PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
Defense Department to Use World’s Largest 3D-printed Boat (Maria)
The author writes, “The world’s largest 3D-printed boat will serve as a logistics vessel for the US Department of Defense. The boat was created by a 3D printer at University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center. It is one of two 3D-printed prototypes made for the defense department and simulates ship-to-shore movement of 20-foot containers that represent equipment and supplies, the university said. … The university said the composites center 3D-printed and assembled one of the vessels in a month when using traditional materials could have taken more than a year.”
Turkish Opposition Parties Vow Return to Parliamentary Democracy (Carina)
From Euronews: “Six opposition parties in Turkey have pledged to bring back parliamentary democracy and scrap the executive presidential system introduced by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The party leaders signed a 48-page declaration to introduce a ‘Strengthened Parliamentary System’ in a ceremony in Ankara on Monday. The shift to democracy will only occur if the opposition unseats Erdoğan in elections currently scheduled for June 2023. Turkey’s opposition has blamed the country’s economic downturn and an erosion of rights and freedoms on Erdoğan’s so-called ‘one-man rule.’”
Mriya, the World’s Largest Plane, Has Been Destroyed by Russia’s Strikes on Ukraine (Mili)
From ScienceAlert: “The largest plane in the world — Ukraine’s Antonov-225 cargo plane — was destroyed by Russian strikes outside Kyiv on the fourth day of Moscow’s invasion, Ukraine’s state-owned Ukroboronprom group said Sunday. ‘Russian invaders destroyed the flagship of Ukrainian aviation, the AN-225’ at the Antonov airport in Gostomel near Kyiv, the group said in a statement. The aircraft was unique to the world, at 84 meters long (276 feet) it could transport up to 250 metric tons (551,000 pounds) of cargo at a speed of up to 850 kilometers per hour (528 mph). It had been named ‘Mriya’, which means ‘dream’ in Ukrainian.”
Erdogan Stuck on Fence in Ukraine Crisis (Aline)
From Al-Monitor: “Faced with a tough balancing act, Turkey has been sending mixed signals on its position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has angered Moscow by developing military ties with Kyiv, has called for NATO action on the one hand, while stressing the importance of preserving ties with Russia on the other.”
Scientists Finally Understand the Link Between Depression and Bad Sleep (Sean)
From Inverse: “While anyone who’s experienced the difficulty of depression or insomnia may not be surprised that they’re connected, this study marks the first time scientists can definitively say there are neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between the two. Because they were able to identify specific brain regions, the scientists think that forms of treatment, like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), could be used to treat depression-linked sleeplessness. In rTMS, doctors use a magnet to target and stimulate parts of the brain in instances when medication and psychotherapy fail to help the patient.”
What New Projections of Sea Level Rise Mean for Puget Sound and the WA Coast (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Sea level rise will affect each area of the planet in a unique way, but new projections are helping researchers and lawmakers in Washington state identify which coastal communities are most vulnerable. A new report published earlier this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says sea levels will rise 10 to 12 inches in the contiguous US by 2050 — with regional variations — which scientists say would trigger a ‘profound increase’ in coastal flooding. The Washington coast could see as much sea level rise — 4 to 6 inches — in the next three decades as it did in the previous century.”
