We’ve all heard the benefits of cooking at home: saving money, upping the nutritional value of your meals, minimizing food waste, and even boosting cognition. But all that becomes somewhat moot if you really hate doing it. Thankfully, there are ways to make cooking less of a chore — read about three mindset shifts that can help, courtesy of NPR (easy recipe ideas included).
Must Reads
A “planet parade” is lined up this month — find out where to look
For those affected by the Los Angeles fires, this step-by-step guide walks through how to file an insurance claim for damages
Health
Surging No More: Cases of Some STIs Are (Finally) Decreasing
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In a “glimmer of hope,” some sexually transmitted infections are becoming less prevalent among Americans, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While STIs have been on an upward trajectory for years, that’s finally changing, with 2023’s gonorrhea cases dropping 7% from 2022and primary and secondary syphilis cases dropping 10%, the first significant decline in decades for the latter. Cases of newborn syphilis (known as congenital syphilis) also appear to be slowing in some areas — the increase of 3% from 2022 to 2023 is minimal compared to the annual increases of up to 30% in prior years. Various factors have been attributed to the decline, like expanded testing and outreach, more disease intervention specialists, and new antibiotics. “It’s not ever one thing right that causes either an epidemic or causes things to slow down,” Dr. Ina Park, a professor of Family Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told Salon. “It’s a concerted effort on multiple fronts.” What now? “We must make the most of this moment,” Jonathan Mermin, the director of CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, said in a statement. Learn some ways to raise awareness and prevent the spread.
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Formerly Unhoused 14-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Sets His Sights on Grandmaster
Misha Friedman/Getty Images
“I do not like being bored,” Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi wrote in his memoir, My Name Is Tani ... and I Believe in Miracles. We can tell: At 8 years old, he won a New York state chess championship’s K-3 division after only learning how to play a year prior, thanks to the hours he spent studying the intricacies of the game and his ability to think 20 moves ahead on the board. At age 10, he won the under 12 section at the North American Youth Championships and became a National Master, securing an International Chess Federation FIDE Master title just a few months later. And at 13, the child prodigy won the 2024 U.S. Cadet Championship, a round-robin tournament that invites the top eight Americans under 16 years old to compete. Tani’s skills are beyond impressive. But there’s a whole other level of inspiration to his story, which has been picked up by major news outlets, turned into the aforementioned book, and acquired to be made into a movie by Paramount Pictures. After his family was threatened by terrorist group Boko Haram while living in Nigeria, they fled to the U.S. in 2017. When Tani won that first state championship, he and his family were still living in a homeless shelter in New York. Thankfully, the Adewumis were officially granted asylum in 2022, and Tani’s chess journey has only continued to skyrocket. Read our interview with Tani for more of his story.
Environment
In Landmark Ruling, Ecuador’s Marine Ecosystems Get Legal Rights
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Just like us, the coastal marine ecosystems in Ecuador, home to the famed Galápagos Islands, now have legal rights. The landmark ruling from the Constitutional Court of Ecuador concluded that aquatic ecosystems have rights of nature, including the right to “integral respect for its existence,” per EcoWatch. Ecuador’s Constitutional Court has previously made such rulings on the natural world, but they were centered on land-based ecosystems, mangroves, and wild animals. Now, the country’s web of rights is extending to the waters. “The decision opens the door to a new perspective, a blue perspective, on the rights of nature,” Ecuadorian lawyer Hugo Echeverria told Inside Climate News. Beyond making a statement about the importance of aquatic ecosystems, this ruling means the government must implement protective measures, such as putting limits on industrial fishing and controlling plastic pollution — all efforts that will foster “the healthy functioning of the planet,” the court said.
In Other News
Fifteen gray wolves were released in Colorado as part of an ongoing population restoration plan (read more)
Bob Dylan’sdraft lyrics for “Mr. Tambourine Man” sold for six figures at an auction (read more)
Footage of “frozen waves” at a Netherlands wave pool is mesmerizing the web (read more)
Mac Miller’s voice carries on in a new posthumous album described as “raw and emotional” (read more)
Scrub-a-dub: Birds affected by a Russian oil spill got some much needed TLCfrom a team of volunteers (read more)
Inspiring Story
Mini Tom Brokaw
Eleven-year-old Cian Lawlo interviewed his firefighter dad about his experience fighting the fires in Southern California, and he had some very thoughtful questions. Read the sweet interview.
Photo of the Day
Bob Bradford - CameraSport via Getty Images
America’s favorite rugby (and Dancing With the Stars) darling Ilona Maher got her first home start with the U.K.-based Bristol Bears on Sunday. It was a big moment for the athlete as she works toward landing a spot on the U.S. national team for the Women’s Rugby World Cup later this year. The home team won, but Maher did also walk away with a broken nose. “Just a lil knock,” she teased on Instagram.
Amazon Prime Perks You Should Be Using, Courtesy of Brad’s Deals
Free music and podcasts, access to lightning deals, and Whole Foods discounts are just a few of the many lesser-known incentives that Amazon Prime has to offer. Make sure you’re not missing out, and get the most out of your membership.
