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CLEARING BRAIN FOG

Monday, November 13, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we tell the real story about the man who kept peace with the Pilgrims, examine how to clear COVID’s brain fog ... and ask: are we too cruel to be kind on World Kindness Day?

Colored scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of microglial cells, the main form of immune system in the central nervous system.

MICROGRAPH BY STEVE GSCHMEISSNER, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

You can’t concentrate. Follow the thread of a conversation. Recall the right word.

The focus, so to speak, on brain fog started with COVID. But what do we know about it? For millions of Americans, the big questions are: How long will it last? Is it permanent? Here’s what we know. (Above, cells from an immune system in the central nervous system.)

CAN WE MAKE IT STOP?

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

Genghis Khan and his wife Börte sit on their thrones before courtiers in this artistic rendering from the book Jami' al Tawarikh (Universal History) by Rashid ad-Din.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

She was Genghis Khan’s wife—and made the Mongol Empire possible (Depicted above, the royal couple on their thrones.)

The real story behind the man who kept the peace with the Pilgrims

COVID-19 can ruin your sleep in many different ways—here's why

Iceland is entering a new volcanic age

Scientists say adding more olive oil to your diet can positively impact your health. Here's how.

See Spain’s remarkable Alhambra fortress as few have ever before

Artists are pushing boundaries in these centuries-old Japanese traditions

Experts weigh in on dubious claims of ‘leaky gut’ causing diseases from depression to autoimmune disorders

How can you tell if a photo is AI generated? Here are some tips.

A new study has determined that cats are more expressive than we thought. Learn about their 276 facial expressions.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

A man holds a chained primate behind his back

PHOTOGRAPH BY TANYA HABJOUQA

What are these? In some cultures, these primates are captured and used for entertaining. The animals also are endangered. Can you name this species?

A. Colobus monkeys
B. Barbary macaques
C. Guenons
D. Mangabeys

CLICK FOR THE ANSWER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A group of boys laughs as they push another boy into a river

PHOTOGRAPH BY KIRN VINTAGE STOCK, CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES

Too cruel to be kind? Today’s World Kindness Day comes as insults, shade, and worse are seeming to run rampant. Why do people love schadenfreude—that feeling of pleasure at another’s misfortune? (Illustrated above, boys laugh as they throw another boy into a river.)

Related: Hey, rats have empathy

ARE WE GETTING CRUELER?

LAST GLIMPSE

What’s your morning routine? We learned from the greats. This is a majestic bed in Venice.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROGERS FUND, 1906, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK

Top of the morning! Even history's most accomplished figures—such as Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius—had a hard time getting out of bed. This (above) was the main bedroom of the Palazzo Sagredo, situated on the Grand Canal in Venice.

A MORNING ROUTINE, FROM THE GREATS

Today’s soundtrack: New Routine, Fountains of Wayne

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter! It was curated and edited by Jen Tse, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. We’d love to hear from you, Do you think kindness still has a chance in this world? Let us know!

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