Stumbling into Coincidences

I recently stumbled upon www.stumbleupon.com. I don't know exactly what it is - just that it is like a guided tour of interesting pages on the internet based on a couple of questions and an uncanny insight into your head.  You sign up, select a couple categories of interest, and start clicking the "stumble" button.  It brings up a page - a blog, a photo, a video, anything - and you can like it or dislike it, see what other people have thought of it, and then move on after as little or as much time as you please.  It shows you things based on what people with similar interests have liked, and I have to say. I was Impressed.

Tonight, after clicking through half a dozen or so somewhat interesting pages (for some reason it really wants me to like the Maldives), I stumbled upon a TED talk on crows.  First of all, I love TED talks.  Short talks by insanely intelligent people on interesting and thought-provoking topics.  Score.  But CROWS? I have had a number of conversations lately on the merits (or lack thereof) of crows, and someone mentioned teaching crows to pick up coins from the street which I thought was a bit clever.  Turns out it is MUCH cooler and crazier than that, and this talk was by the guy who designed that study.  I have a new respect for crows and all, but the real point is - it is kind of creepy stumble sent me that video, on that topic, a couple of days after I had that seemingly totally random conversation.  I am sufficiently impressed (and a little creeped out).

This is the link to the talk.  It really is fascinating, and will definitely give you something to think about the next time you see a crow!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2zBIz8

P.s.  I just remembered another crazy coincidence this weekend.  We were being chided by our professor last week as none of us could come up with the name of the man given credit for starting the Green Revolution and thus saving over a billion people from starvation in the 1970's.  On Sunday, while waiting for the bus, I randomly selected a podcast to listen to and it happened to be about food science.  And of course they spent a few minutes talking about the Father of the Green Revolution.  So now, next time that question comes up on Jeopardy, let's all be sure we can answer correctly "Who is Norman Borlaug?"