The True-Life Horror That Inspired Moby-Dick

In July of 1852, a 32-year-old novelist named Herman Melville had high hopes for his new novel, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, despite the book’s mixed reviews and tepid sales. That month he took a steamer to Nantucket for his first visit to the Massachusetts island, home port of his novel’s mythic protagonist, Captain Ahab, and his ship, the Pequod. Like a tourist, Melville met local dignitaries, dined out and took in the sights of the village he had previously only imagined.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s: 13 Bad Brain Health Habits

We all have some bad habits, but some of these bad habits can harm your brain. Skimping on sleep is one of those bad habits. Those who do not get enough Zzzs are more likely to get dementia and Alzheimer’s compared to those who get adequate sleep. Lack of sleep in older adults increases the risk of excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, and problems with attention and memory. They are also more likely to fall at night and rely on more sleep aids (both over-the-counter and prescription kinds). People who have trouble falling asleep at night should avoid caffeine, alcohol, and watching TV or using the computer in the evening. If you have trouble sleeping, practice a soothing bedtime routine in the evening to help you wind down and get to sleep.

Why Cats Show You Their Butt, According to Science

As a popular Books of Adam comic has pointed out, the most difficult thing to reconcile with as a cat owner is the fact that your cat’s butthole has touched pretty much everything you own. Sometimes, your cat will decide to put his or her gnarly hole on your face, completely casually. While it might seem vaguely threatening or confusing, a cat researcher tells Inverse it’s not as weird as you think.

What numbers should never be picked when choosing lottery ticket numbers?

Before suggesting numbers to avoid, I’ll explain why they should be avoided.

No number is any more, or any less, likely to appear in a lottery draw than any other number. So it is just as likely that tonight’s UK lottery numbers will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 as any other combination, say 3, 26, 35, 41, 47, 49.

Dog Brains Reveal How Much Human Language They Actually Understand

We love to tell dogs what to do, but we rarely consider whether they understand what we’re saying. Pet owners assume their dogs comprehend commands like sitstay, or heel — even play dead and make me Instagram famous, for that matter — but without the ability to read their minds, no one can know for sure. An ingenious new study in Frontiers in Neuroscience, however, finds a way to determine which of our commands they actually understand.