The sound of crickets on a warm summer night is instantly recognizable. But the tiny creatures making all that noise are far more fascinating than most people realize. Crickets have some remarkable abilities and behaviors that may change the way you think about them entirely. Source: Hugh Raffles author of Insectopedia (⁠https://amzn.to/4bOcK51⁠) (more…)

People love giving advice—but most of the time, it doesn’t actually change anyone’s behavior. In fact, there’s a much more effective way to influence people that works far better than telling them what they should do. ⁠https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4675534/⁠ (more…)

Most of us can point to someone who truly inspired us—a teacher, boss, coach, friend, or public figure who made us think differently, push harder, or believe more in ourselves. But what exactly makes someone inspiring? Why do certain people energize and motivate us while others, even highly successful people, don’t have the same effect? (more…)

Most recipes tell you to preheat the oven before cooking. But why? Wouldn’t it save time to just let the food cook while the oven heats up? There’s actually a very good reason recipes insist on preheating—and it has everything to do with chemistry, texture, and how food cooks. ⁠https://food52.com/story/16152-why-you-must-preheat-the-oven-even-if-you-re-in-a-rush⁠ (more…)

“Your call is very important to us.” Companies say things like this all the time in an effort to sound customer-focused and trustworthy. But do phrases like that actually reassure people—or do they quietly create the opposite reaction? Source: Michael Maslansky author of ⁠The Language of Trust (https://amzn.to/3Wz2IQP).⁠ (more…)