If you plan on spending the week between Christmas and New Year’s mostly on the couch (fully support getting that rest!), you’re going to need some content to watch. Film franchises can provide days of entertainment — here are six ideas from Atlantic writers, movie snacks not included.
Invasive “murder hornets” have been eradicated in the U.S., five years after they were first spotted
Culture
New Cars Must Add Seat Belt Warning Systems for Those Riding in the Back
Jeremy Poland/ iStock
Those of a certain age might remember bouncing around a station wagon’s back seats (or even front seats) with not a seat belt in sight — it wasn’t until the 1990s that nearly all U.S. states had mandated use of the safety features. Today, we know definitively that they save lives: About 50% of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2022 were not buckled up. This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a mandate for car manufacturers that will hopefully make seat belt use more widespread, particularly for those riding in the back. The rule, which will take effect in September 2027, requires that all new vehicles provide a visual alert if a rear seat is occupied but the seat belt is not in use. Once the vehicle starts moving, there must be a visual and audio alert — a feature that most cars already have in place for front seat passengers. “While seat belt use has improved for decades, there’s still more we can do to make sure everyone buckles up,” Adam Raviv, the administration’s chief counsel, said in a statement.
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This Cattle-Herding Robot Can Help Cows Find the Best Grazing Pastures
The University of Sydney
We have smartphones, smart watches, smart TVs, and … smart cows? The SwagBot was initially developed by researchers at The University of Sydney as a cattle herding robot, but now it’s been updated with new sensors, artificial intelligence, and machine learning systems that could help it revolutionize agriculture. The goal is to have SwagBot monitor pastures to lead cattle to the best grazing areas based on the health, type, and density of the grass. It can then guide the cows to a new area before any one spot of pasture becomes overgrazed. “Once the cattle are used to the robot, they will follow the robot around,” Salah Sukkarieh, whose team made the device, told Reuters. “You want to move the animals to the right part of the pasture where there is good protein, good carbs.” Though it’s still in development, the researchers are hopeful that SwagBot will help make farms in Australia more efficient and reduce any strain caused by staffing issues. “This is an industry where robots are a good news story,” Sukkarieh said in a statement. “They can help farmers reduce costs and make better decisions.”
Health
Injection Developed by UPenn Researchers Could Be Preeclampsia Cure
da-kuk/ iStock
Preeclampsia occurs in 3% to 5% of pregnancies and is among the leading causes of stillbirths and premature births. The condition leads to high maternal blood pressure and restricted blood flow to the fetus, and the only current cure is delivery. Now, however, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have “identified an avenue for curing preeclampsia” — an mRNA injection that was proven in a study to lower blood pressure in preeclamptic pregnant mice. The research also found an increase in the mice pups’ birth weight after the moms were treated, indicating a healthy mother and litter. “I am very excited about this work and its current stage because it could offer a real treatment for preeclampsia in human patients in the very near future,” doctoral student and study lead Kelsey Swingle said in a news release.
Global Good
🇪🇨 Ecuador completed a $1.5 billion debt-for-nature swap to boost conservation efforts in the Amazon (read more)
🇮🇳 Malaria cases in India fell by 69% between 2017 and 2023(read more)
🇯🇵 Tokyo will make day carefree for all preschool children starting in September (read more)
🇬🇧 Renewable energy in the U.K. is set to surpass fossil fuels for a full calendar year for the first time (read more)
🇺🇬 Researchers found that wildlife rangers in Uganda are more accurate at counting lions than remote cameras (read more)
Inspiring Story
A special first Christmas
At a hospital in Illinois, Santa Claus made an early Christmas visit to babies and their families in the neonatal intensive care unit. And the little ones were adorably dressed in festive garb for the occasion — watch the video.
Photo of the Day
Bettina Vass
Wedding photography is a nearly $22 billion industry, and the International Wedding Photographer of the Year awards round up the very best of the bunch. Bettina Vass took the top prize this year for her stunning shot of two newlyweds embracing in an ice cave. “As a photographer, I have had the privilege of capturing some of the most unique and breathtaking moments in people’s lives,” Vass said. “But when Mauli and Christian reached out to me with their idea of getting married on top of a glacier in Iceland, I knew this was going to be something truly special.” See the other winners.
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