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IT’S BAAAAAAACK!

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we speak to experts about a growing global outbreak of measles, question if ‘culture shock’ is a real thing ... and learn about a new method of dyeing blue jeans that could significantly reduce the environmental impact.

A colored transmission electron micrographic view of measles virus particles, which appear as three amorphous blobs surrounded by grey protein envelopes.

MICROGRAPH BY UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Older Americans remember when measles struck millions of kids a year—and hundreds died or got swelling in the brain.

For the past six decades, vaccines kept it in check. Now, its numbers are rising worldwide—and in the U.S. as well. Why get vaccinated? In addition to stopping measles itself, other diseases caused by measles (shown above) take years to develop—and unvaccinated people stricken by measles have their immune systems suppressed, leaving them vulnerable.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A trekker stands among prayer flags beside the holy lakes at Gosaikund in the Langtang region of Nepal

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX TREADWAY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Real ‘culture shock’ is rare— but it could be serious (Pictured above, a trekker standing among prayer flags in Nepal.)

Are diamonds really rare? What’s the catch?

Everything we thought we knew about the ancient Maya is being upended

The Devil and its hellish history

What are ‘death doulas’ and how do they help patients go with grace?

Were there survivors in Pompeii?

The three Samurai responsible for unifying Japan

This is how science recommends you keep your memory sharp as you age

Albert Einstein and the atomic bomb

This ancient diary reveals how Egyptians built the Great Pyramids

Alcohol is much worse for women than men. Here's why.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The hand of a worker unloading jeans from a fabric dyeing machine at a factory

PHOTOGRAPH BY DHIRAJ SINGH, BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

Making blue jeans green … The iconic American wardrobe staple has long had a lasting impact on the environment. Production of blue jeans (above) requires a complex process of producing and using indigo dye to achieve the shades of blue that grace wardrobes worldwide. But what does it really take to make your blue jeans blue, and can the environmental impact of your jeans be reduced? According to a new study, the answer could be yes.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Twin cubs who are playing with each other on their mother who is resting after nursing in Wapusk National Park, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

PHOTOGRAPH BY NORBERT ROSING, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Today is International Polar Bear Day … and we are discovering how the animals (above) are adapting to a warming environment. In Manitoba, Canada, the sea ice that covers western Hudson Bay for most of the year serves as their hunting ground and haven. However, as the months become warmer and the ice melts, polar bears are forced to live longer periods of time with less food. What does this really mean?

CHANGING CLIMATES

Related: Welcome to the polar bear capital of the world

Today’s soundtrack: Texas Hold ’Em, Beyoncé (feat. Rhiannon Giddens)

Related: Rhiannon Giddens: The Black roots of the banjo

Today’s newsletter was curated and edited by David Beard, Nancy San Martín, Jen Tse, and Nishita Naga. Were you forwarded this email or know someone who might want our newsletter? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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