Did you know there’s a pumpkin capital of the world? The small village of Morton, Illinois — population just over 17,000 — processes more than 85% of the globe’s canned pumpkin, thus earning the coveted title. Naturally, Morton celebrates this fact with an annual pumpkin festival, complete with parades, pageants, and plenty of pumpkin-flavored treats. This year’s festivities kick off today, and we’re wishing we could be there.
A Simple Way to Shorten Kids’ Colds? Saltwater Drops, Study Finds
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Cue the stuffy noses, scratchy throats, and headaches — cold season is upon us. The common cold is relatively innocuous for most people, but with kids contracting 10 to 12 of these viruses each year, parents could certainly use a way to help little ones feel better. Enter: the European Respiratory Society’s new study on saltwater nose drops. Researchers found that saltwater drops can reduce the length of a child’s cold by two days. Unlike most other over-the-counter remedies, this treatment could actually accelerate the recovery period, rather than just soothe symptoms. “We found that children using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days,” co-author Dr. Steve Cunningham said in a statement. He added that the children who took the drops also “needed fewer medicines” — and their colds were shown to spread less to other family members. About 82% of parents involved in the study said the saline nose drops helped their child get better faster, and 81% plan to implement the treatment in the future, indicating that it could be a useful tool for making colds a bit more manageable, though we’re still holding out for a cure.
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How Humpback Whales Make Fishing Nets With Bubbles
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Humpback whales often dazzle onlookers with their soaring leaps and fascinating songs. Now, a study is diving into one of their other, lesser-known tricks: bubble net feeding. The massive mammals capture tiny krill by blowing circles of bubbles underwater, essentially making a fishing net with air. “These whales are actually manufacturing these tools,” Andy Szabo, director of the Alaska Whale Foundation, told NPR. “And so we think that really elevates these animals, or it should elevate these animals in our own consciousness, in terms of their cognition.” Szabo co-authored the recent research showing that the bubble net technique increases the density of the prey seven-fold, optimizing for calories per gulp. Humpback whales also work together to make larger bubble nets for capturing bigger fish, making them one of the “rare species” that manufacture foraging tools and modify them. “They’re basically doing the same thing that fishermen are doing,” said John Moran, a biologist at NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. “They’re being smart about it. They’re making it more energetically efficient to forage that way.” Watch bubble net feeding in action.
Culture
10-Year-Old Is the Youngest Person Certified to Prepare Pufferfish
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Most 10-year-olds stay busy over the summer with camps, pool days, art projects, and the like. But Karin Tabira learned to serve “fugu,” or pufferfish, a Japanese delicacy that can be deadly if not properly prepared. No pressure! The fifth grader perfected the art of preparingfugu in Japan’s Yamaguchi region this summer, becoming the youngest of 60 people to pass the test (out of the 93 who tried). Karin learned how to properly clean and slice the fish — with a little help from a booster to reach the kitchen counter — and how to thoroughly remove its poisonous internal organs. It’s an accomplishment well worth savoring, as Yuki Hirao, an executive at a fish farm, told AFP: “Even our adult staff can fail the test. For a 10-year-old to clear the test first time, it’s amazing.” Already, Karin is putting her skills to use, recently serving the dish to the governor of the southern Kumamoto region where she’s from. And it went without a hitch. “I was happy when the governor said ‘oishi,’” she said, using the Japanese word for “delicious.”
In Other News
Print revival: J. Crew is bringing back its beloved fall catalog, seven years after phasing it out.
West Elm Halloween Shop West Elm’s Halloween collection is for those who prefer cute spooky over creepy spooky (talking about myself here). From felted garlands to pumpkin accents, bat-adorned doormats, and this unbelievably adorable ghost pillow, it’s a one-stop shop for accessorizing for the season. — Marika Spitulski, Writer
Minnesota State Trooper Kristie Sue Hathaway is a hero in more ways than one. In 2012, she saved a life on the job — and has since donated a kidney and a piece of her liver, both to complete strangers. “Why not?” Hathaway said of the donations. “I just felt like I needed to do it.”
Photo of the Day
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks: a somber day, and a reminder of our shared humanity. At the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in downtown Manhattan, the annual tradition of reading out the names of the victims is being passed down to younger generations — family members who may not remember the attacks or weren’t born yet. “It’s like you’re passing the torch on,” 13-year-old Allan Aldycki told the Associated Press. His grandfather, firefighter Allan Tarasiewicz, died in 9/11; the teen read out Tarasiewicz’s name last year and will do so again this year. “I wish I had a chance to really know you,” he said during the 2023 ceremony. Hear more from the people who will be honoring their lost loved ones today.
Stay Ahead of Flu Season With Needed
Back-to-school season is in full swing, which means cold and flu season won’t be far behind. Needed knows that being sick takes a toll on the whole family, which is why the company partnered with perinatal and pediatric practitioners to create an easy-to-take, delicious immune support supplement designed for the whole family — little ones included. Nice News readers can get 20% off today with code HELLONEEDED.
