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STOPPING SWELLING IS
JUST THE FIRST STEP

Friday, June 9, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we discover new developments in treating inflammation, ask if there’s a more sustainable way to rid of our old clothes, learn that sugar doesn’t actually make kids hyper ... and question how octopuses rewire their brains.

an x-ray of a person's hands

IMAGE BY ZEPHYR, SCIENCE SOURCE

Inflammation can be a gateway to cancer, aging, and severe COVID-19. New developments in treating inflammation have raised hopes in progress on many fronts.

It’s not simply about stopping the swelling, but repairing the body from the damage of inflammation. And doctors are on the way, Nat Geo reports. (Above, an X-ray of a patient’s hands with rheumatoid arthritis.)

HOW CAN THIS HELP US?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

a mound of old clothes

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCA LOCATELLI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Is there a better way to get rid of your old clothes? Related: Fast fashion goes to die in Chile‘s desert (Above, a mound of clothes awaiting to be sorted)

‘Send beer!’ Life on the Roman frontier revealed by soldiers’ private letters

How ice cream became a Prohibition-era craze

2,000 years of shipwrecks discovered on treacherous ancient sea route

One of these 7 places may be America's next national park

Scenes from classic fairy tales—with a Nigerian twist

Why the U.S. once set off a nuclear bomb in space

Could colossal crabs hold the clue to Amelia Earhart’s fate?

Soccer is the world's most popular sport. But who invented it?

Does it really matter if you buy organic produce? Here’s what the science says

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A California two-spot octopus

PHOTOGRAPH BY TOM KLEINDINST/MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

They rewire their brains: In response to sudden temperature swings, two species of octopus (one species, a California two-spot octopus, pictured above) were found to be able to alter huge swaths of their RNA to adapt and survive. How exactly do they do it? And what does it mean?

Related: Do octopuses dream?

THEY CAN DO WHAT?

PRONOUNCED: MAA-TAY

cowbows sitting around a fire drinking yerba mate

PHOTOGRAPH BY TOMAS MUNITA, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

‘A gift from the gods’: Yerba mate is traditionally made by aging the leaves of the native South American plant for nine to 24 months, then steeping it for an antioxidant-rich drink (above, cowboys in Chile drink the tea). Today, yerba mate is a popular drink sold in grocery stores worldwide, known for its supposed benefits: supporting weight loss, concentration, better digestion. Is this caffeinated beverage really that good for you?

LAST GLIMPSE

cotton candy

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT CLARK, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Debunking the sugar rush: “There is no association—none” between sugar and hyperactivity in kids, Nat Geo reports. Yet this notion is believed more thoroughly than ever. Here’s what the science says.

GIVE ME SOME SUGAR, SUGAR

Today’s soundtrack: Watermelon Sugar, Harry Styles

Happy Friday! This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. What's your summer go-to sweet treat? Email [email protected] to let us know. Thanks for reading!

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