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Traveling elicits a wide spectrum of emotions — excitement, trepidation, and awe among them. According to a recent survey, it’s also an experience that plays a significant role in personal growth and identity for young people. “Young travelers today are not just letting but wanting their travel experiences to define them,” reads the Thrillist report, which surveyed 2,000 people ages 18-75. Of the Gen Z and millennial participants, 76% reported they feel their travels say a lot about who they are and 72% said traveling is “core to their identity and part of how they express themselves.” Differing from older generations, Gen Z and millennials are also more likely to pursue “passion travel.” The trend is defined as going somewhere based on a specific interest rather than the destination itself. It’s a move away from the “bucket list” model, and may present in the form of eco-tourism experiences, wellness journeys, Taylor Swift concerts, or food-centered trips. “Not just any vacation spot will do; they want travel experiences that are as unique as they are,” Thrillist says. Regardless of the destination, it’s a reminder that no matter what’s going on in the world, the desire among young people to experience new things remains constant. Learn more about passion travel.
Most hearing aids have one processor. But the Horizon IX from hear.com? They have two, processing speech and noise separately for a clearer and crisper hearing experience. That means conversations and listening are more effortless than ever before. Plus, these groundbreaking hearing aids are so tiny, they’re practically invisible — no wonder over 385,000 customers love them. Learn more below.
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Environment
For the First Time in the US, a Canal Is Going Solar
Tectonicus
Across the country, canals bask in the sun all day — a source of energy that currently isn’t being harnessed for a bigger purpose. This may soon change, however, as tribal land in Arizona is about to become home to the first solar-covered canal in the nation. “Canal solar allows for greater power production per land size, cleaner water, less power transmission losses, and significant reduction in evaporation,” Ben Lepley, an engineer who made prototypes for the canal design based on a similar project in India, told Canary Media. The pilot project is located south of Phoenix on the Casa Blanca Canal, which is part of a canal network owned by the Gila River Indian Community. It’s estimated to boost solar power generation by 1.9% (equivalent to $2.3 million per year), according to Lepley: “We’ve passed those savings on to the ratepayers and prevented a huge amount of CO2 from warming our atmosphere, all without bulldozing vast tracts of the Sonoran Desert.” Per the outlet, the project is set to connect to the distribution grid at the end of the summer — and looking ahead, it may serve as a model for the thousands of miles of other canals throughout the U.S.
Science
Crows Can Count Aloud, Not Unlike Human Toddlers
Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Crows tend to get a bad rap, perhaps because they’re scary smart. They can memorize faces, create tools, and solve puzzles. And a recent study uncovered that the birds can also count aloud using a tallying approach, much like human toddlers. Picture a tot counting: They may say “one, two, three,” or even, “one, one, one,” with the correct number of words but wrong actual words. Diana Liao, the lead study author, explained to Audubon Magazine that “crows are doing something similar.” Liao and her co-authors trained three carrion crows to connect numbers on a screen with tones on a speaker that corresponded to each number. The birds then learned to produce a sequence of “caws” in response to each cue’s number, thus using their voices to count. Notably, as the numbers got bigger, the crows took longer, indicating they were taking a beat to wrap their minds around the challenge. Oh, and if you thought we’d pass up the chance for a Counting Crows reference, you’d be sorely mistaken.
This “passive house” in Brooklyn is complete with big windows, a skylight, and heavy-duty insulation. Check it out.
Like a scene straight out of Amélie, a collection of tiny paper cutouts made by 17th century schoolgirls was discovered beneath floorboards in a historic London building.
Jim Oppegard, a 94-year-old in Minnesota, has been confirmed as the world’s oldest bus driver. He said he finds his work — driving children with special needs to school — rewarding, and is enjoying his newfound celebrity status around town. “Being a record holder has been lots of fun,” Oppegard said.
Sunflower season is upon us! The yellow flowers typically bloom from mid-summer through early autumn. They’re native to North and South America, but can now be found all around the globe — this sea of sunflowers is located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a state in north Germany.
The Horizon IX Packs a One-Two Punch
The Horizon IX from hear.com offers all of the usual benefits of modern hearing aids, like smartphone connectivity and Bluetooth streaming, plus the added bonus of something completely new: The devices have two processors, one for speech and one for background noise, creating unparalleled sound.*
