morbidity, rivers, and ancient bread

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

The stags on my plaque stood one to each side, carved there by people who feared the open land.

1. 10.7 years now spent sick — the morbidity gap widened in 203 of 204 countries since 1990
2. Why are rivers so mathematical?
3. AI peer review: best single model caught 71 of 100 planted errors, ensemble caught 93
4. 8,600-year-old fermented bread found at Çatalhöyük — possibly the oldest ever
5. Half of Europe’s municipalities have fewer people than in 1961 — even as total population grew
6. The world’s largest glowing vertebrate may hunt with its own light