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THE POWER OF NIGHTMARES

Thursday, August 31, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we learn about the first-ever recorded nightmare, seek to find 10 million missing enslaved Americans' names, ask if our aversion to vegan food is all in our heads ... and think of ways to get rid of this menacing invasive species.

The 4,000-year-old nightmare reflects an ancient Egyptian belief that sleep and dreams (depicted above) bear relation to life itself

MET/ALBUM

Night after night, the young man saw the face: a servant of his father, mistreated while alive, bearing witness, haunting his sleep—and staring right at him.

The rattled Egyptian wrote to his deceased father, pleading: “Do not allow him to do me harm.” The 4,000-year-old nightmare reflects an ancient Egyptian belief that sleep and dreams (depicted above) bear relation to life itself—and might even be as real.

CAN YOU MAKE THEM STOP?

Sleep-related stories:
—One cocktail could wreck your sleep
—How magnesium affects your sleep and anxiety
—Don’t buy the hype: We need the sleep, and here’s why

Unlock this article with Nat Geo Premium! Get access now to exclusive stories, plus a century of archives, photos, and videos. See subscription options starting at just $19/yr.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

This historical photograph shows an enslaved African American family or families posing in front of a wooden house on a plantation in Hanover County, Virginia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY G.H. HOUGHTON, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Will we find the names of 10 million enslaved Americans? (Above, an enslaved African American family in front of a house on a plantation in Virginia.)

What gives the Mediterranean diet such life-extending power?

How the 'wickedest city on Earth' was sunk by an earthquake

Your daily life is probably shaped by these 12 people—do you even know who they are?

How big tides magnify the damage of hurricanes like Idalia

Is this 3,000-year-old brick a genetic ‘time capsule’?

This bird survived Maui’s fires—but it could soon vanish

These pirates left the Caribbean to capture the biggest booty ever

It’s been called ‘the greatest museum of prehistoric art’—but few tourists know it exists

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

Spotted lanternfly nymphs cluster on a sumac tree branch in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

PHOTOGRAPH BY AMY LEE, ALAMY

Invasive menaces: Native to China, these black-and-red planthoppers showed up in the U.S. for the first time in 2014—and they’re spreading quickly, threatening plants like wine grapes and beer hops. Do you know what they’re called?

A. Asparagus beetles
B. Tiger moths
C. Spotted lanternflies
D. Lone star ticks

CLICK FOR THE ANSWER

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Marina Del Rey performs in drag at Scarlet Honolulu, a nightclub in Honolulu, in 2019.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIE ERIEL HOBRO

Rich, sacred story: The māhū—those who are of dual male and female spirit—play a powerful role in Hawaiian culture, and have recently been re-embraced. Above, Marina Del Rey performs in drag at a nightclub in Honolulu. These clubs play a big role in the LGBTQ+ community, offering support, including caregiving, assistance, and shelter when needed.

THEIR ANCIENT HISTORY

LAST GLIMPSE

plant-based burgers, sausages, and chicken

PHOTOGRAPH BY AMY LOMBARD/THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

Eating to save a planet: When a restaurant removes the word “vegan” from its menus, meat-eaters are more likely to try the dish. What’s up with the aversion to all things vegan, when these foods are generally better for your health and the planet? The answers may be rooted in psychology. (Above, plant-based burgers, sausages, and chicken.)

ALL IN OUR MINDS?

Today’s soundtrack: august, Taylor Swift

We hope this newsletter brightened your day! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and Jen Tse. Have a thought about nightmares and better sleep? Let us know! See you tomorrow.

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