abc_onceupon | Member Posts

Scientists think dark matter might come in two forms

Dark matter may come in two flavors—finally explaining why its signals appear in some galaxies but vanish in others.

A mysterious glow of gamma rays at the center of the Milky Way has long hinted at dark matter, but the lack of similar signals in smaller dwarf galaxies has cast doubt on that idea. Now, researchers propose a bold twist: dark matter might not be a single particle at all, but a mix of two different types that must interact with each other to produce detectable signals.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Did you grow up regularly playing board games (either with your family, or in other contexts)? Do you feel that this affected the prominence (or lack of prominence) of board games in your later life?

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Current Mood: busy

neonvincent

Watch on YouTube

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: House in the woods at the edge of town
Current Music: Sims 4

ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and mild.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

I am excited to see that the yellow violet has propagated itself, and now there are two little clumps blooming in the forest garden. :D

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I pulled weeds out of two pots so I can plant pansies and violas in them.

I've seen a male cardinal and heard a squirrel barking.

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I made one pot with a black viola and a black pansy, intending to add some other black plant later. I made another with a black viola, a black pansy, a purple-and-white viola, a blue-shaded viola, and a white alyssum. I watered the pots and added some sticks to discourage squirrels from digging in them.

I also tested out a trick that I saw in a video. Take a large garden staple, push the tines down into a narrow pot, squeeze together like tongs, and pull the plant out. It takes a bit of practice to make it work, but it does work better than other methods I have tried for safely extracting plants from those multipacks.

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I made a pot with a black viola, a black pansy, a purple-and-yellow pansy, and a white alyssum.

The weather is turning cooler and the breeze is picking up.

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I made 3 pots with various shades of purple, yellow, and orange pansies and violas. For now these are on the white planters alongside the big pot of mixed Johnny-jump-ups.

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I made a pot with a mauve pansy, a couple different violas, and a white alyssum.

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/10/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today's theme is Meditation.

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Prairie plants reveal a hidden defense against climate extremes

It looks peaceful – but these places are basically training grounds for weather whiplash.

A new study says prairies really do have a built-in advantage when the climate gets nasty: biodiversity helps. But it’s not as simple as the old slogan “more species = more resilience.”

The researchers found that different kinds of biodiversity matter depending on the kind of extreme – drought versus flood – and that nuance could matter a lot as heat, floods, and dry spells become more common.

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This poem came out of the April 7, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from

ravan. It also fills the "Exception" square in my 4-1-26 card for the Flower Fest Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by

janetmiles. It belongs to the series Monster House.

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This poem came out of the April 7, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by

janetmiles. It also fills the "Request" square in my 4-1-26 card for the Flower Fest Bingo.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This poem came out of the April 7, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from

siliconshaman. It also fills the "Request" square in my 4-1-26 card for the Flower Fest Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by

janetmiles. It belongs to the series One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis. It directly follows "Someone Who Was Trying to Be Sober" so read that first or this won't make much sense.

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This poem came out of the April 7, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from

alatefeline and a previous discussion with

siliconshaman about the life aspects of geodes. It also fills the "Lilac" square in my 4-1-26 card for the Flower Fest Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by

janetmiles. It belongs to The Blueshift Troupers series.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

neonvincent

Watch on YouTube

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: House in the woods at the edge of town
Current Music: The Space Vixen Twitch stream

ysabetwordsmith

Scientists discover spice synergy that boosts anti-inflammation 100x

Mixing everyday plant compounds may unlock a powerful, hidden anti-inflammatory effect far greater than any single ingredient alone.

Chronic inflammation often works quietly in the background but can fuel serious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. New research reveals that everyday plant compounds—like menthol from mint, cineole from eucalyptus, and capsaicin from chili peppers—can team up inside immune cells to dramatically boost their anti-inflammatory power. While individual compounds showed modest effects, certain combinations amplified results hundreds of times over by activating different cellular pathways at once.

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny and warm with howling wind. :/ The wind really complicates my plans to plant anything today, so I'm trying to think of ways to compensate for that.

I fed the birds. I've seen a fox squirrel on the ground and at the hopper feeder.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I used salvaged string to fasten together 4 white single-pot plant stands, with the taller 2 in back and shorter 2 in front, forming a square. Due to the angled legs, it is not snug, but at least they are more stable than any one would be alone.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I put the pot of mixed Johnny-jump-ups on one of the tall white plant stands. This is not necessarily its final location, but allows me to get it out of the house without exposing it to too much wind.

I sorted out the black single-pot stands. There is a tall one, a medium one, and two short ones. I started by fastening the tall one to a folding multipot stand.

I've seen a flock of house finches, a male goldfinch molting, and a male cardinal.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did more work securing the black one-pot planters. There's one left to attach. Progress.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I finished securing the last black planter. The resulting structure, while not perfectly tight, is still a great deal more stable overall due to more legs connected in some manner. It doesn't have to look fancy, just do better than last year's constantly tipping pots.

I've seen several sparrows in the forest garden.

It got up to 80°F today, but is cooling down now.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/9/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...

* Posted "Draw a Bird Day" in

green_joy.

* Posted "Crafts" in

green_living.

* Posted "Poem: Haiku for Natural Monuments of Japan 1-10-26" to

haiku_gallery.

* Posted "Birdfeeding" in

birdfeeding.

* Commented on "Just One Thing (09 April 2026)" in

awesomeers.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is Draw a Bird Day. You don't need to be "an artist" for this. Your drawing (or painting, or whatever) does not have to be fancy. Just squiggle out a bird!

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Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Stone Age humans used these mysterious signs and symbols to store and share information, almost 40,000 years before writing was invented

The research team studied 260 mobile artifacts that contain more than 3,000 signs. The team focused only on intentional and non-practical surface marks. That means the signs were not accidental scratches or marks made for tool making.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

neonvincent

Watch on YouTube

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Location: House in the woods at the edge of town
Current Music: Rhaco_dactylus Twitch stream

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny, breezy, and warm.

I fed the birds. I've seen a small flock of sparrows and house finches, plus a male goldfinch.

I put out water for the birds.

I took some pictures around the yard.

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/8/26 -- We went out to run errands. I picked up a flat of mostly pansies and violas in assorted colors plus a couple 4-packs of white alyssum, a pot of mixed Johnny-jump-ups that are actually fragrant, and a purple-and-white columbine. :D

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I planted the purple-and-white columbine in the rain garden. The bleeding heart there is starting to bloom! \o/

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/8/26 -- I did a bit of work on the new picnic table garden.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Everyone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.

We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!

Current Mood: busy

severina

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ABC Once Upon A Time

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ABC Once Upon A Time

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Space Exploration

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Yet another video for an abandoned/postponed Retail Apocalypse post

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Follow Friday 4-10-26: Meditation

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Poem: "The Grabber"

Poem: "So DONE with It All"

Poem: Their Hidden Source

Poem: "Beautiful, Tough, Shiny, Resilient"

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Draw a Bird Day

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