All posts by Intellicurious

News, Views and Reviews for the Intellectually Curious

Travel: The ‘Fortresses Of Rajasthan, India’ (Video)

Six amazing hill forts in Rajasthan, India. Amber Fort, Jaipur (0:00​), Chittor Fort, Ghittorgarh (1:54​), Jaisalmer Fort (3:29​), Kumbhalgarh Fort (4:59​), Junagarh Fort, Bikaner (6:30​), Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur (8:22​). Some of these forts have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rajasthan is a state in northern India. The state covers an area of 342,239 square kilometres or 10.4 percent of the total geographical area of India. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. 

Wildlife: Saving The ‘Skywalker Gibbon’ Of Southwest China (Video)

Deep in a cloud forest far, far away are the planet’s last remaining Skywalker gibbons. These small members of the apes family were only identified in 2017 (by, you guessed it, a Star Wars fan), but already they’re endangered.

Now, researchers in south-west China have developed an ingenious technique for getting gibbons from different territories to meet and form a partnership – these Skywalkers mate for life. Join us to see how technology can be used as a Force for good to help protect this vanishing species.

Scientists announced the discovery of a new species of primate, the skywalker hoolock gibbon (Hoolock tianxing), in the American Journal of Primatology on Tuesday. The scientists named it skywalker because the Chinese characters for its scientific name translate to “heaven’s movement”—but also because they’re fans of Star Wars, according to the BBC.

Morning News Podcast: A New Covid Vaccine, Trump And The Republican Party

Another vaccine has shown its effectiveness against the coronavirus. There’s one caveat though, it’s not as effective against the South African variant, which has now made its way to the U.S. 

Also, how unified is the GOP around Donald Trump these days? After the insurrection at the Capitol, some Republican Congress members tried to distance themselves from the former president. But others never left his side. And President Biden says he’ll take on environmental justice issues. But other presidents have made similar promises.

Walking Tour: ‘Cologne – Germany’ (4K UHD Video)

Cologne, a 2,000-year-old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, is the region’s cultural hub. A landmark of High Gothic architecture set amid reconstructed old town, the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral is also known for its gilded medieval reliquary and sweeping river views. The adjacent Museum Ludwig showcases 20th-century art, including many masterpieces by Picasso, and the Romano-Germanic Museum houses Roman antiquities. 

Video Timeline Links: 00:00​ – Cologne (Köln), Germany Walking Tour Intro 00:48​ – Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm II 01:33​ – Hohenzollern Bridge 04:58​ – Ludwig Museum 08:46​ – Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) 21:34​ – Cologne Central Train Station 31:51​ – Fish Market Square (Fischmarkt) 34:36​ – Great St. Martin Church 37:55​ – Old Market Square (Alter Markt) 38:51​ – Historic Town Hall 41:31​ – Haymarket Square (Heumarkt) 43:31​ – Statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III 49:02​ – Schildergasse Shopping Street 55:12​ – New Square (Neumarkt) 58:22​ – Basilica of the Holy Apostles 1:04:40​ – Hahnen Gate (Hahnentor) 1:12:39​ – Willy-Millowitsch Statue 1:21:32​ – Minorite Monastery

Walks: ‘Odesa’ – Port City In Southern Ukraine (4K)

Odessa is a port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. It’s known for its beaches and 19th-century architecture, including the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater. The monumental Potemkin Stairs, immortalized in “The Battleship Potemkin,” lead down to the waterfront with its Vorontsov Lighthouse. Running parallel to the water, the grand Primorsky Boulevard is a popular promenade lined with mansions and monuments. 

Analysis: ‘The Best & Worst U.S. Airlines Of 2020’ (Video)

WSJ’s Middle Seat columnist Scott McCartney tallies the data for which airlines performed best and worst in 2020 for things like on-time arrivals, complaints and flight cancellations. Photo: Getty Images

Science Podcast: Social Costs Of Carbon & The Chirps Of Mole-Rats

On its first day, the new Biden administration announced plans to recalculate the social cost of carbon—a way of estimating the economic toll of greenhouse gases. Staff Writer Paul Voosen and host Sarah Crespi discuss why this value is so important and how it will be determined.

Next up, Alison Barker, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, talks with Sarah about the sounds of naked mole-rats. You may already know naked mole-rats are pain and cancer resistant—but did you know these eusocial mammals make little chirps to identify themselves as colony members? Can these learned local dialects make naked mole-rats a new research model for language learning? 

Aerial Views: ‘Oslo’ In Southern Norway (Video)

Oslo, the capital of Norway, sits on the country’s southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord. It’s known for its green spaces and museums. Many of these are on the Bygdøy Peninsula, including the waterside Norwegian Maritime Museum and the Viking Ship Museum, with Viking ships from the 9th century. The Holmenkollbakken is a ski-jumping hill with panoramic views of the fjord. It also has a ski museum.