Ain't no fool

Good morning Staker! Here’s what’s cookin’ today. Stroke victims’ brains age faster even in regions not impacted; the story of a 1,700 year old monument; why it’s called the “funny bone”; and Rod the Mod calls it quits…👀

Let’s get into it!

In the northern plains of Sri Lanka lies the ancient city of Anuradhapura, the island’s first capital and home to the first roots of Buddhism that formed outside of India.

It’s also a traditional destination for Buddhist pilgrimages, along with non-sectarian travellers interested in the region’s rich history, both cultural and architectural.

On the architectural side, the main attraction is the Jetavanaramaya, a gargantuan stupa constructed out of what experts estimate to be over 93 million baked mud bricks.

When completed in 301 C.E., the dome was 122 metres tall (400 feet), making it the third largest man-made structure in the world at the time, eclipsed only by the Egyptian pyramids.

While it’s been damaged, eroded, and nearly destroyed over 1,725 years, it remains the most massive brick structure ever built in terms of volume. Its bricks could construct a three-foot-high wall from Toronto to Montreal, New York to Pittsburgh, or London to Edinburgh. 👀

A study published in JNeurosci by researchers at the University of South Carolina Floyd School of Medicine investigated the ways a stroke can accelerate brain aging.

They looked into the severity of aphasia cases in those who’d suffered strokes, which is a language disorder that impacts speech pathology. It can be treated, and many recover, but its severity can vary. The research may have uncovered why.

The researchers analyzed data from 188 stroke victims’ brains, specifically looking at differences in the hemispheres not impacted by the stroke.

They found those whose brains were aging faster on the side opposite the stroke demonstrated more severe cases of aphasia than those whose brains were aging slower. This held true regardless of how large the area of the brain hit by the stroke was.

On top of aphasia severity, they were also able to identify patterns that could help predict success levels of treatments, such as speech therapy and non-invasive brain stimulation therapies.

"This work suggests that recovery potential after stroke depends on the health of the rest of the brain, which is partly shaped by treatable factors like cardiovascular health,” the researchers said.

The term “funny bone” was likely coined in the early 1800s, though its exact origins are unknown. Even the experts that spoke with Reader’s Digest didn’t know the exact way the strange anatomical “do not press” button got its name.

There aren’t really any instances of pain that can be compared to what it feels like when you bump the inside of your elbow on something at just the right angle.

So while nobody knows the exact origins, Dr. Madeline Tadley, a hand and upper-extremity surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery, discussed the anatomy of the funny bone, and clarified the most important part: it’s not even really a bone.

“The ulnar nerve is one of the major nerves that provides function to the hand,” Dr. Tadley said, noting it also runs very close to the skin when passing through the elbow.

As far as its name goes, she said the two likely explanations are that the word “funny” was used more in the early 19th century to describe strangeness or peculiarity, which certainly describes the pain after hitting this nerve.

On top of that, the bone that runs above it is called the “humerus,” which obviously sounds just like “humorous,” and was likely a factor in the funny “bone” getting its name.

Rod the Mod announced yesterday that 2028 will officially be his last year touring.

"Ladies and gentlemen, after much deliberation and sadness, I have to announce that next year will be my last tour ever, ever," Stewart said in his official statement. "I'm not retiring, but this will be the last rock 'n' roll tour. So I want to thank you for everything you’ve given me and hopefully I've given you something in return."

Some of the shows will make up for cancellations of dates between August and September due to "an unforeseen but minor medical procedure that required prompt attention."

The tour he was on was called the One Last Time Tour, so it’s not particularly surprising that Stewart will be wrapping it up after next year’s dates.

Altogether, he’ll play 20 shows, the first three of which will take place in the U.S.

He’ll then travel to Ireland and the U.K. for a string of dates in Dublin, Belfast, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, and London, before playing about a dozen more shows throughout mostly Western Europe during the summer.

Ear worms galore

One thing’s for sure, they don’ make TV theme songs like they used to! Get ready to have the best of them stuck in your head all day, with today’s trivia 🤣