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FOOLED AROUND...AND SPARKED A WAR

Monday, July 1, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we ask why people sometimes like stinky things, learn about a scandal that started one of history’s biggest wars … and check our posture. Plus, scroll down for a quiz!

A lithograph imagines the masked escapades of the Burgundy princesses, including Margaret at right, in the Nesle Tower

AKG/ALBUM

The French king had a problem. His family, in its fourth century in power, needed strategic marriages to shore up its base. Who knew that two of the princesses (depicted above) would end up imprisoned in a sex scandal—and a third would be jailed, too, as an accomplice?

And that the supposed frolicking of the princesses and two knights would unleash a chain of events leading to a century-long war? What the heck happened?

Related: How Joan of Arc turned the tide in the Hundred Years’ War

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A Large Gorilla with a baby

PHOTOGRAPH BY TIM LONG

Granny of the Year? This gorilla (above) is past average lifespan, but still nursing orphans

Is the future of Italy tropical? Why Sicilian farmers are trading olives for papayas

Why drones are replacing traditional fireworks shows

How to protect yourself from ticks—and what to do if you’re bitten

Why do people like stinky things? Related: How body odor became a corporate moneymaker

Walking is the sixth vital sign. Here’s how to do it right.

Why mobility should be a part of your fitness routine

What causes multiple sclerosis—and why are women more at risk?

Why hiking is uniquely beneficial for your body and your brain

The 9 best coffee makers for any kind of camping trip

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

Aerial view of an island surrounded by blue water

PHOTOGRAPH BY SOPHY CRANE/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

In this remote island in the Pacific, sharks grow much bigger. The tiger sharks, which usually measure about nine feet, regularly reach lengths of 15 feet. Where is it?

A. New Zealand
B. Australia
B. South America
C. Papua New Guinea

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT

Related: Baby sharks in the city? This small great white revealed a huge finding near NYC.

WATCH THE TRAILER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Various statues in positions standing and sitting.

PHOTOGRAPH BY PHOTO MARTIN FROUZ/ ARCHIVE OF CZECH INSTITUTE OF EGYPT

Everyone has terrible posture at their desk … including ancient Egyptians. The meticulous documentation of the kingdom’s scribes (depicted above) left its mark on their bones 4,000 years later. Like what?

SIT UP STRAIGHT!

Today’s soundtrack: Participation Trophies, Madelline

Today’s newsletter was curated and edited by Nishita Naga, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. Let us know if you have any suggestions for us.

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