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FINDING SURPRISE AMONG THE SOLITUDE

Saturday, May 27, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we explore ancient weapons steeped in poison, take a long drive down a lonely road, remove these green books from our shelves ... and learn about Homeland Security’s new wildlife crime unit.

a gif of Route 50

VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATHIAS SVOLD

AAA may try to talk you out of driving this highway. Your tank should be full, you should be carrying plenty of water—and, of course, a spare.

U.S. Route 50 (above), long dubbed the loneliest road in America, traverses a bumptious history. But our photographer discovers plenty of life, too—and an appreciation for quiet pleasures.

WHAT’S ALONG THE ROAD?

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two people praying at a gas station

A sign on a lonely road: John lives in his car topped with a sign that reads, “Pray for me please.” He stayed on Route 50 for three weeks, and says the sign is a way to start conversations with people who pass by.

an alien-themed room in a brothel

Off the beaten path: Alien-themed decor blankets a room at the Stardust Ranch, a brothel in Ely, Nevada. Nevada is the only state in the U.S. where brothels are legal.

inside Border Inn

Last chance gas: The Border Inn is a gas station, motel, and diner on the Utah-Nevada border in Baker, Nevada. The next eastbound gas station is 83 miles away.

flower-draped crosses

Scary reminders: Flower-draped crosses can be seen along “the loneliest road in America.” Read more.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

green books

PHOTOGRAPH BY REBECCA HALE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

These green books (above) are poisonous—and one may be on a shelf near you

Murder, mutiny, slavery: 'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought

England was born on this battlefield. Why can’t historians find it?

Are you a stress eater? Here’s how to retrain your brain.

Japan is poised to release nuclear wastewater into the Pacific. How worried should we be?

How a poor gel manicure can lead to lifelong health issues

This anti-terrorism agency is now tackling wildlife crime

Why are orcas attacking boats?

The end of cervical cancer? It might be within reach.

He may have found the key to the origins of life. So why have so few heard of him?

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

illustration of the plant hellebore

BRIDGEMAN/ACI

Poisoned arrows and snake venom: You thought biowarfare and chemical weapons dated back to, say, World War I? Nope. Not even close. Ancient Greeks and others used germs, toxic plants (like hellebore illustrated above), and fiery materials against their enemies—and even contaminated water sources, Nat Geo reports.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Rich Bennett making a peach cobbler

PHOTOGRAPH BY STACY KRANITZ

Georgia peach: This iconic fruit is the muse for songs. It graces the state’s license plates. And it’s the main ingredient for the world’s largest peach cobbler (cooked by Rich Bennett pictured above). But to grow, peaches require up to 900 hours of cold weather. With a warming climate, will they survive?

GONNA EAT A LOT OF PEACHES

LAST GLIMPSE

an octopus

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL SARTORE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Aw, you guys made me ink: Like Pearl from Finding Nemo, Costello the octopus, who’s being studied by scientists, “appeared to emerge from sleep and then act out defensive behaviors before inking his tank,” Nat Geo reports. The reason? He was having a nightmare. (Pictured above, a day octopus—not Costello—is seen at the Butterfly Pavilion in Colorado.)

Today’s soundtrack: Keep the Car Running, Arcade Fire

This newsletter has been curated and edited by David Beard, Hannah Farrow, and Jen Tse. Amanda Williams-Bryant, Alisher Egamov, Rita Spinks, and Jeremy Brandt-Vorel also contributed this week. Thanks for reading!

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