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THE ODD FREQUENCY OF THESE VOLCANOES

Monday, August 21, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we explore Iceland’s continuous volcanic eruptions, figure out why your gut health is so important, continue to protect our eyes from the sun ... and celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance—500 years after his death.

lava in Iceland

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIKE MEZEUL II PHOTOGRAPHY

For weeks this summer, just like last summer and the summer before, homes and businesses throughout Iceland followed livestreams of gurgling and streaming lava (pictured above) just southeast of its capital.

After 800 years of silence, molten rock has erupted each of the past three summers from a series of fissures, flooding out in strange, seemingly rhythmic bursts. Fortunately, the lava streams moved toward the southern coast, away from the capital.

But why are these eruptions so regular? Why are these frequent fissures and not one dramatic, destructive burst? Have these limited fissures given false comfort to Icelanders? Is a big one on the horizon?

INSIDE THE MYSTERY

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

onlookers look at the sky

AGUNG KUNCAHYA B./XINHUA/REDUX

Your eyes are very vulnerable to the sun. Here's how to protect yourself (Above, onlookers watch a solar eclipse)

How wildfire smoke can permanently damage your brain and body

Historian shines light on Jack the Ripper’s victims

This face transplant transformed a life

Why our mental image of Earth is all wrong

How much protein do you actually need? Consider these factors.

Nat Geo photographers take you behind the scenes of their favorite shots

Why bicycling might keep mental health in high gear

Microplastics are hidden in your home. Here’s how to avoid them.

How this tiny country feeds the world

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ships that stopped at Whitby Harbor (seen here circa 1880) inspired Bram Stoker as he wrote Dracula.

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANK MEADOW SUTCLIFFE, THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY COLLECTION/VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON/GETTY IMAGES

Grim inspiration: The ship that brings death himself to England in Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ was inspired by an actual wreck in 1885. The author, vacationing in the English port of Whitby (shown above), heard about a shipwreck and adapted details of the voyage for a portion of his horror masterpiece.

VAMPIRE INSPIRATION

PHOTO OF THE DAY

a woman dusting the glass covering the Mona Lisa

PHOTOGRAPH BY PAOLO WOODS AND GABRIELE GALIMBIERTI

That smile: On this day in 1911, three Italian handymen stole Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” from the Louvre in Paris—and the painting was propelled into fame. Today, millions of people a year visit the museum just to catch a look at it. (Above, a woman cleans the thick layer of glass that protects the painting.) Here’s a look into how da Vinci’s brilliance endures—even 500 years after his death.

LAST GLIMPSE

The human microbiome is made up of trillions of microscopic organisms that live inside and on the body—including viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae, shown here dividing into daughter cells. They are crucial to keeping the body healthy.

MICROGRAPH BY MARTIN OEGGERLI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Gut check: You hear it all the time: Keep your gut healthy! Why? Because it can impact your digestion, immune system, and even your mood. But what exactly is the gut microbiome—and how can you keep it healthy? We let you know. (Above, a bacteria in the gut dividing into daughter cells.)

HEALTHY GUT, HEALTHY YOU

We asked, you answered: Readers Ann and John Roy of Colorado are putting into practice elements from our story on hacking your happy hormones. “I am 73 and my husband is 83,” Ann writes. “It appears that we are reaping the hormonal benefits from our involvement with music, volunteer work, spiritual pursuits, meditation, running our own business, and taking advantage of sunshine and fresh air! Perhaps this is the reason so many say to us, ‘How do you possibly stay so bright and energetic at your ages?’”

Today’s soundtrack: Leyndarmál, Ásgeir

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].

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