Time: How Music Could Become a Crucial Part of Your Sleep Hygiene

Time: How Music Could Become a Crucial Part of Your Sleep Hygiene

By Andrew R. Chow

In the light of COVID-19, many people have been having sleep problems. Social media is full of stories of people having terrifyingly vivid dreams and insomnia. They are using all kinds of techniques to fight this: sleep couches, curfews, and an unlikely one, music. What used to be the vague and little-known field of sleep music has suddenly doubled its views and profits.

    The field first began with experimental artists looking to change music. They would go to concerts where they would play relaxing music and people would sleep, sometimes for hours. For other musicians, it was to help themselves and their busy schedule. One remembers having trouble sleeping at odd hours and composing sleep music for himself.

    In fact, science has found that music does help people go to sleep. It relaxes the part of the nervous system called the parasympathetic system, which prepares people for sleep. After listening to sleep music, people fell asleep faster and for longer periods of time. Respiration rates and blood pressures also fell.

    Now, with apps and streaming services, the once pitiful royalties from posting music online have skyrocketed, with Spotify putting together sleep playlists and apps like Calm seeing doubled downloads.

Catching Fire

Catching Fire

By Suzanne Collins

Book 2 in series

Book 1! The Hunger Games

Book 3! Mockingjay (coming soon)

Book 4! The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (coming soon)

    Katniss has returned to District 12 after winning the 74th Hunger Games. Supposedly, her life should be carefree now. But it's in more danger than ever. President Snow sees her refusal to kill Peeta and create two victors as an act of rebellion, and he promises to kill everyone she loves if she doesn't pretend it was out of pure love. You see, despite her show of "madly in love", the worst treated Districts are on the verge of revolt. He gives her the Victory Tour to make it right. On top of that, the supposed love with Peeta has driven a wedge between her and Gale.

    Still, she is happy to see her prep team and designer, Cinna, who will go with her on the Victory Tour. She will go to each of the 12 Districts to make a little speech. Unfortunately for her, she and Peeta are too good on the Districts, and although she doesn't know it, she sparks a revolt. It's quickly put down, but Snow isn't happy. 

The New Yorker: How vulnerable is G.P.S.?

The New Yorker: How vulnerable is G.P.S.?
By Greg Milner

    G.P.S powers many things, from drones to missiles to everyday navigation. It is operated by satellites orbiting at 20 thousand kilometers and a secure Air Force base in Colorado. Each satellite emits a faint radio signal, and the receiver uses signals from multiple satellites to determine its location in three dimensions. As the uses of this tech have expanded, so have the people trying to exploit it.

    Jammers create radio disturbance, preventing receivers from getting the right signal and stranding them. A more dangerous form has emerged more recently, and it is called spoofing. It can transmit a fake radio signal that overrides the real one, changing the destination of a drone or missile, or making it look like you are somewhere you aren't.

TedEd: The big-beaked, rock-munching fish that protect coral reefs

A TedEd by Mike Gil

There are many different types of fish in a coral reef. One of them, the parrotfish, eats rocks. It is named for its vibrant colors and beak-like teeth. Their behavior may be odd, but it helps protect the reef ecosystem. Corals start as tiny larvae, which latch onto rocks and hard seafloor, and metamorphosis into polyps. They build skeletal structures made of calcium carbonate and eventually become a full reef. Despite occupying just 1% of the seafloor, they house 25% percent of sea life, creating lots of biodiversity. It provides food and shelter for all of its occupants. Many of the animals eat seaweed, which is also vital to the environment. However, excessive numbers of these are bad because they need the same hard surfaces as coral to grow on, and even synthesize destructive substances to create more space. Parrotfish can help avoid this by using their hard teeth to scrape away all traces of seaweed from the seafloor, making space for the coral. Their complex social cues also assist many other fish in the reef. When a school of parrotfish enters the reef to eat, it signals safety, whereas alarm means danger is coming. Human activity has hurt this complex system. Overfishing of seaweed eaters has led to seaweed destroying many reefs, and their reduced numbers make parrotfish social networks less effective. Fortunately, research could help revive these important fish and ecosystems.