Why the U.S. exploded a nuclear bomb in space; what the Air Quality Index measures; who invented soccer?

What was the result? Plus, yerba mate; World Ocean Day; microplastics; animals in extreme heat  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌    ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  

 

PLASTIC OR PLANET? VIEW ONLINE

PLASTIC OR PLANET?

WHEN THE U.S. NUKED SPACE Thursday, June 8, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we learn about a nuclear bomb in outer space, trace the history of soccer, revel in the benefits of yerba mate ... and protect our seas for World Oceans Day.

IMAGE BY SCIENCE HISTORY IMAGES, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO The idea was to explode a nuclear weapon 500 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb in space, just 250 miles above us. And then, maybe, a nuclear explosion on the moon! In Hawaii, they hosted parties to welcome the big blast, but then the explosion came. The blast made the nighttime seem like noon, knocked out radio stations, and created an artificial aurora seen as far away as New Zealand. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL NICKLEN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Navigating only by stars, wind, and waves, this legendary Polynesian canoe and its crew (pictured above) will sail 43,000 miles, from Alaska to Tahiti 2,000 years of shipwrecks discovered on treacherous ancient sea route Could colossal crabs hold the clue to Amelia Earhart’s fate? Scenes from classic fairy tales—with a Nigerian twist Soccer is the world's most popular sport. But who invented it? What the Air Quality Index measures—and what to do when it’s code red

Pollution affects our bodies—from our brains to our reproduction systems. Here’s a visual showing how. Related: How breathing in wildfire smoke affects us Is organic food healthier? That’s the wrong question. What is yerba mate—and is this caffeinated drink really good for you? Not spayed. Not neutered. This birth control for cats doesn’t require surgery

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

PHOTOGRAPH BY BROOKE WHATNALL, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Can stand the heat: Camels (above) are notorious for being able to walk long distances in extreme heat. What body part do they use to extract water from the air? A: Skin B: Nostrils C: Tongues D: All of the above CLICK TO FIND OUT

PHOTO OF THE DAY

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID LIITSCHWAGER Planet or plastic? Plastic waste washes into the oceans at an average rate of about nine million tons a year, Nat Geo reports. And the trash impacts every animal from fish to turtles to birds to whales. On World Oceans Day, how are you making an impact? (Above, a scribbled filefish, about two inches long, navigates a soup of plastic.) MICROPLASTICS IMPACT

LAST GLIMPSE

PHOTOGRAPH BY LAUREN OWENS LAMBERT The seaweed race: Startups around the world are experimenting with producing seaweed—fast. The hope is that it can absorb carbon and fight climate change. But is it safe to move quickly before the science is settled? (Above, a variety of seaweed species.) SEAWEED THAT SAVES?

Today’s soundtrack: I Think I’ll Call It Morning, Gil-Scott Heron We hope this newsletter brightened your Thursday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and Jen Tse. Have a story idea? Let us know here. Know a friend who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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