We made it: In less than a day, the clocks will spring forward, bringing more light to our evenings and the promise of warmth to come. Daylight saving time kicks in at 2 a.m., so don’t forget to adjust your clocks accordingly. Click here for tips on adapting to the time change and that lost hour of sleep.
Struck gold? Here’s what to do if you inherit the precious metal, currently in high demand
Health
How to Practice the Dutch Wellness Ritual of “Dusking”
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Sunsets make for dramatic views, but there’s a subtler way to enjoy the evening sky that’s currently gaining traction: dusking. A form of mindfulness available to everyone, the ritual involves simply spending time outside to observe the dusk, or the descent of darkness at twilight. Once a nightly norm in Dutch culture, the tradition embraces the natural pause between day and night and offers a brief respite from technology and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. To make the most of it, Dutch author Marjolijn van Heemstra, who organizes dusking events in the U.K., advises incorporating a meditation element into your practice. “Dusking is about looking at one point and seeing it fade,” she told The Guardian. “Don’t look around too much; focus. Trees are very good — they rise up for a moment and then fade away.” Prioritizing darkness, even for a short period of time, may also help combat the potential health effects of light pollution, which include suppressing melatonin and interrupting circadian rhythms, the outlet points out. And van Heemstra emphasized that dusking is no fancy wellness trend. “You don’t have to go into a dark forest,” she said. “All you need is a chair and a view. It’s cheap, easy, and a nice thought exercise — we live on a planet, miracles are happening every day and we can witness them.”
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The Science Behind Why Basketball Shoes Squeak on the Court
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If you’re a basketball player (or fan), it’s a sound you know and probably love: the squeaks of sneakers on the court. But what actually causes those signature sounds? That’s a question Harvard materials scientist Adel Djellouli asked himself after attending a Boston Celtics game. To find out, he and his colleagues repeatedly slid a sneaker against glass while using microphones and cameras to observe what was happening under the shoe. They found that tiny sections of the sole rapidly lost and regained contact with the surface thousands of times per second, thus creating fast-traveling ripples that matched the squeak’s frequency. The grip patterns on the sole also seemed to play a role — the sounds didn’t occur when researchers slid smooth rubber against the same glass, per a study the team published last month in Nature. “That squeaking is basically your shoe rippling, or creating wrinkles that travel super fast. They repeat at a high frequency, and this is why you get that squeaky noise,” Djellouli told the Associated Press. Beyond basketball, the findings advance the study of high-speed friction, potentially leading to a better understanding of earthquakes and energy-efficient design. It could also pave the way for future shoes that don’t squeak — although we don’t think basketball would be the same without them!
Environment
Landfill Lettuce Is in the Works: World-First Tech Will Grow Produce Using Gas From Waste
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If you asked most people where they get their weekly haul of fruit and vegetables, they’d likely say a grocery store or farmers market. A garbage dump surely wouldn’t be on the list — but a project in England may have folks rethinking the idea. In a world first, a huge dome installed at a landfill site will use gas from waste to grow produce. Created by Sustain Wiltshire, an initiative from Crapper & Sons Landfill, the new “Super-Midden” technology is capable of growing food year-round, reducing the U.K.’s dependence on imports. It could even allow avocados, which don’t normally grow in the U.K., to be produced there in “the depths of winter,” per a news release. Located near Royal Wootton Bassett in the county of Wiltshire, the landfill already has a system for generating electricity from methane produced by trash, a process that results in carbon dioxide as a by-product. With the new tech, the electricity will be pumped into the dome to create “perfect” growing conditions for fruit and veg via heating, power, ultraviolet horticulture lighting, and fans. Meanwhile, the CO2 will be used to boost plant growth through photosynthesis. Learn more about the technology.
In Other News
The Philadelphia school district just adopted “one of the most comprehensive wellness policies” in its history (read more)
This March may be the best month to witness the northern lights until the mid-2030s (read more)
A new mobile mammogram clinic offers screenings to unhoused and sheltered residents of LA’s Skid Row (read more)
Serenading at sea: Older male whales succeed at mating because of their singing skills, a study says (read more)
The Brady Bunch house used for exterior shots in the series is now a historic-cultural monument (read more)
Inspiring Story
Give it up for the Rolling Scones
Residents at Sunrise of Crystal Lake, a Chicago-area retirement community, know a thing or two about Sticky Fingers: Every Saturday afternoon, a cooking club called the Rolling Scones whips up plenty of delicious fare. In addition to providing a creative outlet for the older adults, the club is helping its members learn about incorporating nutritious ingredients into their recipes. “This creative need that I have is being fulfilled by creating salads,” said 90-year-old Nancy Rieck.
Eyes on Milano Cortina
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This two-time Paralympic medalist has broken more than 20 bones during his career — but he’s not letting that stop him from competing in today’s men’s alpine skiing event. After breaking his back ahead of the 2014 Paralympics, 34-year-old Andrew Kurka clinched gold and silver at the 2018 Winter Games, becoming the first Alaskan Paralympic medalist. When he’s not training or competing, Kurka spends time at the Golden Standard, the bed and breakfast he owns that facilitates outdoor recreation for folks with disabilities. Meet more Paralympians to watch this year.
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