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FROM NAVAL BATTLESHIPS TO ... OUR SHOWERS?

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we discover the strange histories of vital stuff, gaze at a question mark in the sky, meet history’s top five elite warriors of all time ... and question why environmentalists want to preserve an oil rig.

tonic water

PHOTOGRAPH BY FOODFOLIO/PICTURE PRESS/REDUX

A key ingredient to a gin and tonic (tonic water, above) comes from a tropical bush. An experimental toothpaste, from volcanoes, was so rough on teeth that it’s now used on pedicures. And an 11-year-old’s accidental discovery has become a summertime staple on a stick.

What are the origins of some of the crazy, yet vital, stuff we eat, drink, or rub on our bodies? Here are glimpses from an upcoming Nat Geo book.

THIRSTY
(FOR KNOWLEDGE)?

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loofahs

PHOTOGRAPH BY ADENILSON BUZINARO PEREZ/ISTOCK/GETTY

A good scratchy: Before you rubbed them in your shower ... loofahs (pictured above) were used as engine filters for U.S. Navy warships. How did these things come to be essential? Read on.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

captive lions in South Africa

PHOTOGRAPH BY NICHOLE SOBECKI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Are South Africa’s captive lions (some pictured above) inbred?

This is how you should dispose of unused or expired medications

This massive telescope just captured... a question mark in space?

Can you really sweat out toxins?

Has the U.S. ever fought on Russian soil? You’d be surprised.

U.S. presidents allowed to pardon anyone—even for treason. Here’s why.

An Indigenous ‘city’ may be hidden under this Wisconsin lake

Heart attacks are rising in young people. Here's what to know.

Don’t tell Nonna: Science says this is the ‘right’ way to cook pasta

Why some environmentalists are fighting to preserve an oil rig

These mummies were made … by accident?

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Spanish conquistadors charge in this gouache painting. The seasoned soldiers are known for their exploration and consequent violence in the New World.

IMAGE BY LOOK AND LEARN/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

Who were the fiercest warriors? How a fighter fights can change history’s trajectory. Like depicted in the painting above, the term “conquistador” comes from the Spanish word conquistar, which means “to conquer”—and that they did. Which army ISN’T among Nat Geo’s top fighting forces?

A. Roman legionnaires
B. Mongolian mounted archers
C. American revolutionaries
D. The Wagner Group

CLICK FOR THE ANSWER

PHOTO OF THE DAY

a gif of nudibranchs, sea-dwellers

VIDEO BY JOEL SARTORE

A celebration of life: Seventeen years ago, Nat Geo Explorer Joel Sartore set out to document every species in human care (pictured above, nudibranchs, mesmerizing sea-dwellers). So far, he’s photographed 14,000 of them for his one-of-a-kind Photo Ark—with no signs of stopping.

ONE GREAT STORY

Worshipped for centuries after her death, Ahmose Nefertari is depicted on this 20th dynasty stela

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRITISH MUSEUM/SCALA, FLORENCE

Making a matriarchy: Steadfast, wise, powerful—all words to describe the three queens that led Egypt against Hyksos invaders in the 16th century B.C.—and created an empire. Here’s how they did it. (One of the queens, Ahmose Nefertari, is depicted above.)

Today’s soundtrack: Dairy Queen, Indigo Girls (h/t Curtis Sittenfield)

This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. Want to say hello? We'd love to hear from you: [email protected].

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