As summer 2025 unfolds, the cosmos is writing an extraordinary chapter in history. This season promises a vivid tapestry of celestial events, mixing moments...

Some stories don’t begin with a single dramatic event, but Mark Mathew Braunstein’s does. On what was supposed to be a joyful celebration—his birthday in 1990—Mark’s leap from a footbridge into a river wasn’t just a dive, but a plunge into a new reality. A misjudged jump left him paralyzed from the waist down. He calls it his “Rebirthday.” And ever since, he’s been navigating life as a born-again pedestrian—one crutch, one challenge, one revelation at a time. A Moment Becomes a Lifetime Before that fateful dive, Mark was like many adventurous souls—active, curious, and perhaps driven by a touch of ego. That day, watching swimmers plunge into the river, he followed suit, partly to impress his...

One of the most unexpected stories early in the COVID-19 pandemic was the sudden, widespread shortage of toilet paper. As lockdowns began in March 2020, people rushed to supermarkets, hoarding rolls and emptying shelves. Yet, amid the frenzy, some savvy shoppers turned to a different solution—a device long beloved in many parts of the world but still relatively unknown in the U.S.: the bidet. Sales of bidets skyrocketed during that time, according to James Lin, founder of bidetking.com. His company sold out its entire stock, and every year since, bidet sales continue to grow by 20-30%, signaling rising interest in this simple yet transformative bathroom fixture. A Brief History: From Aristocratic Luxury to Modern Necessity The bidet dates...

In a world facing mounting challenges—from climate crises to social unrest—there remain powerful reminders of resilience and unity that encourage us to look forward with hope. Recent inspiring developments, spanning from seed preservation deep in the Arctic to the melodies of majestic humpback whales, underscore the enduring spirit of life and creativity that connects us all. Seeds of Survival: The Global Vault That Protects Our Food Future This week, over 14,000 precious seed samples were deposited into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a “doomsday” repository nestled in the frozen permafrost of Norway’s Arctic archipelago. This vault safeguards plant genetic diversity from threats like climate change, war, and natural disasters, ensuring humanity’s agricultural legacy can survive even the...