How to revive a language Can language save an indigenous tribe from disappearing? And what happens when there are only five speakers of that language left? This story by Lorraine Boissoneault for Believer Magazine takes us through a beautiful journey of the strenous work of rebuilding a language that has been persecuted for decades. Boissoneault takes us to the Menominee reservation in western Wisconsin and introduces us to some of the hard-working people trying to revive their language with software, teaching and passion. If all goes according to plan, a class of children who are now in immersive Menominee daycare will become the first in 90 years to grow up bilingual in Menominee and English. (Irene, First 1,000 days correspondent). Believer Magazine: ‘Save the words’ (reading time: 27 minutes)
Transforming a problematic but essential industry Nicola Twilley’s piece doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its headline, in that the said farmer – Peter Dearman, born in 1951 on an egg farm north of London – hasn’t really cracked the future of refrigeration. However, Twilley still paints a hopeful picture of the one industry that has most revolutionised our lifestyles and arguably caused the greatest damage to the environment. Apart from Dearman’s tinkering with a radical new cooling technology that doesn’t have the harmful effects of the coolants currently in vogue, Twilley presents delightful inventions, such as an edible coating produced from avocado pits that can help fresh fruits stay fresh longer, or high-pressure processing that can keep milk safe from microbes. An appetising read. (Tanmoy, Sanity correspondent) WIRED: ‘A one-time poultry farmer invents the future of refrigeration’ (reading time: 18 minutes)
Don’t read this. Get out and walk (if you can) Who’d have thought we’d reach a point in our evolution where we’d have to relearn what the average one-year-old can do? Judging by the abundance of books and articles enticing us to get out there and … erm … walk (spoiler alert: this is one of them), we really must be in dire need of a reeducation. To be clear, they’re not about moving your feet exactly. Rather, they come as poetic odes to high-minded things, such as the art of walking, or freedom from intention, or – very mindfully – sticking it to the attention merchants (yes, that’d be that screen you’re looking at). The irony of purposefully walking without a purpose isn’t lost on me. But why get bogged down and sneer at the nonsense of a civilisation that’s become too advanced for its own good? So off I walk, and so should you. (Carmen, member support manager) Aeon: ‘For the full life experience, put down all devices and walk’ (reading time: seven minutes)
Why are there so many ‘ghost flights’ still operating? A fascinating insight into the economics of aviation. Since air travel decreased dramatically when the world went into shutdown after Covid-19 struck, you would expect flights to be grounded. But you can still get on several flights both internationally and domestically (where airports are open), often as the sole passenger on a flight with full crew, and then often as the only traveller in the airport. That is because there are complicated mechanics behind grounding planes that are not obvious to us. But these circumstances are so exceptional that airline operators often do not have the required infrastructure ready to ground their planes and their staff. One reason, among many, is the scarcity of a chemical that needs to be placed in planes’ fuel tanks to stop algae from growing in them while they are parked. (Nesrine, Better Politics correspondent) New York Magazine: ‘Why are airlines flying empty planes amid coronavirus?’ (reading time: five minutes)
A portrait of one of the most influential designers alive Filmmaker Gary Hustwit has been streaming his collection of design documentaries for free over the last few weeks. Until 14 April, he’ll be sharing his portrait of one of the most influential designers alive, the legendary Dieter Rams, touching on subjects such as consumerism, sustainability and the future of design. (Afonso, editorial designer) Oh You Pretty Things: ‘Rams’ (watching time: one hour and 13 minutes)