Scientists are putting tardigrade DNA into humans to create super soldiers. This is because tardigrades are tough motherf—ers: they can survive exposure to extreme temperatures, air deprivation, radiation, dehydration, and more. An embryonic stem cell was already successfully tested against radiation. If you have never seen what a tardigrade looks like, do look them up — popularmechanics.com

What if depression was seen as an altered state of consciousness? Cecily Whiteley, from LSE, posits: “Depression alters the individual’s experience of their body, causing them to feel numb and lethargic and diminishing their sense of agency or control. It distorts their cognitive functions and their self-narrative, reducing their ability to concentrate or think hopefully. It also changes their perception of time, making the future feel closed off. Finally, it alters how they relate to others, making them feel estranged and disconnected.” — bigthink.com

Why do dogs tilt their heads to one side? A question you surely have already asked yourself. There is a lot of information about this on Google and specialized sites, but no formal research was conducted. Until now. And apparently, it’s because they are trying to understand you better #cryingeyessmilingemoji — discovermagazine.com

Prosocial behavior is perceived more positively by recipients than we think. When we evaluate whether to make an act of kindness, we may be put off by the uncertainty around the response of others. New research indicates we usually underestimate how “big” an act of kindness can be felt. So basically, be nice, people love it. I like to say that being helpful or nice creates what others see as luck — psyarxiv.com

In 1985, a bear overdosed on cocaine that was dropped by smugglers from a plane. Today, we are making a movie out of that story. The poor bear was stuffed and displayed in a Kentucky mall. This is just to say that there are markets in everything. And yes, they did nickname him Pablo Eskobear — nytimes.com

Your daily dose of tiny SF stories. This Twitter account publishes a very short science fiction story every day with a nice illustration (see above) — twitter.com

You can chat with an AI version of Caryn Marjorie, a Snapchat influencer, for $1 a minute. She can be your girlfriend too. In May, she tweeted: “I have 20,000 boyfriends now”. Is this crazy? There is a loneliness “epidemic” plaguing younger generations. What is best: chatting with an AI or staying by yourself? — latimes.com