July 13, 2018
Happy Friday the 13th! If you don’t have World Cup fever yet, hurry up because it’s almost over! If soccer (football) isn’t your jam, here are a few other happenings from this week you may want to check out:
- Joyful Homecoming: Thailand and the rest of the world rejoiced this week when 12 boys and their soccer coach were rescued from a flooded cave. The rescue was an international effort including help from an Australian cave diving doctor, British rescue divers, U.S. air force pilots and Thai Navy SEALs. The story gets even better now that the heroic backstories of the survivors have become known, as many of them were refugees having fled Myanmar.
- You’re a Lovely Shade of Pink…A recent study found people with pale skin and
sensitive to the sun should use more than just typical sunscreen to avoid sunburn. As I, myself, am from the paler persuasion, I understand that a thick layer of SPF 100 doesn’t last long on a cloudless day. According to the researchers, fair-skinned people who only used sunscreen were more likely to burn than those who also wore a hat. The study recommends sun-sensitive people add additional protection such as long sleeves or SPF clothing on sunny days to prevent skin cancer, which affects roughly 1 in 5 people in their lifetime. No matter what SPF level you use, be sure to slather on the eco-friendly,
coral reef-safe sunscreen that has been approved by Hawaii! If you forget to cover up and get more than just a bit pink, grab some shaving cream to ease that burn. - Pink Before it was Pink: Groundbreaking research on the prehistoric world shares a small glimpse into what it might have been like on Earth way back when. Researchers discovered the oldest known colors produced by living things were shades of pink pigments dating back about 1.1 billion years! These colors were used in photosynthesis, becoming more vibrant in sunlight, and belonged to cyanobacteria in the sea before larger creatures evolved…such as the first giant dinosaur, whose fossils were recently discovered in Argentina! Though mostly likely not a shade of pink, the earliest-known giant dinosaur was a four-legged plant-eater with a medium-length neck and long tail named Ingentia which means “first giant.” *Insert Jurassic Park theme song*
- Check Ancestry.com: Apparently ancient humans have a few surprises up their sleeves as well. Researchers in China excavated stone tools that were likely made by human ancestors about 2.12 million years ago – marking the earliest evidence of human lineage outside of Africa. In addition, another group of scientists found human ancestors were scattered throughout Africa more so than once thought, and kept apart by natural barriers. Each group thrived in a unique environment such as a desert or forest, resulting in a variety of human forms – which is why we all look so different!
- Just Browsing…If you are done with Earth and all her unique populations and natural wonders, consider packing a bag and hopping a space shuttle to the exoplanet Ross 128B, the next up-and-coming planet for people! Thanks to some 20/20 vision and a pretty strong telescope in New Mexico, scientists believe the exoplanet is a safe enough distance from a nearby star to potentially be habitable by humans, taking urban sprawl to a whole new level. You might even run into some ghost particles from a galaxy far, far away, so keep your eyes peeled!
- Catfish with Burgers! After teasing the world with a mystery name change, the global pancakers at IHOP switched their name to IHOB for no other reason than to promote their new burgers! Once that fun jaunt was over, they promptly switched back to IHOP proving the whole ordeal was a sham and leaving customers feeling a little used and confused.
- Mr. Peanut’s on the No Fly List: Southwest Airlines has recently announced it will no longer serve peanuts to passengers on all of its flights in an effort to protect those with allergies from getting sick. If this means you will boycott air travel for the sake of your coveted PB&J, don’t forget to grab these motion sickness glasses for your next road or boat trip!
Have a great weekend! I hope you have as much fun as this horse!