It’s breeding season for Gentoo penguins at Edinburgh Zoo, marked by the practice of “pebbling” — when the penguins bring pebbles to potential mates as gifts. This sweet practice is made even sweeter at the Scottish zoo because the pebbles were painted by patients at a local children’s hospital, who get to see their works of art being passed around thanks to a livestream. Watch the pebbling in action.
Must Reads
Tax tips to keep in mind with April 15 creeping up (plus what to do now to help you for next year)
Thinking about a big move? These five states may pay you to relocate there
Health
Busting Myths: 45% of Older Adults Improved Cognitively or Physically With Age in New Study
FreshSplash—E+/Getty Images
Getting older isn’t synonymous with “decline” — and believing that can make a difference in how we age. That’s the takeaway from a recent study out of Yale finding that nearly half of adults aged 65 and older actually showed measurable improvement in cognitive or physical function over time. “Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities,” lead author Becca R. Levy said in a statement. “What we found is that improvement in later life is not rare, it’s common, and it should be included in our understanding of the aging process.” For the study, researchers followed more than 11,000 participants for up to 12 years. They found that 45% improved either cognitively or physically — and that those with more positive age beliefs were significantly more likely to show improvements in both areas, even after controlling for age, sex, education, chronic disease, and depression. “What’s striking is that these gains disappear when you only look at averages,” said Levy. “If you average everyone together, you see decline. But when you look at individual trajectories, you uncover a very different story. A meaningful percentage of the older participants that we studied got better.”
Together With Green Coffee Company
An IPO Is Brewing in the $100 Billion US Coffee Industry
Besides water, no drink is more popular than coffee. It’s a $100 billion market. Now Colombia’s largest coffee producer is planning to IPO as early as 2027. And you have the unique opportunity to become a shareholder in Green Coffee Company pre-IPO. Green Coffee Company’s revenue has already grown 37 timessince 2021, but its North American expansion is just beginning. It has secured the rights to the iconic Juan Valdez brand in the U.S. and Canada, and is now the official coffee of the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Rams. This is your chance to join Green Coffee Company as an investor as it expands a top-five coffee brand to retailers nationwide. But the opportunity ends this month. Invest in Green Coffee Company while you can.
This is a paid advertisement for Green Coffee Company’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.greencoffeecompany.com/. Timelines are subject to change. Listing on the Nasdaq is contingent upon necessary approvals, and reserving a ticker symbol does not guarantee a company’s public listing.
Environment
2 Marsupial Species Confirmed Alive After Being Presumed Extinct for Millennia
Jonathon Dashper
Say hello (again!) to the pygmy long-fingered possum (pictured above) and the ring-tailed glider. These two small marsupials were believed to have vanished around 7,000 years ago, until scientists recently confirmed they are still very much alive in New Guinea — making them “Lazarus species,” organisms that reappear after being presumed extinct. “To be able to say that they indeed are alive brings me joy as a scientist and conservationist,” Kristofer Helgen said in a news release. Helgen and fellow scientist Tim Flannery worked for the past two years to prove the animals’ existence, which until now had been known only from fossil records. They pieced together the story of the species’ survival from a mix of clues, including a photograph taken in the wild and local knowledge from Indigenous communities. “It feels like a second chance to learn about, and protect, these remarkable animals,” Helgen said, adding: “It’s a message of hope.”
Humanity
Inside a New Mexico Program Turning Vacant Houses Into Affordable Rentals
Brigitte Thompson/iStock
Two things can be true at once, a common saying that applies in this case: The U.S. is facing both an affordable housing crisis and a growing number of vacant homes. A New Mexico program called Rehab-2-Rental is tackling both issues at the same time, offering landlords forgivable loans to renovate neglected properties and rent them to people facing housing insecurity. Through the initiative, landlords receive up to $25,000 per single family home to bring a property up to safe, livable standards. To have the loan forgiven, they must rent the refurbished home to someone holding a housing voucher — a form of government-backed rental assistance for low-income tenants — for five years within a six-year period. “New Mexico is in great need of affordable housing for its residents,” Housing New Mexico Executive Director and CEO Isidoro Hernandez said in a statement. “This program is a win-win in that it will help landlords with funding to bring rentals up to standards and will provide more opportunities for affordable housing in the state.”
In Other News
New treatments for peanut allergy reactions could be made from studying saliva, researchers found (read more)
Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo reclaimed the half-marathon world record in Lisbon, finishing in 57:20 (read more)
With rain comes flowers: Cherry blossoms at the University of Washington in Seattle are set to peak soon (read more)
Rare blue whales were spotted off the New England coast for the first time since 2023(read more)
A 100-foot-long painting by Salvador Dalí is expected to fetch six figures at auction (read more)
Something We Love
Signal Hill Audio Magazine Signal Hill is an audio magazine that puts out two multi-episode issues per year, featuring essays, profiles, documentaries, reporting, and more. The first episode I listened to was a fascinating deep dive into how one journalist’s costume designer dad created a brand-new type of push-up bra just for Julia Roberts to wear in Erin Brockovich. – Rebekah Brandes, Assistant Editor
Construction manager Stephanie Martinez is no stranger to building things, both literally and metaphorically: With nearly 30 years experience in a notoriously male-dominated field, she’s helped pave the way for more women to enter the construction industry. At her current gig with homebuilder Taylor Morrison, women comprise 44% of the workforce — well above the national average of 11%. “You can achieve anything you want,” she said.
Eyes on Milano Cortina
Marco Mantovani/Getty Images
Oksana Masters extended her lead as the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian over the weekend — and she has a chance to win yet another medal today. The 36-year-old Ukrainian-born athlete claimed her 20th career Paralympic medal, a gold in the women’s 7.5-kilometer biathlon sitting sprint, on Saturday. And she did so even with a slew of health setbacks in the leadup to the games. “Oh my gosh, my emotions are just pure shock. I did not expect this. All I was hoping was just to have a good time,” she said. Today, Masters is competing in the cross-country skiing sitting sprint, a chance to earn her 21st medal. Check out her full schedule.
Save With the CVS Spring Beauty Event
It’s time to give your beauty and skin care a spring refresh. Whether you’re picking out a new lipstick or restocking your favorite serums, the CVS Spring Epic Beauty Event is offering unbeatable savings. Right now, ExtraCare members can get $10 off beauty and personal care when you spend $30 through March 14 — simply login to your account, send the promo to your card, and remember to use your ExtraCare account at checkout.
