Good Morning! 🌞 

Did you know that the universe has a temperature?

Despite the coldness of space, the universe has an average temperature of about 2.7 Kelvin (-270.45°C, -454.81°F). This remnant heat is a result of the Big Bang and is detectable as the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, which is thought to be evidence of the universe's explosive birth.

Business

Google to Destroy Browsing Data

Google has agreed to eliminate billions of data records as part of a settlement to resolve accusations that it covertly monitored the online activities of individuals who believed they were browsing in private mode.

The settlement terms, submitted on Monday in a federal court in Oakland, California, are awaiting approval from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

The settlement is valued between $5 billion and $7.8 billion by the plaintiffs' attorneys, although it does not include damages for the users, who retain the right to pursue individual claims for damages.

This class action lawsuit, initiated in 2020, represents millions of Google users who have engaged in private browsing since June 1, 2016.

The complaint centered on allegations that Google, through its analytics, cookies, and applications, improperly tracked users who had activated the "Incognito" mode on Google’s Chrome browser or similar privacy settings on other browsers.

As part of the agreement, Google committed to revising its disclosures about data collection in private browsing sessions, an update process it has already started. Additionally, Google will allow users in Incognito mode to block third-party cookies for a duration of five years.

According to the plaintiffs' legal team, this settlement will result in Google collecting less data from private browsing sessions and consequently earning less revenue from such data.

I’ll do some research and will report back to you once I figure out how and if an individual can make a claim for any damages. I have definitely been using google in “private mode”…

World News

Songkran Water Festival

The Songkran Water Festival, observed annually from April 13 to April 15, holds significant cultural and religious importance for the people of Thailand and much of Southeast Asia, marking the commencement of a new year in the traditional Buddhist calendar. The festival spans three days, commencing with thorough cleaning rituals on 'Maha Songkran' and culminating in 'Wan Payawan,' the official New Year's Day. Festivities include merit-making, spirited water fights, and temple visits, although customs may vary across different regions of Thailand.

Originating from ancient legend, the festival traces back to the tale of sage Kapila Brahma's demise, leading to an annual procession associated with the sun's movement into Aries. 'Songkran,' meaning 'transformation' or 'change,' embodies the spirit of renewal embraced during the festival. Activities throughout the celebration symbolize new beginnings, with the first day dedicated to cleansing rituals and the pouring of scented water over Buddha figurines, followed by days of merit-making and reflection.

Far from a mere cultural affair, Songkran represents a historical and religious observance, offering an opportunity for individuals to embark on a fresh start and embrace positive change as they enter the new year.

Culture

The Origin of Modern Libraries

Benjamin Franklin, a pioneer of self-education, established the Junto, a Philadelphia-based discussion group for "mutual improvement" through intellectual debate in 1727.

Recognizing the need for a reliable source to verify facts due to the scarcity and high cost of books in colonial America, Franklin came up with a new idea. He envisioned a library funded by subscription fees. This vision materialized as the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731, which made books accessible to those of modest means.

At first, members bought shares at a low cost that could be inherited by future generations. Prioritizing volumes in English for broader comprehension, the Library Company attracted eager interest. Eventually, the library opened its doors to non-shareholders for a nominal fee, setting a precedent that lead to over 40 lending libraries across the United States by 1800.

In the same period in Britain, philanthropists contributed books to libraries to enhance community learning, though these books remained within the library premises; typically, these institutions did not lend out their collections. To safeguard against theft, some libraries even secured books to the shelves with chains.

By 1771, on the brink of the Revolution, Franklin noted in his autobiography the pivotal role of lending libraries crediting them with elevating the intellect of Americans: “These libraries have improved the general conversation of the Americans” and “made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries.”

During its tenure in Philadelphia, the Library Company acted as the first de facto Library of Congress until 1800. Today, the Library Company endures as an independent research library, open and free to the public, still sustained by shareholders. In addition to the circulating portion, it houses an extensive, non-circulating collection, including some of its earliest acquisitions like Franklin's own copy of Logic, or, the Art of Thinking. While now focusing on American history up to 1900, the Library Company's foundational mission of facilitating access to knowledge persists.

Environment

Gorillas Use Chest Beating to Prevent Conflict, Not Provoke it

A gorilla's chest beating, often depicted as a dramatic display in popular culture, has intrigued researchers for years. Contrary to common belief, new findings from extensive observations of mountain gorillas suggest that this behavior serves more than just a challenge or boast.

Edward Wright, a primatologist from the Max Planck Institute, studied 500 chest beats from 25 silverback mountain gorillas in Rwanda's national parks between 2014 and 2016. Utilizing acoustic monitoring equipment, Wright and his team discovered that the chest thumping serves as an honest indicator of a gorilla's body size. Larger gorillas produce deeper sounds that can travel long distances, potentially signaling their dominance and deterring rival males.

Additionally, the frequency of chest thumping instances did not correlate with body size. This led researchers to speculate that chest beating might actually be a means of diffusing conflicts rather than inciting them. Smaller males, by reciprocating the sound, signal their presence to dominant males while simultaneously acknowledging their inferiority in physical strength.

Despite these insights, the impact of chest thumping on female gorillas remains poorly understood. However, initial observations suggest that males increase this behavior when females are in estrus, with larger males producing deeper calls, potentially influencing reproductive success.

Further research aims to explore whether the chest beating of large males can attract females from other social groups, shedding light on the complexities of gorilla social dynamics.

Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

Why are a rooster's feathers always smooth?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
24 and 60.

Chris Hostetler got the correct answer first!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to the email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.