Around 167 million passengers are expected to fly during March and April, a 6% bump in spring breakers compared to last year. If you’re looking to join them and book a last-minute trip without hurting your wallet, it may not be too late — you’ll just have to be willing to adapt. “You’ve gotta be flexible. You may be taking a road trip. You may be taking a cruise. It depends where the deals are,” Emily Kaufman, known as The Travel Mom, told CBS News. Read more tips.
At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Device in the Works From Health Startup
Teal Health
For many, a pap smear is an unpleasant, albeit important, health to-do. But for others, the cervical cancer check can be a deeply overwhelming experience, and is therefore often postponed, putting the patient at risk of having the disease go unnoticed and untreated. That’s what the Teal Wand is trying to help change. Developed by startup Teal Health and measuring less than an inch in diameter,the at-home cervical cancer screening device is designed tobe more comfortable and accessible than a pap smear, while also putting power in patients’ hands. Per the company’s website, the wand fits all bodies and allows users to privately self-collect vaginal cells in less than five minutes. Serena Williams, who invested in the company via her venture capital fund, said the autonomous device is overdue. “For far too long women have been disenfranchised by their current healthcare experiences,” she said in a statement. In January, Teal Health announced a clinical trial that it said will hopefully lead the Food and Drug Administration to put its stamp of approval on the wand — learn more about how it works.
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Tech
Supersonic Jet Completed Successful Test Flight Over Mojave Desert
Boom Supersonic
The world’s first independently developed supersonic jet — Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 prototype — completed a successful mission over the Mojave Desert last week. The 62-foot aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 7,120 feet and a top speed of 273 mph, landing 12 minutes after takeoff (you can watch it take to the skies here). “I’ve been looking forward to this flight since founding Boom in 2014, and it marks the most significant milestone yet on our path to bring supersonic travel to passengers worldwide,” founder and CEO Blake Scholl said in a press release. It’s been more than two decades since the last supersonic commercial aircraft, the Concorde, was retired. And while supersonic jets have been used for the military, this flight marks a step forward for Boom’s plan to get a new airliner for civilians in the skies. In addition to being faster than the speed of sound, the new supersonic flights are said to be quieter, greener, and more affordable than past versions. Read five insights from The Washington Post about the ongoing efforts from Boom, NASA, and other organizations to bring supersonic travel to the forefront.
Environment
How Tribes Are Reviving Wild Rice in the Great Lakes Region
The reciprocal relationship between food and community is particularly evident in wild rice, or manoomin. The crop, a source of nutrition and deep cultural significance for many Indigenous people, was once abundant in the Great Lakes region, but human activities and climate change have endangered the species. However, tribes are stepping up to help protect wild rice — and their hard work is starting to pay off. Last summer, it was growing tall in the lakes of Wisconsin’s Lac du Flambeau for the first time in decades. “It was the first time that I think a lot of us saw wild rice in a while, in about 20 years or maybe longer,” Joe Graveen, the wild rice program manager for the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, told Mongabay. The restoration efforts have involved seeding lakebeds, checking water quality, fending off geese, monitoring water levels, and more. Indigenous communities are also spearheading education and outreach initiatives to teach the vital cultural role of wild rice. “There’s a big movement, just like reviving our language,”said Roger Labine, who’s from the Fish Clan of the Ojibwe Chippewa Nation. “It’s going to take everybody to bring back wild rice.”
In Other News
Pay bumps: Both Australia and Indiaare considering minimum wage adjustments that will help make it easier for workers to live off their earnings.
When a French town’s cemetery kept flooding, officials came up with a “beautiful” solution — adding a canopy of solar panels to protect graves from rain and generate electricity for residents.
“This is a day of joy!” Arts and culture organizations in Oregon will receive a $52 million funding boost, thanks to a plan between the state legislature and two donors.
The northern lights put on quite a show for spectators in Fairbanks, Alaska. See the video.
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Inspiring Story
Every second counts
In case you missed it, Jasmin Paris became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, a famously tough race in Tennessee that involves navigating 100 miles of terrain in 60 hours. The British ultrarunner came in with 99 seconds to spare. “I was just telling myself, ‘If you don’t finish it now, you’ll have to do it again,’” she said in her finish-line interview.
The Course des Cafés returned to Paris on Sunday for the first time in 13 years, challenging French waiters to race 2 kilometers (roughly 1.2 miles) while carrying a tray with a cup of coffee, a glass of water, and a croissant. The 110-year-old tradition was revived in honor of the upcoming Paris Olympics — watch a video of the race.
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