It’s the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, also known as the first day of winter, astronomically speaking. You can choose to think of Dec. 21 as the shortest, darkest day of the year — or you can choose to take the optimistic mindset and think of it as the coziest day of the year. Consider taking today’s early sunset as a cue to get some extra rest amid this busy holiday season. Plus, from now until June, the days will only be getting longer.
Historic Edinburgh Airport Runway Site to Become Vibrant Community With 3,000 Homes
Crosswind Developments
For 102 years, an airport runway in Scotland witnessed the likes of The Beatles, Marlene Dietrich, and a slew of British Supermarine Spitfires touching down on its tarmac. But the airstrip, which began as just a humble line of grass, retired in 2018, and the plot of land is now moving onto its next mission: helping to solve the housing crisis in Edinburgh. It had a good run (no pun intended) — but after a brief intermission as a VIP car parking lot for the Edinburgh Airport, the 72-acre site previously housing the airstrip is set to become a vibrant community with over 3,000 homes as well as shops, office space, a school, and an 11-acre urban park. Called Elements Edinburgh, the $1.3 billion project proposed by Crosswind Developments was approved by city council on Wednesday. The new community will help the city reach its goal of building 9,500 homes by 2029. The target was established after Edinburgh declared a housing emergency in November 2023 amid 7,000 homeless individuals requiring temporary lodging, with 1,300 of them living in “unsuitable” accommodations, per the city council. “By declaring a housing emergency, we hope to draw widescale attention to an issue that demands urgent and united action,” councillor Jane Meagher said in a statement at the time. “Every single person deserves a warm, safe, and affordable place to call home and we can address this, if we act now.” See more renderings of the community.
Together With Brad’s Deals
Unlock Amazon Prime Perks You Didn’t Know Existed
Once upon a time, we used to make paper lists, hop in our car, and drive to the store for what we needed. And if that store didn’t have what we were looking for, we’d drive over to the next one. Then Amazon came along and changed the game forever. Free shipping and exclusive access to hit TV shows and movies are some of the most popular perks of Amazon Prime — but there are even more benefits you could be taking advantage of. Whether you’re already a Prime member or considering signing up, Brad’s Deals has uncovered 10 hidden perks to help you make the most out of your membership.
There’s No “I” in Team, but Group Sports Can Build Serious Individual Skills, Study Finds
NoSystem images/ iStock
It’s a not-so-secret parenting tip to encourage kids to play team sports. Best case scenario, they love it. But even if they don’t, they often still get a lot out of it — like communication skills, social awareness, and the good ol’ benefits of breaking a sweat. A newly published study dove into another serious pro: strengthening their cognitive skills. Researchers analyzed nearly 900 schoolchildren in the Netherlands over a decade, finding that kids who participated in soccer and volleyball got higher marks on tests of “executive function” (i.e. skills needed to organize, remember details, stay focused, and make decisions) in comparison to kids who didn’t play team sports. The study proposes that these improved executive functioning skills can be traced to the fact that team sports involve a level of unpredictability, putting players in a position where they “must rapidly and dynamically respond.” So while many kids may not grow up remembering the final scores or the names of their teams, that doesn’t mean they won’t walk away with benefits that’ll serve them well in the long run.
Environment
Sea Otters Are Balancing the Ecosystem, One Snack at a Time
Michael Yang
Sea otters have a lot on their resume, but it turns out they’re even more beneficial to the environment than we thought: The adorable keystone species has a secret weapon that helps them balance the ecosystem, and that would be their appetite. After analyzing a coastal estuary called Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay, California, researchers found that the carnivorous mammals have an affinity for noshing on the invasive green crab, eating approximately 120,000 of them per year. And by consuming these pesky crabs, otters balance the food chain and initiate a ripple effect on the rest of the ecosystem, a recent study found. “I’ve studied green crabs in estuaries on three coasts and two continents for decades, and this is one of the first pieces of good news we’ve gotten,” estuarine ecologist and lead author Rikke Jeppesen said in a statement. The cherry on top? The otter population in the estuary is increasing as the crab population goes down. It’s a correlation that’s well worth celebrating, as Jeppesen and her colleagues wrote: “Our investigation highlights that investment in recovery of top predators can increase beneficial food web interactions and resilience of the entire ecosystem.” Plus, it’s a win for those of us who can’t get enough of watching otters hold hands.
In Other News
The U.S. designated19 new nationalhistoric landmarks, all representing “our country’s collective heritage” (read more)
Auroras are being mapped across North America thanks to citizen scientists and social media (read more)
Scientists unearthedfossils of the oldest known saber-toothed mammal, dating back 270 million years (read more)
Microplastics may have met their match: a biodegradable sponge made with squid bones and cotton (read more)
Congrats, Tom Cruise! The Top Gun actor was honored with the U.S. Navy’s highest civilian award (read more)
Something We Love
Benebone Puppy Wishbone I recently adopted a puppy and needed something safe that he could chew for hours without losing interest. After reading plenty of reviews, I found these — and thankfully he loves them. They’re nylon lightly coated in a real bacon flavoring and just the right hardness to be challenging without hurting his tiny puppy teeth. It’s saving the corner of my book shelf (his previous favorite spot to chew!). — Rebekah Brandes, Assistant Editor
Pilot David Whitson wasn’t manning Flight 2223, but he boarded the plane before takeoff to make an important announcement. Whitson got on the mic to honor passenger Alexandria Reimold, his bone marrow donor who happened to be on a flight out of Houston after Whitson landed in the Texas city on a separate flight. Watch the sweet video of their reunion.
Photo of the Day
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Have you seen The Nutcracker this year? It’s a popular holiday pastime, with over 100,000 people per year attending the New York Ballet’s production alone. This pic is from the photo call for the Scottish Ballet’s Nutcracker, which an early reviewer described as “brimming with Christmas magic.”
Recycle Your Old Phone With Trashie’s New Tech Take Back Box
If you’ve been holding on to old, unusable tech, this one’s for you: Trashie just launched the brand-new Tech Take Back Box to recycle phones, laptops, tablets, cords, cables, and more — from any brand, in any condition (even smashed). It’s the perfect sustainability-minded gift as old gadgets get replaced with newer models this holiday season.
