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NO TIME TO RUN? GOT A MINUTE?

Saturday, January 6, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we discover how little exercise it takes to make a difference, examine how Japan built for earthquakes, revisit an insurrection that is now part of American history ... and have an epiphany about Epiphany.

A man runs up stairs outdoors

PHOTOGRAPH BY SOLSKIN, GETTY IMAGES

In track or swimming practices, they’re known as intervals. A faster clip for a bit, then a return to normal speed. In daily life, short, vigorous bursts of physical activity one or two minutes in length—such as very fast walking—are associated with a substantially decreased risk of dying, according to new research.

Three one-minute bursts of intense physical activity every day can lower a person’s risk of death by up to 40 percent, researchers report. Does that mean we can ditch the treadmills for a rapid spin around the block—or for sprints on the stairs?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

The Tokyo Skytree, one of the capital city's most recognizable skyscrapers

PHOTOGRAPH BY ZHANG XIAOYU XINHUA / EYEVINE/REDUX

How does Japan build to withstand earthquakes? (Above, the Tokyo Skytree, with seismic protections)

Why are so many adults just now being diagnosed with ADHD?

Dry or Damp January: How your body can repair itself from alcohol’s damage

Can you spot these hidden animals?

Did early humans interbreed with a ‘ghost population’?

10 ways to better your life in 2024

Who broke the Sphinx’s nose?

What is your biological (not chronological) age? Your face can tell the story

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Waking up can leave you groggy but experts say that exposure to sunlight in the morning is key to helping your body adjust—as this hiker likely discovered while waking up in the Skjoldungen range of Greenland.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDY MANN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Do you wake up with morning grogginess? Here are a few tips from experts on some things you can do such as exposure to sunlight in the morning (as pictured above) to wake up feeling your best—or at least develop a better relationship with your alarm clock.

Related: Is sleeping through the night the 'right' way to sleep?

IMAGES OF THE DAY

The Capitol is stormed by a mob who sought to disrupt a vote to certify the results of the 2020 election.

VIDEO BY LOUIE PALU

Three years ago today: The attack on Capitol Hill is forever a part of American history. National Geographic photographer Louie Palu, who has covered wars and other conflicts across the globe, described January 6, 2021 as “the ugliest moment I have ever seen in America.” See his award-winning work from that day.

Related: Documenting Washington on edge
Related: The slow-burning crisis that sparked the Capitol violence

LAST GLIMPSE

A man dives in icy water during Epiphany celebrations near a monastery in the historic town of Rostov Veliky, about 124 miles from Moscow.

PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS PETER, REUTERS

It’s Epiphany: The last day of Christmas for Christians from many denominations is also commonly known as Three Kings Day (or Theophony), marking the arrival of the Three Wise Men to Jesus’s manger. For some, it’s also a day of gift-giving and revelry, and in some places, it kicks off Carnival season.

While most Christians msrk Epiphany on January 6, many Orthodox Christians observe it on January 19. (Above, a man dives in icy water during Epiphany celebrations.) Here's what to know about the holiday.

A different soundtrack for the day:
1. Born Under A Bad Sign, Albert King
2. Why I Sing The Blues, B.B. King
3. I’d Rather Be Blind, Freddie King

This newsletter has been curated and edited by David Beard, Nancy San Martín, Nishita Naga, and Jen Tse. Thanks for reading!

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