Invention Idea: Self-conforming cup lids

Self-conforming cup lids. Putting on plastic lids on top of paper cups sometimes is difficult when the paper cups deform. Can we have a material (not plastic) that conform to the shape of the top of a paper cup even if it deforms a little bit?

Questions of Curiosity

Sometimes, I wake up with curious questions. I am not Googling the answers yet until I think about it myself and hypothesize explanations. Here are some:

1. Why does water left overnight taste flat in the morning? However, this doesn't happen with spring water.

2. Why is coffee made at a hotter temperature than tea?

3. What is a way for colorblind people to tell traffic lights apart? Why can't we change the colors of traffic lights?

4. How many books can an average bookshelf hold?

5. How many different ways are there to make light?

Recommendation - RE: Monarch

RE: Monarch

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/37951/re-monarch

Cairn is a prince who is already tired of ruling. Faced with an imminent coronation and an overbearing father, he wants nothing more than to drown his responsibilities in cheap liquor and poor decisions. With the help of his sister, he hatches a plan to escape the clutches of the throne once and for all. It all goes terribly wrong, and Cairn finds his priorities shifting in the face of unimaginable tragedy. The change of heart comes too late, however, and Cairn dies. He reawakens to find himself transported ten years in the past. He immediately begins to plan for the future, only to discover his killer has somehow followed him. To succeed, Cairn must unite the kingdom and discover the motivation of his killer, using as many tries as it takes. 

Citizen Science: Space

Fifty years ago space exploration was the domain of governments. With no off-the-shelf technology or experience, everything had to be invented from scratch at substantial risk. 

After the end of the ‘Space Race’ the charge skyward was taken up by commercial entities who were able to re-purpose proven cold war technologies and profit from the telecommunications boom. 

Recently things have changed again. We’re now seeing the emergence of platform technologies such as cube sats, additive manufacturing and low-cost micro controllers that are further driving down the cost of space exploration, finally allowing anybody to conceive and launch their own space program.

Hence, the birth of citizen science projects. Moonshots by the average motivated citizen science team.

http://www.openspaceagency.com/

http://trillium.tech/

Urban Exploration

Who has tried urban exploration? It is essentially exploring abandoned places left behind by humans. I enjoy it since it reminds me of exploring a post apocalyptic world sometimes. Often creepy and sometimes with homeless or gangsters, my adventures have been limited. My most memorable one was in college where I and a few friends expored the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, a small town west of Dallas. I also explored an abandoned army barracks when I was in Alaska. However, who knows? I may amp it I if I ever dare.

Houston seems to have a few:

https://www.uer.ca/locations/newlist.asp?n=1&statfilter=160&country=United%20States&province=Texas&city=Houston