Wed. 12/01 - Duolingo's Bizarre Sentences

Why does Duolingo use such weird and sometimes deeply relatable phrases to teach its users new languages? Plus, the real science behind the much-hyped “first living robots that can now reproduce.” And the origins of the twelve days of Christmas. Like, the actual days. Not the song about turtle doves.
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Links:

Why are Duolingo sentences so weird? (Slate)

‘Amazing science’: researchers find xenobots can give rise to offspring (The Guardian)

Interesting research, but no, we don’t have living, reproducing robots (Ars Technica)

Bizarre Creatures Are World's First Self-Replicating 'Living Robots', Scientists Say (Science Alert)

Christmas: A Candid History by Bruce David Forbes

Jack's Countdown to Christmas (Instagram)
Kottke.Org
Jackson Bird on Twitter
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