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SUSPENDING THE CLOCK OF REPRODUCTION

Thursday, February 16, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we discover the latest science on freezing eggs, hike a sea-to-sea American trail, catch rain-drenched California’s ‘super-shroom’, track a poaching kingpin on the lam ... and see how one bunker can help us all survive chemical contamination.

A picture of a woman with many needles laid out in front of her

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATILDA HAY

It has been about a decade since freezing a women’s eggs has moved from experimental and controversial intro the mainstream. And only in the past few years has it become normalized for women who want to extend their reproductive life.

What’s involved? Will insurance cover it? What’s the live birth rate, and does it, too, decline with age?

Read the full story here.

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A picture of a woman laying down and another picture of a long needle and tube

The decision: At left, Alex, 37, is freezing her eggs until she and her husband have more stability. At right, an egg-retrieval needle. It goes through the vaginal wall and up to the ovaries, where it collects follicular fluid and eggs. At top, Kelly, 33, at home, with the needles and hormones she used for her two egg freezing cycles. Read more.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A picture of elephant tusks on a table indoors

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHAIWAT SUBPRASO, REUTERS/ALAMY

A poaching kingpin is on the run (Above, elephant tusks he was accused of smuggling)

Can this type of fat make you youthful?

Photos: The disappearing mountain hares of Scotland

Love inspired these stunning monuments—all created by women

That time a Nat Geo Explorer went scuba diving with the president

Egypt’s ’Succession’: How a powerful pharaoh held on so long that his empire was endangered

Tequila and mezcal are booming. Why that’s bad for bats. See it!

Here’s how lifestyle changes could extend your life

Vanished: Where did this Biblical kingdom go? Researchers finally have a clue.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A picture of capped mushrooms still covered in soil

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER BROWN

‘It’s a super-shroom!’ The unexpected deluge of rain in California this winter has set the stage for an epic, increasingly rare mushroom season. The last one, some hunters say, was more than 20 years ago. Even those new to fungi foraging will be able to find mushrooms in their backyards, ready to be seen, admired, and often eaten, Nat Geo reports. (Above, mushrooms in the Amanita genus.)

Related: Is this how The Last of Us starts? Because that fungus is real.
Also: Why scientists are creating psychedelics with better trips

GET IN ON THE HUNT

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A picture of gloved hands removing frozen vials from a tank

PHOTOGRAPH BY ESTHER HORVATH

Are we contaminated? From massive chemical spills—like the recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio—to chemicals in everyday products, our bodies are constantly exposed to harmful compounds. The question is, how much are we absorbing? Few know better than the researchers who have been testing German blood and urine for chemicals since 1985 (a few of their some 400,000 samples stored in a bunker, above).

CHEMICALS IN OUR
BODIES

LAST GLIMPSE

A picture of a path crossing a wet, marshy area

PHOTOGRAPH BY LISA CONRAD, FOURANDAHALFFEET.ART

From sea to shining sea: Once completed, the Great American Rail-Trail will run 3,700 miles and connect Washington, D.C. to Washington state. This epic project is converting abandoned railways crisscrossing the Midwest into trails—and is already re-energizing America’s heartland. (Above, a stretch of Nebraska’s 219-mile Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail, which connects to the new cross-country path.)

THE OPEN (RAIL)ROAD

Today’s soundtrack: Me fui de vacaciones, Bad Bunny (The lyrics here in English).

Today’s newsletter was curated and edited by David Beard, Sydney Combs, and Jen Tse. Let us know what you think and send us story ideas here. Thanks for reading!

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