Learn about a new study that busts the myth of the self-centered only child; why feeding birds in the park may be more destructive than you think; and why the canonical perspective makes everyone draw a coffee cup the same way. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: A New Study Busts the Myth of the Self-Centered Only Child — https://curiosity.im/2NQMVt1 Why Everyone Draws a Coffee Cup the Same Way — https://curiosity.im/2Xj0RyZ Additional sources: Thoughts About Bread And Angel Wing Deformities | Corvid Isle — https://corvid-isle.co.uk/thoughts-bread-angel-wing-wild-birds Why Feeding White Bread to Wild Birds is Killing Them | One Green Planet — https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/feeding-white-bread-to-wild-birds-is-killing-them/ Download the FREE 5-star Curiosity app for Android and iOS at https://curiosity.im/podcast-app. And Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing — just click “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.
Learn about a new study that busts the myth of the self-centered only child; why feeding birds in the park may be more destructive than you think; and why the canonical perspective makes everyone draw a coffee cup the same way.
In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes:
Additional sources:
Download the FREE 5-star Curiosity app for Android and iOS at https://curiosity.im/podcast-app. And Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing — just click “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/feeding-birds-may-cause-a-deformity-busting-the-only-child-stereotype-and-why-everyone-draws-a-coffee-cup-the-same-way
CODY: Hi! We’re here from curiosity-dot-com to help you get smarter in just a few minutes. I’m Cody Gough.
ASHLEY: And I’m Ashley Hamer. Today, you’ll learn about a new study that busts the myth of the self-centered only child; why feeding birds in the park may be more destructive than you think; and why everyone draws a coffee cup the same way.
CODY: If you’ve got some paper and something to write with nearby, then you can play along with our last story. Just draw a coffee cup right now. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect. You’ve got about 6 or 7 minutes, so get started! And while you’re doing that, let’s satisfy some curiosity.
A New Study Busts the Myth of the Self-Centered Only Child — https://curiosity.im/2NQMVt1 (from 11/7 — Freelancer due 11/15) (Cody)
For some reason, personality stereotypes based on sibling order have an irresistible appeal. Sometimes you’ll hear older siblings say that the younger ones are spoiled, or you’ll hear from people any of a number of things about being the “middle child.” Perhaps one of the biggest stereotypes is about the only child, a stereotype that usually says they’re selfish, narcissistic, and spoiled. And yet! The results of a new study may finally bring an end to this unfair idea.
The new research was made up of two parts. First, the authors had people take a questionnaire online to confirm that the stereotype was, in fact, common. The questions were designed to measure two aspects of narcissism. Narcissistic admiration is basically the desire to be the center of attention and have everyone adore you; and narcissistic rivalry is the tendency to compete and put others down to get attention.
More than 550 participants answered the questions, and the results confirmed the idea that people believe the stereotype that only children are more narcissistic. And get this; a person was just as likely to believe in the stereotype even if that person was an only child.
Then the researchers looked at data from a large longitudinal study of German households, which included data on participants' levels of narcissism. They found no correlation between only child status and those two elements of narcissism I mentioned earlier.
Which leads to the obvious question: if this is stereotype isn't real, then why do some previous studies claim it is? Well, prior research used small, unrepresentative samples that didn't control for factors known to be associated with higher rates of narcissism — factors like socioeconomic status, younger ages, male gender, and residence in urban areas. The new study also focused on aspects of grandiose narcissism and excluded other types which could have skewed the results in previous studies.
Of course, all subjects were in Germany, so the results might be different in other cultures. But this is part of a growing body of research that debunks the notion that number of siblings or birth order determines our personality.
And this all matters because, like all stereotypes, assumptions about people based on their background could result in discrimination and unequal treatment. Good enough reason to debunk it.
Audio script (Mae Rice) — Feeding birds may cause “angel wing” deformity (Ashley)
Feeding birds in the park seems like an innocent pastime, right up there with tossing pennies in a fountain or petting other people’s dogs. But feeding the birds might be more destructive than you think. According to scientists, overfeeding birds in parks and other public spaces may be linked with a rise in a deformity called “angel wing.”
Also known as “slipped wing,” angel wing is a physical problem where a bird’s wings droop and twist outward. It’s most common among waterfowl, especially geese and swans, and it really does make them look a bit like angels. Unfortunately, it also makes them unable to fly, and unless it’s treated promptly with splints and physical therapy, it’s permanent. That can be deadly. Birds who can’t fly can’t escape predators and bad weather. They also can’t escape oncoming cars.
The factors that cause angel wing are a bit fuzzy. So far, though, experts agree that angel wing stems from abnormally fast growth when birds are young, usually between 7 and 28 days old. One cause of this type of growth is overfeeding, especially of protein and carbohydrate-rich food, like… breadcrumbs. Even a couple days of overfeeding can trigger angel wing.
Of course, other factors play a role in angel wing, too. Some research suggests the disease has a genetic component. Unhealthy incubation and hatching conditions could play a role, as could polluted habitats.
Still, it’s hard to control how a bird at the park was incubated, and it’s easy to control whether you feed it. So take this as your permission to stop feeding birds. Even when feeding doesn’t cause angel wing, it can cause overcrowding of bird habitats and make birds excessively dependent on human food.
If you must feed birds, though, you can. Just find a place where that’s explicitly permitted, and imagine they’re on the Atkins diet — avoid feeding them processed carbohydrates like white bread, popcorn, and crackers. Try feeding them halved seedless grapes, shredded kale, and whole grains — snacks they could, at least in theory, stumble upon in a human-free world. [AD-LIB ABOUT HOW THESE ARE TOTALLY SNACKS ASHLEY APPRECIATES AS WELL]
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Summary: An angel wing deformity is a disease that mainly but not exclusively affects young waterfowl, where one or both wings droop and turn outwards. The condition is permanent, if not corrected in the early stages, and makes the bird unable to fly. While there isn't a scientific consensus on its cause, diet is a possible culprit — a diet that's too high in protein or carbohydrates, like from human food, or a diet that makes the young birds grow too quickly, may be causing or at least contributing to the problem.
[PURPLE MATTRESS]
CODY: Today’s episode is sponsored by Purple Mattress. Here’s a question: how did you sleep last night? Did you spend the night tossing and turning? Did you have a hard time finding that “just right” sleeping position? Did you spend the night having nightmares about over-feeding birds?
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CODY: The Purple mattress keeps everything supported while still feeling really comfortable. Plus it’s breathable, so it sleeps cool. It’s not like the memory foam you’re probably used to. And when you order, you’ll get a hundred-night risk-free trial. If you’re not fully satisfied, you can return your mattress for a full refund.
ASHLEY: It’s also backed by a 10-year warranty, with free shipping and returns. So trust us: you’re going to love Purple. And right now Curiosity Daily listeners will get a FREE Purple pillow with the purchase of a mattress!
CODY: That’s on top of all the great free gifts they’re offering sitewide. Just text Curious to 84-888. The ONLY way to get this free pillow, is to text Curious to 84-888.
ASHLEY: That’s C-U-R-I-O-U-S to 8-4-8-8-8. Message and data rates may apply.
Why Everyone Draws a Coffee Cup the Same Way — https://curiosity.im/2Xj0RyZ (from Saturday 11/30) (Cody)
Okay, did you draw a coffee cup? Even if you didn’t, you can just imagine yourself drawing it. I bet your sketch shows a cup drawn from the side with a thin, flattened oval on top to suggest a round cavity. Does that sound about right? No, I’m not a mind reader. It’s just that, well... everyone draws a coffee cup the same way. And the reason why is SUPER cool: it’s thanks to a phenomenon known as the canonical perspective, which is our preferred way of viewing things. You’re probably using this angle in selfies without realizing it! And researchers have some theories on why we always choose this angle.
The canonical perspective was studied by researchers in 1981. They found that humans have a magic viewing angle that goes like this: it’s a view from slightly above and at an approximately 45-degree angle from the front of the object.
This goes for most things. So even though you’d probably see a dog mostly from directly above, you’d choose the canonical perspective to draw it.
Experts think that the reason for that preference is due to the idea of maximizing the amount of information: The canonical perspective is the one where you see the greatest number of surface features. In the case of the cup, you see the side, the inside, the lip, and the handle from this viewpoint. Basically, this angle gives us the most visual information about any given thing so we can identify it and better understand it.
This is important when you think of things like computer icons, for example. These pop up in the canonical perspective. Think about it: the trash can icon looks pretty similar to your coffee cup drawing, right? because they need to convey a lot of information quickly in a tiny amount of space.
Even if the angle is not how we experience most things we come in contact with, our brains sure like it.
ASHLEY: Let’s wrap up by talking about why we were so excited about today’s episode!
[ad lib optional]
CODY: Today’s stories were written by Linda Lombardi, Mae Rice, and Joanie Faletto, and edited by Ashley Hamer, who’s the managing editor for Curiosity.com.
ASHLEY: Scriptwriting was by Cody Gough and Sonja Hodgen. Curiosity Daily is produced and edited by Cody Gough.
CODY: Join us again tomorrow to learn something new in just a few minutes.
ASHLEY: And until then, stay curious!
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
10:30am CT — Greg Gbur, professor of physics and optical science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and author of the new book “Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics”
How does a cat land on its feet?
How do cats land on their feet? Discover how this question stumped brilliant minds and how its answer helped solve other seemingly impossible puzzles
The question of how falling cats land on their feet has long intrigued humans. In this playful and eye-opening history, physicist and cat parent Gregory Gbur explores how attempts to understand the cat-righting reflex have provided crucial insights into puzzles in mathematics, geophysics, neuroscience, and human space exploration.
The result is an engaging tumble through physics, physiology, photography, and robotics to uncover, through scientific debate, the secret of the acrobatic performance known as cat-turning, the cat flip, and the cat twist. Readers learn the solution but also discover that the finer details still inspire heated arguments. As with other cat behavior, the more we investigate, the more surprises we discover.
Gregory J. Gbur is professor of physics and optical science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He contributed to the book Science Blogging: The Essential Guide and writes two blogs about horror and the history of science.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKlnul5fexQ
11:00am CT — Hugo Fruehauf, Adjunct Professor, Pepperdine University’s Graduate School
Hugo Fruehauf gained his degree in electronic engineering technology from DeVry University, Illinois. From 1960-65 he was Field Operations Test Engineer at Martin-Marietta and Convair Astronautics covering Atlas-Agena launches and Titan-I ICBM testing at Vandenberg Air Force Base; and for test launches of the TM-76B Cruise Missile at Cape Canaveral. He joined Rockwell International in 1965 as electrical systems manager for the Saturn-V, 2nd stage launch vehicle at the Mississippi Test Facility (now the Stennis Space Center). He was Rockwell’s Chief Engineer and Systems Manager for the design and development of the GPS Satellite (1973–78). He was also Chief Engineer for the design and development of NASA's TDRS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite) and helped develop the first fully radiation hardened rubidium vapor atomic clock alongside Schwartz. Fruehauf joined the German company Ball-Efratom and served as President and CTO until 1995. Here he worked to invent the first miniature rubidium vapor atomic oscillator, which met GPS’ accuracy requirements and became the ‘clock of choice’ for GPS satellites. He was Group Vice President and CTO at Defense Group, Alliant Techsystems (1995–97) and, between 1998–2007, was VP/CTO at FEI and President/CEO/CTO at FEI-Zyfer, Zyfer and Odetics Telecom. He gained an MBA in global business and management from Pepperdine University–Graziadio School of Business and Management (2005-07) and set up the Hugo Fruehauf Company in 2008 and is currently a consultant. He is also an adjunct professor at the Pepperdine University Graduate School.
Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering