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A WATERY GLIMPSE
AT THE 1 PERCENT

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we unravel a mystery surrounding a fashionable shipwreck, see how origami is advancing technology, meet the world’s largest ocean stingray … and celebrate a woman who loved volcanoes.

A picture of a gown pulled from a shipwreck

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAAP SKIL MUSEUM

Few clues about the Palmwood Wreck make sense. The Dutch shipwreck was brimming with items from the elite class, including a dress with elaborate silver embroidery; leather-bound books from across Europe; and a velvet, Ottoman-style tunic.

Do the items offer a glimpse into the lives of the 17th-century 1 percent? Or was the boat possibly part of some theater troupe?

As researchers find more clues, the story only gets stranger.

Read the full story here.

Please consider getting our full digital report and magazine by subscribing here.

A picture of an embroidered silk case

Luxurious and well-preserved: Despite centuries in the sea, clothing from the shipwreck are in extraordinary condition (like the damask gown pictured at top and the silk toiletry case above). For now the ship remains under a cover to protect it from currents. Read more.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A picture of a complex origami rabbit

PHOTOGRAPH BY CRAIG CUTLER

Origami is revolutionizing technology, from medicine to space (Above, a computer-generated rabbit origami pattern.)

Dogs could be our best hope to reverse aging in humans

These explorers disappeared into thin air. The search for answers continues.

A new, non-addictive pain killer could replace opioids

Archaeologists unearth a shipwreck off a beach littered with diamonds

Viruses are food? It’s just one of the surprising roles they play

‘The 1619 Project’ comes to Hulu, expanding the story of enslaved Africans

Breathtaking natural wonders that no longer exist

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A person swims next to a massive stingray

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREA MARSHALL

Tracking Goliaths: Smalleye stingrays are the world’s largest ocean stingrays but they’re also the most elusive. It took months for Nat Geo Explorer Andrea Marshall to track them down and accomplish a scientific first: tag one in the wild (a smalleye ray pictured above). Her early data is already revealing new clues about their mysterious lives, Nat Geo reports.

Related: See the world’s largest freshwater fish

DODGING STINGERS FOR SCIENCE

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A picture of lava flying in the air

PHOTOGRAPH BY FIRE OF LOVE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY FILMS

A fiery romance: The two were devoted to each other and to volcanoes, chasing eruptions around the world. Katia and Maurice Krafft changed the field of volcanology and the public’s understanding of eruptions (Katia’s image of lava, above). Now, the world is has a chance to understand the duo. They star in National Geographic’s new documentary Fire of Love that was just nominated for an Oscar.

AN OSCAR-WORTHY
LOVE STORY

THE NIGHT SKIES

Two illustrations of the night sky, including the moon, Uranus, and Jupiter

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREW FAZEKAS

A trifecta: Three planets are primed for viewing this week. Tonight, the waxing crescent moon will pose beside the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter. By Saturday evening the moon will appear half lit and sit beside a much more distant world that will require binoculars to spot. The ice giant, Uranus, will look like a tiny green dot. Mercury will also have its best morning appearance for all of 2023 this weekend. Scan the southeastern sky at dawn and look for a faint dot. — Andrew Fazekas

A MUSICIAN DISCOVERED URANUS

Today’s soundtrack: Wellerman (Sea Shanty), Nathan Evans

This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Sydney Combs, and David Beard. Have an idea or a link? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected]. Thanks for reading.

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