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WHAT ARE THESE MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSIONS IN OUTER SPACE?

Thursday, January 11, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we explore the corpse tied to mysterious outer space explosions, delve into the world's worst shipwreck, examine whether being organized can actually improve health … and learn about fascinating historical figures from the Alexander Hamilton era (but not as widely known).

Artist’s representation of AT2022tsd, an explosion in a distant galaxy.

IMAGE COURTESY ROBERT L. HURT/CALTECH/IPAC

At first, astronomers thought these weird, massive explosions flaring in space (as illustrated, above) came from satellites. But now a stellar corpse seems to be the cause.

A corpse? A murder at the end of the worlds? In a way, yes. There are clues that black holes or neutron stars are to blame. And that carries major implications.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

The skull of a Batavia survivor excavated on Beacon Island.

PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FLAVEL, ‘SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROARING 40S’, AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

Murder, mutiny, slavery: ‘World’s worst shipwreck’ was bloodier than we thought (Above, an excavated skull tied to the terrifying tale.)

‘Society of the Snow’ is based on a true story. Here’s what really happened.

Did science solve this age-old adventure mystery?

Being organized can actually improve mental health. This is why.

Does trusting your doctor’s intuition lead to better care?

Vikings in North America? Here's what we really know

How can you determine your ‘real’ age?

These caves mean death for Himalayan glaciers

The story behind bubble tea, Taiwan’s iconic drink

Is technology use to blame for higher rates of adult ADHD?

Snail mucus is a skin care phenomenon—but does it really work?

What is ‘inflammaging’? Here's how inflammation affects you differently as you age.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Usain Bolt leading the 100 meter semifinal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAMERON SPENCER, GETTY IMAGES

How apt can an aptonym be? Last names can be a window into historic family professions (think: Miller, Smith, etc.). But can having a name that is amusingly appropriate to your occupation influence your career? We ask people how their aptonyms have affected their lives and explore whether people's names actually influence their career direction (pictured above, Usain Bolt leading the 100 meter semifinal in the 2018 Olympic Games).

Do you, or someone you know, have a job similar to your/their last name? Tell us!

SEE WHAT WE FOUND

LAST GLIMPSE

Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of “Hamilton,” stands center with the original ensemble cast on Broadway in 2015.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SARA KRULWICH, THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

On this day 267 years ago … Alexander Hamilton was born, destined to take the nation by storm. Hamilton's namesake 2016 musical (pictured above) raised awareness of the man's life and legacy to audiences worldwide. Did Hamilton, the musical, just whet our appetite? There were more fascinating players in U.S. history than we may be aware of.

Related: And who will tell their stories? Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda asks.

Today’s soundtracks:
1. Satisfied, Renée Elise Goldsberry (from Hamilton)
2. Explosions in the Sky, Your Hand in Mine

We hope this newsletter brightened your Thursday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Nancy San Martín, Jen Tse, and Nishita Naga. Know someone who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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