We have acelestial twofer for you today: This weekend sees the peak of the Geminid meteor shower and the rise of December’s full moon, the Cold Moon. The former began its big show last night, but you should be able to get a good look at the meteors tonight as well, with the hours before and after midnight considered the best for viewing. The Cold Moon can be spotted tomorrow evening — and it’s the final full moon of 2024.
Far North Swedish City Will Be Europe’s 2029 Capital of Culture
Nikolay Tsuguliev/ iStock
Each year for decades, the European Union has picked two to three cities to carry the prestigious title of “Capital of Culture.” The distinction celebrates the rich diversity of Europe while also “breathing new life into a city’s culture.” European authorities typically reveal the highlighted locales a few years in advance — and one of the newly announced choices for 2029 is Kiruna, an Arctic city in the Swedish Lapland known for its majestic mountains, views of the northern lights, and pristine forests. Sitting in the shadow of Sweden’s highest peak, it’s also home to the world’s largest underground iron ore mine and a quirky sauna. “We at Kiruna Lapland are delighted with this recognition and see great potential for the tourism industry. This platform allows us to continue developing and showcasing cultural experiences within our destination,” Peter Salomonsson, the CEO of Kiruna Lappland, said in a press release. Read about one of the two lesser-known cities preparing to become a Capital of Culture in 2025.
Together With Timeplast
Meet the Genius Who Invented Plastic That Dissolves in Water
The world produces 450 million tons of plastic waste each year. Microplastics are seeping into our oceans and food. They even show up in our bodies. So you can imagine how revolutionary a new kind of plastic that completely dissolves in water can be. Thatʼs exactly what Timeplast created. They patented a water-soluble, time-programmable plastic that vanishes without harming the environment. Major players are already partnering with Timeplast for their patented technology. Now you can invest in Timeplast as they scale in their $1.3 trillion market. Become a Timeplast shareholder here.
Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for Timeplast’s Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.timeplast.com.
Environment
’Tis the Season to Be Tallying: Audubon Christmas Bird Count Is Officially on
Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Heads up, bird lovers! Today is the start of the nation’s longest-running community science bird project: The Audubon Christmas Bird Count, or CBC. For the 125th year, volunteers of all skill levels are invited to head outside to listen and look at the birds, diligently recording what feathered friends they observe. “[It’s] one of the most important initiatives for bird conservation across the world,” Jessica Wilson, executive director of the NYC Bird Alliance, told ABC News of the wildlife census. With each tally, new light is shed on population trends, climate impacts, and shifts in rainfall patterns— as evidenced by the more than 300 peer-reviewed articles based on CBC data. Not to mention the intangible value of coming together outdoors, even in the slog, snow, and rain: “The success of the CBC is rooted in tradition and on connection between people and nature, on sharing the love of birds on the count day with longtime friends and new birders,” wrote Brooke Bateman, Audubon’s senior director of climate and community science. This year, 80,000 people are set to participate. Want to get involved? There’s still time to find a counting event near you.
Science
Happy Livers and Angry Feet: Study Reveals Where the Ancient Mesopotamians Felt Emotions
naqiewei/ iStock
“Smile in your liver,” Bali medicine man Ketut Liyer urges Elizabeth Gilbert in the author’s iconic memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. The sentiment is heartwarming, but it likely left some readers wondering: How do you smile, or express any emotion at all, in your liver? While many modern-day humans aren’t familiar with this concept, the ancient Mesopotamians certainly were. Thanks to new research from Finland’s Aalto University, we now have a better understanding of how our ancestors in this region associated emotions with different parts of the body. The Mesopotamians observed anger in their legs and feet, while they felt happiness in — you guessed it — their livers. “If you compare the ancient Mesopotamian bodily map of happiness with modern bodily maps [published by fellow Finnish scientist, Lauri Nummenmaa and colleagues a decade ago], it is largely similar, with the exception of a notable glow in the liver,” cognitive neuroscientist Juha Lahnakoski said in a news release. To glean this information, the research team analyzed 1 million words of the Semitic language Akkadian, written on clay tablets in cuneiform from 934-612 B.C. They looked for “consistent relationships between linguistic expressions related to both emotions and bodily sensations,” per the Dec. 4 study. Learn more about what they found.
In Other News
Forbes’ list of the 100 most powerful women in the world is out — see who made the cut (read more)
MIT researchers developed a novel, noninvasive imaging method that could help develop new medicines (read more)
A paleontologist discovered a prehistoric salamander-like amphibian species inside a rock (read more)
Cue the floating lanterns: A live-action adaptation of Tangled is in the Disney pipeline (read more)
In a historic mission, 1,000 endangered turtles were saved in Bangladesh thanks to an anonymous tip (read more)
Because Weekend x Nice News
Spread the Nice News Philosophy With Your Wardrobe The Nice News community is tied together by one key thread — a desire to see the good in the world. And now you can spread that positive mindset beyond your email inbox with our apparel collaboration with Because Weekend. The collection is the first Nice News-branded merch available to readers. Each piece embodies our philosophy of optimism, as well as Because Weekend’s vision to make every day feel like the weekend. Click below to check out all the pieces in the collection and order yours!
Seeing a newborn in their first onesie is a big milestone. But finding clothes that fit isn’t always easy for parents whose babies are born prematurely. Enter: Caroline’s Closet, a mom-run organization in Massachusetts on a mission to provide NICU babies with preemie-sized clothes. “The idea of seeing your baby in clothes is totally transformative,” said Meghan Block, the CEO of Boston Moms.
Photo of the Day
NASA/Don Pettit
Don Pettit is already a NASA astronaut and chemical engineer, but we think he could add “space photographer” to his list of titles. Earlier this month, Pettit shared that he created a “tracking device” that allows for long-duration time exposures so he can photograph star fields from the International Space Station. See more of the starry shots.
Amazon Prime Perks You Might Not Know About, Courtesy of Brad’s Deals
For many, free shipping and access to exclusive shows and movies is enough reason to fork over the $14.99 per month to get Amazon Prime. But if that hasn’t been enough to entice you to join the membership, maybe some of the lesser-known incentives will tempt you to sign up. Click below to read the Brad’s Deals roundup of 10 such perks.
