Jezero crater is a really interesting place on Mars - that's why we have landed so many spacecraft in the area. This week we talk about some exciting findings from the crater as well as a modern day twist on a modest proposal.

• Jezero Crater

In a twist on an old tale, this authors examine how applying ethical matricies to AI driven questions can still result in questionable outcomes - like grinding up the geezers.

• Keyes, Os, Jevan Hutson, and Meredith Durbin. "A mulching proposal: Analysing and improving an algorithmic system for turning the elderly into high-nutrient slurry." Extended abstracts of the 2019 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems. 2019.

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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How do you know if your cool new result is real or just some artifact? Is it data or noise, and are those not always so dissimilar? This week we tackle that along with how good your BS detector is.

• Is your BS just BS or fake profundity?
• Pennycook, Gordon, et al. "On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bullshit." Judgment and Decision making 10.6 (2015): 549-563.

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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Wildfires can change the landscape and have geologic implications. Also, what makes your sneakers squeak, and what does that have to do with earthquakes?

• A peek into the physics of squeaky sneakers

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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This week we recap the GEARS 2026 workshop, our return from summer break, how hot it has been, and chat about floods of the 1300's in Europe.

• GEARS Workshop

• Kiss, Andrea, et al. "Cascading continental-scale floods across Europe in 1342–1343." Nature (2026): 1-8.

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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There was a very large earthquake in the Philippines - John and Shannon break down what you need to know. We also explore the question - what's the deal with birds?

• Baldassarre, Daniel T. "What’s the Deal with Birds." Sci J Res Rev 2 (2020): 1-4.

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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This week John and Shannon discuss the book "Slow Productivity", our other summer reading lists, and if swearing makes your exercise sessions better.

• Jiannine, Lia, and Jose Antonio. "The effects of cursing on exercise performance." Journal of Exercise Physiology Online 26.5 (2023).

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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This week we talk about GPR or ground penetrating radar as Shannon considers buying one and asks what to look for.

• Do trees glow before lightning strikes?
• McFarland, P. J., et al. "Corona discharges glow on trees under thunderstorms." Geophysical Research Letters 53.4 (2026): e2025GL119591.

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

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This week we talk about how you should approach an outcrop in the field for the first time. What do you look for? What kind of notes do you take? This and more field camp tips plus a discussion about the rheology of pasta sauce.

• Busiello, Daniel Maria, Vincenzo Maria Schimmenti, and Ivan Di Terlizzi. "Physical properties of a perfect pasta sauce." Physics Today 2026 (2026).

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John Leeman

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Shannon Dulin

• @ShannonDulin