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THE RAINS PROMPTED A HORROR

Saturday, July 1, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we learn about bug repellents that actually work, find out why to say no to that nighttime cocktail, discover how torrential rains prompted an unthinkable sacrifice ... and see how exercise can help stave off dementia.

a skeltal discovery

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT CLARK

The torrential rains wouldn’t stop. The crops faced ruin; the people starvation.

The desperate people appealed to the gods—and offered their very future to make the rain stop. Researchers have only found out the scope of the sacrifice in recent years. (Above, a trace of the horror is unearthed in an ancient community in present-day Peru.)

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN?

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Sacrifice: The suffering unearthed at Pampa la Cruz has heightened concerns among researchers about the modern-day effects of El Niño. Read more.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPH BY FELIPE PEDREROS, THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

Extremely ghostly particles have been detected in our galaxy for the first time (pictured above, the observatory in Antarctica where the discovery was made)

Want to keep your memory sharp? Here’s how.

ADHD patients fear job loss, self-harm from Adderall shortage

These bug repellents actually work—if you use them correctly

How eating and drinking (alcohol) can disrupt your sleep

Stimulating a part of your neck could help migraines, PTSD

A total eclipse prompted the supersonic Concorde to fly around the world to see it longer

Gettysburg: New maps show how the South lost the decisive battle of the Civil War

Biden and many Americans wear a CPAP to sleep better. Why is sleep so important?

Mystery solved: What was behind the severed feet washing up in the Pacific Northwest?

Where to travel in the U.S. this summer

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A weightlifter at work

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Exercise and brain power: Misplaced something or can't remember what you were going to say? Don't worry. We can tweak our recall ability through lifestyle choices, including weightlifting (as seen above.) Find out what more you can do to keep your memory sharp.

HOW TO POWER THE BRAIN

PHOTO OF THE DAY

PHOTOGRAPH BY CARY WOLINSKY

R.I.P. Cary Wolinsky: The former Nat Geo photographer, who died of a heart attack, had a rare ability to tease out a compelling image from an abstract story. He couldn’t stress enough the importance of being patient, of not saying ‘I’ve got it’ after a quick glance—and sticking around for the perfect image. Example: This half-shorn sheep (above) was the 30th he’d photographed to illustrate the depth of a season of wool. Here’s his story for us on patience.

A PHOTOGRAPHER’S PHOTOGRAPHER

IN PRAISE OF CURLY HAIR

A curly-haired woman

PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES

Our secret weapon: Curly hair helped human ancestors. It protected the scalp against broiling heat, and may have allowed human brains to expand. A new study—involving a mannequin wearing wigs in a wind tunnel—reveals how.

Today’s soundtrack: my hair, Ariana Grande

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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