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Monday • January 29, 2024
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Baby boomers — the generation born between 1946 and 1964 — are reaching retirement age in record numbers, and those numbers are hitting a new peak this year. An average of 11,000 Americans are expected to celebrate their 65th birthdays every day from now until December. That translates to about 4.1 million people turning 65 in 2024, marking the “peak 65” or “silver tsunami,” as some have called it. If you’re among those riding the wave (or even if you’re not), read up on how it will affect retirement and what you should know.
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Culture
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| Solo Travel Is on the Rise for Singles and Couples Alike |
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SolStock/ iStock
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Do you like exploring the world by yourself, with your significant other, or alongside a big group of friends? If your answer is “alone,” you’re in good company: Solo travel is on the rise. Social media is perhaps partly responsible, with the tag #solotravel amassing 7.7 billion views on TikTok.
Though young people and singles are certainly taking part in the trend, it’s also particularly noticeable among retired couples. The Wall Street Journal reported that individuals ages 55 and over traveled without their significant others 46% more in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Lisa Tsering, who decided to celebrate her 60th birthday with a solo trip to France, is among that group. “When you travel solo, you’re fully present in the experience, it’s just you and the people around you, the smells, the languages, everything,” she told Today, noting that traveling without her husband actually benefits their relationship. “You want to see your partner happy.”
If you’ve been thinking about undertaking your own Eat, Pray, Love-style trip, travel experts recommend starting with short vacations, sharing your itineraries with close friends and family, and scheduling arrivals during daylight hours to enhance safety.
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How Do You Take Your Coffee?
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There are two main categories of coffee drinkers in this world: those who like to drink their coffee black, and those who add a little milk.
According to Dr. Steven Gundry — the heart surgeon-turned-health guru — one of these options is more likely to disrupt digestion, and it might surprise you. Check out the video below to learn how he recommends consuming your daily cup of joe (and keep on watching for more digestive health tips).
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Environment
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| Mexico Wholesale Market Is Tackling Food Waste With a Compassionate Solution |
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RODRIGO ARANGUA/AFP via Getty Images
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Spread across 810 acres, Central de Abasto may be best known for being Mexico’s biggest wholesale market — and one of the biggest in the world. Beyond its size, the Mexico City market also stands out for its effective approach to reducing food waste: giving excess ingredients to soup kitchens.
Instead of hauling all of the extra (but still edible) food to dumpsters, where it rots and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, the market donates a portion of the usable produce. Since 2020, the program has delivered nearly 800 tons of food to soup kitchens and reduced daily waste by 24%, per NPR.
“We’re trying to foster a culture of sustainability and donation,” said Graciela de Paz Fuentes, the director of innovation and projects at the market for Mexico City’s government. “We go stall to stall through the market to gather donations and try to teach vendors the principles of reusing and recycling everything we can.”
The market is also setting a new standard for others in the region. “The Central de Abasto is the most important market in Latin America, and others take their cues from what happens here,” noted Lina Pohl Alfaro, the United Nations representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization in Mexico City.
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Animals
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| Eco-Friendly Magnetic Fields May Help Humans and Sharks Coexist Peacefully |
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Steve Hinczynski/ iStock
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In the waters of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, a collection of pipes, cement blocks, and magnets create a barrier that looks like a kelp forest — but it’s actually a shark repellant. The SharkSafe Barrier is a nature-inspired invention that provides an eco-friendly alternative to shark nets. Nets are designed to protect humans in popular swimming areas, but have ended up causing thousands of shark deaths, along with the loss of other marine life.
According to the SharkSafe website, the innovative barrier creates the visual effect of a kelp forest (which sharks typically don’t like) and generates a strong magnetic field that prevents sharks from swimming through.
“Sharks are sensitive to magnetic fields because they have a special organ called ampullae of Lorenzini distributed around their eyes and nose,” COO Sara Andreotti told Business Insider.
The result is that sharks avoid the harm of nets, while beachgoers are still protected from potential shark attacks. “You can provide peace of mind with something like this,” said Steven Kessel, director of marine research at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.
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In Other News
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Cold water swimming was found in a study to significantly alleviate menopausal symptoms such as mood swings, hot flushes, and anxiety.
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Archaeological findings in the Peruvian Andes challenge the traditional view of a meat-heavy diet among early hunter-gatherers, revealing that their diets were 80% plant-based.
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Researchers successfully rescued 36 cold-stunned sea turtles from a frozen beach in North Carolina and are now working to rehabilitate them.
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A device that detects falling or wandering in Alzheimer’s patients was invented by a 17-year-old from India after he witnessed his grandmother’s struggle with the disease.
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There’s a treehouse more than 100 feet above the ground in the Amazon rainforest that serves as a classroom for Indigenous people. Check it out.
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Inspiring Stories
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“Proud of my little girl”
Davenee Jaramillo, a second grader in Levelland, Texas, used her allowance to fund and organize the creation of 100 “goodie bags” filled with essential items to help unhoused people in her community this winter.
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Wedding crasher
A couple was interrupted mid-wedding ceremony by a stray kitten meowing in the woods behind them. Naturally, the newlyweds adopted her. Watch a video of the moment.
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Post Of The Day
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@CaramelRhapsody
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A laugh is such a special gift for one to remember a dear friend by. “She told me that [giving me the broom] was one of his final wishes,” Ms. Caramel wrote of her neighbor’s daughter. “He thought about one last laugh to give me before he left. I’ll cherish this broom forever.”
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Quote of the Day
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| “Miracles happen all the time. We’re here, aren’t we?”
- Marilyn Nelson
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