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THE BEST TIME TO SLEEP

Monday, July 17, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we try to get a good night’s sleep, meet a venomous snake, track down sales of shark meat ... and figure out what hormone balancing means.

a boy sleeping

PHOTOGRAPH BY MAGNUS WENNMAN

Are you most alert in the late morning? Or early evening? Kind of sleepy after lunch?

Those highs and lows are from the circadian rhythms that influence everything from our body temperature to moods, appetite, and sexual desires.

At the heart of it is sleep—and science has surprises that challenge assumptions. Examples? No to a nightcap, climate change’s effect, an aural sleep aid, and what about magnesium?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

At one stall in the city of Aracruz, vendor Robson da Vitoria Rodrigues prepares a Caribbean sharpnose shark for his customers.

PHOTOGRAPH BY VICTOR MORIYAMA

Shark meat is a global phenomenon—but not everyone knows they’re eating it (above, preparing Caribbean sharpnose shark in Brazil)

Here’s what worries engineers the most about U.S. infrastructure

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

3,600-year-old tsunami ‘time capsule’ sheds light on one of humanity’s greatest disasters

These breathtaking natural wonders no longer exist

The world of bugs is filled with lookalike species. Why?

Can laughter strengthen your immune system?

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

This toad can get you high—really, really high

PHOTO OF THE DAY

a snake

PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTIAS KLUM

Know your poison: The hollow fangs of this snake can deliver toxins that can lead to respiratory paralysis within hours—and death. Which snake is this? (And belated Happy Snake Day—it was yesterday.)

A. Inland taipan
B. Jameson’s mamba
C. Malaysian krait
D. Common death adder

Related: This man gets bitten by deadly snakes in the name of science

CLICK HERE FOR THE ANSWER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

a woman with acne scars on her back and shoulders

PHOTOGRPAH BY SEVENTYFOUR IMAGES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Hormone balancing, debunked: Feeling crampy? Acne acting up? Tired? Gaining weight? Anxiety? Google these symptoms, and you may read that your hormones are “unbalanced.” But what does that really mean—and what should you do about it? (Pictured above, a woman with acne scars on her back and shoulders.)

A BODY IN BALANCE

LAST GLIMPSE

an older version of a wheelchair

PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM RICHARDSON, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Getting better and better: A series of lighter, more maneuverable wheelchairs haven’t just changed the daily lives of the people who use them—they change their self-perception, Nat Geo finds. (Pictured above, an older version of a wheelchair.)

Today’s soundtrack: On My Mind, Jorja Smith

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter! It was curated and edited by Jen Tse, Nancy San Martín, Hannah Farrow, and David Beard. Want to let us know your thoughts? Send away: [email protected]. Happy trails!

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