Why Do We Believe Deaths Come in Threes?

This week, the entertainment world lost two legends. Actor Malcolm Jamal Warner died on July 20, and two days later rocker Ozzy Osbourne died. For some people on social media, this opened this door for speculation about who will be number three. This mindset is often associated with celebrity deaths, and pop culture even makes it a storyline. An episode of 30 Rock was built around one of its characters being worried about becoming the third celebrity death. So why do we believe that deaths come in threes? “One thing happens by accident, a second thing happens by chance, but if you see it happening three times, that establishes a pattern,” said Dr. John Hoopes, an anthropology professor at the University of Kansas. Are three celebrity deaths actually a pattern? In the U.S. alone, one person dies every 11 seconds, according to the U.S. Census. In that same time span, about 20 people will have died worldwide. “There’s no relationship between these three deaths. It’s random data in which we see a pattern,” said Dr. Hoopes. Finding a pattern in random data is called "apophenia." One example is noticing that the time on a clock is 11:11, but not caring or noticing if it was 11:12 when you looked. Finding patterns in our surroundings is second nature, a survival tactic. If people are taught to be careful of snakes in the woods, they might be careful at the first sight of a long stick embedded in grass. Maybe in the case of celebrity deaths, it comes down to the number involved. Dr. Hoopes explained that three has always been a sacred number that’s everywhere, including the trinity in the Bible, which references the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Most churches have three points in front, usually a center spire that’s flanked by two lower spires or towers. Beyond religious references, the "rule of threes" is applied in many facets of life, including lighter topics. There's the Three Stooges, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Three Blind Mice. The "rule of threes" can imply that something has a beginning, a middle, and an end. There are threes all around us if we care to look for them.

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The Most Expensive Chickens in the World Cost About $6,000 Per Bird

Chickens might not seem like luxury items, but in the world of rare poultry, the most expensive chicken breeds can fetch thousands of dollars. These birds stand out for their striking appearance, rarity, or culinary reputation. Dubbed the “Lamborghini of poultry,” the Ayam Cemani is know for its all-black appearance. This Indonesian breed owes its black feathers, skin, bones, and even internal organs to a rare condition called fibromelanosis, a genetic mutation that causes extreme pigmentation. Ayam Cemani chickens can sell for around $6,000 per bird, making them the most expensive chicken breed in the world. Behind the Ayam Cemani, in second place, is the Dong Tao breed — also known as the dragon chicken — from Vietnam. It’s famous for its thick, scaly legs, and its meat is prized for its quality and texture. Dong Tao chickens sell for an average of $2,000 per chicken. Finally, in third place is the Bresse chicken, which is native to France. They are considered the gold standard for white meat. Known for their marbled fat and exceptional flavor, this breed is legally protected and only considered true Bresse if raised in a specific region of France. Cheap compared to the Ayam Cemani and the dragon chicken, Bresse chickens run an average of $500 per chicken.

 

Dong Tao Chicken

Bresse Chicken

 

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Meet the Professional Noses That Make Laundry Smell Nice

In the laboratories of fragrance giant Royal Aroma, a citrus scent clings to the lab coats of trainees — “noses” who are learning the art of making things smell good. These busy heroes of the world of smells and aromas shape the connection millions of consumers have with everyday items. In addition to fine fragrances, the company’s extensive product range includes essential oils, home and industrial fragrances, fragrances for detergents, fabric softeners, soaps, candles, and more. Smell, a powerful sense that can trigger emotions and memories, and aroma often decide which food or beverage, cleaning, or personal hygiene products end up in our shopping carts. At Royal Aroma’s headquarters in New York City, each day at the company’s in-house perfumery school begins the same way: sniffing out scents from dozens of tiny bottles while blindfolded. Noses-in-training say it’s like tuning a musical instrument before you play. In the end, the company needs to create scents that are strong, beautiful, powerful, and affordable. Being a professional sniffer is a full-time job that comes with a 3-year training program. The smell of a fabric softener can be composed of 80 compounds, far more than in a premium body perfume, and the best noses can identify over 1,000 different odors while blindfolded. A professional sniffer can get by with knowing about 500 scents, and being able to break down odors into their chemical components is key. Students weigh ingredients down to the milligram, mix, smell, and start over, often by replicating existing smells to understand their structure and then innovate from there. When developing perfume, it's very important that several people smell it, because people perceive smells differently. About 500 perfumers work in the industry, but Royal Aroma has a precious 9 perfumers who develop custom fragrances for clients. Top perfumers earn roughly $65 an hour, which is not bad for smelling for a living.

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Temporary Tattoo Can Instantly Test Drinks For Unwanted Drugs

A new study has found that an experimental temporary tattoo can almost instantly test beverages for the presence of unwanted drugs. Published Wednesday by the American Chemical Society, the study developed a multicolored temporary tattoo that reacts to the presence of GHB, a compound commonly known as the “date rape drug.” These drugs are colorless and tasteless, inducing a stupor in the victim that’s similar to severe alcohol intoxication. Consuming a drink spiked with GHB when drinking in a social setting is an ever-present danger, even among friends and acquaintances. According to the study, the chemicals in the tattoo can detect concentrations of GHB in beer, liquor or coffee, changing color from yellow to red in order to alert the wearer that their beverage may have been spiked. In practice, a wearer could dip a finger into a beverage, touch the drop to the sticker and see the result almost immediately. In recent years, scientists have developed a variety of products to check beverages for drugs, from chemical test strips to more inconspicuous options like nail polish, coasters and stir sticks. The newly developed tattoos not only allow users to test their drinks discreetly, but also act far faster than some older tests, delivering results in less than a second, rather than in minutes. Researchers also say the results last for up to a month, which can help preserve evidence of suspected tampering. The tattoos are inexpensive to manufacture and could be commercially available soon.

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