Inverse Daily: Get stronger, apologize perfectly, get awkward with C.M. Punk
Plus: Scientists are getting closer to erasing traumatic memories.
Where I am, in the middle of America, it’s full-on spring. One hundred percent spring. Pollen, rain, a twinge of humidity. A pink-orange sunset. With these images in mind from the weekend, I’ve chosen four stories that are tied to erasing the bad and improving yourself to feel new.
Let’s get into it. I’m Nick Lucchesi, editor-in-chief at Inverse, and this is Inverse Daily.
This is an adapted version of the Inverse Daily newsletter for May 3, 2021. Subscribe for free and earn rewards for reading every day in your inbox.
How to apologize with science — Here’s how to apologize and actually repair the damage done, according to research. It’s the latest in our Sunday Scaries series by Sarah Sloat:
Last week, a viral moment on the internet got me thinking about a fundamental but overlooked question: What is the best way to apologize?
The moment was a screenshot shared on Twitter from the Reddit page “Am I the asshole?” (AITA). The purpose of AITA is to bring up beefs and let the public decide if you are to blame or if the people you’re beefing with are the problem. But the AITA scenario described here isn’t that important. What matters is the discussion of an “Apology Dinner.” Critically, both “apology” and “dinner” were capitalized.
“So my mom decided to host an Apology Dinner for my older sister. As my mom was busy writing her apology and whatnot, she asked if I would take care of the food and beverages,” the post begins.
Are Apology Dinners a real thing outside of this family’s orbit? The internet still wants to know. Regardless, it begs the question: Are Apology Dinners… a good way to apologize? Is there an ideal apology?
Related stories to toughen up your mindset:
- 5 scientific reasons why being in nature is good for the brain
- One personality trait can help you fight quarantine fatigue
- Gut health and mental health: Microbiome study reveals a landmark finding
What to do when you want to skip weights — There are ways to pack on strength and size that don’t involve barbells or dumbbells, writes Sam Reiss in his lastest Leg Day Observer column:
Bodyweight exercises — push-ups, pull-ups, dips, lunges, burpees, chin-ups, and dozens more — are movements that use the body’s weight to create a natural stimulus and resistance. They place the targeted muscle under stress and tear it, which is the first step to growth, increasing balance, and don’t tax joints or ligaments. In an “equator” exercise, you’re either strong enough to do one or you’re not. Being able to lift yourself to a chin-up or complete a dip can be difficult for untrained lifters, but when strength gets to a respectable level, it’s suddenly easy. Ironically, as the exercises get easier, workout routines become more difficult. Because the stimulus is lowered, more reps are needed.
But the “how” of these workouts can be vague. Where powerlifting has standard protocols for strength, wiki-like crowdsourced programming routines, and communities for recuperation and diet, bodyweight work is both obscure and overabundant. The exercises out there tend to be grouped haphazardly, with rep ranges and programming comparatively hard to come by. Good routines can be found, but the phenomenon isn’t as granular as powerlifting.
Three stories to increase your flex:
- Should you exercise your feet? What weight lifters need to know
- Weight lifters’ brains reveal one unexpected side effect of steroids
- Need to take a weight lifting break? Use these “eccentric” exercises instead
Can decoded neurofeedback erase bad memories? — Seemingly straight out of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, scientists have developed a technique to erase pain from bad memories using machine learning and neural data, writes Sarah Wells in a new feature:
While our brains may feel like a static lump of matter reclining in our skulls, they’re actually an incredibly active power center of the body shooting off electric signals for every movement we make or stimulus we encounter.
Aurelio Cortese, a computational neuroscientist and principal investigator of the ATR Computational Neuroscience Labs, tells Inverse it’s these signals that scientists are taking advantage of when doing DecNef.
“In [DecNef,] we use neuroimaging data,” explains Cortese. “A big magnet that scans our brain and measures changes in the levels of oxygen in the cerebral blood. This data is then processed in real-time through a local computer that selects the data from the relevant brain area.” In addition to his contributions to a number of DecNef studies, he worked on a recent dataset review published this year in the journal Scientific Data.
Read the full story on erasing traumatic memories.
Three stories to get inside your mind:
- Scientists can implant false memories — and reverse them
- This Ancient Greek memory trick hacks your brain for the better
- Single-cell organism's memories twists our understanding of intelligent life
C.M. Punk on his nerdy beginnings — The former WWE superstar has made a reputation for speaking his mind and always remaining true to himself, even if it breaks a bone or two. He’s the latest subject in our occasional biographical series, Awkward Phase. Contributor Aaron Pruner has the story:
C.M. Punk isn’t one to back down from a challenge. The former WWE superstar, whose real name is Phil Brooks, has made a reputation for speaking his mind and always remaining true to himself, even if it breaks a bone or two.
He departed professional wrestling nearly seven years ago, famously delivering a scathing rebuke of the Vince McMahon-led company on live television. In a realm notorious for over-the-top bluster and flash, Punk brought to wrestling a refreshing sense of authenticity, bravado, and, dare we say, punk rock edge. And by all accounts, he’s still got it.
Since his highly publicized exit, he’s explored MMA, been a television commentator, written a comic book, and taken on the acting world.
Related interviews to see yourself in the lives of others:
- Horror icon Barbara Crampton talks Jakob's Wife, Moody Blues, and bell-bottoms
- Stargirl villain Joy Osmanski can't wait to kick Joel McHale's ass again
- Read all our Awkard Phase interviews
Let me know what you think of this daily dispatch by emailing newsletter@inverse.com. You can follow me on Twitter at @nicklucchesi, where I share some of my favorite stories from Inverse every day.
Today’s birthdays: Frankie Valli (87), Christina Hendricks (46), Desiigner (24), Michael Kiwanuka (34), Rob Brydon (56). Source: Associated Press.
