5/13/25 - How Much Sleep?, Weird President Legend, and Baby Names
- bribriny
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Tuesday 5/13/25
Celebrate:
Cough Drop Day
Frog Jumping Day
International Hummel Day
Leprechaun Day
National Apple Pie Day
National Fruit Cocktail Day
Top Gun Day
Tulip Day
World Cocktail Day
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A newly identified mutation helps super-sleepers get by on just four to six hours of shut-eye per night, while the rest of us need around eight hours. Researchers described the SIK3-N783Y mutation in a new study after testing it on sleep-deprived inbred mice.
The newly identified mutation is one of several that researchers have linked to shorter sleep patterns. Scientists hope that by understanding the genetics of natural short sleepers, who seem to thrive on less sleep, they can develop better treatments for sleep disorders.
A natural short sleeper requires around four to six hours of sleep per night. Not only do they thrive on less sleep than the rest of the human population, but they also tend to feel worse if they sleep for longer than their normal hours, according to the study.
I wish I had this.
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Roughly 216 years ago - According to legend, a Shawnee Indian chief cursed the Great White Father for violating Indian treaties. That supposedly started the strange cycle of deaths at the White House: Every President elected or re-elected at 20-year cycles died in office from 1840 through 1960.
1840 - William Henry Harrison - died of pneumonia 30 days after inauguration.
1860 - Abraham Lincoln - assassinated.
1880 - James Garfield - assassinated.
1900 - William McKinley - assassinated.
1920 - Warren G. Harding - died of mysterious natural causes.
1940 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - died of a brain hemorrhage in his fourth term.
1960 - John F. Kennedy - assassinated.
Ronald Reagan, who was first elected in 1980, escaped death after an assassination attempt. Some say that his wife Nancy broke the cycle by consulting with astrologers.
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The Social Security Administration released its annual baby names list for Mother's Day. For a sixth straight year, Olivia and Liam were the top two baby names in 2024.
They're two of four names that have dominated the rankings for over a decade. Since 2014, either Olivia or Emma has been the #1 name for girls, and the other has been #2. Same applies to Liam and Noah for boys.
The 10 most popular girl names in 2024 were . . .
1. Olivia. It's been in the Top 5 every year since 2008.
2. Emma. Top 5 every year since 2002.
3. Amelia. Up one spot from #4.
4. Charlotte. Top 10 for 11 years running.
5. Mia. Top 10 since 2009.
6. Sophia. Top 10 since 2006. It was the #1 name for girls from 2011 to 2013.
7. Isabella. Top 10 since 2004.
8. Evelyn. It's been eighth, ninth, or 10th every year since 2017.
9. Ava. Top 10 since 2005.
10. Sofia with an "F" instead of a "P-H." It's the first time it's made the Top 10. It knocked out Luna, which fell to 13th place.
The 10 most popular names for boys last year were . . .
1. Liam. It's been in the Top 5 for 12 straight years. (maybe from One Direction)
2. Noah. Top 5 for 14 years in a row.
3. Oliver. The sixth year in a row it's held the #3 spot.
4. Theodore. The first time it's made the Top 5, up from #7.
5. James. A mainstay in the Top 20 for 125 years running, probably longer. The Social Security stats only go back to 1900.
6. Henry. Top 10 for five years in a row.
7. Mateo. It cracked the Top 10 for the first time last year when it was #6. (It's the Spanish version of Matthew, which ranked 33rd this time.)
8. Elijah. Top 10 for nine straight years.
9. Lucas. It's always been eighth or ninth since 2018.
10. William. Like "James," it's made the Top 20 every year since 1900.
The baby names that saw the biggest gains last year were Truce for boys and Ailany for girls. Truce jumped more than 11,000 spots to 991. Ailany jumped from 855th place way up to 101st.
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Today's Useless Fact of the Year - There's a fake McDonald's in City of Industry, in Southern California, that's just used for filming. Most of the McDonald's ads you've seen were shot in that building.
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