), Snapchat does still deliver the consistently popular lenses and honestly, makes a better case for private messaging. When Instagram began allowing video posts, it drastically altered usage of Vine. But right now, only time will tell if Instagram’s service will overpower that of Snapchat.
5. US Constitution Becomes Amazon Bestseller
Regardless of your political leanings, it may come as a surprise that a pocket edition of the US Constitution reached #2 (at the time of publish) on Amazon’s best seller list. The 52-page booklet is a special edition reprint from the National Center for Constitutional Studies and it’s a word for word presentation of the original text. All the punctuation and capitalization has been left intact. For anyone who has never given it a thorough read, this copy only costs $1. It’s not your typical summer but with an election not too far in the distance, it might be the best option.
6. Internet on Mount Everest
Only in the last ten years has Mount Everest received both cell service and substantial wifi. Prior to this, there were very few developments aside from the launch of satellite phones—still deemed more reliable than any other options. Everest’s summit does have direct line of sight with cell stations on the ground, meaning voice calls are possible if you land the weak signal. But an array of improvements have allowed for tweets and even snapchats elsewhere. And while one would think (and hope) that climbing Everest would lead to a social media reprieve, the addition of wifi and cell service has meant more accurate weather updates and even saved lives.
7. Exploring the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains
Photographer Kellen Mohr spent 12 months—on and off—wandering the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range, sometimes by way of quick car-accessible excursions and sometimes on multi-day hikes. Along the way, he captured his experiences on 35mm photography. In a brief photo essay, Mohr presents a highlight reel to The Field magazine, showcasing the wonders of the California destination. From a volcanic caldera to glistening lakes, the essence of the drastic landscape and the microclimates within have been captured. There’s a dreamlike quality to the visuals, all of which trigger severe wanderlust.
8. Adelaide to Brisbane in 90 Minutes
Right now, a two hour and 20 minute long flight connects Adelaide and Brisbane, Australia. If you want to drive, it’s a little over 21 hours by car. But architecture and design firm Weston Williamson thinks they can bring it all down to 90 minutes. In a recent proposal for a hyperloop connecting Adelaide to Brisbane, with stops in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, the company expands upon open source technology imagined by Elon Musk and SpaceX. This conceptual high-speed transportation system employs pressure reduced tubes and pressurized, passenger-carrying capsules. Test tracks are already underway and even the environment stands to benefit by such developments.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning.
