These mysterious space objects send radio signals every 20 minutes. Plus, national parks with the best wildlife, the science behind nostalgia

RJ Hamster

1 year ago

Friday, July 28, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we look into a mysterious radio pulse in outer space, consider becoming a chimp rescue pilot, plan a trip to a wildlife-abundant national park … and finally figure out the difference between pro, pre, and postbiotics.

ILLUSTRATION BY ICRAR

Scientists are scratching their heads over two newly discovered stars (illustrated above) that emit long pulses of radio waves about every 20 minutes—along with other odd traits.

“We are all still quite amazed and intrigued and baffled,” says astronomer Natasha Hurley-Walker.

What’s with these two stars? And what’s behind their mysterious properties?

WHAT COULD IT BE?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPH BY GARO, PHANIE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics. What’s the difference?(Above, capsules containing Brewer’s yeast)

‘Magic’ mirror in Elizabethan court has mystical Aztec origin

Hogs are running wild in the U.S.—and spreading disease

If you’ve felt like people are getting crueler, you may be right

Who built the Sphinx? Who broke its nose? 4,500 years later, a fresh look

How does ‘Oppenheimer’ re-create history? We asked Christopher Nolan.

Why do colleges have legacy admissions? It started as a way to keep out Jews.

These are the 10 best U.S. national parks to see wildlife

Feeling nostalgic? Your brain is hardwired to crave it

The floating miles-long island of trash in the ocean is actually full of life

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH BY GREG KAHN

Tiny bird, big power: The veery thrush bird (pictured above with an attached GPS backpack) has a superpower: It can predict the severity of hurricane season. “These birds are taking a cue from somewhere, and it could be something we haven’t discovered yet,” Nat Geo reports.

WHAT DO THEY KNOW?

PAID CONTENT FOR
THE MAINE OFFICE OF TOURISM

PHOTOGRAPH BY ACACIA JOHNSON

Sandy beaches, coastal charm, and tidal pools in Maine

National Geographic Photographer Acacia Johnson stops in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport to sample the state’s lobster, local culture, and granite coastlines. Follow her journey and learn about Maine’s tide pools, guided tours, and delicious seafood.

WORLD NATURE CONSERVATION DAY

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRENT STIRTON

The best kind of copilot: These baby chimps’ families were killed by poachers, so pilot Anthony Caere flies them to a primate rehabilitation center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Caere survived a plane crash in 2017, and says helping rescue chimps gives him purpose.

SPREADING HOPE

1 FISH, 2 FISH…

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW SCRIVANI, THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

The Feast of Seven Fishes: It seems everyone has their own version of the history of this feast (a version pictured above)—from a biblical sense to “it’s what my family has always done.” So to clear the air, we traced the tradition’s origins back to the beginning.

HERE’S WHAT WE FOUND

Today’s soundtrack: Cruel Summer, Taylor Swift
Happy Friday! This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. Feeling friendly? Say hey:
hannah.farrow@natgeo.com.

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