If you met your younger self for coffee, what would you say? And how would the two of you differ? That’s the basis of a poem recently published by Jennae Cecelia, and it has inspired a flurry of TikTok users to create their own videos sharing how they might interact with a previous version of themselves. The start of Cecelia’s poem reads: “I met my younger self for coffee at 10:15. / She was late. / I was early. / I wore my dark brown hair in a slicked back bun. / Her hair was faded red and in her face.” It’s a fun exercise reflecting on personal growth (and perhaps also your fashion choices of yore), and we encourage you to take a moment this morning to try it out. Also worth noting that you don’t have to make your own TikTok video to take part in the trend — a paper and pen will do.
Must Reads
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Culture
“Unseen” Harper Lee Stories Set to Hit Shelves This Fall
Ben Martin/Getty Images
File this under things to look forward to: More than 60 years after Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird and nearly a decade after the legendary author died, a new collection of her writing is set to hit shelves. Called The Land of Sweet Forever: Stories and Essays, the book will be published this October and includeseight short stories that Lee wrotein her early creative years. The “unseen” stories were discovered in her New York City apartment following her death in 2016, per a press release from HarperCollins. The scoop so far: The tales take place in Alabama and New York and cover a range of topics, including equality, love, creativity, art, and the American South. They “ring with Harper Lee’s inimitable voice, and bring us closer than ever before to the life and work of one of the 20th century’s greatest authors,” said Michael Dean, a representative of the Lee Estate. Lee’s nephew Edwin Conner noted that his family previously knew of the stories’ existence, and is “delighted” they were finally found and will now be shared with the world. “She was not just our beloved aunt, but a great American writer, and we can never know too much about how she came to that pinnacle,” Conner said.
Together With Incogni
How Incogni Removes Your Personal Data From the Internet
Lots of people have security systems for their homes, but what about protecting your data online? Personal information like Social Security numbers, contact details, and addresses are commodities for many companies, putting you at risk of scams, fraud, and identity theft. Thankfully, Incogni is on the case. The automated service deletes your private details from data brokers’ lists, so they don’t wind up in imposter profiles or on people search websites. And it recently became even more effective, as Incogni now deletes your personal info from over 200 data brokers. Click below to learn more about protecting your data and get 55% off with code NICENEWS.
Asthma Drug Helps More Than a Third of Children Overcome Food Allergies in Clinical Trial
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There’s been an uptick in food allergies in recent years, but emerging therapies are making headway in treating them. One of those is an injectable asthma drug that helped more than a third of kids in a clinical trial overcome their food allergies. After being treated with omalizumab (brand name Xolair) for a year, 36% of kids in the study were able to eat full servings of their trigger foods, which included milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts. In comparison, only 19% of children could consume their trigger foods when given a shorter round of omalizumab followed by months of oral immunotherapy, a treatment method that involves building tolerance by eating gradually increasing amounts of a food allergen. “This is the first time we’ve been able to directly compare these two treatments for multiple food allergies, and our study shows omalizumab was superior to oral immunotherapy,” said principal investigator Dr. Robert Wood in a news release. Another perk for the millions of Americans with food allergies: “We have demonstrated that there are multiple paths to living a safe life with food allergies,” senior researcher Dr. Sharon Chinthrajah explained, per HealthDay News. She added: “This study is very encouraging because it shows that we have treatment choices for our patients that are safe and not too burdensome.”
Sports
How Faith Kipyegon Could Become the First Woman to Run a Sub 4-Minute Mile
Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
On July 21, 2023, Faith Kipyegon ran a mile in 4 minutes and 7 seconds, setting a world record that still stands. It’s hard to imagine it possible to go any faster than that. But the Kenyan runner could do what many have said is impossible and become the first woman to run a sub four-minute mile, according to a recent study. “I’m sure people are going to say ‘no way, women can’t run under four minutes,’” study author Rodger Kram told NPR. He added that the same thing was said about men until Roger Bannister did just that in 1954. So to test whether or not Kipyegon could cross the four-minute mile barrier, Kram and his team used aerodynamic modeling to calculate how much faster Kipyegon could have run under optimal conditions (during her fastest mile, the pacers “ran out too fast” and weren’t acting as a proper wind shield). After running the numbers, the researchers found that, in theory, Kipyegon could complete a 3:59 mile with a combination of perfect pacing in front of and behind her. If proven true on the track, “it would be a huge step forward in what’s physiologically possible for females,” said co-author Shalaya Kipp. Of course, there’s only one way to find out. Fingers crossed she gives it a go, but for now, Kipyegon has simply commented on the study: “I appreciate people taking my world record performance as an inspiration to imagine what could be possible in the future.”
In Other News
Parents in Britain will be offered bereavement leave if they’ve experienced a miscarriage (read more)
Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully landed on the moon, and has an “Earth selfie” to show for it (read more)
A de-extinction startup gene-edited a “woolly mouse” with fluffy, mammoth-like features (read more)
LeBron James earned another NBA record, becomingthe first player to score 50,000 career points (read more)
Barbie is celebrating the “gifts of girlhood” with dolls inspired by four iconic female friendships (read more)
Something We Love
Bobos PB&J Oat Snacks I’ve loved all the Bobos oatmeals bars I’ve tried so far, but my favorite products of theirs are the PB&J oat snacks. Each one is packed with whole grain oats, peanut butter, a sweet fruit filling, and tons of nostalgic flavor. I started buying them as a snack for my toddler, but they’ve turned into a pantry staple for everyone in the family. – Kenny Freeman, Director of Partnerships
For Lokelani Alabanza, honoring Black history can be sweet as pie — or ice cream, rather. The Nashville chef took inspiration from 19th-century entrepreneur Sarah Estell and launched her own ice cream company that aims to “feed people their history,” one scoop at a time.
Photo of the Day
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Tomorrow marks two months since the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out in Los Angeles, blazes that went on to burn concurrently with about a dozen others. This photo, taken this week in front of one of the burned homes, demonstrates residents’ resilience and hopeful spirit in the wake of the destruction. Those who evacuated due to the LA fires had to go through the agonizing process of choosing what to save and what to leave behind. For adults, the first things that come to mind are likely obvious — important documents, medications, family heirlooms — but kids don’t have to be quite so practical. Read The New York Times’ interviews with eight young people about what they took when they had to leave their homes.
Travel to the World’s Highest Vineyards With Bonner Wine — No Passport Required
Deep in Argentina’s remote Calchaquí Valley, vines grow at nearly 9,000 feet, producing some of the most intense high-altitude wines in the world. Until now, these bottles rarely left Argentina. But thanks to Bonner Private Wines, you can get five of the rare wines delivered in sleek tasting tubes (including one from the third-highest vineyard on Earth). No flights. No packing. Just a journey through wine — because some places are best explored by the glass.
