Humans have evolved with white sclerae, the protective outer layers of the eyes, while all other hominids have dark brown sclerae. A new study suggests this difference is to foster trust and reduce aggressiveness in a social species like humans. Subjects rated faces with whiter sclerae as younger, less aggressive, more attractive, healthier and more trustworthy, supporting the idea that depigmentation increases fitness and trustworthiness. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
