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In short: Dragonflies that amaze, the secret of your unique breathprint

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Some staff picks of smart, funny, bizarre and cool stuff on the interwebs this week:

First: Dragonflies are beautiful, deadly and have weird sex. [NY Times] While you’re at it, check out our playlist Insects are awesome!, above.

The clap-o-meter was yesterday’s Big Data. [The Atlantic]

Dimitar Sasselov: How we found hundreds of potential Earth-like planets Dimitar Sasselov: How we found hundreds of potential Earth-like planets Scientists now estimate the number of Earth-like, habitable planets in the Galaxy to be around 100 billion. [Sci tech daily] Watch Dimitar Sasselov’s talk from 2010 on his own work with Kepler to look for these kinds of planets.

We all have unique fingerprints and genomes — and breathprints? [New Scientist]

What does linguist Ben Zimmer read? A question you never thought you’d ask, yet you’re glad you found the answer. [The Atlantic]

Weird but fascinating article on how breeding pigeons in New York City is becoming a representation of the American melting pot/tossed salad. [NY Times]

Willard Wigan: Hold your breath for micro-sculpture Willard Wigan: Hold your breath for micro-sculpture
Tiny, tiny, tiny gorgeous paintings of Istanbul by Hasan Kale. [Huffington Post] They remind me of Willard Wigan’s awesome micro sculptures.

Neat. Fourteen words that are their own opposites. [Mental Floss]

Whole Foods announces a new partnership with Gotham Greens, co-founded by TED Fellow Viraj Puri, to build a greenhouse on the roof of its forthcoming location in Gowanus, Brooklyn. [Grocery Headquarters]