This may be shocking -- shocking -- news, but I really love words. I love how learning a new word can feel like trying an artisan chocolate truffle for the first time. You savor it and ponder it, the shape of it lingering pleasantly on your tongue. (Recently, I learned the word "ensorcell." Just say it: Ensorcell! Mmm, delicious.) Of course, exploring the peculiarities of language isn't always so sweet. Take all of the non-American English speakers who get frustrated when Wordle, the ubiquitous word guessing game, includes American slang words like "homer." Searches of that term spiked so much, Cambridge Dictionary deemed it their word of the year. Other unusual words like "caulk" and "bayou" also saw search spikes after appearing in the game, no doubt fueled by some Wordle-based rage. I guess learning new words is decidedly less fun when your winning streak is on the line.
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Our favorites this week
Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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An immortal honor
Hundreds of Native American veterans gathered in Washington D.C. last weekend for the dedication ceremony of the National Museum of the American Indian’s National Native Americans Veterans Memorial. According to the Smithsonian, the memorial is the first national landmark that focuses on the military contributions of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. It was designed by Native artist and veteran Harvey Pratt, and depicts a circle resting on a carved stove drum. The design also features water for ceremonies, benches for gathering, and lances where visitors can tie prayer cloths. The dedication was delayed for two years due to the pandemic, but ended up being part of a three-day event honoring Native American Veterans. The NMAI is absolutely gorgeous, and a must-see stop for museum hoppers in Washington, D.C. They are currently showing an exhibition titled "Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces.”
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Out of thin air
Something about the term "air meat" really makes me giggle. (Maybe it's because, in college, the cafeteria had a vegan option called "chickenless," and the ominously unspecific name invited a lot of interpretation as to what it was, um, full of.) But air meat is a real thing, and it's made from microbes, water, renewable energy and elements found in the air. The idea is to create a source of protein that doesn't take up a lot of space or resources. Scientist Lisa Dyson, the founder of Air Protein, took inspiration from NASA brainstorms on how to feed astronauts on long missions to Mars. Air Protein’s process is similar to yogurt or cheese fermentation, but with, well, air. CO2, nitrogen and oxygen are combined with microbe cultures and whisked through large fermentation tanks, where the culture produces proteins within hours. These proteins are harvested, dried and made into a flour which can be used to produce a steak substitute by adding flavorings and nutrients.
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More word play!
Raise your hand if you've stopped a Scrabble match to bitterly consult the Scrabble dictionary over a word's validity. It happens! You're going to have to expand your horizons a bit, though, because Hasbro and Merriam-Webster have added more than 500 new words to the official Scrabble dictionary. They include "guac," "vax," "deepfake," "adorbs," "zedonk" and ... "Google." Proper nouns? In MY Scrabble? Apparently so -- but only a few. "Jedi," for instance, is now playable, but "Yoda" is not. Feel free to argue that amongst yourselves. “English speakers like to have fun with words, and no one does it better than Scrabble players, who make excellent use of words both obscure and common,” said Merriam-Webster editor at large Peter Sokolowski.
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You've learned about air meat, so now it's time to discover ... mushroom computer chips! Yes, new research has shown that mushroom skins could provide a biodegradable alternative to some plastics used in batteries and computer chips, making them easier to recycle.Researchers from the Johannes Kepler University in Austria were working on flexible and stretchable electronics, with a focus on sustainable materials, when they made the discovery. They figured out the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom, which typically grows on decaying trees, forms a compact protective skin to protect the wood it touches. That substance could be used to form a substrate, the base of a circuit that insulates and cools the conductive metals sitting on top of it.
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CNN has chosen the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2022! For the next few weeks, we'll be highlighting each of these incredible people who are using their unique skills and experiences to make the world a better place. Read all of their stories here.
Debra Vines, a mother and autism awareness advocate who turned the difficult lessons learned while raising a child with autism in the 1990s into a thriving network of support. In 2007, Vines and her late husband created The Answer Inc., a nonprofit that supports families in underserved communities who’ve been impacted by autism. Read Debra's story here.
Carie Broecker, who founded a special dog rescue that keeps ailing and elderly owners connected with their pets, even when they can't care for them. Peace of Mind Dog Rescue also provides others support, like a volunteer dog walking program, to help out seniors that may otherwise feel like they need to part with their pet. Read Carie's story here.
Daily voting is now open to determine the CNN Hero of the Year, so cast your vote before the big reveal on Sunday, December 11th!
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I have won many trophies in my time, but nothing will ever top helping win the battle for peace in my country.
- Didier Drogba, Ivorian soccer legend and humanitarian. Drogba is the recipient of the inaugural CNN “Off the Pitch” prize, in partnership with Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. Through his foundation, Drogba has worked to improve access to healthcare and education, help eradicate poverty, empower women, and fight against hunger in his native Ivory Coast. He is also a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador, and has advocated for good health practices during the pandemic. Drogba says one of his most meaningful achievements was helping organize a ceasefire that led to the end of the first Ivorian Civil War in the early 2000s.
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New observations suggest that chimpanzees want to share moments with each other just, well, because. That trait was previously thought to only exist in humans, but scientists recently observed a wild adult chimpanzee showing her mother a leaf, apparently just to share the experience. The current understanding is that chimps really only beckon for attention when they need something. More observation is needed, but this wonderfully social show-and-tell could forge a deeper understanding of our closest animal relative.
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Rec of the week
Brought to you by CNN Underscored
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30 white elephant gift ideas your friends will love you for giving them
White elephant gifts can be hit or miss, but you'll nail it with our picks. To help you find the perfect gift that strikes that balance of funny and useful, we’ve rounded up our favorite white elephant gift ideas under $25 and under $50.
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Shameless animal video
There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.
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Surprise! A pair of twin Asian elephants were born at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in New York, much to the amazement and delight of their keepers. Twins account for less than 1% of elephant births, and many sets do not survive. However, after mother Mali delivered her first baby, she said, "The show's not over yet!" Ten hours later, another calf was born. You can see photos of the little miracles here. They are so FUZZY. (Click here to view video.)
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