This writer has never been able to successfully stand upright on water skis, but if any of you are better at water sports, we have a suggestion that can make the summertime activity more meaningful. The boating app MasterCraft is donating $1 to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for every minute users spend out on the water — all you have to do is log your time on the boat.
Must Reads
World Skydiving Day included a group of Black adventurers looking to diversify the sport
Fifty years ago, Sweden became the first country in the world to offer paid parental leave to mothers and fathers. Now, the Nordic nation is trailblazing another unparalleled policy: allowing grandparents to get paid for taking care of their grandchildren. Under the new legislation, parents can transfer a portion of their paid parental leave to other caretakers for the first year of their child’s life. Single parents can transfer 90 days of paid leave to others and two-parent households can transfer 45 days. The change could also pave the way for non-monetary benefits, as babysitting grandchildren is linked to benefits for both little ones and their elders — ranging from cultivating a deeper sense of emotional satisfaction to improving brain health and increasing lifespan. Advocates in the U.S. expressed hope that similar policies might spread stateside. “Families often extend beyond the nuclear family,” Jared Make, vice president of the nonprofit A Better Balance, told the Associated Press. Read more about the innovative law.
Together With FinanceBuzz
It’s Time to Take a Break From High Interest
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Science
Scientists Reveal New Insights Into Woolly Mammoth Extinction
Beth Zaiken/Stockholm University
What happened to the woolly mammoths? It’s a question that scientists have been trying to figure out for decades. Thanks to a new paper, we may be closer to some answers. Last week, researchers in Stockholm detailed an experimental technique they used to analyze genomes of a skin sample from a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth recovered from the permafrost in Siberia. “It’s absolutely beautiful,” evolutionary geneticist Hendrik Poinar, who reviewed the study for the journal Cell, told TheNew York Times of the researchers’ scientific feat. One of the main takeaways is that the genetic diversity of mammoths in that region remained relatively unchanged up until 10,000 years ago, per a news release from Stockholm University. That suggests the species remained stable in numbers “despite the arrival of modern humans as well as numerous climatic changes,” explained lead author Marianne Dehasque. Eventually of course, their numbers declined and reached zero, likely due to genetic diseases. While the extinction of mammoths may seem deep in the past, Dehasque added that the animals’ story has implications today. “Our research underscores the importance of long-term genetic monitoring in conservation efforts.” Browse 3D graphics of the 52,000-year-old mammoth DNA.
Tech
Nation’s First Hydrogen-Fueled Ferry Set to Run in San Francisco (for Free)
SWITCH Maritime
San Francisco has a range of public transit options, from BART to the iconic cable cars. And starting this week, the nation’s first hydrogen-fueled commercial passenger ferry will also be in the mix. “It’s all electric drive,” Joe Pratt, CEO of Zero Emission Industries, told Fast Company. “What that means is you don’t have the engine noise. You don’t have the vibration. It’s kind of like a really big sailboat that’s just cruising silently through the bay.” Pratt, whose company designed the boat, added that its sole byproduct is water vapor: “It’s the only vessel in the world where you can actually drink the exhaust.” Beginning Friday, the 70-foot catamaran, called the MV Sea Change, will take up to 75 passengers along the waterfront between Pier 41 and the San Francisco Ferry Building. Not only is the vessel innovative and eco-friendly, but it’s also free for the first six months as part of a pilot program. “The implications for this are huge because this isn’t its last stop,” Jim Wunderman, chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, told the Associated Press. “If we can operate this successfully, there are going to be more of these vessels in our fleet and in other folks’ fleets in the United States, and we think in the world.” Take a closer look at the ferry.
In Other News
The home associated with the “real Mona Lisa” is up for sale — take a tour inside the Florentine estate listed for around $19.6 million.
Little Free Library, women’s health edition: The Tampa Period Pantry in Florida offers free menstrual hygiene products to anyone in need.
The Sycamore Gap tree was memorialized with a collection of colorful art prints, nearly a year after its felling. “Its memory will live on,” the artist said.
In a recent study,magnet therapy was found to help treat people with bipolar disorder by delivering magnetic waves to specific regions of the brain.
A mountain lion was releasedback into the wild after months of healing at the San Diego Humane Society due to a vehicle injury.
Something We Love
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Inspiring Story
“Friendship at first listen”
Sometimes, the most beautiful friendships blossom from unexpected places. That’s exactly what happened when 14-year-old Dhilan Stanley met 98-year-old Janine Oberrotman — a Holocaust survivor — at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. “It’s amazing to hear from someone who has witnessed it firsthand,” Dhilan said.
This month is filled with fireworks-worthy celebrations: Canada Day on July 1, America’s Independence Day on July 4, and France’s Bastille Day on July 14 — pictured here.
FinanceBuzz’s Favorite Balance Transfer Credit Cards
Balance transfer cards are a great choice for anyone looking to get rid of credit card debt without adding to it. FinanceBuzz reviewed dozens of credit cards with 0% intro offers for balance transfers, and found that one of the best options has an extra-long no interest period and no annual fee.*
“Do all the other things, the ambitious things — travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes … but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness.”
