If you’re a person who loves a thrill, summer is the perfect time to explore the iconic amusement parks on offer in the U.S. People magazine rounded up five new roller coasters that have opened across the country, including Legoland Florida’s first new one in 15 years. Check out the list here.
Must Reads
The Milky Way’s heart was captured in its most dazzling and detailed form yet
Take a dip in London’s first floating natural swimming pool
Science
The Surprisingly Thoughtful Reason Our Brains Remember Surprises: Study
Rivers Dale—Connect Images/Getty Images
Like ’em or not, surprises are quite memorable. According to a recent study, that’s because our brains process surprising situations differently from predictable ones, and we take in extra sensory information when things don’t go as planned. To test how the brain reacts to unexpected events, researchers showed 40 participants patterns of flashes while measuring their brain activity and tracking their pupil responses. When the researchers deliberately varied the flash patterns, participants remembered them better, even though they responded more quickly and accurately to the expected events. “When the brain is faced with a predictable situation, it goes ‘I already know what this is, I don’t need to spend energy processing it carefully,’” senior study author Reuben Rideaux said in a news release, noting the brain does all this within milliseconds. The opposite happens during unexpected events, he explained: “It’s like a software update or patch. Our brain wants to update our internal memory of the world to make sure we’re prepared for the future, so the energy is dedicated to collect as much information as possible from our environment.” Beyond making a case for throwing a surprise party if you want it to be one to remember, the study advances researchers’ understanding of attention and prediction in the brain, Rideaux said.
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Free Food Market in Portland, Oregon, Aims to Help Feed Families in a Dignified Setting
Sunshine Division/Facebook
A new food market near downtown Portland, Oregon, opened its doors this month. While it looks like your average place to get groceries — shelves are stocked with pantry staples, frozen foods, and fresh produce — it differs in that everything is free. Opened just in time for summer (a notoriously tough time on food budgets), the free market aims to serve 100,000 households this year, thanks to donations from grocers, retailers, farms, and food drives. Sunshine Division, the nonprofit behind the shop, said the goal is to provide families with “a welcoming, dignified place to come and choose what items work best for them.” Interested visitors sign up online in advance for a shopping appointment if they meet one of several criteria, such as having a minor dependent or receiving SNAP benefits or Social Security income. Take a look inside.
Culture
Ikebana, the Japanese Art of Flower Arranging, Is Flourishing in the US
Alejandra Villa Loarca—Newsday RM/Getty Images
Yearning to branch into a new hobby? Let us introduce you to ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arranging. The centuries-old practice, which translates to “giving life to flowers,” has been gaining steam in the U.S. among enthusiasts looking to kick their arranging skills up a notch, CBS News reports. An art form akin to painting or sculpting, ikebana has distinct schools of thought with their own aesthetics and philosophies — in other words, it’s far more involved than just throwing flowers in a jug. But one common thread that unifies ikebana is the intention to express a sense of balance, harmony, and respect for nature through each arrangement, whether it’s a single stem or something more elaborate. Unlike many of the bouquets found in markets, often featuring a medley of bold colors and textures, ikebana tends toward more minimalist, asymmetrical shapes in which the space between stems is as important as the flowers themselves. As one ikebana student told CBS, “Less is more.” You may find ikebana classes offered through Airbnb experiences, community centers, and botanical gardens, but there are also plenty of online tutorials. Watch a beginner’s guide.
Global Good
🇧🇷 Three Brazilian sisters all over 100 years old are the focus of a new longevity research project (read more) 🇫🇷 French police recovered a stolen Picasso painting worth around $13.6 million in a chance encounter (read more) 🏴 Deaths linked to air pollution dropped by about 40% in London from 2019-2024, a new study found (read more) 🇩🇰 A 1,000-year-old textile production site unearthed in Denmark is challenging Viking stereotypes (read more) 🇿🇦 In a South African prison, inmates make art as part of a rehabilitation program — and showcase it in a gallery (read more)
Inspiring Story
Copilots for life
On his final commercial flight before retiring from Southwest Airlines, Captain Jim Curtis sat in the cockpit with his favorite first officer: his daughter Julia, who joined the airline about four months prior. “Captain Curtis has been a mentor for me my entire life,” Julia told the passengers in the cabin. “He inspired me to be a pilot.” Listen to her moving speech(and maybe grab some tissues).
Photo of the Day
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Mark your calendars, space enthusiasts. A one-of-a-kind exhibit will open in November at the California Science Center, where the Endeavour Space Shuttle will be displayed in a 20-story-high “ready-to-launch” position — allowing museumgoers to see the engineering marvel from a novel point of view. “This is a view that nobody, really has ever gotten,” said project director Dennis Jenkins, adding: “It’s just awe-inspiring.” Get a closer look.
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Up This Weekend
Pride Marches: The anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising is June 28, coinciding with some of the country’s largest Pride celebrations — New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago will all host their parades Sunday
World Cup Knockout Stage: The World Cup competition will ramp up Sunday when the knockout stage begins, a round of 32 matches that’ll take us all the way to the July 19 finals (see who’s qualified so far)
Electric Forest: Glastonbury may be taking a year off in 2026, but it's not the only music festival that takes place the last weekend of June — Electric Forest will draw thousands of EDM fans to western Michigan
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