Is aging a reversible process? A new study seems to show older mice can regain their eyesight, develop smarter, younger brains and produce healthier tissue. Could it work ... with humans? It's a tantalizing prospect, but it also raises a lot of uncomfortable questions. After all, there's nothing wrong with aging. In fact, it's a blessing many don't get to live to see. There are many studies and hypotheses from all different scientific realms that suggest we already have a powerful age-defying tool: Love. Yes, it sounds like a line from a bad movie. But really, the relationships we build, and even the love we have and show for friends, acquaintances, personal passions and, of course, ourselves, can dampen some of the stings of time. "Age is just a number" isn't just a phrase printed on those little cocktail napkins you put out for someone's birthday. There's real wisdom behind it -- no fancy experiments or devices required.
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| Our favorites this week Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
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The future is now
The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was this week, and it's always a technicolor potpourri of amazing, outlandish, just-this-side-of-dystopian gadgets. This year featured a lot of cool concept cars, like the BMW iVision Dee, which can change color. The car has 260 e-panels that can produce up to 32 hues. During a demo, different parts of the car, including the wheel covers, flashed in varying rainbow swirls. Then, there was Honda and Sony's Afeela car, which can not only sense your mood (maybe not the best thing for morning commutes) but can "express itself" and share information on its exterior. I've always thought it would be nice to have a "polite" version of a horn, to use when you're not really mad or in a dire situation. Just a friendly little "honk" when someone takes a second too long at a traffic stop. Horns are so stressful! Surely, if we can get color-changing cars, we can get some improvement on that. |
History on the high seas
In 1990, a racing yacht helmed by an all-women crew made history and broke through sexist attitudes in the sport. Now, more than three decades later, the Maiden is sailing the open seas once more -- and changing the lives of young women in the process. CNN Sport has more on the fascinating history of this vessel, but one notable detail is that at the time the Maiden and her crew entered the 1989-1990 Whitbread Round the World Race (now known as the Volvo Ocean Race), one journalist wrote a headline calling the boat "a tin full of tarts." (They later added that it was "a tin full of smart, fast tarts.") The Maiden's crew ended up winning two of the six legs of that race, and after years of inactivity and a long period of refurbishing, the vessel is on a worldwide tour to raise funds and awareness for girls' education, particularly in the developing world. |
A win for the bees is a win for everyone
The US Department of Agriculture has approved the first-ever vaccine for honeybees! Yes, you read that correctly. The vaccine protects against American foulbrood disease, a fatal bacterial disease that can destroy honeybee colonies -- and thus threaten ecosystems that depend on the bees' myriad ecological benefits. While it's amusing to imagine a bunch of bee clinics with tiny little syringes and Band-Aids, there's a much more practical way of administering this type of vaccine. It's mixed into "queen feed," which the worker bees consume. The worker bees incorporate the vaccine into royal jelly, which they feed to the queen bee. Once the queen bee has consumed the vaccine-laden royal jelly, her offspring will all be immune as well. |
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Sponsor Content by Wise Bread |
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Notice anything amiss about this 1894 painting by Paul Gauguin? When it was sold in 1903 after the artist's death, the auctioneer called it "Niagara Falls," referring to its depiction of rushing water and dramatic cliffs. Except ... that's not what the painting is at all. Victor Segalen, a friend of the artist who was present at the sale, said he bought the painting for cheap and promptly turned it the right way up, revealing that it depicted Brittany cottages rather than plunging water. "Breton Village under the Snow" was later acquired by the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. |
Whew, much better. There have been several other famous instances of paintings being hung the wrong way, and they're all equally amusing. (Of course, Mondrian and Rothko make appearances on this list. Did you even need to ask?) |
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| I know a married couple who, every year after spending the stressful holiday season with their families, immediately flee to the Caribbean for two weeks. If you want to bring some of that excellent energy into 2023 (if only in your imagination), perhaps an escape to one of Europe's most secluded island destinations is in order. The island of Heimaey in the Vestmannaeyjar off Iceland's south coast looks like it will do just fine. A rugged coastline and emerald green cliffs dotted with sheep shelter a community of only 4,500 people -- and approximately one million puffins. With secluded hiking trails and gorgeous views, you could spend a whole day here without having to talk to another soul. The puffins, however, may require your attention. |
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Have you ever heard of hing? Also known as Asafoetida, it's a wild fennel plant native to Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan. It's also one of the most iconic and divisive ingredients in Indian cuisine. "Asafoetida" is a combination of the Persian word for "gum" and the Latin word for "stinky," so right off the bat we're working with something unusual. It's even been nicknamed "devil's dung." But chefs laud hing as an essential Indian flavor that can please a variety of Indian cultures and religions that observe various dietary rules. It adds a complex, savory flavor to soups and stews, and is even used for medical purposes like soothing coughs and gas. While the spice may be foreign to most Western palates, you can find it in one common condiment: Worcestershire sauce! |
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Rec of the week Brought to you by CNN Underscored |
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Shameless animal video There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now. |
The only thing cuter than watching this shy little flapjack octopus hide in its own tentacles is hearing the scientists' reactions when they see it. Humans are really cute sometimes, too! (Click here to view) |
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