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BEYOND THE TROJAN HORSE

Thursday, May 23, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we examine women and alcohol, grapple with a Trojan War advance, consider the idea of aliens hiding among us, try to find the perfect workout … and abide by new findings on weed.

A person poses for a studio portrait with a sword and helmet. They appear to just be coming out of the shadow.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREAS FLOURIS AND MARIJA MARKOVIĆ

Did one side in the war for Troy, made immortal by Homer, have a huge advantage? And no, we’re not just talking about a fake gift and the element of surprise.

A new study suggests a rugged, heavy style of armor (replica, above) was a “secret weapon” in Bronze Age conflicts. Research using modern Greek soldiers put the armor to the test.

Related: These Ancient Greek weapons were toxic

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A woman drinking a pink cocktail from a martini glass, garnished with a twist of orange peel.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ARTUR WIDAK, NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Why is alcohol killing more women than ever?

How cutting out booze, even for a short period of time, can benefit you

Sleep divorce? Couples sleeping in separate beds is more common than you think.

You can get skin cancer in your eyes. Here are some other surprising places to check.

What experts want you to know if you use weed (even if just recreationally)

Why taking on outdoor adventures is important for women as they age

Are aliens actually hiding among us? A ‘3 Body Problem’ theory, explained.

How we can share our coasts with sharks

Want to help wildlife? Turn off the lights.

15 great gifts for the gardeners in your life

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

A class of women all using one arm to support their weight as they lean on small trampolines.

PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAM WIDMER, REDUX

Is there an exercise that ‘does it all’? With the advent of a variety of new ways to exercise, is there a solution that can help reach all of your goals? We’ve explored what different types of exercises—like weightlifting—can do for your body, but is there a winner that takes all? Here’s what we know.

WAYS TO WORK OUT

Related: What weightlifting can do for your body—and your mind
Also: The unlikely origins of this popular exercise

LAST GLIMPSE

One of the most dazzling compositions in the Silos Apocalypse recounts a great battle in heaven in which the archangel Michael battles the red dragon, as described in the verses of Revelation 12.

The end of the world ... again? In the early medieval period, the year 1000 was believed to herald the world’s final days (depicted above, one of the most dazzling compositions in the Silos Apocalypse). For Christians in the eighth century in what is now Spain, cataclysmic events only made this foreboding vision worse. This 10th-century illuminated manuscript captures their visions.

ANTICIPATING APOCALYPSE

Today’s soundtrack: El Fin, Juan Gabriel

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

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