If there were ever a day to pour a second cup of your favorite coffee or treat yourself to a local cafe visit, it would be today — National Coffee Day. In honor of the “holiday,” check out WalletHub’s list of the best coffee cities in America, compiled based on “12 key indicators of coffee lover-friendliness.”
Must Reads
Out of more than 5,000 dogs, golden retrievers Summer and Charlie have been cast to play the next canine court star in Air Bud Returns: Meet the adorable pups
How did Maria Branyas Morera live to 117? Scientists have some theories — and one involves yogurt
Culture
Breaking Generational Cycles: Survey Reveals Top Approaches to Modern Parenting
sturti/ iStock
Even if today’s parents wanted to raise their kids just like their own moms and dads raised them (which is a big if), Gen Alpha and Gen Beta are growing up in a vastly different world — one where they’re navigating social media, the aftermath of a global pandemic, and economic unpredictability. Naturally, parenting styles have evolved to meet the younger generations where they are, and a new survey conducted by Talker Research revealed which ones are currently trending. On behalf of educational child care organization Kiddie Academy, the research company polled 2,000 parents with kids ranging from newborns to age 6, giving them only 20 seconds to respond to prompts to get their instinctual answers. It found that cycle-breaking parenting, which focuses on healing generational trauma, was the top style on the rise. Though the strategy is used by 37% of participants, Gen Z parents are the most likely to adopt it. Coming in a close second was attachment parenting, aimed at forming strong emotional bonds through physical closeness, followed by cause-and-effect parenting, which teaches kids that their actions have real-world consequences. However, 85% of participants said they believe there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and the survey noted that modern parents combine an average of three parenting styles. Dive deeper into the philosophies defining modern parenting.
Together With Hypha Labs
Get Psyched About the $250 Billion “Shroom Boom”
Functional mushrooms are shown in studies to relieve stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and even some cancer treatment symptoms with little to no side effects — that’s $250 billion in health and wellness markets. But it gets even better for fungi enthusiasts and investors alike. A biotech company called Hypha Labs is making it possible to get those benefits from your kitchen countertop. The company’s proprietary Micropearls contain mushroom nutrients you can add to any food or drink, packing the power of functional mushrooms at a fraction of the cost of competitors. Shares are just 20 cents for a limited time as part of Hypha Labs’ special round, and it’s immediate liquidity since the company is already publicly traded. Click here to invest while shares are still available.
This is a paid advertisement for Hypha Labs’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.hyphalabs.com.
Health
Nantucket Project Aims to Slow Lyme Disease Spread, One Mouse at a Time
PharmShot/ iStock
Nantucket, a small island off Cape Cod, is among the U.S. Lyme disease hot spots, with nearly 15% of its residents affected by the bacterial infection. Now, scientists are working to break the cycle of infection at its source by targeting the mice that spread it. While deer and ticks are often associated with Lyme disease, white-footed mice are actually the main hosts of the bacteria. That’s why researchers plan to use cutting-edge CRISPR technology to release thousands of mice genetically engineered to be immune to Lyme, starting during the winter months when the native mouse population is low on the island. The hope is that the immune mice won’t pass Lyme to ticks, and as that mouse population grows, the overall spread of Lyme disease to humans will begin to slow. As for “messing with Mother Nature,” Kevin Esvelt, a genetic engineering pioneer and associate MIT professor who helped launch the project, explained to CBS News that it isn’t something to take lightly. “But, on the other hand,” he added, “I’m not terribly fond of Mother Nature, if she’s gonna give my kids disease. All of technology is saying to Mother Nature, ‘You’re beautiful. And we appreciate you very much and we need to conserve you. But we’re not always happy with the way things work, naturally. And so we’re going to change it.’”
Environment
How Do You Protect Ducks From Brutal Summer Heat? Build Them “Pinecone Huts”
Cheng Tsung FENG/ FIXER Photographic Studio
The only thing cuter than ducks paddling around a pond? Ducks tucking into cozy, floating pinecone huts. Cuteness aside, artist and architect Cheng Tsung Feng designed these hideaways for a practical purpose: to protect a group of about 25 call ducks living in a Taiwanese bed-and-breakfast’s pond from extreme heat and typhoons. Inspired by both the ducks’ nesting habits and the form of native pinecones, Feng built four huts with overlapping slats that allow for ventilation, shade, and water drainage while blending seamlessly into the natural setting. “Wood has an innate compatibility with lush, green environments and its warmth makes it feel familiar and unobtrusive to animals,” Feng told Dezeen. Other thoughtful touches: The huts feature circular windows that allow the ducks to peek out, as well as automatic lighting to create a cozy ambiance at night. The cherry on top? Guests at the bed-and-breakfast can admire the sweet scene from afar through telescopes. See more pics.
In Other News
Tooth proof: Newer, shark bite-resistant wetsuitswere found to be safer than standard, neoprene diving gear (read more)
A reconstruction of a million-year-old skull has a bone to pick with our long-held beliefs on human evolution (read more)
About 5 million wipes were removed from a trash buildup in London dubbed “Wet Wipe Island” (read more)
Eleven dolphins were rescued from shallow waters in Cape Cod — and released safely back to the sea (read more)
ICYMI,the 2026 Color of the Year is a “timeless, go-anywhere shade,” according to Sherwin-Williams (read more)
Something We Love
Bird and Bear Coffee This is the rare example of a coffee that got me to pause on my preferred Philz beans. I tried the Double Dutch Extra Dark blend at a friend’s house and immediately ordered a bag — even though I typically like a medium roast. The small business was founded by a married couple during the pandemic and is named after their two kids’ nicknames. – Rebekah Brandes, Assistant Editor
Your palms might sweat reading this one: Last week, Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel became the first person to ski down Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen, braving nearly 16 hours in the perilous “death zone” above 8,000 meters (roughly 26,200 feet), where the air is notoriously thin. Watch the wildly daring descent.
Photo of the Day
Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images
Do any of these costumes look familiar? There’s a good chance you’ve admired them on screen — perhaps on Kate Winslet in Sense and Sensibility, Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice, or Emma Thompson in Howards End. Now you can see them up close at the Costume Couture exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London. “Actors walk in with just a script and the name of their character. They walk out with that character fully formed in their mind, having brought him or her to life through the angle of a hat, the fabric of a coat, or the feel of a pair of shoes,” said John Bright, the Oscar-winning costume designer behind the exhibit (and pictured here).
Brad’s Deals: The Amazon Perks You Need to Know About
Sure, free shipping and exclusive shows and movies are reason enough for most of us to join Amazon Prime, but sometimes these popular perks don’t cut it. If that’s the case, these lesser-known incentives might finally convince you to sign up. The experts at Brad’s Deals uncovered hidden Prime perks so you can get the most value from your membership.
