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ATLANTIS? THE 10 PLAGUES?

Saturday, July 15, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we learn about the tsunami that forever altered history, figure out what hormone balancing really means, strengthen our immune system with laughter ... and make a big 'ol sundae for National Ice Cream Day.

The volcanic island of Thera (modern Santorini) in the Aegean Sea depicted during a 19th-century eruption

COLOUR-PRINTED ENGRAVING VIA UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE/UIG/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

Where do we come up with our tales of destruction? The sinking of Atlantis? The 10 plagues that the Bible says roiled ancient Egypt?

A recently unearthed “time capsule” may provide the first physical remains from the tens of thousands of people who perished in the super-colossal volcanic eruption of the Greek island of Santorini (illustrated above). Just-published research shows the massive tsunami that followed caused huge damage in what is now modern-day Turkey and Israel.

The disaster, which had the power of 10 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs, inspired several of the ancient stories we tell about ourselves, Nat Geo discovers.

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

the Great Barrier Reef

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAELA SKOVRANOVA, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Here’s how soaring ocean temperatures are affecting corals (above, the Great Barrier Reef, half of which has undergone bleaching)

These breathtaking natural wonders no longer exist

This is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. A new test could change that.

Can laughter strengthen your immune system? Here’s what science says.

Was this prehistoric ‘killer shrimp’ as fierce as it looked?

These three kings ruled Rome. Their bloody reigns sparked a revolution.

This toad can get you high—really, really high. Poachers have taken notice.

Is malaria making a comeback in the U.S.?

Are your hormones unbalanced—and what does that even mean?

Ozempic was tested on monkeys IUCN listed as endangered. Here’s what we know

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A composite image shows Steatoda nobilis (left), the noble false widow; S. paykulliana (center), the Mediterranean false widow; and a black widow female (right)

LEFT: DANUT VIERU; CENTER: STPHILLIPS; RIGHT: OLIMBEK SHIRINOV/ GETTY IMAGES

Know your spiders: Which of these spiders is a real black widow, and not a noble or a Mediterranean false widow? Take a guess:

A. The one on the left
B. Center
C. Right
D. They all are
E. None of them are

CLICK HERE FOR THE ANSWER

PHOTO OF THE DAY

An ice cream shop in New Delhi, India, keeps up with the demand of customers in the early 1980s. Called Nirula's 21, the shop is part of the oldest fast food chain in India

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE RAYMER, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

I scream, you scream... in preparation for National Ice Cream Day tomorrow. In fact, people have been screaming for ice cream for thousands of years, including Alexander the Great and Marco Polo. (Above, an ice cream shop, part of India’s oldest fast food chain, keeps up with the demand of customers in the early 1980s.)

Related: How ice cream became a Prohibition-era craze
Eight ice cream styles from around the world
Where to find Italy’s most authentic gelato

ICE CREAM’S HISTORY

LAST GLIMPSE

From the village of Kastro, a stone path leads down to Eftamartyres church, one of many picturesque sites travelers will find near the restored Sifnos Trails, on the island of Sifnos, Greece

PHOTOGRAPH BY STUART BLACK/ALAMY

A walk down history lane: Weave through olive trees and fields of green on Greece’s Sifnos Trails. With some routes dating back to 3000 B.C., you can trace the steps of farmers, fishers, miners, and soldiers who forged one of the world’s oldest trail networks—and take in breathtaking views along the way. (Above, a stone path leads down to Eftamartyres church.)

Some extra travel inspo: A food guide to Barcelona
Paprika, peppers and plums: experiencing a family meal in Budapest
Visiting North Carolina: Here’s what the locals love
Affordable gorilla encounters in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

WALKING IN GREECE

Today’s soundtrack: Mykonos, Fleet Foxes

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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