#26: The Known And The Unknown

☀️ What are we really looking for?

Every day, we're faced with a universe of questions. Some are as close as our own thoughts, like why we dream the way we do, or what makes us resist temptation. Others are as far away as the Martian soil or a distant star.

We often think of curiosity as a quest for answers, a journey from ignorance to certainty. But what if the real joy isn't in finding the destination, but in embracing the act of searching itself? The most captivating stories, whether in our own lives or in the cosmos, are rarely about what’s found. They're about what's still out there.

This edition is an invitation to explore that space. It’s a gentle reminder that our own inner worlds are as vast and mysterious as the universe beyond our planet. Let's wander between the known and the unknown, and find wonder in both.

📖 3 Articles to Spark Your Curiosity

1. How to Resist Everyday Temptations and Take Back Control 

   Temptation is everywhere, from endless social media scrolling to an impulse buy. This guide from Psyche offers a look into the science of self-control, arguing that it's less about sheer willpower and more about building a strategic system of habits and "urges roadblocks" to help you navigate your inner world.

   → Read on Psyche

2. How Did Climate Conspiracy Theories Go Mainstream?

   It's becoming increasingly difficult to separate truth from fiction. This article from Atmos explores how climate change conspiracy theories have taken hold, revealing how a deep-seated desire to make sense of a complex, chaotic world can lead to a belief in simplistic narratives, no matter how unfounded.

   → Read on Atmos

3. On the Space Between Waking and Dreaming in Kafka's Diaries

   Franz Kafka, the master of the surreal, was a prolific diarist, especially about his nights. This essay uses his journals to explore the liminal space between waking and dreaming, a creative and often unsettling state where our inner world unfolds.

   → Read on Aeon

🗞️ 3 Headlines Worth Exploring

1. A Meteorite Landed on a House in Georgia (US). Here's What Scientists Found.

   From deep space to a suburban living room, a rare meteorite offers scientists an up-close look at the origins of our solar system. This headline is a humbling reminder that the cosmos isn't as far away as we think and that the unknown can land right on our doorstep (literally).

   → Watch on CBS News

2. Could Cutting Back on Caffeine Really Give You More Vivid Dreams?

   We know caffeine affects our waking hours, but what about our sleeping ones? This article dives into the science of how what we consume can shape our dreams, the most mysterious part of our inner lives.
   → Read on The Conversation

3. Has Perseverance Found a Biosignature on Mars?

   NASA's Perseverance rover has found something unusual on the Martian surface, reigniting the ultimate question: Are we alone?
   →Read on Ars Technica

☀️ 3 Actions to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

1. Find a "Cosmic Companion"

   Go outside at night, away from city lights if possible. Pick one star, planet, or constellation and make it your "cosmic companion" for the week. Take a moment each night to find it (no app or telescope needed). It's a simple, humbling act that connects your inner world to the vast, unknown universe.

2. Spend 20 Minutes Unplugged

   Choose a task you would normally do with a podcast or music playing, like a walk, a commute, or even doing the dishes. For 20 minutes, do it in total silence. Without the distraction, your mind may wander to unexpected places, revealing new thoughts, feelings, or ideas that were hidden beneath the noise.

3. Ask a "Why Not?" Question

   We often limit ourselves with "what if" questions that focus on potential problems. This week, try asking, "Why not?" Challenge one of your own deeply held beliefs, a long-standing habit, or even a simple fear. It's a powerful way to explore the unknown potential in your own life.

⚡ 6 Quick Resources

💡 To watch: NASA Scientist Answers Alien Questions
Senior Scientist for Astrobiology Strategy at NASA, Dr. David Grinspoon, joins WIRED to answer the internet's most burning questions about the possibility of life beyond Earth.
→ Watch on YouTube

📚 To try: A Library with Short Personality Tests from the University of Cambridge
Explore your inner world with a series of quick personality tests from the University of Cambridge, offering insights into your unique traits and behaviors.
→ Try the tests

🗺️ To listen to: Two Astrophysicists Debate Free Will
Explore one of life’s most profound unknowns as two astrophysicists explore the relationship between cause and effect, the illusion of free will, and how it impacts our lives.
→ Listen on YouTube

💭 To explore: The Dreamlike Paintings of Sergiu Ciochina
Dive into a collection of oil paintings from Sergiu Ciochina that seem to exist in the space between waking and dreaming, a vibrant and fluid expression of the unknown.
→ Explore on This is Colossal

🧠 To wonder: What if the moon turned into a black hole?
This video takes you on a journey through a hypothetical scenario: what would happen if the Moon were replaced with an equivalently-massed black hole?
→ Wonder on YouTube

🔒 To admire: James Webb Telescope Finds a Warped Butterfly Star
Gaze upon a new, breathtaking image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope—a beautiful reminder of the intricate, and still largely unknown, wonders of the universe.
→ See on Live Science

🎲 This week’s wonderfully random corner of the internet 

🚀 Apollo in Real Time

This website allows you to experience the Apollo 11 mission as it happened, minute by minute. By syncing mission control audio and on-board footage, it transforms a known moment in history into an immersive journey back into the great unknown.

→ Explore Apollo in Real Time

📝 Word of the Week

Pana Po'o (Hawaiian) - The act of scratching your head in order to remember something.

It's a simple, universal gesture for navigating the space between what you know and what you're trying to recall.

🧘‍♀️ Question of the Week for Introspection

Think about the places in your life where you feel most certain. Now, consider a core belief, a long-standing habit, or even a future plan. What would it feel like to release that certainty and embrace the unknown for a moment?

See you next Sunday! Until then, keep your eyes open, your questions big, and your sense of wonder alive.

Your curious internet friend,

Ruxandra