Want to remember something? Don’t type it out—write it down. 

At least that’s what a paper published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests, concluding that “whenever handwriting movements are included as a learning strategy, more of the brain gets stimulated, resulting in the formation of more complex neural network connectivity.” In other words: Writing by hand, as opposed to with a keyboard, helps you remember things. 

The study, by F. R. Van der Weel and Audrey L. H. Van der Meer, psychology researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, had 36 students write a variety of words, chosen at random from the game Pictionary, either with a digital stylus or a keyboard, all while wearing a 256-channel sensor array on their heads. The researchers were watching to determine which involved more connectivity between the two sides of the brain, something that’s been shown to correlate with learning and memory. Though a small sample size, the results “revealed increased connectivity for handwriting over typewriting, suggesting that different underlying cognitive processes are involved in the two tasks.” 

This makes sense to me—I can type without looking at the keyboard, or even really thinking about the fact that I’m typing. Writing with a pen, though? That I have to pay attention. That’s a meaningful distinction, one that has implications for anyone who is trying to learn. Now, the paper goes out of its way to state that this doesn’t mean you should abandon your keyboard altogether—they’re just different tools for different jobs. 

There is, all the same, a demonstrable difference between how writing with a pen, or typing by hand, affects your ability to remember the words you’re recording. Now that you know this you can take advantage—here’s a little bit of advice. 

Want to remember something? Use a pen or stylus.

Lately, when I’m reading a book or paper with the intention of learning from it, I take notes by writing. In my case I’m using a Remarkable e-ink tablet but there’s no reason a sheet of paper, a notebook, a digital notebook, or even an iPad with a pencil can’t work the same way. 

Remember: The study above involved a tablet and stylus, meaning that it’s the movement of writing by hand—not the lack of screens—that helps with memory. So, if the point of writing something down is to help you remember, take those notes using handwriting. The most obvious use case for this is taking notes during class. But it applies even if you’re not a student. 

Take paper notes during meetings

Do you attend meetings regularly? Consider leaving your laptop in your bag and taking notes by hand. You might not be able to write things down as quickly, granted, but you’ll remember the key points from the meeting with more clarity. As a bonus, it’s a lot easier to maintain eye contact when you’re not constantly looking down at your computer. 

I find this even works during online meetings. I leave my tablet between my computer and me, which allows me to jot things down during the conversation. This doesn’t just help me remember things; I’m also not interrupting the conversation with my infamously loud typing sounds. Win-win. 

Consider using paper productivity software

I’m straying pretty far from the research here, granted, but if writing things down instead of typing helps with memory you might want to consider replacing your productivity software with pen and paper, or a digital system that allows you to handwrite. I especially recommend this if you’re the kind of person who frequently sets up to-do lists and calendar apps only to forget that they exist. Writing things down might help you remember in a way that apps just don’t. 

Need to be quick? Use a keyboard.

The study went out of its way to say that keyboards have their place. To quote the conclusion:

Handwriting requires fine motor control over the fingers, and it forces students to pay attention to what they are doing. Typing, on the other hand, requires mechanical and repetitive movements that trade awareness for speed. 

There is a time and a place for keyboards: I’m typing this right now. The takeaway isn’t that writing is better, per se, just that the act itself can help you remember things. Keep this in mind and try out writing at times when you normally wouldn’t. You might be surprised.

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If you’re looking for a physical and mental health boost, it’s time to head outside. Studies show that spending time outside, even if you’re not participating in any kind of physical activity, can offer just that. In fact, taking even a few minutes to sit by a stream, rest in the shade of a tree, or just sit by an open window to watch the birds can have immense therapeutic and physiological benefits. In fact, study after study shows that nature therapy can reduce stress, lessen feelings of anxiety, even boost physical well-being.

But what may be even better for your health is spending time outdoors mindfully, which, when combined with nature therapy, can enhance feelings of calm, interconnectedness with nature, even positive neurobiological responses. One way to incorporate mindfulness into time in nature without sitting cross-legged on the grass with your eyes closed, a posture often associated with meditation, is journaling. Here’s how and why to stuff a notebook in your pocket or backpack the next time you head outdoors to squeeze every drop of goodness that comes with spending time outside.

What counts as nature therapy

The term “nature therapy” might spark any number of visuals, from long walks on the beach to meditation sessions in the park to a simple stroll around your neighborhood. And while it’s often associated with hours spent in the forest quietly communing with nature a la Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing, nature therapy can be much more accessible than that, which is good news for city dwellers and others who might not have easy access to large swaths of green space.

In fact, according to Erica R. Timko Olson, registered nurse and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota who specializes in nature-based therapies that support wellbeing, there are many ways to interact with nature. That includes intentionally engaging in therapeutic nature-based experiences, sure, but also walking to work or enjoying a sunny park bench, even listening to nature sounds or viewing photos or videos of nature scenes.

In essence, nature therapy can involve everything from summiting a mountain to grabbing lunch on a patio to watching a butterfly from your apartment balcony; it can be done, and the benefits experienced, just about anywhere.

The benefits of journaling in nature

And yes, slowing down to take in all the sights and sounds of the outdoors, especially in this age of packed schedules and no downtime, is plenty important. Reo Jones, registered nurse, researcher and PhD candidate at OHSU, explains that while people these days are nearly constantly in fight or flight mode, writing and reflecting in a natural environment can change the physiology in the body and magnify the psychological, physical and spiritual well being felt in the presence of nature that tells us we’re safe and can relax. You don’t even have to commit a large chunk of your day to the practice, she says.

In fact, Jones suggests that taking as little as five minutes on a regular basis can have profound benefits for mental, but also physical, health. “How quickly and how drastically people can feel better. It blows my mind,” she says. “We see that on the cellular level.”

From a reduction in cortisol levels and a boost in immune function to positive changes in anxiety and mood, any amount of mindfulness outdoors is beneficial. That includes when you’re indoors but nature adjacent, like when greenery is placed in a classroom or there’s a view of nature from your office or hospital window. So grab a notebook and get to it.

Grab a journal to practice mindfulness

However, for many, the act of journaling can seem intimidating. But it doesn’t have to. In fact, according to Jones, it will look different for everyone. It can be as simple as writing down what you see, feel, or smell using whatever senses are available to you, which encourages you to pay attention and tune into the world around you. Start by writing down details you might typically ignore in daily life, like the sound of leaves chattering in the breeze, the way light changes on the grass, or how spring flowers smell.

“The best entry into this is to go outside and observe. And do that until you feel comfortable,” instructs Sydney Williams, author of Hiking Your Feelings and founder of the non-profit retreat-based Hiking My Feelings, both of which exist to help people discover the healing power of nature. Then, when you’re comfortable with observation, get introspective and write down how the scenes around you make you feel.

When you’re ready to go deeper, observe what’s happening internally in addition to externally. Journaling, especially when done outdoors, can be a way to process and work through difficult feelings and traumatic experiences explains Williams, who discovered firsthand when spending time outdoors with pen and paper in hand that wilderness offers the space to observe and reflect without judgment. It can also be somewhere to redirect energy—via hiking or exploring—that can feel bottled up indoors. “It’s the expansiveness that I feel outdoors that make the processing more accessible and approachable,” she says. It can ease fight or flight mode when you feel triggered, she adds.

If you’re still having trouble putting thoughts into words, return to simple observation, but pay attention to what the scenes around you inspire. If you see a cactus, Williams says, consider its spines and let them prompt you to think about what is currently irritating you. Put on paper what you’re thinking and feeling, why you might be thinking and feeling that way, and how those thoughts and feelings are affecting you physically and mentally. 

“There’s something about the reflective process and taking the time to be with it and process it and think about it,” Jones says. No judgment, just introspection and inspiration.

“One of the best ways to connect with and rediscover ourselves is to reconnect with our surroundings,” says Williams. So grab a notebook or open the Notes app on your phone, find a stream, tree, or rooftop to sit by, under, or on, and take a few minutes to observe and reflect. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

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Americans consume an average of two cups of coffee daily, primarily using single-cup brewers, though drip coffee makers remain popular. Regardless of the brewing method, the question of what to do with used coffee grounds persists. These grounds are not merely waste but valuable for various practical, eco-friendly applications. They can enhance garden health, elevate beauty routines, and serve as natural cleaning agents, offering solutions to many household challenges.

How to use coffee grounds around the house

If you ever find yourself with a surplus of used coffee grounds, here are some clever ways to repurpose them.

Mild fertilizer

Coffee grounds contain essential minerals beneficial for plant growth, such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. These nutrients can contribute to the fertility of the soil but won’t be enough to sustain the health of your plants over time. Just think of it as an inexpensive, mild, organic fertilizer that will give your plants a slight nitrogen boost. To use in the garden or potted plants, sprinkle the used coffee grounds around your plants and work it in a half inch to a depth of 4 inches. Don’t go overboard with it, though. Like other soil amendments, more isn’t always better.

Soil conditioner

Used coffee grounds are an excellent soil conditioner due to their nitrogen content and ability to improve soil structure. When incorporated into garden soil, they can help enhance drainage, water retention, and aeration, fostering healthier plant growth. Mix a thin layer of coffee grounds into the top few inches of soil to utilize coffee grounds as a soil conditioner. This can help feed soil microbes and improve the soil’s overall quality.

Compost booster

Balancing carbon (browns), nitrogen (greens), moisture, and air is essential to create high-quality compost. Fortunately, used coffee grounds are an excellent addition to compost because they contain nitrogen, a vital nutrient for the microorganisms that break down organic matter. When coffee grounds are added to compost, they help speed up the decomposition process, making the compost richer in nutrients essential for plant growth. Mixing coffee grounds with carbon-rich materials such as leaves, straw, or paper is recommended to maintain a healthy compost balance. This combination enhances the overall structure and aeration of the compost, facilitating faster breakdown and preventing the compost from becoming too wet and compacted.

Natural pest repellent

Due to its pungent odor and chemical properties, coffee grounds can be used as a natural repellent against various pests. To use coffee grounds as a pest repellent, sprinkle the dried grounds around plant bases or areas where pests are a problem, providing a barrier that pests are likely to avoid. However, it’s important to note that coffee grounds are not universally effective against all insects. They offer a simple, eco-friendly approach to pest control in certain situations.

Odor reducer

Used coffee grounds are more than just helpful in the garden; they’re a natural odor reducer. Their high absorbency and strong fragrance, combined with coffee’s acidity and potent aroma, create a powerful solution for freshening your home. You can effectively eliminate lingering smells by placing a small container of dried used coffee grounds in your refrigerator or a musty cabinet. You can also use coffee grounds in sachets to deodorize shoes or as a scrub to remove body odors.

Cleaning scrub

Used coffee grounds are an excellent option for eco-friendly cleaning. They have an abrasive texture that can effectively remove buildup from various surfaces without causing any damage. You can use this natural abrasive quality to clean hard surfaces like countertops, cooking ranges, and utensils. Mix some used coffee grounds with a little water or mild soap to create a simple scrub. This mixture can help you lift grime and residue efficiently from kitchen surfaces and appliances. Moreover, the natural oiliness of coffee grounds gives surfaces a slight polish, making them look refreshed and clean.

Rejuvenate wood furniture

Coffee grounds can give your wooden surfaces a deep and rich color, helping to rejuvenate them. To get started, you only need to brew some coffee and let it cool down. Then, strain out the coffee grounds or leave them in for a more textured finish. Next, apply the coffee solution onto the wooden surface using a brush or cloth, focusing on areas that need restoration. This will not only give your furniture a refreshed look but also help to hide minor scratches and blemishes, making it look as good as new.

Exfoliating skin care treatment

The natural chemical properties and abrasive texture of used coffee grounds make them perfect for removing dead skin cells, promoting smoother, more radiant skin. The caffeine content in coffee is also beneficial as it can increase blood flow, which helps to rejuvenate and tighten the skin, reducing the appearance of cellulite when massaged into the skin. Mix used coffee grounds with a carrier oil such as coconut, olive, or almond oil to create a homemade exfoliating scrub for your body. This mixture can be gently massaged into the skin using circular motions, then rinsed off, leaving the skin feeling refreshed and soft. Avoid using on thinner skin, like that on your face.

Under-eye care

Uncover the natural solution to under-eye puffiness and dark circles with used coffee grounds. Their caffeine content and anti-inflammatory properties make them a safe and effective choice. Caffeine can help constrict blood vessels beneath the skin, reducing swelling and the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. One popular method involves chilling the used grounds in the refrigerator, mixing them with a little water or honey, and applying the paste gently beneath the eyes. After letting it sit for several minutes, simply wash it off.

Flavor enhancer

People commonly use coffee grounds to brew coffee, but they can also employ them in cooking to flavor both sweet and savory dishes. Incorporating coffee grounds into meat rubs or marinades imparts a rich, earthy taste. Additionally, bakers can mix them into baked goods such as brownies and cakes to add a subtle coffee flavor that balances sweetness with a hint of bitterness. Coffee grounds can also enhance homemade sauces or stews by adding depth and complexity to the overall taste.

Are coffee grounds safe to consume?

Coffee grounds are safe to eat in moderation, offering health benefits like antioxidants and dietary fiber, similar to brewed coffee. However, excessive consumption can cause side effects including insomnia, nervousness, and digestive irritation due to their abrasive texture and high caffeine content. Additionally, coffee grounds are toxic to pets and should not be consumed by animals.

Can you reuse coffee grounds?

It is possible to reuse coffee grounds, but the quality of the coffee may not be as good as the first use. When reused, coffee grounds usually have a weaker flavor and strength because most of the essential oils and flavors are extracted during the initial brewing process.

The next time you brew coffee, remember that the grounds can do much more than make a great cup. Using spent coffee grounds in your garden, home, and beauty routines can benefit your plants and skin. This practice contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle, allowing you to reduce waste, save money, and take advantage of coffee grounds’ natural properties.

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Whether you’re planning a hike, hitting the gym, or just trying to get through the midday slump at work, there’s one snack that has stood the test of time for adventurers and health enthusiasts alike: trail mix. This simple yet versatile blend of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits (sometimes chocolate, too) has cemented its place as a go-to snack for people seeking a convenient source of energy and nutrition. Beyond its reputation as a trailside staple, its crunchy texture and layered flavor profile include an abundance of nutrients, making it not just a tasty treat, but a legitimate nutritional powerhouse. In this DIY trail mix guide, we’ll talk about ways to customize this classic snack for a variety of needs.

As a dietitian, I’m also compelled to boast trail mix’s impressive nutritional resume because it checks a lot of boxes. Though probably most well known for addressing hunger while still being very portable (“dry” foods like nuts and seeds are good for that), the blend of ingredients includes the major macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (water is also considered a macronutrient, but we’ll assume you’ve already got that covered. Each has its own satiety profile—carbs help calm immediate hunger pangs, while the slower breakdown of proteins helps keep you feeling full through a few hours. Fats, with an even longer molecular chain, typically take the longest to break down, so they can satisfy your energy cravings the longest.

But satiating hunger isn’t the thing trick trail mix can do. Nuts and seeds can be a great source of vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium as well as vitamin E and the B complexes. They also provide plant-based protein, which helps build and restore muscle without adding any saturated fats. Additionally, the dried fruit and granola found in most mixes can provide more vitamins like A, C, and K as well as plenty of fiber, which is chronically low in most Americans’ diets.

Trail mix is also an easy snack to assemble at home and customize at will. You can pick and choose your own ingredients according to your needs and you can save money by buying them in bulk.

But that’s enough nerding out on the biochemical genius of trail mix. Let’s get down to the fun part: trail mix recipes.

Basic Trail Mix

As described above, basic trail mix is defined by relatively equal parts nuts, seeds, and (typically) granola. The nuts can be anything but often include almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, and pecans, which offer varied flavors and textures. Pumpkin and sunflower are typically the most commonly used seeds, but hemp and sesame also make the list. Granola clusters can be sourced from anywhere and because they’re often held together with honey, you get a nice mix of savory and sweet.

Additional add-ons can be chocolate morsels, yogurt chips, and pretzels. I like adding pretzels, or other simple, starchy carbohydrates, because they’re a good source of energy and are easy on the stomach compared to the fiber and texture of the other ingredients. Pretzels, specifically, also provide sodium, which is the most important electrolyte used by the body to maintain hydration and intracellular volume.  

Now, with all of the above, there are variables you tweak however you like. If you struggle with hypertension, which was redefined in 2017, consider unsalted nuts to help manage your blood pressure. If allergies or food intolerances are your obstacles, simply swap one ingredient for another. You can really customize the following recipes however you like, but let’s start with a generic template to build from. Here’s my base mix:

Ingredients:

• Nuts: Almonds, cashews, walnuts
• Seeds: Pumpkin, sunflower
• Fruit: Raisins

The Runner Trail Mix

Running is usually considered an endurance sport, but sprinting definitely has an anaerobic component. In either case, carbohydrates are best suited for powering short or long runs and should be a key part of a runner’s trail mix. Be mindful of adding too much fiber as it could cause GI discomfort when you’re logging those miles. This mix gets most of its carbs from bananas, granola, and pretzels, which will provide energy while being easier on the stomach. 

Ingredients:

• Low-fiber nuts: Macadamia, cashews, pecans
• Seeds: Sunflower
• Fruit: Dried banana chips
• Starch: Classic rolled oats granola with syrup or honey
• Extra: Small pretzel braids

The Gym Trail Mix

Any time you’re pushing weight on the bench or in the squat rack, you’ll need to pay extra attention to protein. This mix will be targeted towards a higher count of the muscle-building macronutrient from various sources to ensure you’re hitting all nine essential amino acids. What’s more, the combination of the below ingredients includes a notable amount of leucine for signaling the body to start building muscle.

Ingredients:

• High-protein nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios
• High-leucine seeds: Pumpkin and sunflower
• Fruit: Raisins
• Starch: Quinoa-based granola or puffed quinoa
• Extra: Dried edamame and yogurt chips for extra protein

The Pregnancy Trail Mix

What should you expect in your trail mix when you’re expecting? Pretty much the same thing as other trail mixes but with an extra focus on folate, iron, and antioxidants. Folate is important for its role in early fetal development. Infants also get their primary iron stores from their time in the womb, so a mother needs a sufficient amount to share with her child before birth. Lastly, antioxidants are important for everyone, but inflammation can have a more pronounced effect on a developing baby, so keeping it in check is a good idea. 

Ingredients:

• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, cashews
• Iron-rich seeds: Pumpkin, hemp, and chia seeds
• Fruit: Dried apricots and cranberries
• Starch: Any whole grain granola
• Extra: Dark chocolate nibs

The Vegan Trail Mix

Going plant-based has become really popular over the last few years, but vegans have been around forever. Trail mix has been a staple for us herbivores because it’s often difficult to find a meal without any animal products. The mix below is aimed at providing a variety of flavors so that the vegans can enjoy snacking, too.

Ingredients:

• Nuts: Peanuts, pistachio nuts, hazelnuts
• Seeds: Pumpkin and sunflower
• Fruit: Dried figs and banana chips
• Starch: Granola with dried berries (made with syrup, not honey)
• Extra: Vegan candied chocolate chips (yes, I like chocolate)

The Allergy-Free Trail Mix

There are now nine official foods on the FDA’s list of major food allergies, but don’t fret. There’s still a way to make a delicious allergy-free trail mix that will stave off hunger and taste great at the same time. Feel free to swap in or out any foods that you enjoy or swap out any specific items you might have a reaction to. Always check with your doctor first to make sure you’re good to go.

Ingredients:

• Hypoallergenic nuts: Tiger “nuts” (actually a root vegetable with a nutty taste and texture) and pili “nuts” (from Southeast Asia)
• Seeds: Watermelon and sunflower
• Starch: Puffed corn or quinoa
• Extra: Gluten-free pretzel braids and dried coconut flakes

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Expiration dates on food are something most of us understand. Okay, not quite—plenty of us are confused, and that confusion contributes to food waste. Generally, though, we know that food is going to taste better if we eat it before the expiration date, and that long past those dates food might be unsafe. 

What most people don’t know, though, is that all sorts of other products have expiration dates. Sunscreen, car seats, and even condoms all go bad eventually. Here are a few things you possibly didn’t know expired, complete with links to reputable sources where you can read more. 

Sunscreen

Sunscreen goes bad over time. This is one I can attest to personally: I used some five-year-old sunscreen and burned really, really badly. Most bottles will have an expiration date and I implore you to take it seriously. According to the FDA, if there’s no expiration date, the sunscreen “should be considered expired three years after purchase.” 

Sunscreen can go back even faster depending on how you store it. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should make sure not to leave your sunscreen outside “in hot weather or in direct sunlight,” which might be challenging given the contexts in which people typically use sunscreen. They recommend leaving your sunscreen in the shade, when possible, or wrapping it up in a towel or in your cooler at the beach or picnic. 

Car seats

The materials in a car seat wear down over time, which can make them less effective. The seats are only tested to last an expected lifespan, typically around eight years. This is something to keep in mind if you acquire a used car seat or intend to pass a car seat down from an older sibling to younger child. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the main US government agency that regulates car seats, offers a used car seat checklist for any not-new car seat. Some of this is obvious: You shouldn’t use a car seat that went through a moderate or severe crash, as the stress of such events means they can’t be relied on anymore. But a few other things are perhaps less intuitive. The agency says you should only use a car seat if you know the model number and manufacture date, in part so you can determine whether the seat is too old. This information is generally included on a sticker on the seat. 

The companies that manufacture car seats also generally outline a lifespan for the seats. Graco, for example, says this is usually between 7 and 10 years, but you can find the lifespan for your specific car seat model by checking the manual. If you don’t have the manual, you can usually get a copy by contacting the manufacturer, or by checking the company’s website. 

Bike helmets

Bike helmets, much like car seats, wear down over time. The exact time varies—the specific time should be in the manual that came with your helmet. If you don’t have that on hand, there are some general guidelines to follow. According to Consumer Reports, “many bike helmet manufacturers recommend replacing your helmet every three to five years” and the Consumer Product Safety Commission says that “it may be prudent to replace your helmet within 5-10 years or purchase.” 

That’s a wide range, granted, but every manufacturer and agency agrees on one thing: You should replace any helmet worn during a crash or if that helmet has any visible cracks. 

Smoke detectors

Most people don’t give their smoke detectors a second thought until they burn dinner, but those devices don’t last forever. The compounds these devices use to detect smoke diminish over time, making them less effective over time. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you replace your smoke alarm every ten years.  So does the American Red Cross. And don’t forget to change the batteries every six months.

Drugs

It’s easy to put pills in your medicine cabinet and not think about them until you have a headache, fever, or another ailment requiring relief. But drugs lose their potency over time, which can make them unsafe. According to the FDA, a degraded drug “might not provide the patient with the intended benefit because it has a lower strength than intended.” In some cases the breakdown might create toxic compounds with “unintended side effects.” 

Condoms

The material condoms are made from break down over time. I don’t feel like I need to explain much why this is worrying. According to the Cleveland Clinic “an older condom is more likely to tear during sex”, which defeats the point of using a condom.

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Only you can prevent wildfires. It’s a phrase nearly everyone who grew up in the U.S. is familiar with, uttered by a friendly shirtless bruin in blue jeans and a ranger hat: Smokey Bear, who celebrates his 80th birthday this year.

It’s the longest-running PSA campaign in U.S. history, but even after 80 years, “Smokey’s focused prevention message always remains incredibly relevant and important,” says Tracy Danicich, vice president and campaign director at Ad Council. That’s the national nonprofit—in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters (NASF)—that helped bring Smokey to life in the 1940s to educate and raise awareness about wildfire prevention.

Here are a few often overlooked ways to be fire safe and help prevent human-caused forest fires this season. Do Smokey proud this year. 

Wildfire facts

While wildfires can be devastating, it’s important to understand that some fire is beneficial for many landscapes. In fact, many areas around the country implement prescribed burns in parks or natural areas to maintain the health of native plant species, promote biological diversity, and curb the disastrous effects of uncontrolled and unplanned wildfires. Prescribed burns also help eliminate excess downed wood and leaf litter, which not only make for excellent fuel for wildfires, but can make it difficult for healthy forests to flourish.

When these prescribed burns aren’t implemented, if a wildfire does start, often catastrophic loss of entire swaths of forest, homes, and lives can be suffered, and woodland can take decades to recover.

In the U.S. in 2023, there were 3,036 individual homes destroyed by wildfire, an annual average of 7.7 million acres burned over the last 5 years, of which 8 out of 10 were caused by humans. And while year-to-year numbers may fluctuate, climate change leads to longer, drier weather patterns, which in turn open the door for longer and more severe wildfire seasons and more fire-prone wilderness areas.

Fortunately, agencies like the forest service and state foresters are getting better about predicting when and where fires will start that are caused by natural events like lightning, but human-caused occurrences are impossible to predict. What’s more, “It’s surprising how quickly and unintentionally they can happen,” says Kacey KC, Nevada state forester, NASF fire committee vice chair and former NASF president. Fortunately, many are preventable with an extra dose of caution.

Keep campfires under control

Wildfires are often the result of improperly managed campfires. So when starting a blaze at the campground to roast marshmallows for s’mores, do so carefully. And if there’s a burn ban in effect, follow posted rules and do without.

If you are allowed to build a fire, clear an area at least 10-feet in diameter around the fire pit of excess debris like leaf litter, twigs, and wood. Have enough water on hand to fully drown the fire and any stray embers, then ensure there are no low-hanging branches that could catch. Store flammable items away from open flame, and keep your blaze to no more than a few feet high.

After it’s lit, never leave a fire unattended. And when you’re ready to turn in for the night or are heading away from the campsite for the day, Leave No Trace principles dictate that you should thoroughly extinguish the fire so that the coals are soupy and cool to the touch. “If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave,” Danicich says, repeating Smokey’s sage advice. KC agrees: “Even the tiniest ember can start a fire.”

If you don’t have enough water, bury what’s left of the embers under a thick layer of dirt. Neglecting to do so could result in one warm coal easily reigniting and starting the fire back up or sending up rogue embers, which can travel up to five miles if caught by the wind.

Be careful when you burn backyard debris

If you live in a place that permits the backyard burning of yard waste and natural debris like leaves and vegetation, check to see if you need a permit before doing so. If you’re allowed, proceed with your burn on a non-windy day, preferably not long after a rain when the landscape won’t be dried to a crisp, making it more likely to ignite with your burn pile. Select a spot—ideally on a durable surface like gravel—far from power lines, tree limbs, vehicles and other equipment where there’s at least three times the clearance of the pile on all sides, including above.

Then clear the immediate area of other flammable debris and loose vegetation and have plenty of water or a garden hose within reach. Water, in conjunction with a shovel for burying the remaining coals and ashes later, helps ensure no embers will reignite the fire. As with campfires, don’t leave your debris pile unattended while it’s burning.

Grill smart

One lesser known wildfire cause: improper disposal of hot coals. If you’re grilling with charcoal briquets, when the cookout is over, don’t throw them in the garbage can right away. Drown the briquets in enough water to fully cover them, then let them soak for several minutes to ensure they’re completely cool before you dispose of them.

Similarly, if placing hot ash or coals from your living room fireplace outside, wait to do so until they’re completely cool to the touch.

Be careful where you put your butt

Smokers should be cautious when smoking outdoors or disposing of smoked cigarettes, tobacco, and joints. Use an ashtray or bare dirt, not dry grass or logs, to put out smoking butts and never toss a lit cigarette into the grass or out a car window. Even the act of smoking while hiking or camping can result in an errant ember catching the wind, landing on dry debris, and igniting. 

Use caution with equipment and maintenance

There are plenty of ways heavy equipment, machinery, and maintenance tools can cause wildfires. Sparks can easily fly from dragging tow chains, hot exhaust pipes can catch dry grass on fire, and lawn mower blades that hit rocks can do the same.

So make sure nothing metal is dragging from your car while driving; avoid mowing when it’s excessively hot, dry, and windy; and if using grinding or welding equipment or other tools that send sparks flying, it’s a good idea—and sometimes required—to have at least 10 feet of clearance between you and anything flammable. Also avoid parking a vehicle with a hot exhaust pipe on dry grass or foliage.

Take it to an indoor range

According to KC, target shooting was one of the biggest causes of accidental fires in 2023. They’re often caused when bullets hit metal or ricochet and cause sparks near dry foliage. So when it’s dry, take it to an indoor range instead.

However you’re enjoying the outdoors as fire season approaches, recreate responsibly, and do your part to prevent forest fires. Call it a birthday present for Smokey.

The post How YOU can prevent wildfires appeared first on Popular Science.

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As a child, you were probably told not to stare directly at the sun. If you weren’t told or refused to listen, you may have learned the hard way. The human eye is one of the most sensitive structures in the body. Even a few seconds of direct sun exposure can dry out the eyes and temporarily blind you. That said, just because you’re not staring directly doesn’t mean you’re immune to the sun’s UV rays. It is entirely possible to get a sunburn on your eyes. 

You should always take some precautionary measures when venturing outside, especially as we approach summer’s longer days and more intense sunshine. We asked optometrists to break down how to best protect your eyes from the sun.

Why do the eyes sunburn easily?

The sun can damage your eyes in two different ways. The most common is a sunburn to the front part of the eye, also known as photokeratitis. Catherine Heyman, the founding dean at the High Point University School of Optometry in North Carolina, says photokeratitis happens when the sun’s UV rays damage the cornea. This clear, thin layer covers your iris and pupil. Excessive exposure to the sun also temporarily injures the conjunctiva, a mucous membrane that covers the white part of your eye. 

People with photokeratitis usually experience pain that’s akin to the feeling of having sand in your eye. They also frequently report redness, sensitivity to bright light, and blurry vision. Additionally, the eyelids appear swollen. While discomforting, the symptoms are temporary. Heyman says the cornea heals fast, with symptoms resolving in about 24 hours.

Another way the sun can hurt your eyes is when UV rays damage the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of your eye that catches light throughout the day, which is then converted into electrical signals for your brain to process vision. Jessilin Quint, a member of the American Optometric Association and co-owner of Smart Eye Care in Maine, explains that the UV light from the sun is intense. When it is too concentrated, the UV rays can cause extensive damage to light-sensitive cells housed in the retina. “The UV rays change how those cells behave and when they are not behaving properly, that can permanently cause tissue damage and trigger inflammation.” 

Also known as solar retinopathy, retinal damage occurs when a person stares directly at the sun. Quint explains that damaged light-sensitive cells in the retina tend to be in an area called the macula. The macula handles central vision, allowing people to see clear shapes and colors. A person with retinal damage commonly reports distorted vision or vision loss. 

Depending on how much eye protection a person had on or how long they were sungazing, Quint says there is a small chance for some cells to regenerate, but usually, retinal damage is permanent. This is because the retina does not carry pain receptors. People may not realize they are hurting their eyes at the moment and continue to sungaze for a few seconds to a few minutes. The aftereffects occur hours after the time of injury or after a couple of days.

How to protect the eyes from the sun’s UV rays

Purchase UV-blocking sunglasses

To avoid sunburn, buy a pair of sunglasses that 100 percent block UVA and UVB rays. Both ultraviolet rays are linked to skin burning. Heyman says you’re going to want to have sunglasses on whenever you’re outside in the daytime. Additionally, you’ll want to have your shades on for activities such as surfing, boating, and skiing, as the water and snow reflect the sun’s UV radiation. If you’re going to be in the sun for long periods of time, wraparound sunglasses are another option for protecting the entire face from the sun’s glare. 

Not all sunglasses have the same protection against UV rays. Quint says many over-the-counter sunglasses are not regulated and do a poor job of properly filtering light. These sunglasses enlarge your pupils when it is dark, allowing more light to enter and potentially hurting your retina. “It’s like when you have your eyes dilated at the optometrist,” adds Heyman. “Putting on sunglasses without UV protection is worse than not having any glasses at all.”

While polarized sunglasses do a better job of shielding the eyes from the sun, the best sunglasses are the ones that can completely block out UVA and UVB rays. You can order prescription sunglasses or check for stickers on over-the-counter sunglasses that specifically say they block both UV rays. If you’re unsure or have an old pair at home, you can take them to your local optometrist, who can assess if they cover UV radiation or not.

Stay in the shade

Another precaution to take is staying in the shade as much as possible. The sun’s rays are the strongest between 10 in the morning and four in the afternoon. Even when it’s cloudy outside, Heyman says UV rays can penetrate through and cause a minor sunburn.

Apply sunscreen to the eyelids

If you’re outside in the sun, apply sunscreen to your eyelids. “If you look at the percentages of skin cancer that happen throughout the body, despite the eyelids having such little surface area compared to the skin of the entire body, it has a much higher percentage of skin cancer,” says Quint. While you want to avoid sunscreen in the eye, cover the entire eyelid with sunscreen, including sunscreen in the narrow corners. You’ll want to reapply sunscreen every couple of hours and much more often if you are doing an activity such as swimming.

There are certain things to look for when purchasing sunscreen. First is using a broad-spectrum sunscreen. The sun protection factor (SPF) number on sunscreen only measures how much it protects against UVB rays. A broad-spectrum sunscreen guards you from UVA and UVB rays. The second is to choose a mineral-based sunscreen, rather than a chemical sunscreen. Quint says some ingredients in chemical sunscreens are harmful to the eyes and can trigger ocular inflammation or dry eye. 

Some makeup brands include sunscreen in their products, but Quint says this does not give enough coverage. “Makeup products will say it has an SPF of a certain amount, and while it’s better than having no SPF, it’s not giving the person the full protection that’s needed.” She recommends starting with a broad-spectrum sunscreen at the base, adding SPF-included makeup or moisturizer, and reapplying sunscreen every few hours. 

What to do when you have sunburned eyes

Pain from a minor sunburn to the eyes can be managed with acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain relievers. You’ll also want to rest your eyes, which can look like being indoors and keeping your eyes closed or staying in a darkened room. Heyman says that over-the-counter, non-preserved artificial tears can help with dryness and irritation. Additionally, adding a cold compress to the eyes can reduce inflammation and help you avoid rubbing the eyes. If you need to go out, you’ll want to wear sunglasses to avoid worsening symptoms. 

If your eye sunburn persists for more than 24 hours, visit your optometrist for medical attention.

The post Are you wearing the right sunglasses? How to prevent eye sunburn. appeared first on Popular Science.

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Today, millions of people will have a chance to watch a total solar eclipse. If you’re one of them, be careful: looking directly at a solar eclipse without eye protection can permanently damage your vision.

It doesn’t matter if our rocky satellite is blocking all or some of our nearest star—the sun is still an incredibly bright source of light. Don’t risk your eyesight for a quick glimpse or even a once-in-a-lifetime event. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to protect your eyes while watching an eclipse.

What happens if you look at a solar eclipse

We are able to see thanks to photoreceptors. These cells, also known as rods and cones, are located at the backs of our eyes, and convert the light reflected by the world around us into electrical impulses that our brain interprets as the image we see. But when strong light, like that from the sun, hits our eyes, a series of chemical reactions occur that damage and often destroy these rods and cones. This is known as solar retinopathy, and can make our eyesight blurry. Sometimes, if the damage is too great in one area, you can lose sight completely.

[Related: Every sunset ends with a green flash. Why is it so hard to see?]

On a typical sunny day, you almost never have to worry about solar retinopathy. That’s because our eyes have natural mechanisms that ensure too much light doesn’t get in. When it’s really bright outside, our pupils get super tiny, reducing the amount of sunlight that can hit your photoreceptors. But when you stare directly at the sun, your pupils’ shrinking power isn’t enough to protect your peepers.

This is where your eyes’ second defense mechanism comes into play. When we look at something bright, we tend to blink. This is known as the corneal or blink reflex, and it  prevents us from staring at anything too damagingly bright. 

Just before a solar eclipse has reached its totality, the moon is partially blocking the sun, making it a lot easier for us to look up at the star without blinking. But that doesn’t mean you should—even that tiny sliver of sunlight is too intense for our sensitive photoreceptors.

[Related: Total eclipses aren’t that rare—and you’ve probably missed a bunch of them]

Unfortunately, if you practice unprotected sun-gazing, you probably won’t know the effects of your actions until the next morning, when the damage to your photoreceptors has kicked in.

And while solar retinopathy is extremely rare, it is by no means unheard of. If you search the term in medical journals, you’ll find case reports after almost every popular solar eclipse. Let’s try really hard to do better this time, eyeball-havers.

How to safely watch a solar eclipse

Watching the eclipse with your own two eyes is easy: just wear legitimate eclipse sunglasses. These are crucial, as they will block the sun’s rays enough for you to safely see the eclipse without burning your eyes out.

And if you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can still enjoy the view, albeit not directly. Try whipping up your own eclipse projector or a DIY pinhole camera so you can enjoy the view without having to book an emergency visit to the eye doctor.

This story has been updated. It was originally published in 2017.

The post How to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes appeared first on Popular Science.

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If you use social media of any kind, you’ve seen tons of articles about how to take a photo of the April 8 total solar eclipse. Some of them were created by true experts, while others were cobbled together from bits of information found hastily on Google. But photographing a solar eclipse is actually rather complicated–if you want to maximize your chances to get a good image and minimize the possibility of frying your eyes into scorched Ikea meatballs. Here, I’ll help cut through some of the noise to what’s really important for a good eclipse photograph.

Don’t: Put your eyes in jeopardy

By now you’re probably sick of hearing about how the eclipse can hurt your vision, but damaged sight is serious business. Here’s a solid safety guide to review before you even think about creating a photographic masterpiece. Make sure your eclipse glasses are legit, too. (We have some recommendations on eclipse glasses to try, too.)

Do: Plan to be in a good spot for the eclipse

Planning is important for a shot like this, but luckily it’s easy to scout a location before go-time. Use a resource like these NASA eclipse maps to find out where you can see the most coverage. The super popular spots will be crowded with other photography enthusiasts, so aim for something more unique than that scenic overlook where everyone you know had their engagement photos taken.

Do: Try and work a foreground element into your eclipse shot to give it context

Without any foreground, eclipse pictures just look like partial orange discs. If that’s what you want, have at it; but it likely won’t stand out when you share it. Using a wide-angle lens will help you fit other elements into the shot, to give it scope and context. Try a cityscape or some trees. Anything with a strong shape will read better in the image. A telephoto lens can get you some stunning images, but be careful: That kind of glass magnifies light, and, eclipse or no, you’re still photographing the sun. The viewfinder is not your friend.

If you have access to a really long telephoto lens, you can do some truly cool stuff by positioning a subject between you and the sun. The shot below, for example, took an 800mm telephoto lens (that’s even bigger than most of the big, white lenses you see on the sidelines of an NFL game) to make this scene look as it does. The result is a lot more striking than a circle floating in space. (Again, beware the viewfinder!)

Don’t: Rent expensive gear or buy expensive filters for a single eclipse

Solar filters are specialized pieces of photographic equipment meant to do two things: considerably reduce the total amount of visible light coming in and filter out invisible (at least to the naked eye) IR and UV rays that could damage your camera. For most people, buying one is total overkill. The good ones are expensive and don’t really have much utility outside of an eclipse. The cheap, bad ones will just distort your photos. If you’re dead set on pointing your camera at the sun, you need a filter to protect your gear, but make sure it’s worth the investment for you.

NASA says you can use welding glass to protect your eyes and camera, but it needs to be at least 12 shade, which is much darker than the stuff you’ll typically find at the hardware store. So, if you have a typical welding helmet laying around, don’t use it for viewing unless you check the shade of the glass.

You can also reportedly use a standard neutral density filter, but it needs to be rated to reduce light intake by 16 stops for safety. That means it takes exponentially more light to make the same exposure with the filter as it would without. That’s seriously dark and it still may not be sufficient for blocking the IR and UV rays.

If you already bought the filter, then have a blast with it. If not, see if another friend will let you share. You don’t actually need a solar filter on your camera (or your eyes) when the sun is fully covered by the moon (called totality), so you can shoot during that time without damage. Just err on the side of caution with your timing to make sure you don’t catch some straggling or emerging rays. The rule of thumb is that if you see the little marbles of light starting to form at the edge of the eclipse, you should already have your filter back on.

Don’t: Use an optical viewfinder when you’re using a solar filter

That photographic solar filter on the front of your camera can protect the sensor inside from getting fried and help correct your exposure, but it won’t necessarily protect your eyeballs. That’s not its job nor its promise. Amazon actually ran into a serious problem with this fact regarding some filters from a very reputable company called Lee. If you’re using a DSLR or a rangefinder camera, then stay away from that viewfinder and use your camera’s live view mode.

Don’t: Look through a telephoto lens with your eclipse glasses on

Solar filters are meant to go on the front of lenses you look through. Putting a lens behind a lens, only subjects it to rays that have been magnified and the intensity can do serious damage. This goes for photo lenses, telescopes, and even binoculars. This is true even when there’s no eclipse happening.

Do: Be careful about exposure (and shoot raw if you know what that is)

Exposure can be tricky when shooting the eclipse. The B&H guide has a handy exposure settings chart you can refer to before you go shooting. Chances are, when you point your camera in auto mode toward the eclipse, the resulting photo will be washed out because it’s compensating for the dark scene. You can fix this by using a camera feature called exposure compensation. This is typically achieved by turning a dial on your camera, but you can also do it on your smartphone. Tap and hold over the eclipsed sun to lock the focus and exposure. Then drag your thumb down and watch the image get darker.

If you’re using a camera that has raw mode—some smartphones even have this option now—you will get extra image data you can use when you’re editing your photo.

If you have no idea what “shooting in raw” means, then skip this step because a big important event is the worst time to try something new. Give raw a try down the road, though. Here’s a tutorial now how to get started.

Do: Shoot a lot of photos

While I’m not advocating the “spray and pray” method enabled by holding down the camera’s shutter button and letting it hammer out pictures as fast as it can, you should plan to shoot a lot of photos. If you get a sufficient number of good photos, you can make a cool sequence like the one below.

There are certain important moments during the eclipse that you’ll want to capture, especially if you’re making a sequence. Each phase has a technical name, as well as a more colloquial name like the “diamond ring” which happens just before and after totality.

Don’t: miss out on the actual event because you’re trying to snap a perfect pic

While getting the photo you want is great, also consider that you’re witnessing a very rare event, and take some time to admire it rather than obsessing over your camera.

Don’t: Be afraid to shoot a picture with your iPhone

According to Apple, the iPhone’s camera doesn’t need a solar filter for shooting a picture of the eclipse because of its wide angle lens and overall construction. We haven’t tested that fact, and Samsung and LG didn’t comment when contacted about the subject, but Apple seems very confident that it’s not a problem. Do consider this a disclaimer, however: It’s still totally possible that the eclipse will damage your iPhone camera, so proceed at your own risk.

One caveat is that your smartphone will probably try to overexpose the scene and wash out the wonderful eclipse part. You can fix this by pressing your thumb over the sun to lock the focus and exposure, then dragging your thumb downward to reduce the overall exposure. Exposure compensation, remember? It’s a pretty handy thing to use in a variety of other situations, too, not just epic events like this one.

Do: use a tripod

Setting up your shot and following the action will be a lot easier if you have a stable base, especially if you’re planning on using a long telephoto lens. Just be sure to check if you need a permit to put down a tripod where you’re planning to shoot. Often, parks let you operate without a permit if you’re going handheld, but require a permit when you start putting down stands or tripods.

Do: Use that fancy solar filter you bought after the eclipse is over

OK, so you didn’t get the advice about not buying a filter in time and now you’ve got an overly-expensive and extremely specific piece of gear. Luckily, that solar filter can also act as a pretty capable neutral density filter, which photographers use all the time.

By limiting light as it comes into the camera, it allows you to use longer shutter speeds to blur moving objects in the photo or shoot at wider apertures in bright conditions, which is good if you want to get that oh-so-popular shallow depth of field look with a nice blurry background.

This story was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2024.

The post How to photograph solar eclipse: The only guide you need appeared first on Popular Science.

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If you think you need over-cushioned, over-supportive, and over-engineered footwear for everything from running errands to running trails, think again. Research has shown many healthful and practical advantages to wearing barefoot or minimalist shoes instead, whether you’re walking, running, hiking, or chasing the kids around the backyard.

Minimalist and barefoot shoes can strengthen muscles and bones in the feet and ankles, which can help prevent injury, stabilize the arch, and help prevent some athletic injuries. Intrinsic foot muscle strength is positively correlated to stability and better balance, especially in older individuals. And in athletes, the strength and flexibility in the big toe area that’s encouraged by barefoot shoes can help with push off, power, and agility. 

However, when you contain your feet in a conventional shoe with excessive cushioning and support and a decidedly un-foot-like shape, you lose much of their natural function and strength—not to mention the childlike joy of feeling the earth beneath your feet. And science seems to corroborate the idea that feet are designed perfectly to perform functions like walking and running in minimalist footwear—or in none at all. After all, for most of human history people trod barefoot or in only minimalist footwear.

But if you’re keen to free your feet and give minimalist shoes a try, whether you’re interested in whole body health and wellness, functional movement, reducing chronic pain, or simply returning to a place of childhood delight that comes only from romping around outside sans footwear, it’s going to take time and strategic effort. Here’s how to transition safely and effectively for a lifetime of healthy, functional feet.

What are barefoot shoes?

Before you start shopping for new shoes, it’s important to know what constitutes minimal or barefoot footwear. Main features include a wide toe box, zero-drop footbed (meaning your heel is the same distance from the ground as your forefoot), no arch support, and a flexible sole. All are designed to let your toes spread and your feet get stronger as they move and flex naturally, as if they were barefoot.

And just about everyone can—and maybe should, according to Emily Splichal, podiatrist and founder of the Center for Functional & Regenerative Medicine—make the transition. There are only a few types of feet she says may not benefit from minimalist footwear, including those with overpronation due to ligament laxity (extra loose ligaments) or high-arched, rigid feet. But most others, including those with bunions, hammer toes, or plantar fasciitis can usually benefit. Just transition wisely.

Start Slow

Like strengthening any other part of your body, strengthening the muscles in your feet will take time, so don’t expect to make the switch to barefoot shoes overnight. “You’re theoretically increasing stress and demands to the foot, which means you need to have sufficient strength to address those demands,” explains Splichal. How much time that takes depends on you and your feet, but it could be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

“This kind of transition from overly structured, stiff, and inflexible shoes requires consistency and patience,” adds John Wadley, vice president of product development at barefoot shoe brand Xero Shoes.

After all, you’ve likely been wearing narrow, cushioned shoes for most of your life; your foot and leg muscles aren’t used to all the increased stress, load, and sensation that comes with wearing minimalist footwear. Think of transitioning like getting a cast removed, Wadley suggests: When the cast comes off, your muscles have atrophied a bit and returning your injured appendage to pre-break strength will take time and effort. Conventional footwear is similar to a cast, just less extreme.

So to start, only wear your minimalist shoes at work, to the gym, around the house, or when running errands, but only one day at a time, and maybe just for a few hours. For example, wear them on Monday, switch to your regular footwear for a few days, then don the minimalist shoes again on Thursday. “Introduce your feet to increased demands, but allow sufficient time for recovery and adaptation,” Splichal instructs. “No pain no gain is definitely not something that is involved here.”

Then, as long as your feet and ankles don’t hurt (they’ll likely feel a bit more tired or strained than usual, but that’s normal), slowly increase the number of days per week you wear your shoes while decreasing the number of rest days in between. Listen to your body for cues and don’t push your limits or you may set your journey to foot health back instead of forward.

If you want to start running in barefoot shoes–not just living, hiking, or walking–plan to take even more time to transition. After all, the impact force and demand on your feet is greater when you run, so Wadley, a runner himself, suggests starting with just a mile or two in barefoot shoes. Then slowly increase time and distance on subsequent runs. It’s also important to focus on single leg stability and foot awareness to get better at barefoot running, Splichal says, which involves strengthening your feet via specific exercises.

Strengthen and Recover

Indeed, balancing all the work you put in with recovery and strengthening exercises to increase balance, stability, and foot awareness is just as important as time in your new footwear, Splichal points out.

To aid in your barefoot journey, start with Splichal’s favorite exercise: short foot. To perform the move, stand up straight, lift and spread your toes, and then place them on the floor. Inhale through your nose and, as you exhale, push the tips of your toes into the ground. Press down for the entire exhalation, then relax, inhale, and repeat the cycle five more times. 

Boost single leg stability by standing on one foot while you wash your hands or do dishes, then after time spent in barefoot shoes, use recovery tools like Splichal’s Neuro Ball, a studded sphere with a smaller, harder ball inside, which can be used to massage or release your feet. Place the ball—or a golf ball or lacrosse ball—on the floor and stand up while you roll it around under one foot at a time, using medium pressure, or keep it stationary while you press down on one area of your sole at a time.

Perform calf stretches after activity and wear toe spacers, too, which can both be useful recovery tools that promote flexibility and function, Splichal says.

Give barefoot a chance

Whether you plan to run, walk, or simply wear barefoot shoes for daily life, are looking to increase foot health and function or improve balance, make sure that you listen to your body when transitioning, don’t overdo it, and focus on recovery.

“Give your feet a chance to be healthy and strong,” Wadley encourages. “You won’t regret it.”

The post The benefits of barefoot shoes: A beginner’s guide appeared first on Popular Science.

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Sleep is one of the most essential activities for human health, but it’s also one of the most neglected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.5 percent of adults occasionally have trouble falling asleep. Whether because of work or mindlessly scrolling on your phone, staying up late can throw off your circadian rhythm—the internal clock that tells your body when it’s time to sleep and stay awake. 

So how do you get your sleep cycle back on track? Some online communities have suggested pulling an all-nighter as a quick sleep hack for “resetting” your circadian rhythm. The idea is that forcing yourself awake increases sleep pressure—the urge to sleep more that increases the longer a person is awake—allowing you to knock out at your preferred time. While this may have worked for a person or two, it’s not a recommended practice.

Pulling an all-nighter will actually make sleep problems worse, says Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist known as “The Sleep Doctor.” If your sleep schedule is already off, depriving the body of even more sleep can worsen a person’s cognitive function—stunting their problem-solving, memory, and creative thinking skills. A person’s reaction time also drops dramatically, which can increase the risk of drowsy driving accidents.

[Related: How to wake up]

Thomas Kilkenny, the director of the Institute Sleep Medicine at Northwell Health in New York City, points out that sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture banned in the Geneva Conventions—treaties that list protocols for humanitarian treatment during war. “To voluntarily do this is not a good idea and we should try to do whatever we can to avoid that.”

There’s no way to shift the timing of your circadian rhythm in one night. It actually takes roughly 28 days for your circadian rhythm to reset fully, says Breus. The good news is that while it might take some time, there are other effective methods for getting your sleep schedule back on track. Sleep doctors told Popular Science several strategies to get back into your normal sleep schedule. 

How to fix your sleep schedule

Wake up at the same time every day

If you normally wake up around 8 AM, but last night you didn’t get to bed until 3 AM, Kilkenny recommends still getting up at your usual wake-up hours. You may have to deal with a day of grogginess, but the trade-off is being more likely to maintain your normal sleep schedule. “If you’ve had a bad night, you’ll just have to pretend that one night never happened and get right back into that routine,” Kilkenny says.

You may feel tempted to sleep a few extra hours or sleep in on the weekends. Still, Breus says staying consistent with your normal sleep schedule stabilizes the circadian rhythm and establishes a pattern for sleep and wakefulness. This also means not napping after a poor night of sleep. Kilkenny says a nap will throw off your sleep cycle and make it harder for your body to feel tired at night naturally. 

Set aside time for purposeful worrying

Insomnia is often a result of high stress levels. The body can’t shut down for the night when your brain is actively racing with thoughts of a potential threat, whether that’s a lion prowling your campsite or the stress of paying for rent next month.

Kilkenny advises practicing a technique called purposeful worrying. Like its name, purposeful worrying involves setting aside five to 15 minutes everyday to think and feel anxious about anything troubling you. Giving yourself a time limit to worry about your problems will help manage stress without draining too much of your energy. It also provides an opportunity to really think and plan out solutions to overcome these fears.

When you have a realistic plan for overcoming the problem, the initial concern is not so scary anymore. “The brain has a tendency not to revisit something it’s already figured out,” adds Kilkenny. “You’re much less likely to get into bed and bring up the worry again.”

Exercise in the morning or afternoon

Going to bed physically tired helps increase sleep quality. Ideally aim to exercise every day, even if it is a 20-minute walk in the park. If you do exercise, Breus advises not to exercise four hours before bedtime. 

Body temperature normally increases during the day and slowly drops during the night. When you exercise too close to bedtime, your core body temperature increases, which can give a wrong signal to the circadian rhythm that you need to be awake. Breus explains that giving time to let your body temperature cool down makes you more sleepy.

Prep the body for sleep

You want to make sure your body is set up for rest. Kilkenny recommends avoiding bright lights as they can disrupt your circadian rhythm and lower melatonin levels. This includes turning off all electronics an hour or two before bed and having the bedroom lights dimly lit or off completely. Try to use the time to meditate or read to put yourself in a relaxed state. 

Breus also says not to drink coffee past 2 PM. Caffeine has a mean half-life of five hours, meaning that by 7 PM, about half will be out of your system. Another beverage to limit is alcohol, as it is associated with poor quality sleep and frequent wakings throughout the night. If you decide to drink, Breus advises only consuming two drinks and having them three hours before bed.

It may take a while for your sleep schedule to adjust after a couple of bad nights, but it is possible. Although there are some cases where health problems may cause chronic insomnia. If you continue to have trouble sleeping or your insomnia gets worse, consider speaking with a therapist, sleep specialist, or your doctor to get to the root of the problem.

The post How to fix your sleep schedule without pulling an all-nighter appeared first on Popular Science.

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In Mondim de Basto, Portugal, travelers on a small group tour with Exodus Adventure Travels lean over a clear-as-glass river from a grassy bank, collecting water and squeezing it through a filter. When they’re done, that filter will be shipped off to a lab for analysis. The lab will catalog the DNA collected that indicates which species are found in local waterways–all in the name of filling gaps in global biodiversity data.

On an expedition off the coast of Greenland, cruisers on the small HX (formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions) ship peer over the edge of a zodiac, watching for the moment as a white disk disappears beneath the waves so they can take a depth measurement and submit it using an app to scientists who can then study phytoplankton.

[ Related: How to become a citizen scientist—and when to leave it to the professionals ]

None of the individuals collecting this data are professional scientists; just ordinary travelers with a fierce curiosity and desire to leave the far-flung places they visit better than they found them by participating in citizen science. Data collection isn’t just for researchers–travelers are often perfectly suited to help bolster the dearth of data to be documented across scientific disciplines around the world.

While the term citizen science may sound amateur (how much reliable information can individuals without doctorates in chemistry or biology even contribute?), the areas of scientific study that utilize information gathered by everyday individuals span the gamut, from environmental science to marine biology.

And the data non-scientists are able to provide often proves invaluable.

In fact, one study showed that citizen-collected scientific data contributes, or could potentially contribute, to 40 percent of United Nations Sustainable Development goals. It offers grassroots organizations and small operations a way to access centralized knowledge, which is paramount in modern scientific communities and informs peer-reviewed studies and results in meaningful research.

One study from 2021 utilized citizen-collected data to help inform a paper on ocean transparency while another study from 2023 utilized publicly-collected data to study and report on algae blooms in natural waterways.

How does your summer vacation fit in? Seamlessly.

“We are privileged enough to spend a lot of time in extremely remote areas where conducting scientific research has very high costs and is often prohibitive for some scientists,” explains Marcos Goldin, geologist and citizen science coordinator at sustainably-minded expedition cruise line Aurora Expeditions.

So citizen science provides a way to collect and share data from not just easily-reachable fields of study, but across the globe, including in often underrepresented, neglected or hard-to-reach parts of the world where the greatest data gaps tend to exist. In short, travel, especially the kind that involves going off-the-beaten track, is the perfect excuse to collect and record meaningful data.

Learn while you play

But the value this information brings to the scientific community isn’t all citizen science projects are good for. “These programs also create unique opportunities for education, enhancing travelers’ understanding of the unique regions and ecosystems that we often visit, and their importance to the overall health of our planet,” Goldin says, referring to the social and environmental benefits that travel can have.

“There’s something about being on holiday and being an active participant and understanding your role as an individual that allows you to have a deeper connection to the community and places you visit,” says Rochelle Turner, head of sustainability at Exodus Adventure Travels, a tour company that offers a number of trips with a strong citizen science component. One includes collaborating with NatureMetrics in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to collect water samples in several destinations. The results from the samples feed into the eBioAtlas, a world-wide biodiversity database that maps the distribution of species around the world.

That database is made available to researchers and conservationists–locally and around the world–to help inform land and water management, provide a blueprint for healthy ecosystems, and update the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, highlight key biodiversity areas, and more.

Likewise, several small expedition cruises like Aurora Expeditions and HX offer science programs on their ships, everything from micro plastics studies in the arctic to whale or bird identification, many of which tend to add meaning to a trip and foster a closer connection to nature, highlighting why it needs to be protected and ultimately transform a destination, Turner says.

“We are all becoming increasingly more aware that travel is about much more than just visiting a new place,” adds Goldin. “We believe responsible travel should not only seek to respect the destination’s environment, but should also aim to make positive contributions and leave the place better than when we found it.”

Travelers are also able to see the results of their efforts, either in the reports Exodus sends to guests post-trip, by viewing phytoplankton under a microscope in the lab, or via regular updates when spotted wildlife makes an appearance somewhere else in the world.

Find a citizen science experience

Fortunately, more and more travel brands, from Linblad Expedition cruises to Intrepid Travel tours, offer citizen science departures in places ranging from polar regions to the Amazon.. Many sustainably-minded companies put citizen science projects front and center in their marketing, so they’re not hard to find.

I can do science all by myself

That said, you don’t need to book a dedicated tour or cruise to participate in citizen science projects when you travel. To contribute to many databases, all you need is your phone: There are many apps available for free that walk you through the process of logging information on everything from clouds to birds to whales.

Other projects, like collecting phytoplankton readings using a Secchi Disk, may require a few more tools.

[ Related: You can help measure the ocean’s health with this homemade gadget ]

If you are going it on your own, make sure to read instructions carefully and follow them to the letter. Most apps will walk you through the process. Then, use them as often as you like while you travel.

“By engaging in Citizen Science, we can truly create a positive impact for the places we visit and their future protection,” says Goldin.

The post How ordinary travelers can become citizen scientists appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Live in an apartment without on-site laundry for a while and you’ll really learn to appreciate these super-convenient machines. Yet, we often overlook their need for care. A dirty washer won’t be able to clean our clothes very effectively, and a dryer that hasn’t received some TLC won’t dry efficiently. Plus, just like any other machine, without regular maintenance, they are liable to quit working much earlier than anticipated, leaving you with costly repairs or needing to replace the device entirely.

To keep your washer and dryer running efficiently and effectively, it’s important to commit to regular cleaning. Each manufacturer and model will have their own specific cleaning instructions, so it’s best to consult your manual. However, keep reading for general tips on how to clean your washer and dryer. 

How to clean your washer

Fortunately, cleaning your washing machine is mostly straightforward and doesn’t require any specialized tools or cleaners. Vinegar, with its highly acidic nature, is able to cut through dirt, oils, films, stains, and bacteria, all things you may find on the inside of your washer. Bleach is useful for more serious mold and mildew problems. Baking soda also comes in handy for stubborn areas that require scrubbing or for deodorizing stinky washers.

Beyond the above cleaning ingredients, you’ll also need a microfiber cloth or two, a spray bottle, and a small brush of some sort (a retired toothbrush is a great way to reuse something otherwise headed to the landfill). If things have been left unattended for too long, a spin scrubber may come in handy. 

How to quickly clean a washing machine

The inside of your washer is where most of the gunk and grime will live. While you may think that the detergent you use would keep things clean, but all that soap residue builds up over time. The damp environment is also a favorite of mold and mildew, which can be the cause of that funky smell you may notice. And, hard water, fibers from clothes, or pet hair, can add to clogs and stubborn grime. 

The quickest way to clean the washer drum is to use a spray bottle to spritz vinegar all around and use a microfiber cloth to wipe every surface down. You can also use some baking soda and a brush to scrub areas that may have a bit of extra grime. Don’t forget to also wipe any gaskets and seals around the washer, getting in all the nooks and crannies, as those can trap moisture, leading to mold and mildew. To clean front-loading washers, which are more prone to mildew because of the rubber gaskets, a white microfiber cloth with some bleach and dish soap may be necessary, especially around those pesky gaskets. 

After a good wipe down (and don’t forget the exterior), you can run the machine empty with a hot water cycle to prevent build-up. 

How to deep clean a top-loading washer

While the quick washer cleaning method above is excellent for regular maintenance, it’s not a substitute for a deep clean. Deep cleans are necessary for washing machines that have started to develop a less-than-pleasant smell but also should be tackled regularly, albeit less frequently, as the quick method. 

To deep clean a top-loading washing machine, set the machine to its highest water level and temperature setting. Pour four cups of white vinegar into the drum and start a cycle. Once the drum fills with water and the cycle has barely started, pause the machine. Allow the hot water and vinegar to soak in the machine for an hour. Start the machine, and when it’s gone through the first rinse cycle, pause the machine again to add one cup of baking soda. Start the machine and let it run through the rest of the cycle. Once complete, leave the top open to let it dry out. 

If your machine has a dispenser for detergent, fabric softener, and bleach, be sure to also clean that area, as those dispensers can experience a lot of build-up. For a deep clean, remove the tray and wipe everything down with vinegar, rinse, and let dry. Don’t forget to clean inside the compartment where the tray goes, as well. A brush will come in handy to get into all the corners. 

How to deep clean a front-load washer

Front-loading washing machines require slightly different cleaning methods, though the general principle is the same. It also depends on how dirty the washer is, as more aggressive measures may be necessary for extra stinky machines. 

As with top-loading machines, choose the highest water level and temperature settings. Pour in at least one cup of white vinegar and let it run through a cycle. If your washer is stinky, use a quart of bleach instead of the white vinegar. Once the cycle has finished, wipe the gaskets with a little bleach or vinegar on a microfiber cloth and leave the door open so that the machine can dry out. Finally, like top-loading machines, don’t forget to clean the detergent dispenser. 

How to clean the washer drain and filter

Two often overlooked areas when cleaning a washer are the drain and filter. These can get clogged, which is not good for the life of your washer. 

To clean the drain, make sure the washing machine is off. Then, disconnect the drain from the pipe or from the back of the machine if it drains into a laundry room sink. Once disconnected, place it in an empty tub or bucket to collect any water that drains out. Then, check to see if there is any gunk inside, and dislodge it with a drain snake or long, skinny brush. Once cleared out, soak the drain in vinegar to remove any mildew. Don’t forget to also clean the drain opening on the back of the machine as well. You can also use a brush with some baking soda to scrub stubborn areas. Finally, wipe away any residue with a damp cloth, and connect everything. 

Not all washing machines have filters, so you may not need to worry about cleaning that. In fact, most top-load washers made after 2001 don’t have filters. Be sure to check your machine’s manual (you can search for it online if you no longer have a paper copy) to find out if you have a filter and where it is located. Filters are found in a range of locations, including the front of the machine behind a small hatch, at the end of the drainage hose, under the cover of the center agitator, or along the top rim of the drum. 

If your machine does have a filter, carefully remove it, spritz it with vinegar, brush it, and rinse it off. It’s also a good idea to wipe the filter holder with a cloth for a thorough cleaning.

How often should you clean your washer?

We recommend wiping down your washing machine roughly once a month to help prevent build-up. A deep clean should be performed every three to six months. 

How to clean a dryer

Once your washer is in top shape, it’s time to tackle the dryer. Without proper maintenance, your dryer can lose efficiency over time, leaving you to run it longer, adding to your electricity bill. Also, about one-third of house fires are a result of clogged dryer vents, so keeping your dryer clean is extremely important for safety reasons.

To clean your dryer, you’ll need some basic supplies, most of which are the same as what you need to clean a washer. You’ll want a microfiber cloth, water and vinegar spray, a brush, a vacuum with a hose, and a screwdriver. 

Clean the lint trap

First, tackle the lint trap. To perform a deep clean of the lint trap, remove the screen and vacuum the interior of the lint trap with a crevice tool. You can even get hoses that are specifically designed for this that go quite deep if you are worried there is lint stuck lower than you can reach with a standard vacuum attachment. 

If you use dryer sheets or fabric softeners, it is likely there will be some buildup on the lint trap. To clean this, use a small brush like a toothbrush dipped in warm, soapy water to scrub the mesh. Be sure to let it dry completely before putting it back in the machine. 

Clean the dryer drum

Like a washing machine, the dryer drum can accumulate residue. That’s especially true if you use dryer sheets or fabric softeners. To clean off that residue, dip a soft cloth into warm water and dish soap and rub it clean. You can also use a spray of equal parts white vinegar and water. Follow up with a damp sponge or towel. Finally, either leave the door open so it can dry completely or run a load of clothes or towels to dry it out. 

Clean the vent duct and exterior vent

Once the lint trap is clean, turn off and unplug the dryer. If you use a gas dryer, close the shut-off valve in the gas supply line, then disconnect and cap the line pipe before cleaning. Then, you’ll want to pull out the dryer for easier access to the vent duct. 

To clean the vent duct, unscrew the vent clamps with a screwdriver or remove the tape that attaches the vent to the back of the dryer. Remove large pieces of lint with your hands, then use a dryer cleaning brush or a vacuum to clean the rest out, including anything trapped in crevices. 

It’s also important to occasionally check the exterior vent, which you will find either on the roof or on the side of the house. As with the inside, remove large pieces of lint with your hand, then use a dryer cleaning brush or vacuum to remove the rest. 

Once you have the vent system cleaned, reattach the vent by re-clamping or re-taping it to the back of the dryer. You can then push it back into place and plug it back in. The final step is to run the dryer empty for 10 to 15 minutes to remove any excess dust that may have been kicked up during the cleaning process. 

How often should you clean your dryer? 

First, to prevent fires and maintain efficient drying, be sure that you clean your lint trap after every single load. Then, you’ll want to deep clean the lint screen and screen holder about every six months. Cleaning the dryer vent and ducts can be tackled less frequently, roughly once every two years. 

The post How to clean your washer and dryer (and why you should) appeared first on Popular Science.

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Public libraries are a community effort: A small percentage of your local taxes pays for books, other resources, and a gathering place available to everyone who lives in your town or city. All you need for access is a free library card. 

Your local library offers books, of course, and you probably know that you can generally also borrow ebooks. Many libraries offer ebooks using Libby, which is one of the best apps for reading on your phone. That could, in theory, replace an ebooks subscription service like Kindle Unlimited. But what about the other subscriptions that you’re paying for? There’s a good chance you could save money on those services by utilizing the library system you already pay into.

Every library is different, and not every library is going to offer all of the services outlined here. You will have to check the website for your local library—or head to the library and ask someone—to find out what your library has to offer. It’s also worth noting that some libraries (including the Brooklyn, Seattle, and Boston Public Libraries) allow teens and young adults from out of state to apply for a card and use their digital services as part of Books Unbanned. In other places, you can quickly get a library card online. Both options are worth exploring, but I also recommend physically visiting a local library as well.

All that said, here are some common subscriptions that could be replaced with a library card. 

BluRays, DVDs, and Kanopy can replace Netflix and other streaming services

Remember video stores? Before streaming services took over, local shops and big chains offered DVDs and Blu-Rays that you could rent for a couple of days. You might think places like that don’t exist anymore, but you’re wrong: Local libraries have taken up the mantle. Most public libraries in the US have at least some movies and TV shows to check out, and if not, you can likely request them from other branches. If you’re paying for Netflix to watch older shows and movies, you might be able to borrow them from the library instead (you could also, in theory, back up Blu-Rays that you borrow so you can watch them on TVs and tablets lacking an optical drive). 

If actually going to the library sounds like too much work, you’re not entirely out of luck. Many local libraries offer access to Kanopy, which features many critically acclaimed movies and TV shows. It’s not an outright Netflix replacement (it skews high-brow), but open it and you’ll find something worth watching. It’s a great supplement for regular trips to the physical library, where you can borrow discs to watch everything else. 

Free audiobooks can replace Audible

Listening to books is a great way to “read” while doing something else, so it’s no wonder that services like Audible are so popular. Here’s the thing, though: Your local library is already paying for audiobooks. There are also likely shelves of audio book CDs you can borrow right now. 

[Related: CDs are cool again. Here’s how to rip them.]

Or, if you’d prefer not to handle a disc, most libraries offer audiobooks via Libby or similar services, allowing you to listen on your phone. The only real downside is that, like with ebooks, you will need to wait for an audiobook to be available before you can listen. In my experience this is only a problem if you’re trying to listen to new releases, or a book recently recommended somewhere prominent, and even then you usually won’t wait more than a few weeks. 

Magazine and newspaper access could replace Apple News

Many libraries, in addition to books, have a room where you can read paper copies of magazines, newspapers, and other print media. As a journalist who mostly works online I enjoy spending the occasional afternoon seeing what’s going on in the world of print journalism. The problem: You generally can’t check such publications out.

Libraries have started supplementing in-person access to news with online subscriptions like Press Reader, which offer hundreds of magazines and (mostly international) newspapers. Some libraries also offer online access to The New York Times and similar publications. Because the libraries are paying for access, you can read subscription publications while also supporting them. 

Tables and conference rooms can replace co-working spaces

Any decent library has an assortment of desks, tables, and even couches for reading and studying. I’ve always worked from home but sometimes want to get out of the house—the library is great for this. Unlike coffee shops there’s no expectation to buy anything, which is something I appreciate a great deal. And some libraries even offer meeting rooms that you can book, which means they can be a decent alternative to paying for a co-working space that you only occasionally use. I can’t recommend it enough. 

The post Every subscription you can cancel by going to the library appeared first on Popular Science.

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Any good dentist would tell you that oral health starts with brushing teeth. It’s a habit ingrained in us since early childhood, and as adults, the routine hasn’t changed much. Add a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and gently brush in soft circles for at least two minutes. It’s the two minutes after brushing that’s stirring up discussion on TikTok. 

Many people rinse their mouths after brushing their teeth, but some TikTokers argue it’s healthier to only spit out the excess toothpaste. By not rinsing, they claim, you would allow the toothpaste’s ingredients to exert their effects for longer. 

Though TikTok hasn’t always been the most reliable source for dental news—remember when people were giving DIY advice on how to file down teeth—this information is an exception, and something the dentists PopSci spoke to support.

First, let’s consider why we brush our teeth. Dr. Kacie Woodis, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, says that when we eat, so do the approximately 1,000 species of bacteria living in our mouths. These microbes have a strange way of thanking us for the meal. Some bacteria in the back of the tongue, for example, interact with amino acids from the food, producing sulfur-producing compounds that cause bad breath. Other bacterial species produce an acid that can break down minerals and dissolve a tooth’s surface, starting cavity formation. 

[Related: The best cheap electric toothbrushes]

Fluoride, a mineral found in most toothpastes, builds resistance against acid attacks. It does so by aiding in a repair process called remineralization. 

“Fluoride counteracts the demineralization process by partnering with calcium and phosphate to form fluorapatite,” explains Dr. Fatima Khan, a dentist and cofounder of Riven Oral Care in Texas. “Fluorapatite is a crystalline lattice that covers the enamel to remineralize it and restore its integrity.” The longer fluoride sits on your teeth, the more effective it is at creating stronger teeth (so long as you’re only using the recommended pea-size amount of toothpaste to brush). 

The American Dental Association recommends brushing for a full two minutes. However, most people brush for less than the recommended time, for about 45 to 70 seconds a day. Brushing less than two minutes means people are not getting the benefits of fluoride toothpaste, says Khan. 

Spitting instead of rinsing toothpaste gives fluoride more time to assist with the remineralization process—especially since tooth enamel cannot grow back once it is completely destroyed. Woodis recommends everyone spit instead of rinse, especially among people at high risk for cavities. “We’ll prescribe an extra-strength fluoride toothpaste, and we often recommend that people spit and not rinse that prescription toothpaste.”

If you’re a mouth rinser, spitting may not sound the most hygienic. You might imagine loose bacteria and food still trapped in your mouth. If that’s the case, Khan says to floss first and then rinse your mouth with water. This would flush out any residual food and plaque buildup prior to brushing your teeth. 

Another concern is residual charcoal on teeth if using charcoal toothpaste. Both Woodis and Khan warn against using charcoal-based toothpaste in the first place. The material is too abrasive and can strip away tooth enamel, eventually turning teeth yellow.

Some people rinse their mouths for medical reasons. People sensitive to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), another common ingredient in toothpaste, can produce canker sores and skin peeling inside the mouth when exposed to it for a prolonged time. Additionally, some people may develop a rash around their mouth called perioral dermatitis from fluoride, SLS, and cinnamon flavorings in toothpaste. Khan says these folks should switch to a natural toothpaste containing hydroxyapatite and wash their face after brushing to wipe off any excess paste.

If you still want to rinse your mouth, Woodis advises delaying it for 20 to 30 minutes to maximize fluoride’s effects. Even if you wanted to rinse with a fluoride-based mouthwash, she says it would be better to wait instead of immediately rinsing since it has a lower fluoride concentration. She says most over-the-counter toothpaste has a fluoride content of around 1000 to 1500 parts per million, whereas most fluoride mouthrinses are usually 100 to 200 parts per million.

The bottom line is the choice is up to you whether you want to spit or rinse after brushing. Your dentist will probably not hold it against you at your next appointment. Although they might raise an eyebrow if you tell them you’re getting dental information from social media. 

The post To rinse or not to rinse? You might be brushing your teeth wrong. appeared first on Popular Science.

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With all the exercise machines at the gym and countless number of workout videos online, it can feel intimidating about where to start. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with the basics. 

Push-ups are a classic way of strengthening your body. Beyond toning your chest, pushups activate muscles in your back, hamstrings, abs, quads, and triceps. Another perk is that you don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership—just yourself and some space on the floor. There’s only one catch: Push-ups are notoriously hard to do correctly but not impossible.

There are several reasons you might have trouble doing a single push-up. Some might be as minor as correcting your form or practicing breathwork. Others involve working on your current strength level. No matter where you’re at on your fitness journey, mastering the push-up will be challenging but worth the effort.

How to fix improper push-up position

First, check your form. An incorrect stance can make it difficult to engage the right muscles. 

Try this step-by-step guide to conquer the proper push-up position: 

• A push-up involves getting into a high plank position with arms fully extended and shoulder-width apart. 
• Your palms are on the floor and wrists are right under your shoulders. 
• The legs should extend back with your feet hip-width apart. 
• Bend your elbow to a 90-degree angle (pointing back towards your feet) 
• Lower your whole body before pushing back up. 
• Throughout the push-up, you should have your head in line with your spine with your gaze down a few inches in front of your hands instead of looking up.

A common issue for people having trouble with push-ups is maintaining their body in a straight line, says Ashley Carter, a personal trainer and health coach in Washington D.C. People may unknowingly dip their hips or spread their hands too far forward because they have trouble supporting the plank position. If stance is an issue, Carter recommends perfecting your plank first before trying a push-up. You can use a mirror to watch your form and adjust when needed. 

[Related: The 6 essential parts of an effective workout]

Another form issue is flaring the elbows out like chicken wings. Carter says many people tend to angle their elbows down into a V because it takes away some of the tricep work by engaging more of the chest. Additionally, when bringing your elbows up, you’ll want to keep them straight but slightly bent to avoid hyperextension. Locking out the elbows can put more stress on your wrists and lead to possible injury.

Engaging the core is essential for maintaining the proper push-up stance and avoiding pain in your lower back and wrist, which may be used to compensate for the lack of core control. Carter advises to draw your belly button to your spine, a feeling similar to bracing for a punch in the gut. Additionally, squeezing the thighs and glutes activates those muscles, giving you the power to push yourself back up while keeping the spine neutral.

Stop holding your breath

People unconsciously forget to breathe when concentrating on a difficult activity. The same goes when you’re focusing on completing a push-up. 

Sergio Pedemonte, a personal trainer and owner of Your House Fitness in Toronto, says taking a deep breath and holding it can help engage the core. However, releasing the breath is just as important as the muscles need oxygen to get through a strenuous workout. Forgetting to breathe out can tire out your muscles more quickly.

Take a deep breath as you lower yourself down, Pedemonte tells PopSci. You should hold your breath for one to two seconds while engaging the core and then exhale as you are coming back up.

Weak upper body or core muscles 

If your problem is being unable to hold yourself as you lower down, Pedemonte recommends using a chest press machine to strengthen the pectorals, triceps, and deltoid muscles. “It’s great for people who don’t have balance or are starting from zero,” he explains. “I just want you to focus on pushing and then pulling back.” A higher progression is a dumbbell chest press where you lie down on your back with knees flat on the floor and arms extended. Each arm should hold two dumbbells where you’ll lower them to your chest at the same time before lifting them back up again. 

[Related: These heart-pumping exercises burn the most calories]

If you’re sagging your hips, consider adding more core-centric exercises. In addition to planks, Pedemonte recommends anti-rotational movements such as Pallof press exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Standing parallel to a cable machine, you grip the cable at chest height and pull it away until your arms are extended before bringing it back to your chest. Unlike traditional abdominal workouts like crunches, the exercise challenges you to keep your core engaged so your midsection stays still even when your arms are in motion. 

Work your way up to a traditional push-up

Everyone’s fitness level is different, and sometimes that calls for regressions or progressions. If you are someone who’s having trouble with push-ups, there are several variations you can try that are less physically demanding on your body. While regressions scale back the intensity of the workout, it is not an easier workout. It still challenges your muscles but allows you to maintain a more consistent form and complete it at a more consistent pace. 

Carter recommends hand elevated push-ups for someone new to this workout. Also known as an incline push-up, you can place your hands on an elevated surface like a bench or a chair. The workout helps build upper body strength by activating several muscles in your arm, chest, and core while putting less stress on the elbow. Additionally, the higher angle has you lift less of your body weight compared to traditional push-ups. Carter adds that “the farther you are off the ground, the easier it’s going to be.”

Another beginner-friendly variation is wall and knee push-ups. Like a regular push-up, you’re pressing yourself away before pulling back. Doing it against a wall uses less upper body strength, easing pressure off your shoulder joints and wrists. Knee-pushups are slightly more challenging than wall push-ups, but still take some of the body weight load off than if you were pushing up from your toes.

Once you’ve gotten used to some of the easier regressions, you might ask yourself when it’s time to move up to a harder variation. That’s up to a person’s individual goals. Carter recommends having a certain number of reps you want to accomplish and adding one or two harder variations each time. Pedemonte says you can check your progress by seeing if you can complete five repetitions in three to five sets in a slow and controlled manner. 

No matter how you train, don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t seeing results immediately. Pedemonte says the most important thing is consistency. Keep challenging yourself and listen to your body when it is time to rest. The results will show up if you keep showing up. 

The post A beginner-friendly guide to the perfect push-up appeared first on Popular Science.

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Spring is upon us, and with the changing of seasons comes a change of wardrobes. For many, that means tucking away winter clothes to make room in closets and drawers for warm-weather items. But improper storage could result in funky smells at best and serious damage at worst, leaving you to re-purchase pricey winter staples come next year. Taking care to store your warm clothes correctly can increase their lifespan and make it easier to break them out when needed. 

Get rid of clothes you no longer want or need

Since you’ll be going through your clothes anyway, this is a great time to do some spring cleaning in your closet. There’s no sense prepping clothes or gear for storage if you don’t wear them. So, as you prep your items for hibernation, take time to get rid of items that you no longer want or need. Items that no longer fit or don’t suit your style can be donated, sold to consignment shops, or listed on secondhand websites and apps. Virtual services like Poshmark and even the venerable eBay work like online thrift stores for selling higher-priced or desirable items. For pieces that are worn out, cut them up and use them for rags, or look for clothing recycling options near you.  

If you’re donating clothes, dropping them in the donation bins or even at stores like Goodwill doesn’t necessarily ensure that the clothes will go to people. Many get items get recycled or shredded, but many also end up in landfills. Look for local programs that provide clothes directly to the community.

Start with clean clothes

Once you’ve edited your wardrobe, you’ll want to prepare your winter staples for storage. That means washing everything so that you aren’t storing dirty items. Starting with clean clothes will help prevent any unpleasant odors from building and soaking in, as well as prevent pests. It’s always best to treat stains as soon as possible in general, but that’s especially true if you are about to put that item aside for many months. Stains that are left to sit that long could end up impossible to get out, so do your best to remedy them before tucking things away for the season. 

You should wash and dry your clothes as you normally would, depending on the care instructions for each item. Now would also be a good time to wash your winter jackets, which typically don’t get cleaned very often. If you have heated clothing items, be sure to remove any batteries and read care instructions extra closely. For snow boots to store, you’ll also want to clean off any dirt or salt stains and make sure they are totally dry. 

Choose the right container

After your items are clean, it’s time to choose the right containers and storage method. First things first, though. Items with stretch should be folded and stored flat, as hanging them for long periods could result in misshaping. Clothing items that are prone to wrinkling, on the other hand, should be hung, as folding and stacking them could result in creases that are next to impossible to remove without using a steamer or even dry cleaning. 

If space is at a premium, vacuum seal bags will be your best friend. These come in a range of sizes, and some even feature built-in hangers to store things vertically. They allow you to compress items significantly, saving loads of space for storage. They also keep items fresh and clean since they are fully sealed off from outside contaminants and pests. Keep in mind, though, that some bags only work with specific types of vacuums, so be sure to do some research based on whether you have a household vacuum or shop vac before purchasing your bags. 

Some items, such as down jackets or heavy wool clothing, should not be stored long-term in vacuum seal bags, as it can cause permanent misshaping or damage to the loft inside. Instead, feather-filled clothing needs to be stored loosely. That could mean hanging them up in a garment bag or placing them in airtight plastic totes. The same holds true for wool or other natural fiber clothing items. Just keep in mind that if you opt for a tote, you should avoid packing things tightly, or you’ll run into the same issues as vacuum sealing. 

If you have extra delicate or vintage items, these require special care. Wrap them in acid-free tissue paper to protect the garments. The acid in regular tissue can break down fibers, so be sure to invest in acid-free paper. These materials also don’t handle plastic as well, so instead, consider an archival storage box for the most protection. 

Plan for pests

It’s always extremely disappointing to pull your favorite sweater out of storage in the fall only to discover holes from moths. We’d recommend skipping mothballs, which can leave an unpleasant smell. Instead, to prevent those pesky pests from wreaking havoc on your clothes, place lavender sachets or pieces of cedar in with your clothes. You could also use charcoal bags to help absorb odors, which could be especially helpful when storing boots and shoes. 

Choose a storage location

The final step in storing winter clothes is choosing where to stash it all. Of course, many of us are limited on options in terms of storage locations, but where you keep your winter clothes can have a big impact on their longevity. 

It’s important to choose a location that is cool, dry, and away from sunlight to protect your clothes. You’ll also want to avoid a spot that experiences large temperature variations. Direct sunlight can fade colors, so it’s especially important to avoid the sun if you use clear containers. Humid locations, such as a garage, can result in mold or mildew forming, destroying your winter wardrobe. If you are worried about moisture, whether in the environment or lingering in items when you store them, consider throwing in some desiccant packs. It’s not a bad idea to save them from packages throughout the winter so that you don’t have to purchase any. 

If you don’t have a temperature-controlled attic or basement, under a bed is a great option. There are even many totes designed to fit in such a space, or you can opt for a bed frame with drawers to hide it all away. 

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You don’t have to wait for snow to melt to get back in a bike saddle. And you don’t need to take up skiing if you want to cruise over snow at top speeds. A fat bike can keep you in the saddle all year-round, including those snowy winter months.

Much like it sounds, fat biking, or fat tire biking, involves riding on snowy roads or trails (or sometimes sand) on a bicycle with extra wide tires that offer plenty of traction and stability on typically slick or unstable surfaces. Tyler Merringer, co-owner of Revolution Cycles, a bike shop in Rossland, British Columbia, Canada, has been riding off-road since the late 80’s, suggests fat biking as a fantastic way to get outside and enjoy winter, even if—especially if—you’re new to the activity.

Don’t consider yourself a mountain biker? No problem. While your first instinct may be to lump fat biking into the same category as mountain biking since both tend to happen on trails instead of paved paths, Merringer says it actually has more in common with road biking as long as you stick to wider groomed trails. That said, if you’re lucky enough to have a trail network like Rossland that uses specialized machinery to groom existing mountain bike singletrack, it can more closely resemble the mountain bike experience.

For example, mountain biking often involves navigating narrow, rocky, uneven trails, which require advanced bike-handling skills. Fat biking, because it’s done on smooth, soft surfaces like snow, means the trickiest part of fat biking will likely be the climbs and descents. So as long as you’re comfortable on a bike, there’s no reason not to give fat biking a go.

Another bonus: ending up on the ground on winter rides isn’t like crashing on dirt trails. Because you’re likely surrounded by snow on all sides, falling often feels more like a slow tilt into a soft bed than a crash (as long as no trees are involved).

Gear up

Before you head to the trail, though, there are a few things you’ll need for a safe and enjoyable ride. You’ll require a fat bike of course, which you can frequently rent from a local bike shop. You can opt for a standard pedal-powered model or an electric fat bike. Then you’ll need all the usual bike safety equipment, including a helmet and first aid kit. It’s not a bad idea to pack the 10 essentials in a backpack, but at the very least you should bring water, snacks, and extra layers.

[ Related: 10 time-tested essentials that can help you survive your next hiking trip ]

After all, since you’ll be riding in the cold, you’ll want to dress in appropriate layers. That includes a moisture-wicking base layer, a cozy mid layer like a puffy jacket or fleece, and a waterproof jacket, all of which you can take off as you warm up when you ride uphill and put back on when you ride back down and aren’t working as hard.

Make sure you wear warm socks and bring gloves, too, ideally windproof varieties. Just don’t try to ride with mittens or you won’t be able to shift or break effectively.

Some fat bikes also come with accessories called pogies, neoprene handlebar-mounted mittens of sorts that let you grip the handlebars and operate shifters and brakes while simultaneously keeping your hands protected from the elements. They allow you to wear thinner gloves, but Merringer and others prefer to ride without them on dynamic singletrack as they’re more likely to get in the way if you take a tumble.

[ Related: Go on a magical winter hike without hating every step ]

A neck gaiter or thin balaclava can be helpful in especially cold weather so you can keep your head covered under your helmet and add a layer of wind protection to your face when cruising downhill.

Finally, check your tire pressure before you set off, which should be around just 5 psi. Typical mountain bike tires stay between 30 and 50 psi under normal conditions. “It sounds counterintuitive,” Merringer explains, “but less pressure is sometimes more efficient as the tire can flatten out more along the surface of the snow, providing more contact with the ground, which means more grip and flotation if the snow is soft.”

Snow conditions are everything

Speaking of snow, fat biking does require a specific set of circumstances and conditions. Namely, the snow you ride on needs to be just right in order to provide the most enjoyable experience.

And since snow is super variable, says Merringer, it can take some trial and error—or asking more experienced cyclists—to discover what conditions make for the best riding.

For example, soft, fresh snow, the kind skiers and snowboarders chase, will provide more resistance as you roll through it, slowing you down and making every pedal stroke more difficult.

On trails that have melted and refrozen because icy, extra slick trails can be dangerous to ride, especially for beginners, as your tires won’t have adequate purchase and you’re likely to slip, slide, and fishtail all over the place unless you’re riding with studded tires. 

Likewise, if temps haven’t been below freezing at least overnight, you’re unlikely to find perfect conditions during the day as snow will be too soft and slushy. If it’s been below freezing at night but warmer during the day, ride in the morning when temps are coldest instead of the afternoon or evening when snow softens. Always stop riding if you realize your tires are leaving ruts in the snow because it will make the trails unrideable for others in the near future.

To find better conditions, Merringer recommends waiting a few days after the latest significant snowfall for a few things to happen. One: to give snow the chance to melt a bit so it hardens into about the same consistency required to make the perfect snowball. If you reach down and grab a handful, it should pack well into a solid ball instead of turning to powder between your fingers.

Two: it’ll give other outdoorists like snowshoers and cross country skiers a chance to tackle the trails first and pack the snow so bikers have a more solid surface to ride on.

One trick Merringer shares to help you figure out if the trail is just right: ride a few yards, stop, and look back to check your tracks. Your tires should leave perfectly clean tire tracks in the snow or no tracks at all.

Finding trails

If you’re new to fat biking or area trails and are unsure of where to find the best spots to ride, a good place to start is often on groomed trails at nordic centers or well-loved trail systems. If that’s not an option, check out apps like Trailforks that map out local trails rated by difficulty. But the best advice and directions often come from local bike shops. Employees, who are frequently cyclists themselves, can likely tell you where you’re going to find the best trails for your skill level and conditions on any given day. 

Local mountain biking Facebook groups, which are often brimming with updates and details about the best places to ride as conditions change, are also a wealth of information.

Once you’ve found the perfect trail and loaded a bike on the back of your car, fasten your helmet, and hit a trailhead near you.

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When it comes to staying hydrated during outdoor activities, hydration reservoirs are a delightfully innovative piece of gear. These durable bags hold ample liquid and fit snugly into a pack so you can sip comfortably through a tube, hands-free. They can be a real game changer whether you’re hiking, biking, skiing or walking the dog.

But Jennifer Krupey, vice president of marketing at reservoir and bottle manufacturing brand HydraPak, knows there’s little worse (when it comes to hydration at least) than sucking water through your reservoir tube for the first time half a mile up a steep climb just to get a mouthful of funky, skunky liquid—that may also contain mold, mildew, bacteria and microorganisms—all thanks to the fact that you haven’t washed it since last season.

It’s understandable. Hydration reservoirs (also known as bladders), though extremely convenient, tend to have a few more parts, pieces, nooks and crannies than conventional water bottles, making them harder to clean. But washing—and drying—should happen at least as often as you clean other hydration gear. Here’s how to do it so water tastes fresh, your reservoir doesn’t get slimy, and you don’t end up drinking harmful bacteria.

How often to clean a hydration reservoir

First things first: if you don’t think your reservoir needs cleaned, you’re probably wrong. It doesn’t take long for reusable vessels to build up more bacteria than you’d find on your computer mouse or kitchen sink. So while ideally you should wash it after each use, Krupey says doing so at least once every six uses or so is acceptable, but only if all you put inside is water. If you’re adding other beverages like juice, electrolyte mixes, or recovery drinks to your bag, you should fully clean it after every use.

That’s because studies show that these ingredients provide a feast for bacteria that multiply more quickly. What’s more, ingredients like sugar don’t easily rinse away. They tend to build up in bite valves, hoses, and nooks and crannies, so simply running them under a faucet won’t do, Krupey explains. The only solution: clean with good ol’ soap and water.

How to wash a reservoir

Before you start cleaning, check the recommendations from the brand that made your bladder. Most publish dedicated step-by-step instructions or guidelines on their website. After all, every reservoir is different and requires different care. HydraPak reservoirs, for example, can be turned inside out for easy washing and drying and are dishwasher safe, but that’s not the case with many bladders.

No matter what type of reservoir you own, though, soap and water is always a good place to start. 

1. Open the top and remove the hose from the body of the bladder. Skip this step and liquid could remain stuck in the hose, which could leak back into the bladder later. 

2. Use simple dish soap and warm water and wipe down the inside of the bladder with a clean sponge or brush. Make sure you get in all the corners. 

3. Rinse well and hang the bladder to dry.

If your reservoir has been sitting in storage for a while, the inside is getting slimy, or it has a weird odor, it may require a deeper clean to help get rid of mildew or off tastes. If that’s the case, wash it thoroughly as described above, then use a special cleaning tablet like those sold by most reservoir manufacturers, which when combined with water are designed to easily clean and sanitize with little effort.

But while you’ll find the recommendation to clean with bleach splattered across the web, Krupey doesn’t recommend doing so, nor does Osprey, another reservoir manufacturer. So skip it.

Another cleaning solution to ignore: freezing your reservoir in lieu of washing it. If your goal is to kill germs, studies show that while freezing can kill and slow the growth rate of some microbes and bacteria, it doesn’t kill everything. And as soon as your bladder thaws, what’s left will start to multiply. So stick with washing for the best clean.

At the very least, even if you don’t have time for a thorough washing, Krupey says, empty the reservoir when you get home and hang it to dry. Moisture breeds bacteria.

Get rid of funky flavors

Where freezing can come in handy is if you’ve washed and sanitized your reservoir and there are still some funky flavors lingering, which Krupey calls “flavor hangovers.” To get rid of them, add the juice of one lemon into a reservoir three-quarters full of water, seal it up, and stick it in the freezer.

Once it freezes, remove it and let it thaw, then drain and dry it. Funky flavors should be neutralized.

Don’t forget the hose

The hose and mouthpiece on your reservoir are trickier to clean, but important, since they’re excellent places for mold and bacteria to hide.

Krupey recommends using a tube brush, which is often part of a cleaning kit offered by most bladder manufacturers. Picture a wire cleaner with bristles on the end like you might use to scrub out the inside of a reusable straw, but much, much longer.

To use it, remove the hose from the bladder, open the bite valve or remove it completely if that’s an option, add a drop or two of soap onto the brush, and slide it through the wet tube several times. Rinse thoroughly and set it aside to dry.

If you don’t have a brush, you can also soak the tube in a bowl with the same tablet cleaner you used for the inside of the reservoir, Krupey advises. Just make sure the valve is open so water can flow through.

If the bite valve comes apart (check with the manufacturer to see if it should—there may be a silicone sheath and possibly a plastic post that plugs into the valve itself), disassemble it and scrub all the bits and pieces with soap and water.

Drying and storing your hydration bladder

Anyone who’s ever used a hydration bladder knows what a pain it can be to get the inside completely dry. But an easy way to promote quick drying is to hang the bladder upside down in a cool, dry place with the cap or hose stuck in the opening to prop it open to promote airflow. You can turn the bag inside out to expedite the process if your bag is designed to do so, but expect it to take a few days for every last drop of water to evaporate depending on the humidity levels where you live.

Another option is to purchase a tool like a BōnDry insert, a strip of material designed to slide into your reservoir and speed evaporation, not just absorption (which is all a paper towel will do), often drying it out in hours instead of days.

As for the hose, Krupey recommends spinning the detached hose around in a circle with the valve open—picture a cowgirl with a lasso—to whip out the moisture inside.

Do it all and you’ll have cleaner tasting water, less slime, and fewer funky smells—not to mention bacteria—lurking in your reservoir. Plus, it’ll last last much longer, Krupey says. And who doesn’t want cleaner water and no need to buy a new reservoir every year?

The post How to clean your hydration bladder before your next hike or workout appeared first on Popular Science.

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Even if you are a diehard morning person, waking yourself up in the a.m. can be quite a challenge. And it’s not just you. There is a phenomenon called sleep inertia that refers to the brain fog and sluggishness that occurs after waking up from sleep. Even when you do manage to get up and going, that leftover sleepiness can take a toll, impacting the rest of your day.

Luckily, there are some relatively simple ways to feel more alert and awake first thing in the morning. Of course, if waking up is a significant issue for you, you may want to rule out potentially bigger issues like sleep apnea. If you are chronically sleepy, it’s never a bad idea to chat with your doctor. Otherwise, the tips below can help you jump out of bed, ready to tackle the day. 

Get enough sleep

Although this isn’t what many will want to hear, getting enough sleep is a big part of the equation for waking up alert. I chatted with Dr. Chris Jung, an Associate Professor at the University of Alaska who studies sleep and the circadian rhythm, who explained that we go through 90-minute sleep cycles consisting of four stages: Stage One, Stage Two, Deep Sleep, and REM. If you wake up out of deep sleep, sleep inertia is the greatest and can really wreck your morning. 

Dr. Jung points out that some research has shown that waking up in deep sleep results in cognitive function worse than 40 hours of sleep deprivation. Going 24 hours without sleep is equivalent to having a blood alcohol content of 0.10 percent, so waking up out of deep sleep is extremely detrimental, and can cause significant impact to cognitive function. Sleep inertia in such situations can last up to two hours as well; it’s a hard thing to shake off if you wake from deep sleep. Luckily, the further you get away from deep sleep, the less of an issue sleep inertia becomes.

So, how do you avoid waking up in the deep sleep phase of your sleep cycle? Dr. Jung suggests getting, at the very minimum, five hours of sleep at night. That’s because the first half of the night is comprised of more deep sleep, while the second half of the night contains more light and REM sleep. Keep in mind, however, that getting anything less than eight hours of sleep is detrimental. Since you aren’t getting enough sleep, you may experience negative effects including sleep inertia and cognitive decrements. Also, not getting enough sleep can cause other detrimental effects, such as increased risk for cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, insulin resistance, and weight gain. Sleep is incredibly important for your overall health, so it’s important to get enough of it for reasons beyond feeling awake in the morning. 

Light is crucial

After waking up at the right point in your sleep cycle, the most important tool for waking up alert is to expose yourself to light. Exposure to light suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin, effectively telling your body to wake up. Sunlight also boosts cortisol, which can make you more alert. “Getting out into the fresh air and natural sunlight are the best ways to wake up in the morning, for doing so stops the floodgates of melatonin and flips the ‘on’ switch to our circadian rhythm,” explains Dr. Rebecca Robbins, a Sleep Scientist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Assistant Professor at Harvard. So, open up those blinds and let that sunshine flow in. Or, even better, step outside for a quick walk to get bathed in natural light.

Direct natural light is best, but that’s not always possible. Whether it’s a gloomy day, you have a bedroom with limited windows, or it’s the middle of winter, bright natural light is sometimes hard to come by. If sunshine isn’t an option, turn on your lights. Dr. Jung suggests setting up a light therapy lamp as an alternative to natural light. Such a light can also help you get back on a schedule after traveling across time zones. Or, as a way to get things started, you could check out sunrise alarm clocks. The important thing is to brighten up the room you are in as you get the day started.

Adjust your relationship with your alarm clock

Alarm clocks are an unfortunate reality for most of us. “In a perfect world, we would be waking up naturally, but in reality, many of us are not getting enough sleep, causing us to be reliant upon alarm clocks that, in some cases, emit blaring noises that emulate sirens or other loud, cortisol-raising sounds,” says Dr. Robbins. 

Along with those alarm clocks typically comes the use of the snooze button. “Although poorly studied, we have a sense that many individuals rely on the snooze feature, which allows you (in theory) to fall back asleep, but the sleep you likely get after the alarm first goes off is of poor quality,” Dr. Robbins explains. Instead, she recommends setting your alarm to the latest possible time and getting up as soon as it goes off. Some even suggest placing the alarm clock (or your phone) on the opposite side of the room so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off. By avoiding the snooze button, you’ll get a longer chunk of quality sleep instead of a period of interrupted sleep, which is better in the long run. 

Pour a cup of Jo

Caffeine can be an extremely useful tool to wake yourself up. Dr. Jung explained that caffeine works because it is an adenosine antagonist. Adenosine is the compound that makes you tired, but caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors, preventing you from getting sleepy. 

While caffeine comes in many forms, there has been some research to show that coffee may have benefits over other options. Researchers who compared brain activity between subjects who drank coffee versus those taking caffeine found that “the subjects were more ready for action and alert to external stimuli after having coffee,” according to the study. The researchers pointed out that other caffeinated beverages may have the same effect, so if you’re a tea fan, you’re in luck as well. 

Some of the impact may be from the act of making coffee, not necessarily the coffee or caffeine itself. Some studies have found that routine and wake-up tasks can also play a role in helping break through sleep inertia and feeling alert in the morning. So, whether you use a drip machine, prefer to take the time to make a latte, whip up an iced coffee, or fix a quality cup of espresso can help you start your day on the right foot with a clear head. 

Hydrate

If you’re like me, it’s easy to drink the coffee and only the coffee. But dehydration can cause a drop in blood pressure, which leads to reduced blood flow to your brain and a feeling of sleepiness. So, it’s important to also start your day with water, milk, or juice to keep hydrated and keep blood flowing to wake up fully in the morning. Keeping hydrated throughout the day can also stave off sleepiness, so we recommend keeping a water bottle on hand.  

Get some exercise

Exercise is another very useful tool for waking yourself up. “Exercise serves as a simple and effective countermeasure to sleep inertia, particularly for those in critical roles like pilots and surgeons,” explains Dr. Scott Ferguson, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Physiology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Plus, if you get outside for exercise first thing in the morning, you get the added benefit of that natural light with your activity. 

Exercise gets your blood pumping. “By changing blood flow distribution within the brain and releasing key signaling molecules, a brief session of light to moderate aerobic exercise upon waking can enhance alertness, cognitive function, and mood,” Dr. Ferguson clarifies. That boost to cognitive alertness is especially important for high-pressure tasks or those requiring precision and concentration. As an added bonus, regular exercise strengthens circadian rhythms, aiding in overall sleep quality and readiness to perform immediately after waking.

Try aromatherapy

Some scents, such as rosemary, peppermint, and citrus, have been shown to result in increased cognitive function and alertness, as well as provide mood-boosting benefits. Picking up an essential oil diffuser and some of the scents above can be an easy way to brighten up your morning or help out with tiredness in the afternoon. You could even opt for a smart plug that allows you to set the diffuser on a timer, starting as your alarm goes off and you work your way out of bed. 

Address your sleep hygiene & habits

Sleep hygiene refers to both your sleeping environment and behavior, encompassing a range of habits and tools. It impacts the quality of sleep that you get, which will trickle down to how awake you feel in the morning. To set yourself up for a better night of sleep, scientists recommend having a wind-down routine before bed to prepare your mind for sleep. Just as bright light in the morning helps you wake up, dim lights at night can help you prepare to fall asleep. You’ll also want to avoid using your phone right before bed, as the blue light can impact your sleep. And, of course, investing in a quality mattress that is right for your body and how you sleep is also essential. 

How to get past afternoon sleepiness

Even if you do manage to wake up alert and ready for the day, it’s very common to feel fatigue settling in towards the afternoon. That’s partly because as you go through the day, your body is burning through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy, eventually breaking down to adenosine. Remember, adenosine is the compound that makes you feel sleepy, and it is building up in your brain throughout the day. 

Many of the suggestions for waking up in the morning also apply to getting past the afternoon slump. Expose yourself to bright light, try aromatherapy, hydrate, drink some caffeine, get fresh air, and/or get some exercise. 

But there’s another tool you can try: A nap. Dr. Jung explained that naps can be incredibly helpful. The key, though, is to avoid waking up out of deep sleep. A 45-minute nap will leave you feeling worse off than before because you’ll be waking up in deep sleep. So, if you’re going to take an afternoon siesta, keep it to between 15 and 19 minutes so that you wake up before you slip into deep sleep, or nap for 90 minutes so that you get all the way through deep sleep. Keep in mind, though, that taking a long nap may make it harder to fall asleep that night, especially if you had a good night’s sleep the night before. 

Final thoughts on how to wake yourself up

As you can see, there are lots of different components to waking up feeling awake, alert, and ready to go. It can be easy to get overwhelmed by it all, thinking you need to change everything. However, as Dr. Jung explained, the absolute most important thing is to avoid waking up in deep sleep by getting enough sleep. Following that, exposing yourself to bright light—ideally natural light—is crucial for kickstarting your circadian rhythm. And caffeine can also be a beneficial tool for getting your day started.

The post How to wake up appeared first on Popular Science.

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Every winter, after the first snowfall in the mountains, hordes of skiers and snowboarders begin their seasonal migration to their favorite ski lifts and powder-covered resorts. And to uninitiated onlookers, the way they glide down groomed trails often seems effortless. But everyone had a first day on the mountain and learning to carve a clean line after dismounting the chair lift takes time and effort to learn.

And while there’s not a right and wrong way to learn how to ski or snowboard, David Handy, the director of the ski school at Nordic Valley ski resort in Utah, says there are certainly more efficient ways. So if you’re ready to put boots in bindings, here are his tips for kicking off the season right so you can spend more time on the slopes and less time learning the hard way.

The case for taking lessons from an instructor

Handy learned to navigate the slopes “the hard way.” Largely self-taught, he spent years snowboarding, falling, getting back up again. Each fall brought a new, painful lesson. “The first time I was ever on a mountain, I remember for hours I was just beating myself up on the snow,” he recalls. But the day he took his first lesson as an adult 15 years later, “It completely transformed and revolutionized my riding.”

It put a voice to and concretely identified what he had or hadn’t been doing for years–and almost immediately made him a better rider. Lessons, he intimately understands now, have the potential to cut a significant amount of time and pain from the learning curve.

But more than that, lessons help beginners understand the rules of the mountain. Like trail etiquette for hikers, ski etiquette helps keep everyone safe on the hill. Lessons are useful for learning things like how to dismount a ski lift properly, how and where to stop, and who has the right-of-way on the downhill (anyone in front of you).

And while you may be able to learn plenty from friends who are more experienced skiers, neither Handy nor Richard Walter, the head of Ski School Arlberg in St. Anton, Austria, home to perhaps the first modern version of a ski school in the world, recommend going that route. At best, your companions may impart their bad habits or improper technique, and at worst, they’ll leave you high and dry at the top of a route you’re not experienced enough to safely complete.

Select a ski slope

The very first thing to do after deciding you’d like to start referring to yourself as a skier or snowboarder is to decide when and where you’re going to learn. If you’re headed to a ski resort for winter break or there’s only one resort with a ski school near you, that decision is likely an easy one.

But if you have a wealth of options nearby, you may have to narrow it down. To do so, Handy recommends identifying a resort that has plenty of beginner-friendly terrain. Because while a world-class destination may offer glittering lodges and picture-perfect photo ops, if it doesn’t have plenty of beginner routes, you won’t have many places to practice once you finish your lessons for the day.

Smaller, beginner-friendly resorts are also frequently less expensive, so if you’re learning on a budget, they’re an excellent option.

In addition to terrain, Handy recommends finding a resort with a ski school that is PSIA-AASI certified. This is a certification for American ski instructors that indicates lessons are built around a standard curriculum designed by lifelong skiers and boarders who outline the best, most efficient, and safest ways to teach. 

Other countries may have different certifications, but most will signify the resort abides by long-approved practices for teaching.

Get your gear

Naturally, you can’t hit the slopes without skis or a snowboard, but there’s plenty more you’ll require, including boots, warm clothes, and, at many resorts, a helmet. But Handy doesn’t recommend running out and buying it all outright before your first lesson (or even your third). After all, all the gear required could easily total over $1,000 and that’s a big investment to make in something you’re not certain you’ll love or even want to do again.

Instead, Walter suggests renting the gear you need, which nearly every ski resort offers. Some larger resorts even have high quality outerwear you can rent during your visit. Staff will help get you fitted for everything to ensure you’ll be as comfortable as possible.

Just make sure to dress in plenty of layers so you stay warm. If your toes tend to get cold, check out socks or ski boots with warming systems, Walter says.

Be prepared to fall

You’re practically guaranteed to fall when you’re a beginner, but, “There are definitely good and bad ways to fall,” Handy says, chuckling. The biggest mistake people make, he points out, is that they try to catch themselves by putting their hands out to break their fall. That’s what leads to broken and sprained wrists which are the most common injuries among skiers and snowboarders.

Instead, tuck your arms and fall on larger, sturdier body parts, Handy advises. On a board, if you fall forward, land on your knees and make your forearms your second point of contact, not your hands. If you fall backwards, roll from your butt onto your back like a turtle with your chin tucked.

If you’re on skis, fall to the side, landing on your butt, hips, and sides to keep from getting twisted up with your skis and injuring your knees and legs.

Don’t rush the process

Sometimes the process of learning how to ski and snowboard can be not only physically painful, but mentally exhausting. Falling, watching 6-year-olds cruise effortlessly past, and a lack of speedy progression can all get you down if you let them. So go in with a good attitude and, “Don’t have high expectations the first day,” Handy recommends. Give it at least three days of lessons and practice and don’t push yourself too hard or beat yourself up if you’re not where you think you should be.

After all, Handy reminds, “Snowboarding and skiing should be fun.”

The post How to learn to ski and snowboard (The right way) appeared first on Popular Science.

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DIY is more popular than ever, with 73 percent of millennials identifying as do-it-yourselfers, according to the market research firm The Farnsworth Group. Whether your favorite DIYer is into home renovation, woodworking, or tinkering with their car, you can show your appreciation for their handiwork by rounding out their tool set with some new models. Or give them the gift of bins and boxes to help them organize all those tools (and the storage shed). These are the best gifts for DIYers our writers have used this year.

• Best cordless drill: DEWALT 20V Max Cordless Drill
• Best cordless drill-driver set: CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Drill Combo Kit
• Best power drill: CRAFTSMAN CMCD710C2 Power Drill
• Best mechanics tool set: DEWALT Mechanics Tool Set
• Best power tool kit: BOSCH Power Tools Combo Kit
• Best multi-tool: Ryobi 18V Multi Tool
• Best screwdriver set: Klein Tools 80031 Screwdriver Set
• Best impact driver: Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hex Hydraulic Driver Kit
• Best angle grinder: DEWALT 4-1/2” Angle Grinder
• Best jigsaw: CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Jig Saw
• Best chainsaw: ​​Worx Nitro 40V Chainsaw
• Best circular saw: DEWALT DCS573B Flexvolt Advantage 20V Circular Saw
• Best random orbital sander: beyond by BLACK+DECKER Random Orbit Sander
• Best heat gun: DEWALT Heat Gun Kit
• Best smart tape measure: LEXIVON 2 in 1 Digital Laser Tape Measure
• Best laser level: DEWALT Line Laser
• Best work table: WORX WX051 Pegasus Folding Work Table & Sawhorse
• Best work light: CRAFTSMAN LED Portable Work Light Bundle
• Best work gloves: Ironclad Workhorse Leather Work Gloves
• Best toolbox: DEWALT Tough System
• Best stackable toolboxes: beyond by BLACK+DECKER Stackable Storage System
• Best cordless vac: DEWALT 20V MAX Hand Vacuum
• Best shop vac: Bissell MultiClean Wet Dry Vac
• Best leaf blower: DEWALT Cordless XR Leaf Blower
• Best log splitter: Fiskars IsoCore 36-Inch Maul
• Best pressure washer: GreenWorks Pressure Washer

Best cordless drill: DEWALT 20V Max Cordless Drill

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This cordless drill is rugged and powerful enough to be worthy of a pro job site while remaining affordable enough for a gift for a DIYer. Powered by a 20-volt battery, DEWALT’s cordless drill can reach speeds of up to 1,500 rpm, making it fast enough to handle jobs that require a lot of fasteners. A slower speed option with a max of 450 rpm adds versatility and maximizes the drill’s torque output. 

At 8-1/2 inches long and weighing 3.6 pounds, this is one of the bulkier drills on the market, but DEWALT makes up for that with an ergonomic handle that makes it comfortable to hold for longer jobs. DEWALT’s drill has other useful features, including a ratcheting chuck that makes it easy to secure bits by hand and an LED light with a 20-second delay for added visibility. — Tony Carrick

Best cordless drill-driver set: CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Drill Combo Kit

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If you want to fill out a DIYers entire power tool library in one fell swoop, you should start with CRAFTSMAN’s V20 Cordless Drill Combo Kit. This drill set comes with all the essentials, plus a carrying case and impact driver. The star of the show is its powerful 20-volt drill, which can rotate at speeds of up to 3,400 rotations per minute. An impact driver may look like a drill, but it wraps around a screw or lag bolt to rotate them and is best suited for heavy-duty tasks. This isn’t the type of tool DIYers are likely to have in their garage already, and while you may be unfamiliar with it, its applications will become apparent as projects arise. Both of CRAFTSMAN’s tools have an LED light, which will help in dark areas—think attics or nooks and crannies in a basement or garage. — Brandt Ranj

Best power drill: Craftsman CMCD710C2 Power Drill

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We could tell the quality of Craftsman’s CMCD710C2 from the moment we took it out of its packaging, and our expectations were exceeded the first time we used it for a project. It drove screws through plaster and a wooden beam during a TV wall-mounting project like a hot knife running through butter. 

This was the most powerful power drill we tested, but it was also the heaviest. Despite its increased power, it made roughly the same amount of noise as other drills we tested—if not a little less. There’s no technical downside to using this power drill beyond its weight, but you should also consider its price. The CMCD710C2 is expensive, though it does come with a battery and charger. If you want to gift the DIYer in your life the absolute best performance from a power drill and to be safe in knowing they’ll never need to upgrade again, this is the one to get. — Brandt Ranj

Best mechanics tool set: DEWALT Mechanics Tool Set

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If you never want to buy a socket set ever again, then this is a good place to start. The sturdy carrying case includes three 72-tooth ratchets, more than 150 sockets, and a full run of hex keys. Made of steel and hand-stamped for easy identification, this set is designed to endure. It’s great for people who enjoy tinkering around with their vehicles. — Stan Horaczek and Jen McCaffery

Best power tool kit: BOSCH Power Tools Combo Kit

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If someone in your life is just getting started with DIY projects, a basic tool combo set like this one from Bosch is a great place to get started. The 12-volt set features a compact yet powerful 3/8-inch drill/driver that operates at a range of speeds up to 1,300 rpm, a lightweight reciprocating saw, a bright worklight that lasts for three hours on a single charge, two batteries, and a charger. And they all fit back nicely into the included bag. — Jen McCaffery

Best multi-tool: Ryobi 18V Multi Tool

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While it’s easy to get excited about a garage full of tools, sometimes it’s helpful to have some options that are capable of performing more than one function well. Ryobi’s 18-volt Multi-Tool is a great tool for DIYers working with various materials. Capable of up to 20,000 OPM (oscillations per minute), this tool comes with plunge cut and flush cut blades and can be used to cut metal, wood, plastic, and drywall. At 1.5 pounds, it’s relatively lightweight, and it vibrates less than comparable models. The Multi-Tool also comes with a sanding pad to help your DIYer put the finishing touches on their projects. — Jen McCaffery

Best screwdriver set: Klein Tools 80031 Screwdriver Set

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Tools don’t get much more basic than the humble screwdriver. This five-piece set from Klein Tools, which has been making tools since 1857, includes the most commonly used types: two Phillips head, two slotted, and one square-tipped screwdriver. The shanks are chrome-plated, and the tips are cut for precision. And the handles are cushioned for an easier grip. — Jen McCaffery

Best impact driver: Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hex Hydraulic Driver Kit

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Technology sets the Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact driver apart from the rest. Its hydraulic drive sustains torque better than other impact drivers, allowing it to drive faster and with more power. With so much torque, impact drivers always risk stripping out a screw head. The Milwaukee M18 solves this problem by featuring a self-tapping screw mode that helps to start the screw without stripping it out. With its four drive modes, the user can tailor the speed of this driver to suit any job. We also like the small profile of this driver. At less than 5 inches long, this driver is compact enough to fit into tight spaces, and it’s one of the quieter models on the market. Its hydraulic drive technology eliminates the metal-on-metal contact that makes other impact drivers scream like a jackhammer. — Tony Carrick

Best angle grinder: DEWALT 4-1/2” Angle Grinder

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DEWALT’s 4-½-inch angle grinder is a tough, high-quality tool aimed at those who need consistent, trouble-free performance. The 11-amp motor is the most powerful in its class, with a speed of 11,000 rpm. With the correct wheel fitted, this angle grinder will cut concrete or steel with equal ease. Although fairly slender, the tool is 12 inches long and relatively heavy, so it isn’t as maneuverable as some. It’s more a professional tool than one for the average DIY user, but keen home auto restorers and anyone taking on major remodeling could well find it worth the investment.  — Bob Beacham

Best jigsaw: CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Jig Saw

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A jigsaw allows users to cut curved lines, circles, and other shapes into a range of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, laminate, and more. This 20-volt model from Craftsman operates at speeds from zero to 2,500 spm (strokes per minute). It comes with three orbital settings that let the user control the aggressiveness of the cut and works with both T and U shank blades. Its beveled shoe also allows the user to cut at 45-degree angles. Plus, it features a contoured handle for a more comfortable grip. — Jen McCaffery

Best chainsaw: ​​Worx Nitro 40V Chainsaw

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Worx offers a number of very versatile tools in its Nitro series, and the chainsaw is no exception. The 16-inch bar is ideal for most typical users who don’t need to go chopping through Middle Earth-style forests. A pair of sturdy grips give both hands a comfortable place to rest and lots of control over the tool. During our testing, we chopped through tons of 3- to 4-inch sticks and some larger, full-grown trees.

With two powerful batteries installed, it quickly gets up to speed, and we barely had any issues with kicking or getting stuck. Installing and adjusting the chain is simple, and it self-lubricates as users run it, so it doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance. We spent several hours cutting away with this tool and ran into almost no issues, which is exactly what we’re looking for.  — Stan Horaczek

Best circular saw: DEWALT DCS573B Flexvolt Advantage 20V Circular Saw

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The DEWALT circular saw offers numerous user-friendly features that suit both professionals and amateurs who are prepared to invest in quality. This powerful 20V cordless model runs at 5,500 rpm, providing faster cutting than many rivals. The brushless motor maximizes battery life. Thanks to the Flexvolt Advantage system, this saw can also use DEWALT’s high-capacity 60V batteries, which the manufacturer claims can result in a 77-percent power increase. An LED light makes it easier to see cut lines and improves accuracy in low-light conditions. An electric brake stops the blade quickly, so it’s safe to put the saw down after a cut. A rafter hook, favored by framers and other carpentry trades, is also included. — Bob Beacham

Best random orbital sander: beyond by BLACK+DECKER Random Orbit Sander

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For those people who want to strip old furniture before repainting, sand lumber, or perhaps ease a sticking door, the Black+Decker could be the ideal tool. This random orbital sander may not be especially powerful, but it will get the job done. The fixed speed doesn’t give it great versatility, but it is fast enough for ripping through old paint or varnish and good for sanding store-bought softwoods. Weight is under 3 pounds, and rubberized areas make it easy to use at different angles. It comes with three sanding disks of different grits, which won’t last very long but will get the new user started, and acclimate them to how each type cuts if this is their first sander. — Bob Beacham

Best heat gun: DEWALT Heat Gun Kit

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A heat gun is a versatile tool that can help with a range of DIY and pro tasks, from thawing frozen pipes and removing tiles to repairing electrical equipment. This compact model from DEWALT comes with an LCD display that allows users to adjust the temperature within 50-degree increments. It also features built-in overload protection, and hang ring for storage, a cord protector, and a kickstand for stability. The heat gun comes with a range of attachments to fine-tune work, including a cone nozzle and fishtail surface nozzle. At 2.3 pounds, this tool is lightweight, and the handle is ergonomically designed for more comfortable use. Note that the battery and charger have to be ordered separately. — Jen McCaffery

Best smart tape measure: LEXIVON 2 in 1 Digital Laser Tape Measure

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Smart DIYers subscribe to the maxim, “Measure twice, cut once.” Lexivon’s 2-in-1 Digital Laser Tape Measure allows them to do just that. This device combines a traditional 16-foot tape measure with a laser that measures out to 130 feet. It features an LCD screen that displays measurements and is accurate up to 1/16th of an inch. Powered by two AA batteries, this tool also allows users to make stud center markings and comes with a rubberized case and belt clip. — Jen McCaffery

Best laser level: DEWALT Line Laser

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DEWALT is known for constructing well-designed, durable tools; this laser level is no exception. Like many other options, it offers both horizontal and vertical leveling. What sets this model apart is the durable construction that ensures you won’t be buying another one should it happen to take a tumble or spend time out in the rain. That’s because DEWALT protects this level with an over-molded housing that can endure drops from heights of up to a meter. It also has an IP54 rating, which means it will withstand being splashed with water. 

In addition to being ruggedly built, this laser level is also easy to use, thanks to its self-leveling capability and a versatile mounting system that’s compatible with a tripod. Its 100-foot range is ample distance for most indoor and outdoor applications. — Bob Beacham

Best work table: WORX WX051 Pegasus Folding Work Table & Sawhorse

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With all these tools, a DIYer also needs a reliable workspace. This folding work table from WORX that converts into a sawhorse fits the bill. Made of durable ABS plastic with steel reinforcements, it supports up to 300 pounds as a work table and up to 1,000 pounds at a workhorse. Yet at just 25 pounds, this work table is relatively lightweight and easy to store. It features two integrated clamps and a lower shelf that’s great for storing power tools. If your DIYer needs more workspace, these tables can also attach together to expand the work surface. — Jen McCaffery

Best work light: Craftsman LED Portable Work Light Bundle

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DIYers also need dependable lights that can illuminate dark corners when fixing things around the house or under the hood. This Craftsman work light features an LED light that provides up to 2,000 lumens of light. At just three pounds, this cheery red light is easily transportable, and it has a 5-foot power cord. The head rotates 360 degrees, so DIYers can point it in whatever direction they need light. It’s also rated IP65, so it’s safe to use in wet locations. And when the project is completed, this lamp is also great for camping, fishing, and hiking.

Best work gloves: Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves

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Reliable safety protection is essential for DIY projects. These classic work gloves from Ironclad are made of synthetic lever and feature thermoplastic protection on the fingers to protect the knuckles from impact and abrasion. The gloves have a hook-and-loop closure for a secure fit and even include a terrycloth sweat wipe at the back of the thumb. When the job is completed, these gloves are also machine-washable. 

Best toolbox: DEWALT Tough System

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The DEWALT Tool Box is a medium-sized hand-carry case that’s a great choice for home use or on a busy job site. This toolbox comes with a deep storage compartment that is large enough to fit a drill, saw, or a cordless tool battery and a charger. Sitting on top of this compartment is a removable tray where users can store hand tools, like screwdrivers, wrenches, or a hammer. 

This box is made with durable structural foam that protects against impact damage, cuts, slices, dust, and water. Made with metal locking brackets and awarded an IP65 water- and dust-resistance rating, this is an excellent option for DIYers and pros alike. — Tim Dale

Best stackable toolboxes: beyond by BLACK+DECKER Stackable Storage System

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Tools can get heavy and disorganized, especially when a DIYer needs everything from a cordless drill, hammer, tape measure, and nails to complete a job. BLACK+DECKER provides an ingenious solution with its stackable storage system. The three-piece set features a rolling tote with rubber wheels designed for power tools, a deep toolbox for hand tools, and a small organizer toolbox divided into compartments. The stackable set is designed with lockable latches, and DIYers can roll the whole set together to a job or easily remove one of the toolboxes. This unit can also double as storage, so DIYers can also set the boxes against the wall in the garage and use them there. — Jen McCaffery

Best cordless vac: DEWALT 20V MAX Hand Vacuum

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When it comes time to clean up, an easy-to-use vac is indispensable. This hand vacuum from DEWALT is designed with 20 volts of power, making it capable of removing debris and removing water. This versatile wet-dry vac comes with a half-gallon tank, a utility nozzle for targeting messes, and an extendable rubber hose. Powered by a DEWALT battery pack, this cordless vacuum is easy to transport and lightweight at 4.5 pounds. It also features a washable HEPA filter that traps more than 99 percent of dust.

Best shop vac: Bissell MultiClean Wet Dry Vac

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There’s the fun of working on a DIY project … and then there’s the cleanup. If they’d appreciate a wet-dry shop vacuum that handles anything, the Bissell MultiClean vac covers all the bases. This versatile cleaning tool comes with a variety of features and functions, including a blowing function for clearing leaves or blowing up inflatables, a wet suction tool, and a toolkit of different brushes for vacuuming various surfaces and crevices. The tank is on wheels for easy movement while vacuuming, and its balanced body keeps it from tipping over when it’s pulled. This machine is sleek and easy to use for both small at-home messes and bigger shop cleanups. — Amanda Reed

Best leaf blower: DEWALT Cordless XR Leaf Blower

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DEWALT’s cordless leaf blower offers an excellent combination of both power—courtesy of its 20V motor—and cost. This battery-powered model can push out air at up to 125 miles per hour, covering an area of 450 cubic feet per minute. A flat concentrator nozzle helps blow away heavier debris. At 5.4 pounds, this leaf blower is lightweight, and it’s designed with an ergonomic handle and also quieter than most at about 68 decibels. It is worth noting, however, that the battery generally only lasts from 15 to 20 minutes per charge — David King and Jen McCaffery

Best log splitter: Fiskars IsoCore 36-Inch Maul

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This manual log splitter is built to last with a forged, heat-treated steel head with a rust-resistant coating. Plus, the sculpted, soft-grip handle fits the contour of your hand and promises to transfer two times less shock and vibration than wood handles. The wedge-shaped maul head is specifically designed for, and highly efficient at, splitting—significantly better than the thin, relatively lightweight head of an axe. At only 7.43 pounds and requiring almost no storage space, this tool punches well above its weight. — Mark Wolfe

Best pressure washer: GreenWorks Pressure Washer

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Does your resident DIYer start to turn green when they notice the outside of the house needs a good wash? They’ll appreciate the range of the Greenworks Electric Pressure Washer. The pressure hose can extend up to 20 feet, and the 35-foot power cord is safe to use with exterior outlets. It also comes with two nozzle tips, a soap applicator, and an attachable detergent bottle for added convenience at clean-up time. This GreenWorks pressure washer blasts at an impressive 1,600 PSI to dislodge dirt and get your house looking primo once again. This pressure washer is also great for cleaning your car, fence, patio, and more. — Jeremy Helligar and Jen McCaffery

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You’ve probably heard a lot about Ozempic and Wegovy, the semaglutide wonder drugs for weight loss. Their newfound popularity with prescribers and online pharmacies has sparked a global shortage. Other diabetes medications are now also being repurposed for weight loss: On Wednesday, the FDA approved Zepbound, another version of Mounjaro, for chronic weight management.

While Ozempic and Wegovy have different ingredients than Mounjaro and Zepbound, they work in a similar way. Semaglutide mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that’s usually released when the body detects carbohydrates, proteins, and other lipids after a meal. This sends a message to the brain that you’ve eaten, changing hunger signaling activity. When the body thinks it’s full, GLP-1 activates other systems to slow down muscle contractions that would usually move food out of the stomach.

A weekly injection might seem like an easy option to shed pounds, but doctors warn these medications are not a perfect weight-loss solution. Semaglutide carries a number of side effects that range from uncomfortable to life-threatening, which can be even worse with off-label use of Wegovy or Ozempic.

What are the common side effects of semaglutide?

Since semaglutide has a direct effect on the GI tract, a majority of the side effects are gastrointestinal-related. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center in California, says about 50 percent of people taking Wegovy or Ozempic experience nausea. Other common side effects include constipation, diarrhea, or cramping. People who overeat while on the regimen might experience more severe nausea and even vomiting. Additionally, while not as common as the other GI side effects, Ali mentions there is a chance of dizziness while taking Ozempic. This may stem from the blood sugar-lowering effects of the drug. 

What are the more dangerous side effects?

Since large numbers of people started using semaglutide for off-label weight loss, doctors have been documenting more troubling reactions. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association links Ozempic to gastroparesis, a chronic condition that severely weakens the muscles in the stomach wall, making it harder to push food over to the small intestine. The inability to empty stomach contents can delay the digestive process and induce regular episodes of nausea and diarrhea. While there are surgical and non-surgical ways to manage gastroparesis, there’s currently no cure for it. 

Considering that there have only been a few documented cases of gastroparesis with Ozempic use, Ali says the chances of this happening are relatively rare and “not something you typically see in patients.” But as demand for the drug continues to soar, more cases may come to light. Along with stomach paralysis, other limited but severe side effects of Ozempic involve pancreatitis, kidney issues, and gallbladder issues.

Can semaglutide cause suicidal thoughts?

A growing number of people worldwide have also reported suicidal thoughts while taking Ozempic. After receiving 150 reports of suicidal ideation and self-injury, the European Medicines Agency is reviewing the safety data on the diabetes drug. The United Kingdom is also reviewing all drugs classified as GLP-1 agonists, including Ozempic, after an uptick in incidences of self-harming thoughts. In the US, individuals have spoken out about experiencing suicidal ideation while taking Ozempic, despite having no history of self-harm. 

Some of the mental health concerns have precedent. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires any chronic weight management medication that works on the central nervous system to carry a warning about suicidal behavior and ideation. Wegovy has a warning for suicidal ideation but Ozempic—intended only to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes—does not. It’s not clear what the link is between these drugs and suicidal thoughts, but it’s assumed the neuropsychiatric side effects emerge when semaglutide interacts with the brain to control appetite. 

“The question becomes, should the same medication under a different name carry the same caution regarding suicidal ideation?” says Joseph Barrera, an endocrinologist and associate medical director of Providence Mission Hospital in California. He adds that the likelihood of developing self-harming thoughts while taking Ozempic seems to occur more in people with a history of depression or other psychological issues—a possible safety concern as some psychiatrists are now prescribing Ozempic for depression. 

Overall, cases of suicidal ideations are largely anecdotal and relatively rare. As of September 2023, of the 23,845 reports of adverse reactions with semaglutide in the US, there have been 144 cases of suicidal ideation and 2 deaths by suicide. As Barrera points out, it’s still unclear how many of these cases involved Ozempic versus Wegovy.

What to consider if taking Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss

Barrera has one piece of advice for people considering using Ozempic or Wegovy off-label: Don’t. The risks of taking the drug, including suicidal ideation, are too high. What’s more, Barrera warns some individuals have been paying providers and clinics for “compounded semaglutide,” which involves mixing multiple medications together. According to the FDA, people making compounded semaglutide are using a salt form, such as semaglutide sodium or semaglutide acetate, that doesn’t contain the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy. 

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This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

The benefits of friendship go far beyond having someone to confide in or spend time with–it can also protect you from physical and mental health problems. For example, people with good friends recover more quickly from illnesses and surgeries. They report higher well-being and feel like they live up to their full potential. Additionally, people with good friends report being less lonely across many life stages, including adolescence, becoming a parent and old age.

In fact, friendships are so powerful that the social pain of rejection activates the same neural pathways that physical pain does.

Behavioral scientists like me have tended to focus our research about friendships on their benefits. How to cultivate these powerful relationships hasn’t been as deeply researched yet. Understanding more about what people look for in a friend and how to make and sustain good friendships could help fight the loneliness epidemic.

Traditional conceptions of friendship

Previous generations of behavioral scientists traditionally focused on the notion that people form friendships with those who are similar, familiar and in close proximity to them.

When you look at all the friendships you’ve had over your life, these three factors probably make intuitive sense. You’re more likely to have things in common with your friends than not. You feel an increased sense of familiarity with friends the longer you know them–what psychologists call the mere exposure effect. And your friends are more likely to live or work near you.

Researchers in this field have also typically divided friendship preferences based on gender. The dichotomy suggests that women prefer one-on-one, emotionally close and face-to-face friendships, while men prefer multi-person, task-oriented and side-by-side friendships, with the focus on a shared activity.

Again, when looking at your own friendships, these findings may seem intuitive. Women on average prefer to engage in activities that allow for self-disclosure and sharing secrets, such as spending time one-on-one talking about their lives. Men, on the other hand, tend to prefer to engage in activities that are group-based and have a clearly defined outcome, such as playing sports together. Findings such as these show that gender and preferences on how to connect are important in friendships.

But these explanations of friendship do not address the most important aspect of making friends–choosing the individual people you want to turn into your pals. Friendship decisions are not random. There are many people who are similar, familiar, in close proximity and have similar preferences as you. Yet few of these individuals end up being your friends.

So, in a world full of possibilities, how do people pick those who will become their friends?

New ways to think about friendship

Within the last decade, researchers have begun investigating the roots of friendship preferences beyond the classic descriptions.

For example, social scientists see there are strong preferences for friends to be loyal, trustworthy and warm. Additionally, researchers find there are preferences for friends who help you solve specific kinds of problems and are generous and caring with you instead of others. These preferences help people navigate making friends, given limited reserves of time and effort. In short, they help you find the best possible friends you can in a world full of friendship possibilities.

Social scientists have also learned that, while there are some important gender differences in what people want in friends, it is not accurate to say that men and women want one kind of friendship over another. In fact, when we take a more holistic approach and consider broader categorizations of emotional closeness and tasks, the gender differences in these preferences are reduced. And of course, people don’t exclusively pick between face-to-face and side-by-side friendships. Instead, it is more likely that they focus on what they want from their friends and let these needs guide how friendships form.

Ultimately it’s your individual preferences that guide you toward the people who will best meet your particular social needs. With a little luck, you’ll find buddies who can lend a hand when you need one and support you in reaching your goals. In all, your preferences are the key to finding friends who can buffer against feeling lonely and provide you with the social, emotional and health benefits of friendship.

When you’re looking for friends

It’s hard to provide clear guidelines for improving friendships because the research about friendship preferences is still developing. But there are some clear points for consideration:

1. Determine what you value in friends. Do you want one-on-one, emotionally close friendships or multi-person, task-oriented friendships? Depending on your preference, different kinds of activities will be helpful for finding others who fit the bill and cultivating these friendships.
2. Know that it will take time to make close friendships. Research suggests that it takes 30 hours of interaction to make a casual friend, 140 hours to make a good friend and 300 hours to make a best friend.
3. Consider what you bring to the table. Everyone has unique strengths they bring to their friendships. Research shows that, when you’re able to demonstrate that you have characteristics people want in friends, you’re able to make more satisfying friendships.

Understand friendships to understand loneliness

Considering the nuances of friendship preferences will be extremely important in reducing not only loneliness, but other related public health crises. For example, loneliness is associated with likelihood of attempting suicide. Recent surveys have found that men are suffering big declines in the number of close friends they have, as well as experiencing higher rates of suicide compared to women.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s recent recommendations for fighting the loneliness epidemic focus on public policies and infrastructure. But fostering community spaces for connection–such as parks, libraries and playgrounds–prioritizes the preferences of those who favor the one-on-one, emotionally close and face-to-face connections more often preferred by women. These places are less beneficial for people with more typically masculine preferences, as there is no guarantee that these spaces will foster side-by-side, task-oriented connections unless areas for sports and other team-based activities are also included.

To counter this inequity, researchers and public health officials first need to understand what makes friendships satisfying. Then they can ensure that recommendations to curb loneliness address all of the pathways that people use to cultivate high-quality friendships.

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In Washington, D.C., a honey bee landed on a restaurant bar, creating quite a stir. But a man a few feet away, who was allergic to the insect’s sting, was not alarmed. This bee’s head and wings were metal, and its abdomen glass.

The bistro, Bresca, which means “honeycomb” in Catalan, likes to serve its riff on a Bee’s Knees cocktail in this bee-like vessel. And, to fit the theme, Bresca’s version swaps out simple syrup made of processed sugar and water for a syrup made entirely of honey and water. Unlike the sucrose-heavy simple syrups that many bartenders use in cocktails, honey is mostly fructose and glucose. Because fructose is sweeter than sucrose, honey goes a long way in a cocktail, and knowing how to use it is key to impressing your guests. 

Use different varieties of honey to your benefit

“Honey comes from thousands and thousands of varietals of plants,” says Juliana Rangel, associate professor of apiculture at Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Each plant has its own unique [taste] profile that’s not found in [table] sugars.”

[Related: How to build a garden that’ll have pollinators buzzin’]

When you are familiar with the varieties of honey available to you, you can choose the perfect honey to complement the other ingredients in a cocktail. “Horsemint honey,” Rangel notes, which comes from a plant that grows wildly across central Texas and other areas, “would be a great complement to a minty beverage like mojitos because the honey itself has those components.” Rangel also explains that because honey naturally contains acids, it combines well with citrus fruits often used in cocktails. 

But because of honey’s thickness, it needs to be thinned out before it goes into a cocktail. At the urban apiary on the rooftop of the Hilton hotel in McLean, Virginia, the harvest goes to the kitchen and bar, where it’s mixed with equal parts warm water. This keeps it viscous and flavorful, but loose enough to be blended easily into a cocktail of whiskey, Cointreau, and muddled lemon slices so the oils from the skin can help round out the drink.

Actually, mind your beeswax

Bees work busily, visiting flowers and converting pollen and nectar in their stomachs to remove water and produce a simple sugar. A harvesting bee then passes this nectar to another bee that stores this sugar in the honeycomb, drying it out with their wings and capping it with beeswax. As it turns out, beeswax is another useful agricultural product and has its place around alcohol.

Bresca’s bartender works much like a bee. Not only is cocktail construction a busy process, but to infuse the right flavors into the drink, the bartender must move it from vessel to vessel, aging it in beeswax for nine days before it goes into the metal and glass bee.

Storing a cocktail in a jar with a beeswax-coated interior is a lot like putting wine into an oak barrel, Gerling explains. “Alcohol is a solvent. It’s extracting properties from the beeswax.”

Hawksmoor in New York City goes as far as infusing whiskey with melted beeswax harvested from Manhattan rooftops to make their Night Nurse cocktail. After time in the refrigerator, the bartender skims off all that rises to the surface—about a quarter of the initial wax. It’s the same process as fat-washing a cocktail, and the melted beeswax imparts floral flavors and a creamy mouth-feel. Hawksmoor also acid-adjusts their honey with malic acid from apples and citric acid for a cleaner taste.

[Related: 5 ways to keep bees buzzing that don’t require a hive]

While Rangel says beeswax can add an earthy and floral taste to a cocktail, she is less keen on aging alcohol in beeswax. Alcohol will degrade the wax particles, she says, resulting in leaching. And because bees visit agricultural crops and can carry pesticides on their bodies, those chemicals get imparted into the beeswax, giving it a chemical residue.

But it’s no different than eating a salad without the organic label stamped on the bag. And it’s probably no worse than the alcohol itself.

“In urban environments,” Rangel notes, “the pesticides are actually less.”

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Halloween is coming, which means the race for the most awesome costume is on. Fortunately, a little science can add some serious fright to your get-up. These tricks only require a little advance preparation, but your friends will remember the result for years to come.

Apply makeup that only appears under ultraviolet LEDs

Want to play Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? You can paint your skin with glowing scars, creepy eye makeup, and veiny hands… that only appear under ultraviolet light. Add some UV LEDs to your costume, and you’ll be able to turn this makeup on and off with a switch. Alternatively, amp up your vampire look with similar UV-reactive makeup that’s visible under normal light but produces fluorescence in the presence of a blacklight.

To put this look together, you’ll need specially-formulated face paint that reacts to ultraviolet light. Brands like Moon Glow and Midnight Glo specialize in this type of UV-reactive makeup. For hair products that glow, look for gel or dye from Manic Panic.

Once you have your face paint, you’ll need some wearable LEDs. Look for UV-emitting strip lights, sometimes called “blacklight” strips, which are widely available at hardware stores and online. Choose lights that you can cut and that come wired to a connector, preferably a DC receptacle. If you can’t find a strip with a DC power source, get one with a solderless connector, buy a separate DC receptacle at an electric supply store, and connect the two in seconds—no tools required. In the long haul, this setup is not the sturdiest, but you only need it for a night.

For power, you have a couple options. A battery holder with a DC plug can attach directly to your light strip. Or grab a power bank like the one you use to charge your phone, attach it to a USB-to-DC converter, and connect that to your LEDs. However, before you plug in the power bank, check its maximum instantaneous amperage limit, usually found in the user’s manual. Compare that to the overall amperage the LED strip will pull, which you’ll find in the specifications sheet. If the light strip draws more amps than the battery can provide, the power will drain too quickly, potentially destroying the power bank.

Now that you have your materials in hand, use fabric glue or pins to attach the light strip to your clothing. Put on your UV-enabled costume, apply your UV-reactive makeup, and test the range of the lights in total darkness. This should show you how the effect is working and whether you need to tweak the setup.

Use makeup glue to mimic puncture effects

If you’re planning to dress as a zombie, a heavily memed Skyrim guard, or pretty much anything with punctured skin, add a little interactive element to your costume by inserting a few blood-spattered rods, sticks, or arrow shafts into your body, then letting people pull on them. Of course, you’re not really going to stab yourself with pointy objects—but some stage blood and makeup glue will give people the illusion that you did.

A quick warning: If you’re allergic to latex, check the makeup glue ingredients carefully. Many of them use latex, and anaphylactic shock is not a fun costume trick!

First, find a spot on your body where your skin is relatively loose. To test it, lay the stick or rod flat on the surface and pinch two ridges of flesh together around the object.

[Related: A stork impaled by a 30-inch spear flew thousands of miles to make it home]

Once you’ve picked a good spot, apply the makeup glue to that area, put your prop in the middle, and pinch your skin together lightly, just enough to cover the middle of the pin and keep it in place. To ensure that nobody notices you’ve glued your skin together, you might want to fill in the pinched area with a little foundation. Complete the effect with a bit of fake gore.

At your soiree, just ask somebody to grab and pull. Make sure to yell in pain, or perhaps issue a ghoulish chuckle, as the object slides right out.

Pretend to pull a scarf through your neck

Want to really sell your ghost costume? Have somebody grab your tie or scarf, give it a tug, and watch them gape in shock as it seems to slide through your incorporeal neck. What you’re really doing is creating a loose knot that easily pops off (and isn’t visible from the front). For this trick, you’ll need a scarf or tie about 4 or 5 feet long, and some time to practice and really get the hang of the knot.

Here’s how it works: Put the scarf around your neck, take the ends in your hands, and pull gently until the left-hand side hangs longer than the right. Cross your arms, right over left, with your right hand holding the scarf a little higher than your left. Pull your right hand across, forming a u-bend. Wrap the part of your scarf held by your left hand around your neck, over the bend, and follow with your right, gently resting the loop on the back of your neck. This is a little tough to visualize, so check out the video below for more details.

Knot enthusiasts might find these steps familiar. That’s because the method mimics the first two steps in a basic quick-release hitch. For novice tie-ers, this trick may take a little practice.

Finally, ask someone to tug on the left-hand end, and the scarf will seem to fall “through” your body. Once you’ve got the knot down, you can re-tie your neck gear and endlessly repeat the performance.

Play undead with no pulse and endless guts

If you’re going to be one of the legion of Halloween zombies, you should give your costume a couple touches that make it stand out.

The first trick just requires a rubber ball. Hide it in your armpit, ask someone to take your pulse from your wrist, and then squeeze the ball. This will temporarily block your radial artery, which delivers pulsing blood to your wrist. Search as they might, your friend won’t detect the tell-tale sign of life.

[Related: How William Harvey discovered blood circulation]

If that’s too subtle, try a new take on the old endless hanky gag. Get some red “silks,” available at magic shops (you can also make your own with bolts of fabric), and knot them together end to end with a simple square knot. Then fold your ties to form a stack and twist them until they fit in something small and portable, like a cardboard tube.

Stick the tube in your shirt, leaving the end sticking out, and ask somebody to play pull-the-intestine. For bonus points, tie something gross, like a rubber heart, to the last tie. This is particularly great if you really ham it up; shriek, make gagging sounds, or hide a handy fake blood capsule so it creates a grotesque mess.

This story has been updated. It was originally published in 2018.

The post 4 science tricks to scare up a better Halloween costume appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

There are a few variables to think about when deciding which tool to use when you need to cut a piece of wood. First, figure out what you own that’s capable of making the cut. Sometimes that limits the options to one tool, and that’s what you should go with. But when multiple tools will do the job, you’ll have to do a little more calculus. 

Don’t worry, I’m not talking about actual calculus. You will, however, have to run some mental calculations that weigh your comfort using the qualified tools against the difficulty of what you’re doing. For complex or new cuts, I like to use the tool I’m most comfortable with. Simpler cuts, meanwhile, might give me an opportunity to practice with a tool I don’t use often. Finally, because I work in a small shop, I always consider a tool’s accessibility. A saw that’s already out and plugged in is far more attractive than a tool I have to dig out from the back of a cabinet.

If you’re new to woodworking, or just looking for more insight on the choices you have to make in the shop, here’s a primer on the types of saws you’re likely to have access to, and the cuts they’re best at. 

Table saw: good for long cuts

Table saws are built to make rip cuts, which means slicing long boards in the same direction as the grain. If you’re trying to trim a 2-by-6 down to 4 inches wide, a table saw is the best tool you can use, hands down.

Most table saws are built with slots on either side of the blade, called miter slots. These allow jigs to slide over the tabletop to help you make different types of cuts. One example is a miter gauge, which probably came with your saw. This jig can hold boards at different orientations to the blade, allowing you to cut a wide range of angles. You can also make larger sleds, called miter or crosscut sleds to cut a variety of non-rip cuts.

[Related: How to tune up a table saw]

Another jig category rides along the table saw’s fence instead of in a miter slot. A jointer sled or tapering jig, for instance, uses the fence as a reference point to make perfectly straight or tapered cuts, depending on how it’s set up. Other fence-referencing jigs can stand boards on end. A tenoning jig, for example, allows you to clamp a board vertically to cut tenons into the ends of the board, a job that would be quite dangerous without the stability the jig provides. 

Finally, most table saws that a homeowner or hobbyist would own can only cut boards as large as the user can lift and maneuver. Cutting full sheets of plywood on my table, for example, is almost impossible, especially by myself. Likewise, the blade on my saw can only be raised to about 3.5 inches. Even if I flip the board over and cut twice, I can’t cut anything thicker than 7 inches on the table saw alone. So, versatile as it is, this can’t be the only saw in your shop. 

Miter saw: good for angled cuts

If you’re only looking to cut boards to length, or add angles to the ends, a good miter saw might be your best bet. All you’ll need to do is place the board on the flat surface beneath the blade, pull the trigger, and lower the saw to make the cut. If you pair a miter saw with a good stop block system, it’s easy to make repeated cuts of uniform length.  

The entire blade assembly can turn to make angled cuts on the face of the board, tilt to angle the end of the board, or tilt and turn to angle both the face and the end. This dual angling capacity makes these great saws for the complex cuts needed for crown molding. However, achieving the precision required for that kind of finish work requires you to really set up and fine-tune your machine.

A miter saw’s limitations

Like a table saw, a miter saw has de facto size limits. For one, miter saws have a maximum board width they can cut through, though you can flip the board over to extend that. Perhaps more importantly, miter saws are limited by how large a board you can lift, because this is another type of saw you have to bring the wood to.

Track saw: good for boards you can’t move around

If you’ve got a board too big to realistically or safely cut on a table saw or miter saw, a track saw should be your next choice. These are basically circular saws that lock into and follow a straight edge that you clamp to your board. A track saw is the perfect tool to break down large sheets of plywood into usable sizes, or to trim up the edges of a table or countertop that’s simply too long to feed into a table saw. They can also tilt to cut at an angle, so they’re perfect for chamfering the underside of a table without the risk of tearout that you might get from a large router bit.

Unlike table saws, track saws don’t require a reference edge to cut. So if you want to cut a straight edge on a live-edge slab, for example, you can align the track where you need it, and make the cut.

When not to use a track saw

While they’re one of the best homeowner-accessible tools for cutting large sheet goods or live-edge slabs, track saws are quite a bit slower than table saws because of the increased measuring and setup time. They also don’t have the same ability to accept jigs, so they lack some of the versatility of a table saw. 

Band saw: good for weird, curved cuts

Band saws can make most of the same cuts miter and table saws can, but I’ve found they don’t do them quite as well. There are, however, two types of cuts where a good band saw stands alone.

First is strangely shaped cuts. Band saws are great for cutting curved pieces or somewhat intricate shapes out of a board. The band saw is limited to staying on the outside of the shapes—you can’t cut a circle in the center of another board, for instance, but you can cut a board into a circle. 

[Related: The best safety advice for any beginner woodworker]

The second area is resawing, or sawing a thick board in half. Technically, a table saw can do this too, but a band saw can do it without you having to flip the board over and make two passes. Larger band saws, like a 14-inch one, can cut much taller pieces than a table saw can even with flipping.

Where band saws fall short

Band saws do require a bit more practice and experience to both maintain and use well than either a table saw or miter saw do. The blade has to be properly tensioned, the fence and guide bearings have to be set up properly, and you need to have the right blade for your job. It’s also easy for a band saw blade to get stuck in the project, and potentially snap, which can ruin your workpiece, or worse, injure you.

Jigsaw: good for curved cuts on larger pieces of wood

If you need to make a weird-shaped cut and your workpiece is too large and awkward for a band saw, consider a jigsaw. This tool is a handheld saw with a thin, vertical blade sticking out of the bottom that moves up and down to make cuts. Jigsaws can cut curves and corners alike, and have a tight turning radius to make detailed work easier. There are also numerous available blades for different kinds of cuts. Some are best for rough, fast cuts, some are thin for getting into tight spaces, and others have lots of teeth for finer finish work. Jigsaws can also cut shapes on interior sections of a board, provided that you can drill a hole large enough to fit the blade.

A jigsaw’s limitations

Unless you have a lot of practice and a high-end machine, a jigsaw will serve you best as a rough cutting option. You’ll want to cut your shape a bit oversized and then sand it down to finished dimensions. Jigsaws are also a bit harder to control than a band saw, so it’s easy for the blade to wander. And blades might bend and flex inside the wood, so the cut on the bottom of the board might not be perfectly in line with the cut on the top. Finally, jigsaws require you to figure out how to clamp your workpiece into place with open air below it, because the blade penetrates all the way through the wood.

Scroll saw: good for finish work

If you’re looking for intricate detail and artistic through-cuts in your boards, a scroll saw—sort of a combination between a band saw and a jigsaw— is the tool for you. The saw’s short blade vibrates up and down like a jigsaw, but is secured to the machine at the top and bottom so you can move the board over a table like a band saw. This setup offers incredible precision, as well as the ability to disconnect the blade, slide it through a hole in the board, and reattach it. The detachable blade means you can start cuts in the middle of the board like a jigsaw, too.  

When not to use a scroll saw

It’s worth noting that scroll saws cut fairly slowly. Because they’re designed for precision rather than power, you won’t be able to move through a lot of material at once. That means they’re not a feasible option for processing wood—you shouldn’t use one to rip boards or crosscut anything to length. There’s also a bit of a learning curve, as it can take hours of practice to get the most out of a scroll saw. I’m still terrible with them, though I’ve only used one a handful of times.

That said, there are few better ways to cut beautiful scenes into your wood.  

Hand saws: a dimension of their own

While power tools tend to be faster, and, frankly, more accurate in beginner hands, not every situation needs electricity. Sometimes the gentle rasp of a saw moving back and forth through the board is exactly what your project requires. And I truly find an accurate hand-sawn cut quite a bit more satisfying than one I just pushed through the table saw. Though of course, the odds that I mess up that hand-cut are quite a bit higher.

There are too many types of hand saws to cover in this article, but I’d like to talk about the two I use most often. 

Pull saw: good for low-effort cuts

If you’ve never used a pull saw, I recommend trying one, because it’ll change your outlook on hand sawing. The saws many of us grew up using to slice branches off of trees are saws that cut on the push stroke. Pull saws, as their name implies, cut on the pull stroke. Conveniently, this is the direction where we are both strongest and the most stable. When you push a saw through wood, the tip becomes more and more unstable as there’s nothing locking it in place and preventing it from vibrating back and forth. When you pull it toward you, however, the force of the board and your hand on the handle keep the blade steady and smooth through the entire cut.  

The easiest cut to make with a pull saw is a rip cut, which is following the grain. However, they’re perfectly capable of cross cutting as well. And with practice, they can be a precision instrument. Many people use pull saws to cut intricate joinery, for instance, though they do still typically need to clean up the edges with chisels.  

Coping saw: good for intricate manual cuts

Coping saws have a U-shaped handle and—like a scroll saw—a thin blade attached at the front and back. The blade is similarly detachable, so you can slip it through a hole in a board and make cuts on the inside of the face. And because the blade is so thin, it can easily turn and curve inside the wood. This allows you to cut all kinds of fancy shapes. They’re excellent for removing material in joinery, like hogging out the bases of dovetails or trimming a back cut on molding.  

The cuts can get a bit wobbly, though, and there’s no built-in way to keep them square to your board, so the top and bottom of the cut likely won’t line up exactly. As such, it’s usually best to use these saws to get close to the cut line, and then finish everything with chisels, files, or other more precise tools.

The post A woodworker’s guide to choosing the right saw for each cut appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Learning a second or third language can help you better navigate the world and thrive personally and professionally. But not everyone has the money for private tutoring or language lessons. Free language learning apps can fill the gap between your budget and your desire to learn teach you the linguistic skills to communicate in as many languages as you’d like.

These apps vary in their focus, technique, strengths, and weaknesses. Some offer comprehensive, easy-to-use lessons, while others provide practical experience conversing with foreign language speakers. We’ve put together a list of the best free language learning apps with options that span different fluency levels, time constraints, and ages.

1. Best Overall: Duolingo

Duolingo, while free, is one of the best language learning programs you can get, thanks to the number of languages you can pick up, and the app’s well-designed, bite-sized lessons. Duolingo aims to entertain while teaching, using challenges and game-like features to motivate learners. For example, you can earn gems by completing lessons—but you lose a heart every time you make a mistake. 

The app currently offers almost 40 languages, including a beta version that teaches Klingon—for you Trekkies out there. The short lessons typically last about five minutes and are designed for one lesson per day, though there’s no limit to how many you can do each day. However, the free version only lets you make five mistakes before the lesson pauses, and you’ll have to come back later. You can get around that by upgrading to the Super Duolingo subscription, which costs $7.99 a month (charged yearly). 

Duolingo lets you learn as many languages at once as you like, whereas some other apps, like Busuu, limit you to one language at a time. The option to learn two languages at once lets you explore a variety of linguistic possibilities, too. To get started, you’ll need to set up an account with a password, but once you’ve done that, there are few restrictions if you don’t mind a 30-second ad every now and then. 

The app’s organization and ease of use stand out among language learning apps. There’s a clear structure and order to the lessons. To keep you on track, you can’t move on to a new module until you’ve completed a certain number of lessons in the previous module. You’ll also have the option to review previous lessons, mistakes, and vocabulary as needed to refresh your memory and practice. Plus, you can listen to podcasts in your language of choice. 

On the downside, the amount of content isn’t the same for every language. Some, like Spanish and French, have content galore, while others, like Esperanto and Navajo, aren’t quite as fully developed. 

If you want more training, the Super subscription lets you use the app without restrictions and offers a few other perks like unlimited mastery quizzes and Test Outs, whereas free members only get so many. (Test Outs let you skip lessons if you’ve already mastered the skills.) You can also access extra speaking and listening practice with the Super membership, though repeating previous lessons can offer extra practice without the extra cost. 

Duolingo is available on iOS, iPadOS, iMessage, and Android.

2. Best for multiple languages: Memrise

Memrise’s free tier might be all you need if you’re brushing up on your language skills or want to learn the basics of several languages at once. This app is more of a study aid than it is a comprehensive language learning app. But it tops other apps for multiple languages because it customizes suggested lessons based on your past performance and features an AI chatbot that can help you learn.

This app relies on a number of memory techniques, but it heavily uses videos in its courses. For example, when learning vocabulary, you’ll see short videos of native speakers saying a single word. Learners follow a “watch, learn, speak” method to learn vocabulary and pronunciation. Memrise offers 23 languages, and you can work on as many of those at a time as you want. Plus, your account syncs across devices, so you can access lessons from multiple places, including a desktop computer.

[Related: How to get your computer and phone to work together]

Memrise lets you customize your learning settings so you can adjust the number of words you work on in each learning or reviewing session. However, if you make these changes in the app and later use the desktop version, you’ll have to adjust the learning settings again, as that is the only part of the app that doesn’t sync. 

Memrise offers a free and paid subscription, with the latter coming in at $14.99 per month, $89.99 a year, or $199.99 for a lifetime membership. The paid tier is ad-free and includes access to all lessons in every language, which you won’t get with the free tier. 

Memrise is available on iOS, iPadOS, and Android.

3. Best for general vocabulary: Busuu

Busuu may not have the wide language selection of apps like Duolingo and Memrise, but the app makes up for it in the quality of its vocabulary content and course structure. At the start of each lesson, you can clearly see what your goals are and what you’ll do next. They’re also broken down into manageable, logical chunks.

The free version of Busuu only allows you to work on one language at a time, and depending on the language you’re learning, certain features may not be available. If you want more and are serious about learning languages, we recommend the Premium Busuu plan ($6.95 to $13.95 per month). The fact that you can learn vocabulary in multiple languages alone makes the price worth it. However, if you’re looking to brush up or are happy learning a single language, the free version will work well.

A fun and unique feature that Busuu offers is the option to submit audio or written answers to the Busuu community for feedback and/or correction on your language skills. Community members who speak the language you’re learning will be able to offer suggestions or provide cultural context. This app’s instruction is excellent whether you opt for the free or paid version. Just know that if you’re looking to learn one of the less popular languages, Busuu may not have it because it focuses on 14 languages, including Spanish, Japanese, and Arabic.

Busuu is available on iOS, iPadOS, and Android.

4. Best for kids: StudyCat

StudyCat offers free language learning for kids ages 3 to 8 years old. While kids won’t learn everything they need to know from this app (like grammar), it’s a fun way to support their language development. Harvard and MIT researchers have found that learning a new language before the age of 10 provides the greatest opportunity for proficiency.

The app uses fun characters and games that appeal to young kids. Many of the games are similar to matching or quest games they may have already played on a phone or tablet. More than games, the app encourages a critical thinking approach to language learning. Each activity builds on the previous one to increase vocabulary while encouraging curiosity. Learning comes through categories, such as numbers, actions, food, and body. Through these categories, kids are exposed to speaking comprehension drills and reading skills. You can jump to different categories, but you have to start at the first lesson before advancing to the next, which allows your child to gradually build upon each lesson. 

[Related: How to set parental controls on any phone or tablet]

StudyCat comes in five languages, and each language has its own app. That’s a little limited if you want to expose your kids to languages other than Spanish, French, English, Chinese, and German. However, it also keeps the app simple, which works well for young learners. 

On the downside, the free version of the app doesn’t offer full access to all categories, words, and phrases. You’ll get access to two categories, and some won’t have all of the games. For that, you’ll have to pay for a monthly $14.99 subscription. I had to dig past the signup screen to get to the free version, but it’s there. The app is simple and fun for young kids, providing plenty of good practice without feeling like a drill.

StudyCat is available on iOS, iPadOS, and Android.

5. Best for conversation: HelloTalk

If you’re ready to practice your language skills with a native speaker, HelloTalk is the app for you. It’s a language app with translation tools, so you can learn while you converse. You might think you need to be an intermediate or even an advanced speaker to carry on conversations, but that’s not true with HelloTalk. 

To get started, you fill out a survey with the language you’d like to converse in and your fluency level. Then, the app creates a list of fluent speakers with whom you can chat. You can type what you’d like to say in English, and the app will translate it into the language you’re learning. There’s also a quick tap option to translate specific words. Plus, you can hear the answers read aloud or see a transliteration. HelloTalk also offers a grammar correction option to help you communicate more proficiently. 

Group chat features let you talk with several people all over the world, and you can save conversations to go back and review words or phrases. You can chat in 18 languages, practicing your conversation and writing skills at the same time. This is a great app if you’re feeling more confident in your vocabulary and sentence structure. Language development increases when you use it in practical ways with native speakers. 

The best part is the free version offers access to the same features as the paid version, but it includes ads. You can invest in the ad-free version for $6.99 per month or $45.99 per year. If you really love conversation as a learning tool, you can purchase a lifetime membership for $175. 

HelloTalk is available on iOS, iPadOS, and Android.

The post The best free language learning apps for building your vocabulary and conversational skills appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Modern adults are rarely without footwear, all too eager to cover their feet for everything from walking to the mailbox to relaxing on the back porch. And while shoes are, of course, frequently required (like for your morning coffee run, grocery shopping, and dinner out with friends), the outdoors offer a stellar opportunity to kick off your shoes and free your feet for a change.

Yes, despite the presence of dirt, sticks, mud, and uneven surfaces, you can—and perhaps should—ditch your shoes for your next ramble in the woods. Because going barefoot offers holistic health and wellness benefits, strengthens your feet, improves balance, and is just plain fun. Here’s how to do it safely and why you might want to consider hiking barefoot on your next outing.

The benefits of walking barefoot

There have been numerous studies documenting the benefits of walking barefoot, including strengthening foot and leg muscles, improving balance, and potentially reducing inflammation.

The physical effects stem from the fact that when barefoot, the small bones, muscles, and ligaments in your feet can move more freely than they would in typical footwear that reduces natural movement. This restriction can lead to physically weaker foot muscles, less stabilization when walking, and even flat arches.

The potential anti-inflammatory effects may be attributed to the practice of grounding or earthing, which involves your bare skin touching natural surfaces—as it would when walking barefoot. Grounding has been shown in small studies to reduce pain and inflammation, but more research is needed.

There are also more immediately tangible results to hiking in unshod feet, explains Paul Thompson, a podiatrist and founder of The Barefoot Movement, who specializes in barefoot neuromuscular training in New South Wales, Australia. “Traditional shoes often encourage compensations in our natural gait,” he says. “By returning to a barefoot state, we can utilize our entire body in a more balanced and efficient manner. This not only improves the efficiency of walking but also allows us to adapt more effectively to varying terrains.”

Translation: hiking barefoot could improve your balance and reduce your risk of injury. Thompson says that’s because the “heightened sensitivity translates into improved reaction times, enabling hikers to swiftly respond to terrain changes and avoid potential discomfort or injuries.” 

[Related: Learn how to use trekking poles]

But strengthening your feet, just like other parts of your body, takes time, so if you’re new to barefoot hiking, take it slow to protect your soles.

Transition wisely

Much like transitioning to barefoot-style shoes, slow and steady is the way to go when attempting barefoot hiking. After all, if you’ve spent most of your life in cushioned, overbuilt footwear, walking barefoot on any surface is likely going to take some getting used to.

So start with short barefoot walks on soft surfaces like grass. Then incorporate foot exercises into your daily routine. Perform heel raises by planting the balls of your feet and lifting your heels off the ground while squeezing a tennis ball between your heels. Or a technique called “short foot,” where you stand up straight with bare feet, spread your toes, and strive to raise your arches while keeping your heels and the balls of your feet firmly planted.

All of this will strengthen your feet and condition them to the novel feeling and workload of being barefoot for extended periods of time. When you’re ready to hike, Thompson says one short stroll a week is plenty at the start. As your feet become stronger and your soles toughen, you can progressively increase hike duration.

Safety first

When you hike, bring along a first aid kit and a pair of shoes or sandals in case you come to a section of trail you’re not comfortable traversing without foot protection. Slide them on when you need to and back off again whenever you’re ready.

[Related: First aid basics for your adventure in the wilderness]

Then, take it slow. You’ll likely need to pay more attention to where you’re planting your feet than you do while wearing shoes. That means you may end up hiking a bit more slowly than you’re used to, but it also means you’ll be experiencing your surroundings in a more immersive way. So take your time and enjoy the journey.

Find a trail

When it comes to picking the perfect trail for a barefoot hike, some destinations can be more accommodating than others. In Celerina, a small town located in the Swiss Alps, for example, there are dedicated trails specifically for barefoot hiking.

But those are few and far between in the US, so depending on where you’re located, you may have to do a bit of research. One way is to find a local barefoot hiking group, several of which are scattered around the US. If there’s not an official club near you, check websites like Meetup or Facebook for barefoot-friendly hiking events. Even if you don’t want to join a group hike, you can ask for trail recommendations in your area.

If you’re searching on your own, focus on finding trails with ideal surfaces for hiking barefoot, at least when you’re starting out. These include grass, soft dirt, and sand. Even mud is often more fun barefoot than in shoes—plus, going shoeless keeps your boots clean.

Though there aren’t many high moors left in the world, Katharina Moosbrugger, hiking guide and founder of Naturerfahren, a nature-focused tour company in Austria, says these landscapes are an excellent place to walk barefoot thanks to the soft, spongy surfaces. But because these open tracts of land can hide deceptively deep bogs, you’ll want to opt for a guided hike through such areas if you’re not familiar with them. Otherwise, you could easily sink up to your shoulders in wet mud.

Once you’ve found a few ideal spots and are ready to liberate your feet from shoes, have at it. Just remember to take it slow, pick trails wisely, and enjoy the experience of being outdoors as nature intended.

The post How to start hiking barefoot, if you’re into that kind of thing appeared first on Popular Science.

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On Saturday, October 14, you’ll be able to watch an annular “ring of fire” eclipse as the moon passes in front of the sun at a distance where it’s unable to cover all of Earth’s nearest star. But only an exclusive crowd will be able to witness the event in its fully blazing glory—unless you know where to look.

Although it may be too late to travel to one of the best locations to watch this year’s final solar eclipse, nearly everyone in all 50 US states will have a chance to catch at least a glimpse (sorry western Alaska and western Hawaii). The 125-mile-wide path of annularity, however, will stretch from Oregon to Texas and cross just nine states before continuing on to Central and South America. You’ll only be able to see the sun form a fiery halo around the moon along that route. If you’re outside its range, you can simply load up one of several official livestreams to see what you’re missing.

How to watch the October 14, 2023 eclipse in person

The path of annularity will enter the US in Oregon at 12:13 p.m. Eastern Time (9:13 a.m. Pacific Time) and leave Texas at 1:30 p.m. ET (12:03 p.m. Central Time). The “ring of fire,” will pass over 29 national park sites and dozens of other pieces of public land. Worldwide, about 33 million people will be able to see it firsthand, while everyone else will have to settle for a less dramatic experience.

No matter where you are, make sure you’re wearing protective glasses to avoid damaging your eyes if you plan to look directly at the eclipse, or make a pinhole camera to project the event onto a sheet of paper. And of course, weather conditions may make it hard or impossible to see anything, so take note of the forecast.

If you want to know exactly what to expect where you are, astronomy website Time and Date has an interactive map that will help you set your eclipse-viewing plans. Once you’ve opened the map, click the magnifying glass icon on the left to open the search menu. Type the name of any city or town into the search bar and select it from the list that populates underneath. A pin will appear on the map and a box full of eclipse data will show up under the search bar.

That data will show you how much of the moon will cover the sun at that location, when the eclipse will begin and end there, when maximum coverage will occur, and the weather forecast for that spot on the globe. If you click the play icon next to the duration, you’ll go to another page where you can watch a simulation of what the eclipse will look like at that exact spot.

How to watch the annular “ring of fire” eclipse online

Just because you aren’t part of the 0.41 percent of people in the world who will be able to physically bear witness to the celestial spectacle doesn’t mean you’re stuck with whatever’s happening in the sky above you. All you have to do is turn your eyes away from the wonders of the natural world and look at a screen—there are four livestreams we think will offer an exquisite show.

The Exploratorium’s livestreams

The San Francisco-based Exploratorium will be broadcasting two livestreams starting at 8 a.m. PT (11 a.m. ET), one from their telescopes in Valley of the Gods, Utah, and another from their telescopes in Ely, Nevada. They will also broadcast Spanish-language coverage of the event starting at 9 a.m. PT (12 p.m. ET) on YouTube.

According to Time and Date, annularity—the “ring of fire”— will last 4 minutes and 46 seconds at the Valley of the Gods. There are morning clouds in the forecast, though, so the view might be obscured, but this has the potential to be the most scenic livestream on our list. 

• Eclipse start: 9:10 a.m. Mountain Time (11:10 a.m. ET)
• “Ring of fire” start: 10:29 a.m. MT (12:29 p.m. ET)

In Ely, meanwhile, annularity will last for 3 minutes and 38 seconds. The weather is expected to be partly cloudy, so the eclipse could be hard to see.

• Eclipse start: 8:07 a.m. PT (11:07 a.m. ET)
• “Ring of fire” start: 9:24 a.m. PT (12:24 p.m. ET)

Time and Date’s livestream

Time and Date’s eclipse chasers will be broadcasting a livestream from Roswell, New Mexico. There, according to the website’s own interactive map, the annularity will last for 4 minutes and 41 seconds. It’s expected to be sunny there, so the view should be clear.

• Eclipse start: 9:15 a.m. MT (11:15 a.m. ET)
• “Ring of fire” start: 10:38 a.m. MT (12:38 p.m. ET)

NASA’s livestreams

NASA, of course, will also be livestreaming the eclipse, with feeds from Kerrville, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, starting at 11:30 a.m. ET. Annularity will last 4 minutes and 14 seconds at Kerrville, according to Time and Date.

• Eclipse start: 10:22 a.m. CT (11:22 a.m. ET)
• “Ring of fire” start: 11:50 a.m. CT (12:50 p.m. ET)

At Albuquerque, which is supposed to have sunny skies during the eclipse, annularity will last 4 minutes and 48 seconds.

• Eclipse start: 9:13 a.m. MT (11:13 a.m. ET)
• “Ring of fire” start: 10:34 a.m. MT (12:34 p.m. ET)

The space agency will also be broadcasting a live feed of three rocket launches that are part of its Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path (APEP) mission to study how Earth’s ionosphere responds to a sudden drop in sunlight. You might want to cue that one up in a different browser window alongside the eclipse, or set up picture-in-picture on your device.

Whatever you do, just know that your scheduling calculations and technological machinations are probably way less complicated than all the math scientists do to predict the paths of future eclipses.

The post How to watch Saturday’s ‘ring of fire’ eclipse from wherever you are appeared first on Popular Science.

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The next time you’re at the grocery store, make sure to grab an entire pumpkin or two on the way out. Like the changing leaves and weather, this is the perfect opportunity to add some variety to your diet. And what’s more in season now than pumpkins?

“Seasonal eating is really powerful in that the earth controls the type of foods our bodies need at specific seasons of the year,” says Melanie Murphy Richter, a registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition physiology instructor at the University of California, Irvine. “Pumpkin is one of the top foods with essential minerals and nutrients to support our mental health and immune system as we shift from summer to fall.”

Not only does pumpkin spice up your diet, but the vibrant flavors can turn a bland meal into a festive one for you and the family. But it all depends on how you’re using pumpkin in your meals.

A nutrient-rich food

As fall and winter approach, the cold weather and lack of sunlight can weaken our immune system. It’s also the time when flu, RSV, and other seasonal viruses come into circulation. Even COVID cases seem to increase in the winter with everyone huddled indoors. As part of the gourd family, pumpkins are chock-full of nutrients that support immune function, including maintaining the cells used as your body’s natural defenses. 

Take the iconic orange color of the fruit—it isn’t just for show. The hue is evidence of high amounts of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for vision, immunity, and keeping organs working properly. As a fat-soluble vitamin, Murphy Richter says it also helps the body better absorb other nutrients we eat from food. 

Fits with many diets

The end-of-the-year holidays can be a tough time for people who are on specialized diets to manage their health. Fortunately, pumpkin is a great option to add to any meal without worrying about excess cholesterol or blood sugar spikes.

For people with diabetes, Murphy Richter says the main macronutrient to be careful of are carbohydrates. Not only are pumpkins low in carbs, “they’re a great source of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion and helps maintain a healthy weight,” explains Ferreira. “Fiber also helps regulate blood sugar levels and promotes a feeling of fullness, which can prevent overeating.”

Pumpkin is also considered a heart-healthy food for its high potassium content, Murphy Richter says. Potassium is important in regulating blood pressure and keeping a steady heart rhythm.

Think outside the pie box

Not all pumpkin products are created equal. Just because it has the word pumpkin in it, doesn’t mean it carries the same benefits. (I’m looking at you, pumpkin spice latte). Unfortunately, pumpkin pies fall into this category. It’s not so much the pumpkin content, but all the delicious additions for baking purposes. “While pumpkin puree itself is nutritious, the addition of sweeteners and a pastry crust increases the calorie and sugar content. Moderation is key when enjoying pumpkin pie,” advises Ferreira.

Pumpkin candy corn might be an even worse worst offender. Despite the name, these bite-sized sweets have no actual fruit and are instead filled with artificial flavoring and sugars. 

If you’re in a time crunch or don’t want to deal with a lot leftovers and scraps, Murphy Richter says there’s nothing wrong with using canned pumpkin puree. It’s a cheaper and more  shelf-stable alternative for when you want to add pumpkin to a meal. 

The only caveat, warns Murphy Richter, is that canned pumpkin is not going to be as nutritious as a fresh one. That’s because purees usually come from sugar pumpkins, which are smaller and less fibrous alternatives to the big ones you pick at a farm. They’re bred to be denser and sweeter, which makes them easier to use when making baked goods. That said, “the general nutrient profile is still quite good in canned pumpkin,” explains Murphy Richter.

Easy ways to add pumpkin to your diet

The great thing about pumpkin is that it doesn’t take much to incorporate it into your fall diet. Ferreira recommends whipping up a pumpkin soup by blending roasted pumpkin with vegetable broth. For added richness and flavor, try adding cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of coconut milk.

Finally, when you’re carving out a pumpkin, don’t throw out the seeds. Pumpkin seeds have a host of nutrients with high amounts of zinc and phosphorus. “I’m a huge pumpkin seed fan and I always roast several batches of them throughout the season,” says Murphy Richter. If you’re going for a savory taste, she recommends adding garlic, olive oil, and rosemary. For people with a sweet tooth, a dash of cinnamon and sugar can make for a healthy snack to eat throughout the day. A traditional salsa recipe could be fun to try too.

The options are endless. So whether you’re roasting pumpkin seeds or turning a jack-o’-lantern into the centerpiece of your dinner, make this season a delicious one.  

The post Why you should be eating more pumpkin this fall appeared first on Popular Science.

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Installing drawer slides is a task that can surprise new woodworkers with its difficulty. In theory, it’s super simple: screw the slides in where they need to go, and move on with your life. I believed that right up until the first time I tried it.

As I struggled to keep both slides at the proper height while trying to attach the drawer to the slides in a way that would keep it level and moving smoothly inside the cabinet, I realized how fantastically frustrating the job actually is. Many companies sell jigs and tools that will help with the process, but you can save yourself some cash and time by learning how to install drawer slides with just a couple of pieces of scrap plywood to use as spacers.  

This method only works for side-mount drawer slides, though. If you’re using undermount, Jon Peters of Longview Woodworking has an excellent video that will show you how to build your drawers and install the slides.

Stats

• Time: 5 to 10 minutes
• Cost: $15 to $30
• Difficulty: easy

Materials

1. Determine the height of the slides from the bottom of the cabinet. The easiest way to install drawer slides is flush with the bottom of the drawer. This way, you only have one height measurement to keep track of. The bottom of a drawer should sit about an eighth of an inch above the bottom edge of the opening it’ll sit inside—this will allow it to slide in and out without catching.  

If you have more than one drawer, find this height for each one.

• Note: You don’t have to install the slides at the bottom of the drawer—they can go at any height. It’s a matter of design aesthetics. If you want to center the slides vertically, for example, you’ll just need to do some math to figure out how high above the bottom of the drawer the base of the slide needs to be. 

3. Use the spacers to position the slides inside the cabinet. Set your spacers inside the cabinet to find the height of the slides.

• Note: If the slide should be higher than the bottom of the drawer, place the smaller spacer on top of the tall spacer.

4. Install the drawer slides. Place the slide on top of the spacer and screw the slide in place. Most side-mount drawer slides have bendable tabs cut into them—screw through those holes to start, because they will allow you to make micro-adjustments later if necessary.  

5. Attach the drawers to the slides, using the spacers as a shelf. With the drawer slides screwed to the cabinet, place just the tall spacer board inside (remove the shorter piece of plywood if you used one). Then set the drawer on the lip created by the ¾-inch spacer. Pull the drawer out of the cabinet 3 or 4 inches, then extend the drawer slide until it’s lined up where you want it. I usually position mine about a 16th of an inch from the front of the drawer box so there’s no chance of it interfering with the drawer face.  

[Related: Build your own drawer organizer]

Screw the first hole of the slide into the drawer box. 

Then pull the slide almost all the way out, so the back of the drawer box is still resting on the plywood spacer, and screw in one of the rear screws.  

Your drawer is now installed.

6. Recut the plywood spacers and repeat Steps 1 through 5 for additional drawers. To finish any lower drawers, simply cut the plywood spacer down to the height of the bottom of the next-highest drawer, working through Steps 1 and 2 if you need a refresher. Then repeat Steps 3 through 5.  

• Pro tip: Take the previously installed drawers out  as you go so they’re not in the way—you can easily slide them back in when you’re done installing everything. 

And that’s it. Once all of the drawers are in place, make sure they open and close properly, and use the micro-adjustments on the slides to fix any minor inconsistencies. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the specifics of those adjustments.

When the drawers are working the way you want, start building those drawer faces if you’re not working with finished drawers. That project is its own special brand of frustrating fun, but I can get you started with a bonus tip: Playing cards make great spacers.

The post The fastest way to install drawer slides appeared first on Popular Science.

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Chances are you have heard about this one already. The moon will pass between Earth and the sun and cast a huge shadow on our planet in the process. With the right protective eyewear, it will be a sight to behold—the phenomenon produces a “ring of fire” as if the moon is outlined with flames.  

Astronomers have calculated precisely when the best views will be where you are, so consult this list when scheduling an outing to safely check out the sky. The duration will range from little more than one minute to almost five, depending where you are located in its path. This eclipse has a 125-mile-wide path of annularity that will begin in Oregon at 12:13 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. It will leave the US at about 1:03 p.m. EDT and head southeastward toward Central and South America. 

October 21 and 22 – Orionids Meteor Shower Predicted Peak

The annual Orionid meteor shower is expected to peak on October 22 in a moonless sky, but the wee hours of the morning of October 21 could also yield some meteors. According to EarthSky, under a dark sky with no moon, the Orionids can produce a maximum of about 10 to 20 meteors per hour. On October 22, the moon will be setting around midnight, which means its light shouldn’t interfere with the shower. The best time to try and spot the shower is just after midnight into the early morning hours 

October 23 – Venus at Greatest Elongation

In August, the planet Venus moved between the Earth and the sun and rose in the east. Venus will be farthest from the sunrise on October 23 and should remain visible in the morning sky until May 2024, where it will be a very bright “morning star.” 

During this month’s greatest elongation, Venus will appear higher in the sky from the Northern Hemisphere than from the Southern Hemisphere. This is because of the steep angle of the path of the sun, moon, and planets in the mornings during the autumn months. 

October 28- Full Hunter’s Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse

The same skygazing rules that apply to pretty much all space-watching activities are key this month: Go to a dark spot away from the lights of a city or town and let the eyes adjust to the darkness for about a half an hour.

The post A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse and Hunter’s Moon will bring lunar drama to October’s skies appeared first on Popular Science.

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If you think your mental health might benefit from psychotherapy, booking an appointment with a professional—often an Herculean task—is only the beginning. Before you start, there might be some mental cobwebs you’ll need to clear out to make therapy work for you. 

Maybe you feel like your problems are insurmountable, or even doubt a therapist’s ability to make a difference. Maybe you fear or distrust the medical system, and opening up seems terrifying. 

Therapists often see these hesitations with their clients and assure that by addressing them, you can overcome them and fully benefit from your time, financial, and emotional investment in the process.

“Me and my therapist didn’t click”

So you went to a therapist and after talking to them for an hour you decided there was no connection. It happens—as much as they’re professionals, they’re also just people, and it’s impossible to connect with everybody. Maybe they were poorly trained, which is not only discouraging, but also downright harmful, says Josh Jonas, a psychotherapist at The Village Institute, a therapy practice in New York City.

This is why it’s so important to find a good fit. Meeting with multiple therapists in your quest to find a dynamic that works for you is normal. Whenever it doesn’t feel right, just try another one. But, as anyone who has looked for this unicorn knows, it’s easier said than done.

[Related: Boost your health with a little nature therapy]

Mental healthcare needs have spiked in the US over the past four years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and a shortage of mental health professionals that predated the COVID-19 pandemic only worsened after the health crisis. This has made it hard to find a therapist that’s a good match. The reality is even grimmer for the 160 million Americans that live in states like California, Texas or Arkansas, where mental healthcare access is limited. 

To increase the chances of finding a match, ask for a quick intro call with the therapist you’re planning to see. Even if you are using an online platform where you are matched with someone through a questionnaire, you can request to interview them ahead of your first session and change therapists at any time. 

You can ask them anything you want that will make you feel more at ease about working with them. But if you don’t know what to ask, Jonas suggests some ideas to get you started:

• What is your typical process for getting to know your patients and their concerns?
• What type of therapy do you use and why? 
• How quickly might I anticipate seeing some sort of progress?
• Do you anticipate me needing to set aside time outside of therapy for “homework” or other to-dos?

It will take time and some effort, but Jonas says finding a good therapist is a fight worth fighting. 

“My therapist won’t ‘get’ me”

Your therapist might be a person with an entirely different background than you, which might result in them not understanding you at first. But even if that’s the case, they should really want to try. 

“People can have the sense that because of disparities, you might not get the same treatment,” says Marlene Watson, a licensed therapist and director of training at the Ackerman Institute, a family therapy clinic in New York City, 

People of color, for example, might feel an inherent mistrust in psychotherapy (a field where the grand majority of professionals are white) based on the known history of systemic racism in the medical community. 

In addition, some women might be concerned that male providers will be more dismissive of their experiences based on a history of sexism in healthcare. A 2021 study published in the journal Psychological Services, shows that women with serious mental illness are often overlooked in mental health and rehabilitation settings, and have a higher risk of treatment bias, abuse, and violence compared to men. 

But even if you and your therapist have physical, cultural, or communicational differences, Watson says a good professional will not only have training on cultural bias, but will actively and openly talk to you about not feeling understood. 

“We talk about communication as our business […] a therapist engaging in that type of dialogue is a sign you are in the right place,” she says.

If, on the other hand, they don’t initiate a conversation about it, you can. And if they seem closed off to it, it might be time to look for another therapist.

“I’m going to get reported or committed to a hospital” 

Jonas and Watson validate that the fear of real life repercussions from opening up to a therapist can cause clients to think twice about what they share. From patients sufferring from suicidal ideations or self-harm, to parents worrying Child Protective Services might get involved, some people wonder where the line is when it comes to sharing the hard stuff.

Watson and Jonas say that outcomes where authorities need to get involved are rare and only happen when there’s a serious and imminent risk to the safety of the patient or someone in their life. Both professionals encourage those with suicidal thoughts to seek help, and clarify that asking about these ideations is actually a normal part of their job. Watson says that bringing it up themselves helps patients relax and turns treatment into “just a conversation”. 

“I’d say to people, we are here to help you. To make sure you are safe, and that those around you are safe,” Watson says. 

“I’ll be seen as weak”

There’s long been a negative social stigma around mental illness, implying that seeking therapy is a sign of weakness. This, Jonas says, is especially true among men and particularly prevalent in certain cultural groups, where the notion is exacerbated by the fear that this prejudice might permeate other areas of the patient’s life. 

But Jonas explains this belief is not based on reality, especially as pursuing therapy becomes more common. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 42 million people in the US sought help with their mental health in 2021, a number that has been steadily increasing since 2019.  

In fact, he explains physical and emotional strength are much more similar than people realize. The emotional equivalent of being able to lift and hold 50 pounds at the gym is handling and processing your own emotions in a healthy way without offloading the weight onto someone else. Because that’s what snapping and yelling at people at home or in line at the register is—dropping those heavy dumbbells on the people around you. So therapy is your workout, says Jonas: “It makes you stronger emotionally.”

“Therapy doesn’t work… nobody can really help me”

A lot of people want to work on dealing with the long lasting effects of neglect and emotional disconnection. Ironically, this experience can perpetuate the feeling of neglect, because if a patient was abandoned once, they might feel it’s likely they’ll be abandoned again—even by their therapist. This feeling is also prevalent in patients suffering from addiction, who generally can’t find solace in people but in whatever they’re addicted to. 

[Related: Mental wellness apps are basically the Wild West of therapy]

Luckily, Jonas says a lot of the time you only need one good experience with psychotherapy to dispel that belief. A 2018 literature review published in the journal Psychotherapy showed that a positive relationship between a patient and their therapist is strongly related to a good outcome, so unpacking your own barriers and challenges in that relationship is a must. 

“There are many people I’ve seen who don’t trust, but for some reason trust you. That’s reparative, and a huge win, and the beginning of them learning people can help,” he says.

This is yet another reason why finding the right therapist for you is so important—it can change your entire disposition to your mental health journey. Because trusting the process, Watson says, is essential: “It’s not all about what the therapist can do, but it’s also about what you do.”

The post 5 common concerns about therapy and how to overcome them appeared first on Popular Science.

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This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

Ever go to the movies or a rock concert and been blasted by the sound? You may not realize it while it’s happening, but ongoing exposure to loud sounds at these venues can damage your hearing.

Our ears are highly sensitive to loud noise. Even very short exposures to high-level sounds–that’s anything above 132 decibels–can cause permanent hearing loss for some people. That’s true even if it’s just a brief blast; a single gunshot or fireworks explosion can cause immediate damage to the ear.

Even lower-level sounds–around 85 decibels–can injure the ear if heard for extended periods of time. Listening to a lawn mower for eight hours a day, for example, can put a person at risk for hearing loss.

Simply put, as the sound gets louder, safe exposure times get shorter. And whether from movies or concerts, fireworks or lawn mowers, about 40 million Americans have hearing problems from loud noise exposure. The unfortunate part is that it’s all preventable.

How hearing damage happens

As an audiologist and scientist who studies hearing loss, I spend a lot of time talking to my patients and the public about preserving their hearing for a lifetime.

What many people do not know is that exposure to loud sounds over time can damage the tiny hair cells of the inner ear. These cells pick up sound and turn them into neural impulses that travel to the hearing centers of the brain.

Injuries to the ear from loud sound can cause difficulty hearing, decreased tolerance of loud sounds–also known as hyperacusis–and tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears.

I’m particularly concerned about recreational noise exposure. While we commonly think about potential harms from loud noises in factories, construction sites or other loud workplaces, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 53% of people ages 20 to 69 who have hearing loss from loud noise report no workplace noise exposure.

That means these people choose loud hobbies or recreational activities without being aware of the risks. It’s not just movies, concerts and sporting events; power tools, motorcycles, off-road vehicles and firearms can all be hazardous to the ear.

Concerts and movies

Concerts regularly exceed 105 decibels, where sound exposure is safe for only about four minutes. Some shows can be even louder. And these levels of sound usually last for long periods of time–two or three hours. This clearly puts listeners at risk for hearing loss. The same also applies to other music-dominated events, like nightclubs.

Movie theaters can exceed 100 decibels, though usually not for extended periods of time. Generally, most people are safe when going to movies, though many moviegoers may find some louder sounds uncomfortable–like music or over-the-top sound effects, along with the explosions and gunshots. Extended watching of movies, such as a double feature, can increase a viewer’s risk.

[ Related: How to deal with movies that bounce from too quiet to too loud ]

Protecting yourself

Using a sound meter app can estimate how loud the environment is, and then you can decide if you need to protect your hearing.

For iPhones, the NIOSH SLM app is good; for Android, the Decibel X app works well. Apple Watches come with an already installed Noise app.

Here are some other tips to protect your ears:

First, if you can control the volume, turn it down. For headphones, use the 80-90 rule, which means you can listen at 80% of the maximum volume for 90 minutes per day. Turning it down gives you more time; turning it up gives you less time.

[ Related: It’s never too early to start protecting your hearing ]

If you can’t control the volume, move farther away from the sound source. Standing next to big speakers at a concert, for instance, is often louder than being in the middle of the crowd. Taking breaks from the sound also helps.

So will earplugs or earmuffs. Although foam or rubber earplugs work, they block high frequencies, which sometimes muffles the sound. But specialty earplugs are designed to reduce loud music levels without muffling the sound. That said, for children, earmuffs are usually the easiest and safest choice.

Injury from loud sound results in premature aging of the ears. The ears of a 30-year-old with damage from loud sound may hear more like the ears of a 50-year-old. But remember, it’s largely preventable. Taking action today can help you protect and preserve your hearing for a lifetime.

The post Loud concerts are wrecking your ears appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Rosetta Stone		SEE IT	Working especially well for those starting a new language from scratch, Rosetta Stone has been in the language software game since Day One.
Best value		Memrise		SEE IT	Designed around memory techniques for retention, Memrise offers 20 languages on all mobile platforms.
Best free		Duolingo		SEE IT	A market leader in mobile gameified language-learning, Duolingo is the best free app for casual practices in words, phrases, or alphabets.

Many of us want to learn a second language (or even a third or fourth) but don’t have the time to enroll in an intense course with a live instructor, so language learning software might be the answer. We need something that works with our schedule and pace, teaches us effectively, and is fun to do so that we don’t lose motivation. That’s the goal of all language learning software, which has existed as a product category since the early days of CD-ROM infotainment, right next to Microsoft Encarta in the software section of your local computer store. These days, language learning software has become faster, easier, and mobile, designed for use not just at home on a desktop or laptop but also on tablets and phones. The number of choices has also increased exponentially.

What should you choose? That’s going to depend on what you need. There are clear leaders among the best software out there, but others fill specific desires—like phrases for travel or pronunciation practice—better than the “best” software might. While the most commonly spoken languages in the world might be easy to find, there are also some less common languages that you need to know before bothering to look for software, if you specifically need to learn that niche language. All that information is below. They say talk is cheap, but it’s worth your weight in gold if you’re conversing in another language, whether as a traveler or resident. Get a jump on your Japanese, make your Spanish super, or become a Hindi hero with the best language learning software on the market.

• Best overall: Rosetta Stone
• Best mobile: Pimsleur
• Best interface: Drops
• Best for phrases: Mondly
• Best for vocabulary: Lingvist
• Best challenge: Babbel
• Best value: Memrise
• Best free: Duolingo

How we chose the best language learning software on the market

We scoured reviews from all over the Internet—both professional reviewers and real-world users—to determine what software was working, fun to engage with, and easy to understand. We then divided the best choices into categories based on the particular needs of different learners so that the folks who want to learn a couple of dozen phrases in French for their upcoming trip to Montreal aren’t looking at the same thing as those who need to become fluent in Japanese to move to Tokyo for work. All of the software below is good, but the best for you is determined by what you know you need.

The best language learning software: Reviews & Recommendations

I can tell you this: These are your best choices. Estas son tus mejores opciones. Это ваш лучший выбор. これらが最良の選択です。

Best overall: Rosetta Stone

SEE IT

Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $11.99 per month (3 months, one language), $7.99 per month (one year, one language), $179 (lifetime, all languages)
• Languages: 25
• Features: First lesson in each language free, optional online tutoring, personalized learning plan, real-time pronunciation feedback

Pros

• Proven methodology
• Ample human support
• Lots of language choices
• Lesson progression is logical, and difficulty scales well

Cons

• Mostly stops at “business-level” proficiency; lacks advanced content
• Lessons can be repetitive

A trusted name in digital language learning—the first desktop computer Rosetta Stone software came out over 30 years ago—is now the best among apps. Rosetta Stone’s been using a semi-immersive methodology since its inception. Instead of teaching translation of vocabulary, it uses images, texts, and spaced repetition to teach vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. This methodology is a proven one; basically, you learn by doing variations of flashcards but with a variety of prompts. Your attempts are scored, and various items the program is sure you’ve learned are removed, while new things are brought in.

Rosetta Stone aims to get you from beginner to intermediate—also referred to as “conversational”—level quickly and efficiently. It’s not really built for true fluency, as its aim is language for business use. However, it’s one of the best ways to get enough of a knowledge base in a new language to start effectively communicating with native speakers of that language and then learning the next phase through experience. It doesn’t have the most languages on the market, but the 25 languages and variants cover a tremendous percentage of global speakers. There are also opportunities for tutoring or live lessons with a human via livestreams, which are huge value-adds.

The app itself is super-smooth and intuitive, and the lessons neither feel too short so as to be forgettable nor too long so as to be a chore. You can practice pronunciation through the microphone on your phone, tablet, laptop, or an attached/wireless mic. The interface isn’t particularly graphic, without the whimsical presentation elements of Duolingo or Drops, which may appeal to some and less to others. However, overall, the methodology is proven, the price points are extremely reasonable in the paid app space, the content gets you to an effective knowledge base quickly, and the process is easy to maneuver through. For these reasons, Rosetta Stone has the best overall language learning software.

Best mobile: Pimsleur

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $19.95 per month (one language), $20.95 per month (all languages), $199.95 per year (all languages)
• Languages: 51 including English as a Second Language options from a variety of base languages
• Features: car mode, offline mode, Alexa compatibility

Pros

• Most extensive collection of languages on the market
• Proven Pimsleur method
• Rigorous lessons
• Podcast-like structure allows you to study hands-free

Cons

• One of the highest price points on the market
• Lessons are a time commitment

Pimsleur is a name not just of a product line but of a language-learning methodology. Paul Pimsleur, a mid-century linguist, invented an entire pedagogy around how to teach foreign languages, and his company has been selling versions of that method ever since. Before the Internet, you could get Pimsleur CDs. Now, you can simply get them in a mobile or web app.

Pimsleur’s lessons have been refined for decades, and the approach is really only for serious learners. Each lesson is about 30 minutes. You can do these lessons in chunks if you want, but they’re best done in a single go. The methodology is mostly teach, repeat, wait, repeat. The focus is listening and speaking rather than choosing options in an app (though there is some of that as well). If you commute by car, this method allows you to practice most of a lesson hands-free and finish by doing some of the quizzes later. You can listen to the lessons like podcasts, so even if you’re on public transport, you can say the words in your head to help you memorize them.

The drawbacks of Pimsleur are that the methodology isn’t for everyone—some want a more pick-up-and-put-down experience—and the cost is high. Even with the yearly discount, the monthly costs are over $16 a month, much more than competitors. However, if the audio-based methodology works with your lifestyle–if you can substitute language lessons for music or podcasts while on the go—this is one of the best mobile apps you can get for language learning because it doesn’t necessarily have to occupy your hands.

Best interface: Drops

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $12.99 per month, $69.99 per year, or $159.99 lifetime
• Languages: 50
• Features: All lessons available for free if you wait 10 hours between lessons

Pros

• Great for vocabulary-building
• Fun, simple, clear interface
• Large variety of languages, including some endangered languages
• Quick lessons

Cons

• No grammar practice
• Cannot listen to or correct your pronunciation

Drops, owned by education software and app company Kahoot!, is meant mostly as a vocabulary builder, and it’s an excellent, fun, and easy-to-use one. The interface is like a puzzle game, where you tap “drops” that match the word or phrase you’re practicing. It’s kind of like a much more enjoyable version of a CAPTCHA verifier with fewer fuzzy pictures. The free version is the same as the paid version; the paid version simply removes the wait between lessons. The wait with the free version is 10 hours.

That’s really all there is to Drops. The language selection is extensive (50 languages), and includes some rare and endangered languages (such as Ainu, a language of indigenous Japanese people, and Esperanto, a “universal second language” invented in the 1880s). But you’re simply going to be drilling words and phrases repeatedly. It’s a fun, quick way to build out your knowledge base, but it won’t help you speak or adjust your grammar. Drops works best as a supplement to another, more fully fleshed-out language learning software.

However, especially if you don’t plan to spend any money on it, Drops is an easy recommendation for people who want a fun, easy-to-use drilling software with an easy-to-use interface.

Best for phrases: Mondly

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $9.99 per month (one language), $47.99 per year (one language), $479.99 per year (all languages, often deeply discounted)
• Languages: 11
• Features: conjugation tables, real conversations to practice with, AR and VR content

Pros

• Very engaging visual interface
• Wide variety of drill types
• Good (and fun) supplemental materials
• Good depth within individual languages

Cons

• A bit of style over substance
• Not many languages

Mondly is a really great phrase driller. Like Drops, Mondly is colorful, fun to use, easy to navigate, and has some good free content. Unlike Drops, it has a lot more grammar content. In fact, you can highlight any verb to see different conjugations of that verb. Like Drops, there’s a wait between lessons if you’re doing the free version (one a day). Drops is more fun to practice with, but Mondly has more depth of learning as it also teaches you grammar.

Unfortunately, there are only 11 languages in Mondly, meaning if you are not interested in a widely-spoken, popular language, it may not be any help for you at all. The free version doesn’t really teach enough in one lesson for the one-lesson-a-day experience to be much help, though. The vast majority of content is gated behind the “Premium” tier. The price is quite low, and the “all access” yearly cost is rarely actually set to its listed cost. (At the moment of writing, it was reduced 90% to the same cost as the on-language yearly price.) However, a lot of other programs offer far more languages in their “all access” price.

Overall, Mondly is really pleasant to practice with. If you want to learn useful travel or business phrases in the languages that the program offers, the paid tier price is quite reasonable, and the lessons are fun with lots of interesting additional content.

Best for vocabulary: Lingvist

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $9.99 per month, $79.99 per year
• Languages: 16
• Features: Stats checking, flashcard drills, mute words you know

Pros

• Excellent vocabulary-building system
• Paid version included access to all languages
• Word lists are available so you know what you need to learn
• Good progress tracking and record-keeping

Cons

• Doesn’t do much beyond vocabulary
• Interface is a bit bland

The best flashcard language app on the market, Lingvist drills down on vocabulary drills—and does them very, very well—but offers little beyond that. You won’t find pronunciation, conversation, or grammar practice in Lingvist, but you will learn new words.

The flashcard drills use AI to determine when you’ve figured it out. As you correctly identify the words more commonly, they’ll cycle out and count as “learned” in your history. You can also build your own word lists for drills if you know what you want to study. If you encounter a “new” word that you know you already know, you can mute it and let the system know you don’t need to practice it. The built-in lists are topic-based.

The most useful feature of Lingvist is being able to view your learned and muted words as comprehensive word lists. You can also check your stats to learn info on words learned, words reinforced, time spent, cards drilled, and more.

If vocabulary-building is your main goal, Drops is beginner mode, but Lingvist is an expert. The app is a bit visually dry, but the information is incredibly useful, and the stat-tracking really helps you both feel a sense of accomplishment and nail down what you need to work on.

Best challenge: Babbel

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Babbel
• Cost: $14.95 per month (one language), $66.90 per six months (one language), $89.40 per year (one language), $349 lifetime (all languages)
• Cost with Babbel Live: $99 per month (one language), $209 per three months (one language), $359 per six months (one language), $599 per year (one language)
• Languages: 13
• Features: live lessons (selected languages), podcasts, games

Pros

• An online school-like experience
• Extremely deep content with a wide variety of learning elements
• Lesson structure that lets you learn the topics you want first
• Live online classes for four languages with a separate subscription

Cons

• Low number of available languages
• Might be too intense for some casual/tourism learners

After Rosetta Stone, Babbel is the most recommended language learning software on the market because it’s incredibly deep. If you want to, you can get into really advanced language learning, with niche vocabulary and conversations. It’s not a full substitute for tutoring or immersion, but the system gets you closer to true fluency than any other. 

There’s also a ton of ways to learn. There are live lessons, podcasts, games, and videos to reinforce the standard app drills. The depth of content makes up for the fact that Babbel only offers 13 languages. You’ll truly learn those languages if you study with Babbel, though it’s heavily skewed towards European languages (only Indonesian is a non-European option).

Babbel Live, a live video lesson system with trained language teachers, is available for learners of Spanish, French, German, or Italian, though the price isn’t as cheap as the app-based lessons. You’ll get full access to the app for your languages if you sign up for Babbel Live, and the live lessons are easy to schedule, with a lot of slots throughout the day. Having a true tutor to practice with–and get feedback from–is critical to learning a language.

Babbel’s wealth of content for its 13 languages is unmatched. It can really challenge you at the advanced levels. If your goal is to get fluent from the comfort of your phone/tablet/computer, Babbel Live might be the best choice on the market.

Best value: Memrise

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $14.99 per month (all languages), $89.99 per year (all languages), $199 lifetime (all languages)
• Languages: 23
• Features: User-created content, non-language memorization lessons, pronunciation practice

Pros

• All languages available no matter the subscription
• Extra user-created content available
• Copious videos of native speakers for pronunciation practice
• Offers non-language memorization lessons

Cons

• Some lessons aren’t available on the web interface
• User-generated content is hit or miss in quality

Memrise is focused on burning the material it presents into your memory. It also emphasizes learning the language as spoken rather than pieces in a vacuum. Add in the fact that all 23 of its languages are available to paid users no matter if they choose the monthly, yearly, or lifetime tiers, and you’ve got a lot of content that is easy to learn at a really good price point, making Memrise the best value choice for users who want to practice multiple languages.

While not the largest language list offered, the 23 languages Memrise has on tap include all of the heavy hitters, even non-Romance languages like Japanese, Chinese, and Yoruba. This variety really helps the value of a subscription. There’s a lot of content available in the free version as it is, but of course, most of the good stuff is behind the paywall. You’ll want to experience Memrise mostly through the mobile app, as some exercises and elements are not available on the web. Additionally, there are some non-language learning options in Memrise, but language is the main focus. The paid version even has offline access, so you can continue when you’re away from WiFi and/or have a weak cellular connection.

Adding to the value of Memrise is the frequent promotion, especially on the yearly subscription, which has been available for as low as $30 for a year. If you want to get an even better deal, wait for a big sales holiday (like Cyber Monday) and check to see if you can get a big discount. But even at its maximum price, Memrise is an excellent value.

Best free: Duolingo

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Specs

• Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
• Cost: $7 per month (Optional)
• Languages: 39
• Features: Game-like interface, nearly all content is free (ad-supported with “lives” system for refreshes)

Pros

• Tons of languages
• Colorful game-like interface
• Social elements mean you can compete with your friends and family
• Almost all content is available for free

Cons

• Easy to lose motivation with repetitive exercises
• Learning can be shallow and not useful for conversation

Duolingo is by far the most popular language learning software on the planet, and it’s for a good reason: nearly everything in the app is available for free. All 39 languages (for people learning from an English base), every lesson, each and every one of them is free. The way this is done is through ads and a “lives” system where if you fail a lesson too many times, you have to wait in order to attempt any lessons again–or you can pay a small amount of money to use the app again. Additionally, Duolingo offers a paid subscription for $7 per month that lets you do as many lessons as you want, and gives you access to some additional features, such as the beta version of a ChatGPT-powered chatbot.

The learning experience with Duolingo is somewhat repetitive, and it can be really hard to parse grammar and learn pronunciation (though there are “say the word” elements to the lessons). It’s much better at teaching you vocabulary and set phrases. If you want to learn a little about a lot of languages and do it for free, Duolingo’s got you covered. If you want to specialize in one language and learn it fully, it’s harder to do so through this app.

However, no other option gives you as much for nothing as Duolingo, and the social elements (leaderboard and game-like competition) can make the grind-y nature of the lessons more fun. Plus, there’s a bit of accountability: you get a notification when you haven’t done your daily lesson, and streaks push you to maintain daily practice. If you want to spend money to learn, spend it elsewhere (like Rosetta Stone or Babbel), but if you want to dabble for no dinero, Duolingo is your best choice. 

What to consider when choosing a language learning software

First of all, you need to make sure that the language or languages you want to learn are offered. Popular, widely-spoken languages of Europe and the Americas are most common (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese), while African, Asian, and Middle Eastern languages are harder to find. Check the individual software’s homepages or the app’s free trials to see if your desired language is offered.

Second, do you want an app-only experience, or do you want to learn with a human? Only the more intense programs like Babbel and Rosetta Stone offer live video lessons, so if that’s something you need in order to learn, you’ll be limited. The rest of the pack offers drills, quizzes, and fill-in-the-blank style lessons that can help but may not get you where you want to be with speaking, pronunciation, or grammar. 

Lastly, if you want to learn multiple languages, not all of these products offer multiple languages for one price, so make sure that you choose a multi-language product (or a multi-language subscription) if you are trying not just to be bilingual, but tri-, quatro-, or infinity-lingual.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best language learning software

• Best overall: Rosetta Stone
• Best mobile: Pimsleur
• Best interface: Drops
• Best for phrases: Mondly
• Best for vocabulary: Lingvist
• Best challenge: Babbel
• Best value: Memrise
• Best free: Duolingo

There are a lot of language learning software choices on the market. In fact, the interfaces and experiences of a lot of these apps may be quite similar, largely because of the popularity and influence of Duolingo. All the apps listed above are helpful, and none is a full path to true fluency, but all a great starting point. In the end, the most effective language learning software is the one you consistently use, so try out the free tier of as many of our recommendations as possible. If you are willing to commit, you can turbocharge your learning or simply get a bit of knowledge for your upcoming holiday romp.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best language learning software of 2024 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Fall is here, and with it one of the most dreaded of chores: wrangling dead leaves. For any yard-owners thinking, “There must be a better way!”—fear not. We’ve talked to the experts to get recommendations for getting rid of leaves with maximum efficiency (and minimal back pain).

Choose the right tools

The tools you use can make leaf disposal far more manageable.

First, Kaminski recommends getting a leaf rake. There is more than one type of rake, and each one has its purpose. For example, a heavier steel implement can aerate your lawn in the spring, but it weighs too much to deal with lighter leaves. For this task, you’ll want a lightweight rake with a handle that’s long enough so you won’t have to repeatedly stoop over and possibly hurt your back.

An adjustable leaf rake can also help you nab leaves that may have fallen between flower beds, as well as the ones on your yard, without having to switch tools, says Matthew Cook, manager for arboretum and grounds at the New York Botanical Garden.

You can also use a leaf blower to blow the leaves into piles, says Kaminski. Many large blowers run on gasoline, which makes them less eco-friendly than the low-tech rake. However, there are electric and battery-powered leaf blowers on the market. A blower can also help people who are older or not as fit get out and take care of their yards, says Cook.

Another higher-tech option is to mow over the leaves, Cook says, effectively turning them into mulch right there on the grass. This lets the decomposing leaves absorb back into the soil. “I would say the best rake is a lawn mower,” he says.

Cook recommends taking the bag off your lawn mower and letting the chopped leaves and grass clippings fall back down to fertilize the soil. He points out that grass grows the most during the spring and fall, when the days are warm and the nights are cool. As a result, you may continue to cut grass through much of the autumn anyway. Might as well take care of the leaves while you’re at it!

However, Kaminski warns that too many decomposing leaves can throw off your soil chemistry. Healthy soil normally has a ratio of 20 to 24 parts carbon for one part nitrogen. Dead leaves hold a lot of carbon, anywhere from 30 to 80 parts carbon per one nitrogen. All that extra carbon floods the soil as the leaves decompose, which means decomposition uses up the nitrogen, and it won’t be available to aid plant growth in the spring.

Cook agrees that your lawn can only absorb so many dead leaves. Even if you do opt for the mulching method at first, you’ll eventually have to start picking up dead leaves and moving them somewhere else. But you can still do this with a mower: Just put the bag back on so you can collect those chopped leaves and dispose of them as you go, says Cook.

Think about timing

Now that you have the right equipment, it’s time to figure out when you’re going to tackle this monumental task. Your timing will depend on your schedule and how much raking you can handle in one day.

When he lived in a house with a yard, Kaminski says he would wait for all the leaves to fall and then finish all of his raking at once. This is the most time-efficient method—but it’s also the most laborious.

If you can make time to do a little bit every weekend, this will be easier on your body, because your leaf pile will always remain at a manageable size.

[Related: 3 strength exercises everyone should do]

As for the mowing and mulching method, Cook says it’s better to tackle the leaves on a regular basis, just like mowing grass once a week. This also prevents the leaves from piling up and blocking the sunlight during a period of time when grass should be growing and thriving.

Finally, don’t forget to account for the weather. Rain will weigh down leaves, making them more difficult to move. Meanwhile, windy conditions will make it much more difficult to corral the debris.

How to rake leaves efficiently

Every single yard and patch of grass is a little bit different, says Cook. As a result, figuring out what leaf-removal strategy will work best for each one becomes an interesting challenge.

Kaminski recommends raking toward your final leaf destination, be it a compost pile or a municipal bin. Start at the point farthest from that spot and then rake toward it. If it’s a windy day, however, Kaminski recommends raking downwind instead, so you won’t have to fight with nature.

Another way to avoid burning out is to use proper leaf-raking posture. That nifty full-size rake, for example, should let you keep your back straight. In addition, move your feet instead of bending over, and walk to the leaves with lots of little steps instead of leaning over and dragging them toward you, says Cook. As you move around the yard, switch which side of the body you lead with, so you work both sides—like you would with a gym exercise. And as always, lift piles of leaves with your knees, not your back.

Deal with the remains

It’s important to plan what will happen to the leaves you collect. Composting them yourself is best, says Cook, because in the spring, you can turn around and use that mulch for your yard, garden, or flower beds. If you don’t have the space or ability to compost yourself, many municipal governments or companies will come and pick up your leaves. Check your local government website to arrange it with them ahead of time.

“The worst outcome is if they wind up in a landfill somewhere,” says Cook.

The post The best way to get rid of leaves this fall appeared first on Popular Science.

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The best workout apps will save you time and (often) money, and many include social features that allow you to get some of the in-person benefits that you’d find at the gym. These apps vary in the quality and variety of instruction, but you might be surprised by the caliber of some free exercise apps—some feature top-notch fitness pros. 

As a personal trainer, I’ve used some of these apps myself and have recommended them for clients and friends. Some apps sync with devices or equipment like heart rate monitors, fitness watches, or exercise bikes. Some offer live instruction along with a wide selection of on-demand classes. They often provide expert guidance on form and let you work out whenever you want, without having to schedule a class or wonder if the gym is open.

Before you sign up for a subscription for one of the many fitness apps available, consider your workout preferences. Do you like to kickbox or strength train? Do you want the option to do both with some yoga or pilates on recovery days? Your goals, lifestyle, and budget play a big role in the best workout app for you. We’ve rounded up our favorites below.

• Best overall: Peloton
• Best free: Nike Training Club
• Best for yoga: Asana Rebel
• Best weightlifting: Fitbod

1. Best overall: Peloton App

First things first: You don’t need a Peloton bike or treadmill to use the Peloton app. Peloton offers different subscription levels to fit a range of budgets and fitness goals, including a free subscription that provides access to 50 classes. 

You can get by on the free subscription if you don’t rely on the app for all of your workouts, and it will give you a good sense of what to expect from the paid tiers. But you can also take advantage of a 30-day trial period for the paid subscriptions to see how the app fits into your workout style. I personally don’t think you need to pay for more than the $12.99 per month subscription unless you’ve got a Peloton bike or treadmill, which requires a $44 per month, all-access subscription.

The Peloton app offers a wide range of exercise modalities, like rowing, strength training, kickboxing, and pilates. The quality of Peloton’s instructors sets them apart from other apps, and in some cases, can feel like a virtual personal trainer. Plus, the fitness coach app features training programs if you’d like to focus on a specific area for a few weeks. Peloton also offers an excellent selection of live leaderboards and social motivation that creates a sense of community for users.

Peloton App is available on Android and iOS for $12.99 per month.

[Related: A beginner’s guide to Google Fit and Apple Health]

2. Best free: Nike Training Club

The Nike Training Club (NTC) is the best free workout app, hands down. Nike removed the subscription fee during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they haven’t reinstated it. This app offers 190 free workouts in a wide range of modalities, from dance and pilates to bodyweight strength training and running warm-ups. It also includes pre-designed programs that run from one to six weeks, helping you build strength and endurance over time. 

NTC also lets you easily build a customized workout. I love good filters because they minimize scrolling through an endless list of workouts. You can filter based upon:

• Available equipment
• Muscle group
• Workout focus
• Trainer-led classes
• Workout length

The app also includes a workout history so you can see your progress. Plus, it offers suggestions based on your past workouts and your preferences. Lasting fitness requires a planned approach, and NTC gives you that option. While instruction isn’t as dynamic as the Peloton app, the classes are led by Nike Master Trainers and the app includes excellent tips on form to maximize your workout time. And you can’t beat the price.

Nike Training Club is free on iOS and Android.

3. Best for yoga: Asana Rebel

As a trainer and a yoga practitioner, I love Asana Rebel. I recommend it to anyone who prefers yoga as their main form of exercise. 

When you sign up, you fill out a survey and the app tailors your options based on your preferences. Strong filter features help you find workouts by length, muscle group, experience level, and workout goals. Plus, there are meditations if you feel like you need something quieter than yoga. For the desk-bound, this app includes yoga for the office to give you a stretch and rejuvenation from your chair. But don’t let the ease of use fool you. Most yoga practitioners can find challenging workouts. 

One of my favorite features is the add-on option at the end of each workout. You can start with a five-minute focus on flexibility and finish your session with a routine that targets the upper body, followed by some meditation. Plus, the app offers nutrition and meditation guidance, providing a holistic approach to physical and mental health. 

Asana Rebel offers a yearly subscription that costs around $6 per month. However, the subscription frequently goes on sale for 50 percent off, so you can snag yourself a good deal.

Asana Rebel is available for Android and iOS for about $6 a month.

[Related: The best fitness trackers]

4. Best for weightlifting: Fitbod

Building muscle safely requires a plan, and the Fitbod app helps you develop a tailored regimen and record your progress for long-term success. The app guides you through a strength training plan, offering suggestions as you progress. You get three workouts for free before you have to pay for the $12.99-per-month subscription. 

The app customizes exercises based on your fitness level and access to equipment. When you sign up, you put in your fitness level, goals, and add a checkmark next to the equipment available to you. If you’re limited to dumbbells and body weight, the app provides suggestions based on your answers. Fitbod can help you create workouts whether you have access to a full gym or not. 

You can also create your own workout programs or customize suggestions made by the app. Selection starts with choosing a muscle group or two, and Fitbod provides suggestions that include circuits and supersets to give you options to choose from. The app also provides instructions for strength moves ranging from bench presses to mountain climbers. And instructors demonstrate proper form in included videos.

While this app may not be robust enough for pro lifters, Fitbod is an excellent choice for people designing their lifting programs on their own, as it combines instruction and a workout planner. Even those with more experience can use it as an exercise plan, tallying sessions and sets to monitor progress.

Fitbod is available for Android and iOS for $12.99 per month after three free workouts.

The post The best workout apps for all kinds of exercise appeared first on Popular Science.

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Since filmmaker George Lucas introduced audiences to the ways of the Jedi with Star Wars (now titled A New Hope) in 1977, the chronicles of that galaxy far, far away have grown to 11 movies, nine animated shows, five TV series, and a slew of non-canon shows, miniseries, video games, books, and other media. Even if you just stick to the canon stuff, it can be overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to figure out how to watch Star Wars in order.

But before we get into it, we’ll emphasize that there really isn’t a “correct” viewing order. There are several ways to enjoy the Star Wars universe as you proceed along your Jedi journey, and you may even be able to create your own method.

Watch the Star Wars movies in order of release

The Star Wars movie timeline spans several decades, starting with the original trilogy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The prequel trilogy dropped in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the sequel trilogy hit theaters in the 2010s. Various standalone films were released intermittently throughout this timeline, offering fans opportunities to explore specific characters and events more deeply.

[Related: The best Lego Star Wars sets]

By choosing to watch the Star Wars movies in theatrical release order, you’ll experience what it was like to grow up with the series. Although this order doesn’t necessarily provide you with a cohesive timeline, each trilogy can stand on its own. They demonstrate complete arcs for key characters, yet tie in beautifully with the other trilogies.

This viewing order allows you to experience the excitement and surprises of the original trilogy first, followed by the backstory-building prequels. Finally, you can witness the epic conclusion of the sequel trilogy. Watching this way can help you appreciate the evolution of the Star Wars universe and see how it has captivated audiences for decades. 

Original trilogy

The original trilogy introduces iconic characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, taking viewers on a thrilling journey through the Rebel Alliance‘s fight against the evil Galactic Empire. These films set the foundation for the Star Wars universe.

1. Episode IV: A New Hope (1977 movie)
2. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980 movie)
3. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983 movie)

Prequel trilogy

Then there’s the prequel trilogy, which delves into the origins of the Star Wars saga by exploring the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker, as well as the events leading up to the Galactic Civil War. These films provide a deeper understanding of the complex political landscape underlying the action and provide some background information on Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.

4. Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999 movie)
5. Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002 movie)
6. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005 movie)

Sequel trilogy

Set decades after the events of the original trilogy, the sequel trilogy introduces a new generation of characters. It’s the first time audiences get to see Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, and others, and there are plenty of appearances by beloved characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and Han Solo. These films explore themes of redemption, identity, and the ongoing struggle between the light and dark sides of the Force.

7. Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015 movie)
8. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017 movie)
9. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019 movie)

If you want to throw in the two related movies that are not part of the trilogies, you can watch the Star Wars movies in this order:

1. A New Hope 
2. The Empire Strikes Back 
3. Return of the Jedi 
4. The Phantom Menace 
5. Attack of the Clones 
6. Revenge of the Sith 
7. The Force Awakens 
8. Rogue One (2016 movie)
9. The Last Jedi 
10. Solo (2018 movie)
11. The Rise of Skywalker 

[Related: How lightsabers went from a DIY project to culturally iconic]

How to watch the Star Wars movies in chronological order

Machete Order

The Machete Order is a unique Star Wars viewing experience designed by fan Rod Hilton. It skips Episode I: The Phantom Menace because some viewers deem it less relevant to the overall narrative. Machete Order preserves Darth Vader’s true identity until The Empire Strikes Back, enhancing the viewing experience and allowing for a more emotional and dramatic storyline.

1. Episode IV: A New Hope 
2. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 
3. Episode II: Attack of the Clones 
4. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 
5. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi 

How to watch Star Wars in order—all of it

Outside of the movies, Star Wars has expanded to include TV shows like The Clone Wars, Rebels, Andor, and The Mandalorian, many of which have been produced since Disney bought Star Wars and Lucasfilm in 2012. Disney has, in fact, released an official timeline for these various Star Wars universe pieces, conveniently queued up when you select the Star Wars tab on Disney+ (you’ll need a subscription or a free trial).

1. Tales of the Jedi (2022 animated series)
2. Episode I: The Phantom Menace 
3. Episode II: Attack of the Clones 
4. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 animated film)
5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 animated series)
6. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 
7. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021 animated series)
8. Solo 
9. Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022 live-action miniseries)
10. Star Wars: Rebels (2014 animated series)
11. Andor (2022 live-action series)
12. Rogue One 
13. Episode IV: A New Hope 
14. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 
15. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi 
16. The Mandalorian (2019 live-action series)
17. The Book of Boba Fett (2021 live-action miniseries)
18. Ahsoka (2023 live-action miniseries)
19. Star Wars: Resistance (2018 animated series)
20. Episode VII: The Force Awakens 
21. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi 
22. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker 
23. Star Wars: Visions (2021 animated series)

[Related: How I turned myself into a Star Wars action figure]

FAQs

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Knowing how to share your location on Google Maps can be a valuable tool. With just a single tap, this feature will let your friends know you’re safe if you’re walking home alone, give your family some peace of mind when you’re traveling, and help you keep an eye on your teen while they’re on their first solo drive.

When you share your Google Maps location, the person on the other side will be able to track your movements, see how much battery is left on your phone, and even set an alert that announces your arrival or departure from a specific location.

But be careful: In some cases Google Maps will generate a link that anybody—even people you don’t know—can use to see your whereabouts. You’ll need to be careful who you share it with. It’s also a good idea to routinely check the app and see who has access to your location and remove permissions when necessary.

How to share your location with another Google account

With Google Maps, sharing your location is easy whether you have an iPhone or an Android device. Before you begin, open the app and if you’re not logged in already, sign in using your Google account credentials.

1. If the person you’ll be sharing your location with isn’t already on the contacts list associated with your Google account, start by adding their Gmail address to your list.

If they don’t have a Google account or you’d rather not add them to your contacts list, skip to the next section.

2. On Google Maps, tap your profile picture in the top right corner of your screen and on the emerging menu tap Location Sharing.

3. The next screen will explain how Location Sharing works and what information other people will be able to access when you share your whereabouts with them. On Android, tap Share my location to continue; on iOS, tap New Share.

4. Then you’ll be able to determine how long the person you’ll be sharing your location with can track you. This is crucial, as you may want them to keep an eye on you while you head home, but don’t want them to know where you are next week. Protect your privacy by choosing the least amount of time possible. On Android and iPhone, under Share your real-time location, use the plus (+) and minus (–) to set the exact amount of time your whereabouts will be available to others, ranging from 15 minutes to a day.

On Android, you also have the ability to share their location until they decide not to. To do that, tap the circle next to Until I turn it off.

5. After selecting a time limit, tap the profile of one or more people you want to share your location with. You may need to grant Google Maps access to your contacts in order to do this.

You’ll notice some contacts have a tiny Google Maps icon on their profile pictures. They’re the people that also have the app on their phones—if you share your location with them, they’ll be able to track you directly from there.

6. If you haven’t already, Google Maps will prompt you to grant it access to your location at all times. Follow the instructions on the screen to do it.

• Note: You won’t be able to share your location with other users if you don’t change this setting. But if you’re not comfortable with Google Maps knowing where you are at all times, you can always change it back. On Android, go to Settings, Location, Google Maps, and tweak permissions as you see fit. On iPhone go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Location Services, and Google Maps.

7. Tap Share to finish.

Share your Google Maps location with someone who doesn’t have a Google account

Even if the person you want to share your location with doesn’t have a Google account, you can still share your whereabouts with them on Google Maps.

1. From the Google Maps app, tap on your profile, then Location sharing. 

2. On an iPhone, tap on New Share and choose More Options at the bottom of the screen. On Android devices, tap Share my location and focus your attention on the bottom of the screen, where you’ll see the apps you can use to share a link with your location.

3. From here, you have a bevy of options for sharing a direct link to your Google Maps location. You can choose from a list of your favorite text message chats on several platforms, plus email and social media apps. You can also just copy the link and paste it wherever you want.

Android users will also have the chance to choose a contact that doesn’t have Google Maps on their phone—they’re the ones without the multicolor pin icon over their profile pictures. For them, the way you share your location will depend on the information shown below their names: If you see a phone number, they’ll receive an text with a link to your location on the web version of Google Maps; if you see an email, they’ll receive the link via email.

• Warning: The link Google Maps generates with your location is public, which means that anybody who has it will be able to know where you are in real time. Be careful who you share this link with. If possible, share it only through direct and private channels with people you know and trust. 

How to share your trip on Google Maps

In some cases, you may not want to give someone the ability to track you while you move for a set amount of time, but rather for a particular trip. This is ideal if you’re visiting friends and family and want to give them the ability to keep tabs on you as you travel from point A to point B.

1. Start a journey on Google Maps: Select a destination and tap Start.

2. Once Google Maps has started your trip, tap the bottom of the screen to bring up an options menu and choose Share trip progress.

3. Google Maps will display your frequent contacts at the bottom of the screen—tap one to share your trip with them.

If the person you want to share your location with is not there, Android users can slide the icons to the left and tap More to open a more comprehensive contacts list. You can also pick one of the apps at the bottom of your screen and share a link through one of them.

Meanwhile, if you have an iPhone, you can tap More options at the bottom of the page to access various messaging and email apps to share a link with your trip information.

4. As soon as the contact you shared your trip information with opens the link, they will be able to track your progress up until the trip ends.

FAQs

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Ever since the US started churning out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the 1940s, these long-lived toxic chemicals have been accumulating everywhere humans have trodden.

Since then, these compounds have leached from industrial facilities and trash systems into our waterways, making our drinking supply one of the main ways forever chemicals are getting into our bodies. 

If you’re now eyeing your glass of water suspiciously, know that there are steps you can take to find out if there are PFAS in that H₂O, and lower the risk of exposure for you and your family. 

Your water might have PFAS

Between 2016 and 2021, the US Geological Survey sampled the water from 716 different taps across the country and found that an estimated 45 percent of tested sites contained at least one kind of forever chemical. The study is the broadest of its kind in the US, making its main finding the best risk estimate we have for PFAS contamination in our drinking water. 

While efforts to regulate these chemicals are gaining traction, there is no federal mandate limiting the amount of PFAS in our drinking supply. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a nationwide enforceable limit of four parts per trillion for each of the six types of PFAS in our drinking water. But while the EPA weighs public comments on the bill, millions of people might still exposed to these persistent pollutants, as not all public water systems in the country are required to monitor and remove them.

[Related: ‘Forever chemicals’ detected in paper and plastic straws]

Even if the EPA’s proposal succeeds, imposing legal PFAS limits doesn’t necessarily mean our water will be safe to drink. For example, the EPA’s maximum contaminant level goal for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the most notorious cancer-causing PFAS, is zero. 

For these two compounds, “there’s no known safe level,” says Kelly Smalling, a USGS environmental chemist and lead author of the national tap water study. 

Researchers are still looking into how forever chemicals impact our health and how to efficiently dispose of them. This is particularly important because there are vast geographical areas in the US where PFAS levels are high enough to pose a health risk over time, but low enough to make it hard to remove them from the environment. 

By understanding the risk of PFAS exposure in your drinking water, you can find the best prevention strategy to mitigate it accordingly. 

Know thy water source 

The easiest step in understanding your risk of PFAS exposure is knowing where you get your water from, says Jamie DeWitt, a pharmacologist at East Carolina University. If it comes from a public supply, you have it easier than those getting their H₂O from private wells, as utility companies have to regularly test for contaminants and report the results to the public. 

The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy non-profit, has a nifty online tap water database that shows the servicing utility and contaminants detected where you live—just search using your zip code. You can also use this platform to gather information before you talk to your public water provider, which the EPA encourages you to do. If you find high PFAS levels in your water supply, DeWitt recommends you reach out and find out what your utility company is doing to reduce them.

There’s a caveat, though—the data included in the EWG’s database are of contaminants tested by and at the utility plant, which are a few steps removed from the actual amount that you might imbibe at home. A 2022 study published in the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research, shows that PFAS can leak into the water through the distribution infrastructure, so real PFAS levels might actually be higher than those reported by the EWG. For a more downstream estimate of PFAS contamination, the authors of the USGS study have fashioned an interactive map including data from private wells. 

If you live in or near an area where PFAS were detected, there’s a good chance these chemicals are in your tap water, as their footprint tends to spill far and wide. As a proxy for estimating contamination levels in areas where researchers didn’t test directly, the map also includes industry facilities that might be sources for PFAS. 

Although the EWG’s tap water database pertains to public utilities only, it could still help the 40 million Americans whose water comes from private wells. Smalling explains this is because neighboring water supplies, whether public or private, usually originate from a common reservoir in the same catchment area. This makes it highly likely that PFAS detected in one source might be present in others nearby. 

At-home PFAS tests

There are several PFAS testing kits for household water in the market, where you mail a sample and get results after a week or so. 

If you’re thinking about testing your water for PFAS, pick a test kit that follows the EPA’s Method 537.1 and Method 533. The easiest way to know which ones comply with these standards is to follow your state’s recommendations or refer to the EPA’s list of approved manufacturers. 

Choosing which test to go with is a delicate balancing act between cost, exposure risk, convenience, and the scope of the test. Lydia Jahl, a science and policy manager at the environmental advocacy nonprofit Green Science Policy Institute, recommends you look for the number of PFAS species a kit can detect (the more the better), and its detection threshold: the lower it is, the more sensitive.

Money can also be an important deciding factor, as these services can cost up to a few hundred dollars. However, the investment might be warranted if you own a well or live near a high-risk zone. For those on a budget, a good alternative is Cyclopure’s PFAS test, which is only $79. While the test meets a slightly older standard and is not government-certified, it does a good job at detecting a whopping 55 types of PFAS and their precursors. 

Test kits come with their own instructions, but you’ll find there are general guidelines that apply to most cases:

• Start by thoroughly washing your hands before collection, and make sure you wear a fresh pair of surgical gloves to avoid contaminating the water sample.
  
• Avoid touching the inside of the collection bottle and its lid. If you must set the lid down, keep the inside facing up.
  
• For the most accurate measurement, run your faucet on low for at least three minutes to flush the pipes before filling the collection bottle. Do not overfill the container.
  
• If the sampling bottle contains a preservative, thoroughly mix in the water by carefully inverting the closed container a few times.
  
• Make sure to have a watch or clock handy, as you’ll need to indicate the location and exact time you collected the sample. If applicable and per the test’s instructions, you can also specify which tap you collected the water from.
  
• Have some ice ready, as most samples have to be at 43 degrees Fahrenheit when they arrive at the lab. Some tests come with their own ice packs, but depending on the instructions, you may have to make your own with a zip-top bag and some ice cubes.
   
• Make sure to overnight your specimen or drop it off at a designated site within 24 hours of collection.

Currently, there is no consensus on how often drinking water supplies should be tested for PFAS. For example, the state of New Hampshire recommends testing private wells every three to five years, while Massachusetts only once a decade after an initial negative PFAS result. 

You’ve tested your water for PFAS. Now what? 

If you are particularly concerned about your risk of exposure, you can take a blood test to learn about your body’s PFAS levels. You can find such tests from manufacturers like EmpowerDX, but they don’t come cheap and they’re likely not covered by insurance, DeWitt says. 

Whether your water management company is acting against PFAS or not, an easy way to reduce your exposure to these chemicals is to filter your water supply. You can install filters that clean the water for your entire household at once (point-of-entry filtration), or just that from the specific tap you drink from (point-of-use system). 

[Related: Certain PFAS were destroyed with a common soap ingredient in lab tests]

The market is filled with a wide range of options at varying prices, so choosing a solution for you can be confusing. The EWG has a list with several point-of-use filters, which takes into consideration their ability to remove PFAS, and their associated costs. There are also offerings such as Cyclopure’s $45 filter cartridges, which have been certified by the National Sanitation Foundation. 

But any filter is better than nothing, says Jahl, and even traditional, lower-end countertop filters can remove some PFAS from drinking water. She personally opts for the ubiquitous Brita pitcher filter, which relies on activated carbon to filter a broad spectrum of contaminants, including PFAS. To keep the filtration performance in top condition, just remember to switch out your filters as instructed. 

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When the temperature drops and it’s time to take your winter gear out of storage, you want it to be fresh and ready to go. If you did your homework last year, you’ll find clean clothes wrapped in a fabric softener-smelling swirl of delight. 

But if you’re reading this, chances are that’s not the case. You’ve probably stumbled upon some funky-smelling shirts, ghost stains you swear were not there six months ago, and—oh no!—a moth-ridden mess that used to be your favorite sweater.

Nothing you can do about that last one (sorry), but there’s a lot you can do to make your cold-weather garments feel nice and crisp at the start of the colder months of the year.

Fight the odors of winters past 

There are lots of reasons the clothes you stored months ago might have a weird smell, the most common being humidity. If your garments were sitting in a cardboard box in a basement or some other dark, damp place, moisture might have crept in and left your corduroy jacket stinking like a tiny, windowless bathroom. 

But before you shake your fist into the air in rage, you should know that it’s probably your fault your clothes smell bad. 

“Any garments being put away for seasonal storage should be cleaned first. The worst thing to do is put items away for storage that are soiled,” says Jerry Pozniak, CEO of Jeeves, a luxury dry-cleaning firm in New York City. 

[Related: Stain removal tips from a Buckingham Palace-trained butler]

Unless you thoroughly washed everything that came into direct contact with your skin before you put it away, it’s highly likely that sweat, grease, and dead skin cells (body soil) might have transferred to one of your garments and decomposed over time. This is especially true if your winter wardrobe features a lot of synthetic textiles, like the ones you’d find in performance gear. These fabrics don’t breathe as well as natural fibers, so they hold on to your sweat and humidity. 

But the stink is not only months-old sweat brewing over the summer. As you may already know dark, damp, stale-aired spaces of any kind are a breeding ground for bacteria. And your dead skin cells (which are all over your dirty clothes) are the perfect snack for these tiny microorganisms, who metabolize your filth and turn it into a nose-scrunching stench. 

So your clothes reek—what next? You can try a deodorizing spray and airing out your garments in a bright, dry place. If the weather permits, hanging them outside might also do the trick, but if you don’t have the space for it, Pozniak, who’s spent 38 years in the laundry business, recommends popping your clothes in the dryer on the “no heat“ or “air dry” cycle. Keep in mind that this will only get rid of smells if your clothes have a slight hint of staleness to them, which is natural after months of sitting still in a confined space. 

But if the stench is due to gross months-old sweat or the result of mildew, you’ll have to wash it. If you really want to avoid doing extra laundry, you can always try an antibacterial spray, but it’ll probably be more efficient to bite the bullet and load the machine. 

Spooking away phantom stains

You definitely wouldn’t have stored something had you known it had a stain on it. But then you find spots you hadn’t seen before, and you wonder if you need to book an appointment with the eye doctor. It’s not your eyes—some stains just appear while your clothes are tucked away. Again, the likely culprit is body soil. 

Sweat and dead skin cells get into the fibers of your clothes even if you only wore them once. And just like a bitten apple browns over time, areas on your garment where your body soil might have accumulated can become visually stained. 

If you know anything about stains, you know that time is your enemy—the longer you let them sit, the harder they’ll be to get rid of. This is why pre-treating stains is critical. Yellow stains respond well to low-pH removers, which you can find in stores or in your cupboard in the form of vinegar. 

But you should have one important consideration with this household cleaning staple: pure vinegar is acidic and can damage fabrics containing silk or rayon, by causing discoloration, shrinkage, and even corroding elastic fibers over time. Before you pretreat any stain, check your garment’s laundry care label carefully. 

For vinegar-safe textiles, you can dilute the soiled spot by rinsing the fabric, pouring a mix of a couple of drops of high-quality laundry detergent and a tablespoon of vinegar directly onto the stain. Rub it gently or use a soft-bristled brush, and let it sit for 20 minutes before putting the garment into the washing machine. 

For non-vinegar-safe fabrics and large or tough stains, a soak will probably give you the best chance at success. Start by pre-treating the stain with laundry detergent or an enzyme-based stain remover, and continue by soaking the garment in a mixture of one part of low pH stain remover and 10 parts of water. Leave it for 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how big or difficult the stain is) and stir every five minutes. Don’t rinse the soak—finish by washing the garment with the rest of your laundry and use warm water in your load if you need a little oomph. 

Don’t forget that heat sets stains, so as soon as the cycle is done, check if the spot is still there before you put your clothes in the dryer. If it is, repeat the process and wash the garment again. 

When your sweaters become vermin food

We don’t think you need us to tell you that if you find holes in your clothes, it’s game over, more often than not. But you may still be able to save them—it’ll highly depend on the amount of damage and the creature that’s been dining on your clothes.

“Moth damage can appear as irregular holes or white moth ‘trails,’ which may look like lint,” Pozniak explains. “If you suspect moth damage, you need to have that garment dry-cleaned as soon as possible to kill the larvae.”

As an alternative, check your clothes’ care label, and if the textile can handle it, wash it in a hot water cycle. Getting the help of an expert might be the easiest option, though, as most of the time the natural fibers moths use as grub will be damaged by hot temperatures. Finally, and just as a precaution, wash all the clothes that were in contact with the affected garments, and thoroughly scrub whatever container they were in. 

This is a good approach if there’s anything you can (or want to) salvage. If a piece of great sentimental value is among the fallen, you might want to go to an expert and see if they can sew new life into it or turn it into a new garment or accessory. We’re sorry for your loss.

If the holes you find are not due to the presence of moths but rodents building a warm little nest in your winter gear, just throw everything away. Because mice and rats don’t discriminate based on the purity of your sweater’s wool blend, the damage is likely to be more extensive than whatever moths can do. Plus, you will not only be dealing with ripped fabric but also with animal droppings, pee, and saliva, which can cause allergies and even illness due to hantaviruses.

How to properly store your clothes for next winter

No one wants to start glorious sweater weather by doing a bunch of laundry, so follow these tips to keep your clothes in tip-top shape for next year. 

Do not store unwashed clothes

We hate to keep singing the same tune here, but we’re going to: wash your clothes before you store them for the season. This is especially important for garments that sit in direct contact with your skin, like base layers and undershirts. 

Body soil is the root of weird smells and stains, but to add insult to injury, moths find dirty textiles especially tasty—your soil is their seasoning. Their larvae feed on what you’ve left behind, so when you store that nice wool sweater before giving a proper wash, you’re just providing a buffet for a family of fiber-munching insects. 

“The most important factor is to put away your items for storage clean,” Pozniak says. “I have seen clients in tears after telling them about moth damage.”

Boost that scent

Give your clothes a nice smell by using scent beads in the wash. Then, when it’s time to put your garments in storage, consider placing dryer sheets, floral or coffee sachets, or cedar blocks between your clothes. You can even slip scent beads into small mesh or organza bags so their aroma rubs on the fibers. These can help neutralize odors and transfer some nice perfume directly into the textiles. 

[Related: How to make your own laundry detergent]

Fold your knits, never hang them

Pozniak recommends folding cashmere and other pieces containing a high percentage of wool, and storing them (ideally individually) in fabric garment bags. This will allow the fabric to breathe and protect it from vermin. 

And don’t worry too much about squishing your sweaters. Pozniak says that even if your garments are a wrinkled mess when you remove them from storage, you will not have harmed the fibers. Just steam your crumpled-up knits to get rid of any creases and return them to their fluffy glory. 

Use quality hangers 

Garments like wool coats should be hung in garment bags and using appropriate hangers. Don’t use the wire ones from the dry cleaners—get wooden, wide-shouldered ones that will help maintain the shape of your outerwear. If you want to invest, choose cedar hangers, which will not only infuse your clothes with a nice woody smell, but will also help keep moths away. 

Get some accessories

Products like moth balls and traps, and cedar bags can also protect your clothes from moths. Meanwhile, sturdy, air-tight containers are a great way to prevent any kind of critter from getting their grubby little paws on your favorite garments. Just make sure to pile them up correctly, as potential cracks may turn plastic bins into prime rat real estate. To keep knits fresh and wool coats lint free, Pozniak recommends the combs and lint removers he and his team use at Jeeves. 

Buying more accessories for your clothes may seem silly—especially when you’ve already spent a lot of money on them. But this is an easy way to make your garments last longer, which won’t only get you more bang for your buck in the long run, but is also more sustainable.

The post How to get your stale-smelling clothes ready for sweater weather appeared first on Popular Science.

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Your hair can make a memorable first impression. A blown-out head of locks might portray confidence, while an unkempt bed-head look might paint you as messy and lazy. Naturally, you won’t look like you stepped out of the salon every morning, but washing your hair can still give you a clean and tidy appearance. Even better, it keeps your scalp and mane healthy—when done regularly.

[Related: How often should you shower?]

The general recommendation is to shampoo and condition two to three times a week, says Mouad Zalmadi, a hairdresser and hair loss blogger at Lossless Hair. However, there are some situations where you might want to delay washing or wash your hair more frequently. We asked hair experts to break down what you need to do to keep your locks happy and looking fresh. 

What happens if you overwash your hair?

Washing too often—especially with hot water—can damage and dry out your hair. “Submerging yourself in too many shampooing sessions may strip your scalp of its protective sebum layer,” says Aziza El Wanni, a hair and scalp expert and the founder of the endocrine-free haircare line The Potion Studio. Your hair naturally produces an oil called sebum that keeps the skin from drying out and provides a barrier of protection against bacteria and other germs that might try to invade the skin. Overwashing removes this natural substance, leaving your scalp irritated and with potential dandruff buildup. What’s more, the dryness triggers your sebaceous glands to overproduce oil, which may prompt a vicious cycle of washing your hair more to get rid of the greasiness. 

Your hair also grows brittle over time. Excess irritation on your scalp can damage the health of hair follicles and cells in the shaft, explains El Wanni. This weakens the shaft on each strand and increases the breakage rate.

What happens if you don’t wash your hair enough?

Underwashing causes a build-up of sebum, dead skin cells, and sweat in your scalp, leaving you with oily hair. And though sebum protects your hair, an excess amount can result in dandruff, itchiness, and possible hair loss. With greasier hair, El Wanni says people have a greater risk for clogged pores or infections in the scalp. Bacteria is another substance that might accumulate on the scalp, giving off a stinky, mildew-y odor and leading to poorer hygiene overall. 

Going a while without a scrub can also restrict your hair growth. Hair follicles might feel suffocated from the growing pile of dirt and residue on the scalp, which can delay the regular cycle for growth and shedding.

What factors should you consider in your hair washing schedule?

While two to three days is the blanket recommendation for washing it’s not a rule that works for everyone. Factors like hair type, lifestyle, and climate may cause you to adjust your schedule to shampoo and condition your hair more or less often. Additionally, if hair becomes overly damaged or dry, it might require a deep conditioning session or other restorative products.

When talking about hair types, people with curly or naturally oily locks may need more washes or hydrating products. El Wanni recommends washing every other or third day to remove excess oils and giving your hair a refresh. Meanwhile, those dealing with dry hair would benefit from only shampooing once or twice a week to give the scalp some time to recover. 

Hair style matters too. With shorter dos there’s usually less upkeep, while longer locks are often more high-maintenance. People with dyed hair will want to wash less often to preserve the color, says Zalmadi. “Frequent washing can strip away the dye and cause it to fade faster.” When you do need a rinse, he recommends using gentler, sulfate-free shampoos and washing with cold water to seal the hair cuticle and lock in the color.

[Related: How to use rosemary water to grow luscious locks]

For anyone who regularly exercises or perspires heavily, washing your hair more than two to three times a week can help get rid of the build-up of sweat and avoid smelly hair. On the other end of the spectrum, people with a sedentary lifestyle may not need to shampoo as frequently because their hair will remain clean for longer. 

Folks who use a good amount of hair products—gels, sprays, and serum oils—might need to add an extra shampooing and conditioning day a week. These products are absorbed in hair and can make it look and feel dirty if left there for days.

Climate is another element people should think about with their hair care regimen. Zalmadi says places with high humidity can make your mane more frizzy or oily, requiring more frequent washing. Dry climates, on the other hand, can dehydrate your hair, requiring fewer washing sessions.

All in all, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to washing hair. It may take a bit of trial and error, but try experimenting with different hair routines until you find one that fits your unique needs. 

The post Are you washing your hair too much or not enough? appeared first on Popular Science.

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Excerpted from Powered by Me: From Burned Out to Fully Charged at Work and in Life by Neha Sangwan, MD, with permission from McGraw Hill, pages 44-49, September 2023.

How do you tell the difference between when your body is casually communicating with you and when it is trying to alert you to signs of burnout? Well, that depends on how closely you’re listening and whether you’re numbing the early signals. Your body has manners. It knows you’re busy, so it starts with a whisper, at a low volume (say one or two out of 10), but if you don’t pay attention, it continues to get louder, until it eventually stops you in your tracks. If you’ve gotten in the habit of hitting snooze on your body’s signals with various coping mechanisms, you can reach an 11—a heart attack, pneumonia, or other crisis—without even realizing it. That’s scary. 

It’s important to note that your body is more than just an alarm system. It wants to be your friend, and it talks to you about everything. Yes, it’s also informing you in your everyday communication with others when something is:
 

• Important to you 
• Out of balance 
• Different from what you expected 
• Not quite right 
• Exactly right 

Your body’s signals will not only give you a heads-up when something is wrong and it’s time to see the doctor, but also day-to-day updates on what resonates with you and what just feels off. Once you learn how to interpret these powerful signals, you’ll have a distinct advantage in every conversation, interaction, and experience in your life. 

The body map

Begin by ruling out any medical problems. Any new and unusual signals from your body need to be checked out by a medical professional. Once you’ve gotten a clean bill of health, then you can explore how the collection of symptoms may potentially be caused by burnout. 

When we’re acutely focused on everyone and everything around us (external data), it’s easy to miss what’s happening inside us (internal data). Recognizing and healing burnout depends on how attuned you are to interpreting your own physiology and responding to the data your body is sending. 

Each person’s body has a unique communication style. For some people, it’s their heart racing, stomach turning, or muscles tensing. For others, it’s sweating or shallow, rapid breathing. All day long, your body communicates with you, and it’s critical that you’re able to decipher those signals. These physical sensations are the gateway of awareness to valuable information that will guide you on this journey. 

Take a look at the Body Map illustration below to get a few ideas of how your body might be trying to communicate with you. By no means is this an exhaustive list. Feel free to add your own physical sensations to the diagram. 

One of the fastest ways to tune in to your physiology is by becoming aware of your physical body in space and where it meets the external world. By this, I mean literally shifting your attention to where your body meets the chair or wherever you are sitting. If you’re standing, notice where your feet meet the floor. As you take your next deep breath, focus on the expansion and contraction of your rib cage. Next, become aware of the sensations of clothing on your body, such as the tightness or looseness of your waistband.

Don’t worry if this doesn’t come naturally. If you’ve experienced high stress over long periods of time, you may have adapted to tuning out your body’s sensations. It’s a common coping mechanism. For example, Alex, my seatmate on my latest flight, was adept at silencing his body’s signals (headaches, insomnia, and back pain). He went searching for clues to heal himself, but in the interim, prescriptions and cocktails brought the only relief he could find. 

If you’ve been relying on your own coping mechanisms, whatever they may be, and are out of practice at listening to your body, try expanding your awareness in everyday activities: 

1. While you’re on a call or in a meeting, hold a smooth stone or weight that fits comfortably in your hand.

2. Each time you notice the weight in your hand, use it as a reminder to check in with your body (meaning, is your body trying to get your attention? Do your wrists hurt from too much typing? Is your rear end numb from sitting for too long? Do you need to stand up, stretch, or get some water?). 

3. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel anything. Instead, take a deep breath and refocus your attention back on the weight in your hand.

 4. Anytime you notice an emotion arise in another person or a shift in intensity in the conversation, that’s a good time to bring your awareness back to the weight in your hand. 

5. Be patient. You will begin to tune in to your body’s signals.

The signals are already there

You probably feel more than you realize. What about that pesky neck or shoulder pain? A 3 o’clock energy dip? Any intermittent headaches? What about joint stiffness? These are all signals from your body. 

Once you identify and understand its unique language, you will be able to decipher the physical clues even earlier (at lower intensities), get curious and ask yourself, What happens before that? And just before that?

Interpreting your body  

Understanding your body’s unique language can seem confusing at first. That’s only until you learn how to interpret the intensity and frequency of the signals as well as the context of the situation. The data from your body typically falls into one of three main categories:   

Everyday guidance: low volume, low frequency

Helping you navigate everyday situations and a changing environment and recalibrating your internal GPS in new experiences. These physical signals can show up in many ways: intermittent muscle tension, throat constriction, jaw tightness, knots in your stomach, to name a few. 

Chronic depletion: mid-volume, more frequent

Alerting you to a drain of energy and lack of alignment in your internal GPS. These physical signals can show up as individual symptoms, such as fatigue, heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches, imbalance, pain, brain fog, forgetfulness, diarrhea, constipation, or a collection of symptoms known as a syndrome. 

The post Are you burned out? Here’s how your body might be telling you. appeared first on Popular Science.

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With the changing weather comes virus season. Throughout the pandemic, infectious disease experts have seen an uptick in COVID cases during the fall and winter as more people stay indoors. The latter half of the year is also the time when SARS-CoV-2 mutates into other variants. And this year is no exception. Researchers are keeping an eye on the new variant BA.2.86, or Pirola, as it spreads in multiple countries. Meanwhile, back in August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a new Omicron variant called Eris had become the dominant coronavirus strain in the US.

“The Eris variant appears to be more transmissible compared to prior variants, which may mean that it will be easier for more people to get infected from a given exposure. Also, people who have previously been infected or vaccinated may get infected with this new variant,” says Sherrill Brown, a medical director of infection prevention at AltaMed in California. 

Though Eris has been responsible for an increasing number of COVID hospitalizations in the US, infectious disease experts have not seen signs yet that it causes more severe illness. In fact, Brown says the Eris variant appears no more dangerous than the ones we’ve faced in the past.

With long COVID complications and immunocompromised individuals in mind as well, it doesn’t hurt to stay prepared if cases surge through the end of 2023. Like the flu and other respiratory viruses, some health experts are now calling COVID endemic—the average person will probably get it several times in their life. But the good news is the US is in a much better position now than three years ago with a range of preventative methods, from medical-grade masks and antiviral treatments to updated vaccine formulas. In mid-September, the Food and Drug Administration approved new booster shots, which are tweaked to defend against XBB.1.5, an Omicron variant.

Following an advisory committee vote in favor of this Omicron-targeting vaccine, the CDC is encouraging everyone who is eligible to get a shot for the upcoming fall and winter season. “We have more tools than ever to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID-19,” said CDC director Mandy Cohen in a news release. “CDC is now recommending updated COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 6 months and older to better protect you and your loved ones.”

Is it time to mask up again?

The US government has lifted all masking mandates, so there is no requirement to wear one in public anymore. That said, private businesses and hospitals may demand face coverings on their property if there is another COVID wave.

For the most part, the decision to mask is personal. Sarah Hochman, the section chief of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Tisch Hospital, says people need to evaluate how far they’re willing to risk getting sick. A person who is immunocompromised or has other lung conditions like asthma, for example, may want to start masking up again because the risk of COVID complications in this group is higher. If you’re planning to see friends and family this season, a properly placed mask would tremendously reduce the risk of infection. “It has been a personal choice for the past year and a half and everyone has their own threshold on where they are concerned enough to mask in situations,” Hochman notes. Masking is also helpful in general for protecting against other respiratory viruses such as the flu and RSV.

[Related: Masks can work—even if you’re the only one wearing them]

A good way to evaluate your individual risk is to check the latest numbers of COVID hospitalization in your local area. Hochman says hospital data is a more reliable source of information given that the CDC and local health departments have not been reporting recently as much on case numbers; people can find these stats on their local state or county health department’s website. Additionally, regional or national data could be inaccurate because more people are doing home tests or not testing at all. In most places, however, hospitalized patients are still being tested for the virus. “It’s really more of a tip of the iceberg type of measure because you’re only measuring COVID in the sickest patients, but it can still indicate what’s going on,” Hochman explains.

When will new COVID boosters be available?

The Biden administration is looking at a mid-September rollout date for the new boosters. The bivalent COVID shot currently protects against the original coronavirus and two Omicron variants, BA.4 and BA.5. With the new update, the vaccine will include protection against the Omicron variant XBB.1.5. 

Eris is a close but not exact match to XBB.1.5 as it is a descendent of XBB.1.9.2. Still, infectious disease experts have a strong suspicion the new shots will provide some protection against this new variant. “Most of the circulating variants are still related to the XBB.1.5 strain, so there should be fairly good protection from severe disease with this updated vaccine,” says Brown.

Once the booster becomes publicly available, you can get it in the same places you received your prior vaccines, including doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and local health clinics. Some states and counties may have websites set up to help people find a vaccine administration center close to them. Remember that all COVID vaccines should still be free, regardless of insurance or immigration status. 

What happens if you get COVID again?

Masks and boosters cut your risk for re-infection, but they won’t completely prevent it. To prepare, make sure to keep some at-home rapid test kits on hand. Hochman recommends having one to two tests for every person in the household. 

[Related: How to check if your at-home COVID test has expired]

If you test positive, notify your doctor immediately. They can prescribe you the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which is most effective within five days of developing symptoms. You’ll also want to take time off work and other obligations to rest and drink enough fluids for a proper recovery. 

Isolate from others at home for at least five days to avoid spreading the virus. If you need to go out or see other people, make sure to wear a high-quality mask.

This post has been updated to include more regulatory information about this fall’s COVID boosters. It was originally published on September 5.

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If there’s one thing hikers love to debate, is the practicality and functionality of the humble trekking pole. Some say it’s just an inefficient luxury item weighing you down, while others regard it as a truly useful tool that can improve balance and speed on the trail. 

Whatever camp you’re in, science has proven time and time again that trekking poles have multiple benefits, and using them correctly on every hike can help you get the most out of them. 

The science behind trekking poles

Hiking with trekking poles can provide plenty of physiological advantages. A 2020 review published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine found that these tools can reduce the pressure and load on your lower joints by dispersing your body weight to your arms. This is especially true when hiking downhill, which means those with knee pain will likely find picking up a pair of trekking sticks incredibly helpful.

[Related: 10 time-tested essentials that can help you survive your next hiking trip]

And even if you have no joint pain, a 2000 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found trekking poles can make your trekking experience more comfortable. Erica Little, a hiking guide and owner of Big Bend Boating and Hiking Company in Terlingua, Texas, explains poles also provide substantial balance and stability when hiking through mud, snow, or across moving water or uneven terrain, making your hike feel easier than it is. That feel-good sensation will last even when you’re back home—several studies have found poles to be helpful at reducing delayed onset muscle soreness during challenging uphill treks. 

But these tools can provide more than better, more comfortable hikes. According to another study published in 2001 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, trekking poles could also help you hike faster and even increase the length and frequency of your stride. They could even help you burn more calories—a 2018 study by researchers at the University of Verona, in Italy, concluded that using your poles at an angle on flat terrain (a discipline known as Nordic walking) requires more energy than a regular walk because it invites your arms to aid in pushing you up or lowering you down. 

For starters, trekking poles need to be at the right height, says Little. When you’re on level ground (or close to it), adjust your poles so that your forearms and biceps form a 90-degree angle when your hands are on the grips, and the tips are resting on the ground a few inches away from your little toes. This will offer the most comfortable position for your arms and the best leverage for pushing yourself up.

When hiking uphill, shorten the poles by a few inches—the steeper the slope, the shorter the poles should be. If your hands are above your shoulders before taking the new step, you won’t have the leverage or power you need to push yourself up, explains Gates Richards, associate director of wilderness medicine at the National Outdoor Leadership School.

When hiking downhill, lengthen your poles by a few inches to help keep you balanced and upright, while allowing your arms to better aid in lowering you with each step, Richards adds.

Whether you’re hiking up or down, Little instructs to keep your arms and poles close to your body, ideally a few inches away from your sides while the tips rest a few inches away from your feet. It’s critical that the position feels natural to you, she says: if you keep your arms too close, you’ll lose some balance and leverage, and if you plant the tips too close to your feet, the poles could become a tripping hazard.

If you’re still unsure about your technique, Richards says there’s one easy way to tell if you’re using poles effectively: If you’re making progress easier, then they’re working.

Pro tips for using trekking poles

Once you’ve got your body-to-pole orientation down, a few tweaks will ensure maximum comfort and effectiveness. 

Start by using the wrist straps as intended: Slide a hand through each strap from the bottom up to get a little extra wrist support, says Little. Tighten the straps so they’re loose enough to easily slide your hand out again, but snug enough to keep your wrist from flexing too much.

Then, as you walk, alternate the swinging of the poles with your legs just like you would your arms when walking. This means planting the left trekking pole at the same time as you take a step with your right foot and vice versa.

On a steep uphill or downhill slope, if you need a little extra assistance raising or lowering yourself, you can also plant both poles ahead of you at the same time. This will provide a bit more stability and the combined power of both your arms.

Finally, stay safe by leaving extra space between you and the hikers in front and behind you. The tips of the trekking poles can sometimes get stuck between rocks and if the person in front of you stops abruptly to take care of it, you could collide with them. Likewise, it’s happened more than once that a hiker with trekking poles will reach back to adjust their pack without letting go of their sticks, creating a potential hiker kebab situation if the person behind them is too close.

Accessorize your trekking poles

When you purchase a new pair of trekking poles, they probably come accompanied by at least two sets of accessories. They’re both useful in specific situations, so don’t toss them out with the packaging.

The first one is a pair of rubber tips that fit over the metal points. They are multifunctional—pop them onto the ends of your poles to protect your luggage and its contents from getting stabbed while traveling. When hiking on rocky terrain or paved paths where you don’t need the traction offered by metal tips, these rubber protectors are excellent at silencing the irritating and repetitive tapping of metal on rock.

[Related: What to know before you go on your first multi-day hike]

The second accessory you’ll probably find is a pair of round, hole-peppered disks called baskets. They are designed for use in snow, mud, and sand—they’re like snowshoes to help keep your sticks on top of the soft stuff. “The bigger the basket the better. It’ll help your pole from sinking in too deep,” says Little.

Get the hang of it

If you’re new to trekking poles, you may find them awkward or unwieldy at first. That’s normal, Little says. Your first hike may feel a bit unnatural as you think too hard about when and where to place your poles with every step. Don’t worry, though: “It will become second nature,” she states.

As it does, you may choose to hike with one pole instead of two or ignore the wrist straps in favor of having the option to release the poles quickly in case of a tumble. Find what works for you and stick with it.

The post Learn how to use trekking poles and improve your time on the trail appeared first on Popular Science.

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Using a Windows PC doesn’t mean you can’t make use of Apple’s various apps and services. In recent years, the parent companies of both operating systems have made efforts to get their respective software packages working together, making it easier than it’s ever been.

You won’t have the seamless experience you get with Apple apps and services on macOS, but you have a couple of options to get them working on Windows—and you can choose whichever suits you best.

Use iCloud on the web

Load up the web version of iCloud in your Windows web browser, sign in with your Apple ID, and you’ll have access to a plethora of Apple apps: Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Photos, Drive, Notes, Reminders, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and Find My. For some people, this is all the integration they’re going to need, as everything will sync back to the respective apps on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.

[Related: 5 ways to get started with Freeform, Apple’s app for creative thinkers]

Click Customize Home Page to change which widgets show up when you first open the site and click on any of the app links to jump to that app in your browser. For example, choose Photos to browse through everything stored in iCloud Photos. The navigation pane on the left lets you view individual albums, and the icons in the top right let you upload and download images.

There’s a lot of functionality in these web apps, and they’re almost as good as their desktop equivalents on macOS. Everything Apple will stay self-contained inside a browser tab, so it’s a good solution if you want to keep some distance between your Apple apps and everything else on your Windows PC.

Use iCloud for Windows

You can get a tighter integration between operating systems so that your Apple contacts show up in the native MS Outlook, and Windows automatically uploads photos to iCloud. For this, you need to download and install iCloud for Windows.

Sign up with your Apple ID credentials and choose whether you’d like to sync your files. You can pick and choose exactly what you want to integrate into the Windows system: iCloud Drive files, photos and videos, contacts, calendar information, web bookmarks, and browser passwords. Some entries have an Options button so you can configure them further and choose specific Windows locations for your iCloud files, for example.

Make your choices and click Apply—the utility will take care of all the necessary setup and syncing for you. In the case of iCloud photos and videos, you’ll see a new folder on your hard drive and a new iCloud Photos entry in the default Windows Photo app that you can use to browse and sync your files.

Use Apple email

Rather confusingly, Apple says you may or may not see a Mail option in iCloud for Windows, without specifying which system versions support the platform and which don’t. You’ll see that we don’t have it on our test system, but if you see it when setting up the utility, you can check the option to have emails from your Apple account sync with Outlook.

The variation is most likely down to how your PC is set up in terms of recent updates, as Microsoft and Apple are both constantly tweaking their services. If you don’t see the Mail option, you can still add your Apple email account in Outlook or any other third-party email client.

In fact, in the case of Outlook specifically, if you click File, Info, and Add account, you can enter your Apple email address and just click Connect—Outlook already knows the server settings to use. Note that if you have two-factor authentication set up on your Apple account (and you should), you’ll need an app-specific password from here to log in through Outlook, rather than your standard Apple ID password.

Music, TV, and movies

After something of a delay, iTunes for Windows is now Apple Music for Windows, so you can access your music library on your PC just as you would on a Mac computer. If you subscribe to the Apple Music streaming service, you can combine tracks stored in the cloud with those on your local hard drive, and keep everything synced between your devices (including Android).

[Related: iPhone users can also embrace Google and Microsoft apps. Here’s how.]

When it comes to TV and movies, you can either get to the Apple TV app through your web browser or through the official Windows app. The web interface is different in that you need an active subscription to Apple TV Plus, and you can only watch content from the platform—there’s no option to purchase movies and shows or watch them offline.

The Apple TV Windows app is a replacement for the old iTunes for Windows software, which means all the movies and TV shows from your iTunes library are carried over. You can watch content that you’ve purchased and buy or rent new films and shows, whether or not you subscribe to Apple TV Plus. And if you are a subscriber, all that on-demand content is available too.

The post You can use many of your Apple apps on Windows. Here’s how. appeared first on Popular Science.

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Blue moons, black moons, pink moons, strawberry moons, micromoons, supermoons. For some reason, your news aggregation algorithm of choice thinks you really really really want to know all about these moons. “Catch This Weekend’s AMAZING SUPERMOON,” one headline (or, perhaps, 500 of them) will announce. “The Supermoon Isn’t Actually A Big Deal And You’re All Ruining Astronomy,” another will grouse.

The latest example is the full moon that will peak on August 30 around 9:36 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time: the so-called ”blue supermoon”. It’s the second-to-last supermoon of 2023, and should appear the brightest and biggest of all the full moons this year. It will also coincide with—and reduce the visibility of—the end of the Perseid meteor shower.

Here’s everything you need to know about this headline-grabbing moon, the next one, and all the rest.

What is a full moon?

Look, it’s okay if you don’t know. There are probably loads of folks who walk around pretending they totally know why that thing in the sky seems to get bigger and smaller at regular intervals who totally do not.

[Related: How to take a picture of the moon that doesn’t look like a tiny, white blob]

The moon orbits Earth, and it’s tidally locked—that means it always shows us the same face, instead of twirling around like our planet does. That’s why you can always see the man on the moon (or the moon rabbit, depending on your cultural preferences) even as the satellite spins around us. But while the moon is big and bright in the sky when it’s full, that’s only because it’s reflecting light from the sun. The moon is also always moving, so it’s getting hit with sunlight at different angles. It’s invisible to us during the “new moon,” because the celestial body is parked right between us and the sun; the so-called dark side of the moon is lit up like Las Vegas, but the side we can see is in shadow. A full moon happens when Earth is right between the sun and the moon, so sunlight hits the part we can see. All the other phases are just the transition from one of those extremes to the other.

What is a supermoon?

A moon’s supermoon status is often the subject of fierce debate. This is because, as EarthSky explains, a supermoon may sound more scientific than a blood Moon or Worm Moon, but it’s still not a term with a scientific definition. In fact, it was coined not by an astronomer, but by an astrologer named Richard Nolle in 1979. Basically, whether or not a particular moon is a supermoon boils down to how different stargazers (amateur and otherwise) calculate just how relatively close a full moon has to be to be considered super.

The moon isn’t always exactly the same distance from Earth, because its orbit isn’t perfectly circular. We call the closest point perigee (when it averages a distance of about 225,803 miles), and the most distant point apogee (when it averages a distance of about 251,968 miles). These shifts are not insignificant, but they’re also far from earth-shattering.

The reason you care about this middling change in distance is that it turns a moon super. When a full moon happens close to perigee, it’s going to look a smidge bigger than if it happened at apogee. Maybe. If you’re lucky. Honestly, the difference is not that profound, but if you’re in a position to photograph the supermoon next to something that showcases the slight increase in scale, it can look pretty cool. Our 2023 supermoons—the ones where perigee for the months lines up with the full moon—fall in July, August, August again, and September. So we’re currently halfway through supermoon season.

And just to really remind you that words are meaningless and the moon is always just the moon no matter what we decide to call it: It sometimes makes its closest monthly (or even annual) approach to Earth on a night we can’t see it, aka on the new moon.

What is a blue moon?

A blue moon is a nickname for when two full moons fall in the same calendar month. Astronomer David Chapman explained for EarthSky that this is merely a quirk of our calendar; once we stopped doing things based on the moon and started trying to follow the sun and the seasons, we stopped having one reliable full moon per month. The moon cycle is 29.53 days long on average, so on most months we still end up with a single new moon and a single full one. But every once in awhile, things sync up so that one month steals a full moon from another.

In March of 2018, we had our second blue moon of that year, to much acclaim. And while that’s not necessarily special in an oh-gosh-get-out-and-look-at-it kinda way, it’s certainly special: We hadn’t previously had two in one year since 1999. In 2018 (and in 1999) both January and March stacked full moons on the first and last nights of the month, leaving February in the dark. The next time this will happen is 2037.

Even getting two blue moons in a 12-month cycle is rare, but we have individual blue moons every few years. (The next one after August 2023 won’t be until May 2026.) Also, fun fact: It’s not actually blue. A moon can indeed take on a moody blue hue, but this only happens when particles of just the right size disperse through the sky—and it has nothing to do with the moon’s status as “blue.” Big clouds of ash from volcanic eruptions or fires can do the trick, but it doesn’t happen often, and the stars would certainly have to align for two such rare instances to occur at once.

Is there another kind of blue moon?

Surprise! There’s another kind of moon that some farmer’s almanacs refer to as blue. Just as there’s typically one full moon a month, there are generally three full moons a season. And just as there are sometimes two full moons in a month due to our calendar almost-but-not-quite following the lunar cycle, there are sometimes four full moons in a season. April 2019’s full moon landed right as spring began, leaving enough time for another three. Some breathlessly referred to this as a rare occurrence, but it happens every couple of years.

Weirdly, the blue moon moniker is applied not to the fourth full moon in a season (which actually only happens once-in-a-you-know-what) but to the third. Why? Who knows. What’s the fourth full moon in a season called? A full moon. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Similarly, the term “black moon” most commonly refers to the second new moon in a calendar month, but can also refer to the third new moon in a season with four of them. The phrase has also historically been applied to months without full moons, as well as months without new moons. Each of these circumstances occur about once every 19 years, and only in February.

What’s a sturgeon moon?

There won’t be anything fishy about a sturgeon moon’s appearance. Instead, as NASA notes, this refers to what some Algonquin tribes called the moon during August; at this time of year, Native Americans fished for sturgeon in the Great Lakes. There are other names for it, too, like the ”green corn moon.”

Sometimes you’ll see a headline that promises a moon with so many qualifiers it makes your head spin. A superblueblood wolf moon, perhaps? Lots of websites will tell you that “wolf moon” is the traditional name of the first full moon of the year in “Native American” cultures, which is kind of a weird thing to claim given that there are 573 registered Tribal Nations in the US alone today, not to mention historically. The idea that hungry, howling wolves were such a universal constant in January that all of North America, with its disparate cultures, geographies, and languages, spontaneously came up with the same nickname is—well, it’s silly. It’s a silly idea.

[Related: Landing on the moon only made us love it more]

The Farmer’s Almanac now lists a handful of alternatives for historical August moon names: the black cherries moon (Assiniboine), ricing moon (Anishinaabe), and harvest moon (Dakota), to name just a few.

Many cultures have traditional names for the full moon in a given month or season, so there’s quite a list to draw from if you’re trying to really plump up a story on a perfectly pedestrian full moon. But these are all based on human calendars and activities and folklore; you will not go outside and see a fish-scale moon in August or a fuchsia moon in April (or a moon full of beavers in November, for that matter), though I wish it were so.

What is a new moon?

Every 29.531 days, the relative positions of the sun, moon, and Earth conspire to leave our satellite—which doesn’t produce its own light, but shines thanks to the reflected light of our host star—in the dark. The sun’s rays are still striking the moon’s surface, but they’re hitting the (obviously inappropriately named) dark side that faces away from us. The moon appears to grow and shrink in the sky throughout the month thanks to shifts in its position relative to Earth and the sun. Fun fact: while basically everyone knows what a crescent moon is and why it’s so-called, you might not know that the bulbous shape of a moon somewhere between a straight split down its face and a full circle is called “gibbous,” from the Latin word for hunched or humped.

What is a micro moon?

It’s the opposite of the super one. Size isn’t everything. In a previous version of this article, I wrote that while we had such a moon coming up in September 2019, we probably wouldn’t see tons of news outlets crowing over the Micro full corn moon. I was only half right: There were plenty of headlines crowing, though they decided to dub it the harvest micromoon instead.

As is the case with supermoons, you shouldn’t expect to see a noticeable difference in a micromoon’s size.

What is a black moon?

You may be familiar with the concept of a blue moon (see above), which rather dramatically refers to the second full moon in a month. A black moon is the same thing, but for the second new moon in a month. This happens about once every three years. What’s it look like? Well, it looks like a new moon. That means you can’t really see it. But by all means, get out there and do some stargazing.

In case you haven’t yet really grasped the fact that all of these moons are just the result of our arbitrary and often nonsensical calendar system, consider this: In some time zones, a new month at the end of the month will actually rise on the first day of the next month.

What’s a pink moon?

While spring moons may be referred to as pink moons, they won’t actually look pink. Atmospheric conditions can conspire to change the hue of the moon as seen from the ground—NASA has a neat picture of a positively purple one, which is just gorgeous—but there’s no reason to think full moons in April look anything but the usual grayish color. The full pink moon is so-named, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, because its April rise often coincides with the blossoming of a pink North American wildflower called Phlox subulata.

What is a blood moon?

Objectively the most metal moon (sorry, black moon), these only occur during total lunar eclipses (which can happen a few times a year in any given location). When the moon slips through our shadow, our planet gives it a reddish cast. The moon can also look orange whenever it’s rising or setting, or if it hangs low in the horizon all night—the light bouncing off of it has to travel through thicker atmosphere there, which scatters more blue light away. But you’ll probably only see that deep, sinister red during an eclipse.

[Related: Volunteer astronomers bring wonders of the universe into prisons]

A lot of headlines about moons are just silly (you do not need to be particularly excited about a blue moon, it just looks like a regular ol’ moon), but you should definitely roll out of bed to look at a blood moon if one is going to be visible in your region. But anyone who crams both “blood” and “eclipse” into their moniker for a moon is just trying to win the search engine optimization game; a blood moon is just a lunar eclipse that’s going through a goth phase. Ryan F. Mandelbaum at Gizmodo makes the case that we should really just stop throwing the phrase “blood moon” around and call them lunar eclipses, which is tough but fair, because they’re lunar eclipses and not evidence of bloody battles between the sky gods.

A flower blood supermoon, meanwhile? We can get behind that.

This post has been updated. It was originally published on March 2018.

The post The upcoming ‘blue supermoon’ will be the biggest of the year appeared first on Popular Science.

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If there’s one thing that instills dread in the hearts of hikers, it’s a steep uphill climb that stretches on for miles.

A relentless ascent is hard for one main reason: gravity. When you’re going up, you’re fighting against it, lifting your entire body with each step. The steeper the pitch, the bigger the strain on your legs to push you forward. And if you’re heading to considerable altitudes, you’ll also have to deal with low oxygen levels in the blood, which can make you feel wobbly and short of breath.

Fortunately, learning the right tools and techniques to use will help you tackle brutal inclines faster and more efficiently.

Embrace the switchbacks

One way to make climbs easier is to choose a switchback trail over a straight one whenever possible. 

“Switchbacks are your friend,” says Gates Richards, associate director of wilderness medicine at the National Outdoor Leadership School. Experienced hikers love to hate these zig-zagging routes because they may add to their overall mileage. But maximum efficiency while conquering hills means pacing yourself and saving your legs so you can make it back down safely. Switchbacks effectively reduce the angle of the slope you’re climbing, decreasing how much you have to lift your body with each step, and allowing you to save muscle energy in the process. 

[Related: Tips for picking the best hiking trail]

You may find switchbacks as an alternative to a straight, more direct route, but if they’re not available, you can make micro switchbacks by zig-zagging from side to side if the trail is wide enough. And if ping-ponging back and forth is your only option, don’t give into your impatience to make it to the top as fast as you can—cutting switchbacks goes against Leave No Trace principles. 

Take shorter steps

Taking large, slow steps in an effort to quickly push yourself to the top, is a surefire way to wear out your quads. This happens because longer steps mean your knee will always be bent and your muscles will stay activated throughout the climb, Richards explains. Instead, take short steps at a quicker pace.

Think of it like riding a bike. Shifting to a lower gear while cycling uphill allows you to keep the same cadence you had on flat terrain—you cover less ground each time you pedal (effectively going slower), but you have less resistance, so it feels easier on your muscles. It’s the same with hiking uphill: taking shorter steps at the same rate as usual will make for less resistance and an easier climb. 

Once you’ve shortened your stride, keep your attention on your legs. Each time you take a step, fully straighten the leg in front of you before transferring your weight to the other leg. That lets your bones bear the heft of your body for just a moment, taking the pressure off your muscles. And even if that instant of rest seems insignificant, Richards points out that all those seconds add up to much less fatigue during a long uphill battle.

Get some help from your trusty trekking poles

Science has shown that trekking poles are a useful tool when hiking uphill. They take some of the load off your muscles and joints, invite your arms to help your legs push you up the trail, and offer a great place to rest your forehead when you need to bend over and rest for a few moments.

Learning how to use them correctly is crucial to get all the benefits. With each step, swing the arm opposite to the foot you’re putting forward and plant the pole firmly. If the climb is particularly steep, you can get extra support by swinging both poles at the same time, planting them firmly, and pushing yourself up. Repeat.

Take a break

When you’ve got a long slog ahead of you, you may be tempted to push through the pain and just get to the top as fast as possible. But if the point of your hike is to enjoy yourself, don’t feel like you have to push it.

“If you need to take a break, take a break,” Richards says. Even pausing for 30 seconds without taking your pack off can be extremely helpful in boosting morale and giving your muscles some respite.

Don’t hesitate to take your pack off for 10 minutes and have a snack if that revives you. Or if you find that just a few seconds of leaning on a log to enjoy the view is enough to keep you upbeat and moving forward, do that. Either way, you won’t tire out as quickly if you take regular breathers.

Don’t forget to eat

Trudging uphill burns a lot of calories, so to keep your body energized, make sure you’re feeding it regularly. 

How often you refuel depends on how you feel, but Richards recommends eating what you’d usually eat during flat terrain hikes more often. So, if you usually have some fruit leather, jerky, or other snack every two hours when hiking on level ground, you might want to consider increasing the frequency to once an hour. 

Just don’t scarf down an entire burrito before a big ascent. It’ll feel like a rock in your gut the whole way up—that is if it manages to stay in your gut at all.

Get better, get faster

If there’s a challenging hike in your future and you want to be prepared, you can train your body for it. The best way to do so is to just hike uphill, says Richards—preferably, with a full backpack.

“The more accustomed you are to hills, the better your body will be at tackling them,” he says.

[Related: What to know before you go on your first multi-day hike]

Stairs or a stair-step machine will do if there are no hills near you. Imitating the movement will help you get stronger, but Richards says there are a lot more variables in the outdoors than on perfectly spaced steps, like heat, uneven ground, and differently sloped inclines. So when possible, always choose the real thing instead. 

Just don’t pressure yourself to be the fastest or most efficient climber—take your time and respect your own pace. After all, Richards says, hiking should be fun.

The post 6 uphill hiking tips to prevent your legs from turning into jelly appeared first on Popular Science.

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Your friends might be too nice to tell you, so I’m going to say it for them: your earbuds are gross. They can obviously accumulate earwax over time, but sweat and dirt can also build up in the silicone tips. This means your case is grimy, too—between housing your earbuds and being tossed around in the bottom of your bag, they can collect a ton of crud. Read on for how to clean AirPods and other headphones.

Keeping your tech clean is an afterthought for many people, but because you’re using these items on an everyday basis, they can accumulate microbes and bacteria that can be harmful to your health. Even if you’re not worried about getting sick, that dirt can harm the quality and durability of your gadgets. Luckily, cleaning earbuds and headphones is relatively simple, and if you keep up with it on a weekly basis, you’ll never again feel the need to quickly snap your case shut out of embarrassment. All you need are a few common household items.

Why you should clean your earbuds or headphones

I know what you’re thinking—a little earwax never hurt anyone, right? Unfortunately, no. When you let grime build up in your AirPods, you risk ear pain, fungal infections, excess earwax, and more. This is because even though earwax helps protect your ears in general, it can help foster bacterial growth when it gets stuck in your earbuds. Plus, if you use your AirPods or other wireless earbuds when you work out, moisture from your sweat can also potentially cause health issues in addition to general grossness.

[Related: Your smartphone is gross. Learn how to clean it properly.]

Keeping your earbuds or headphones clean is important for the actual audio quality they provide, too. Obviously, a buildup of anything is going to muffle the sound. It can also affect the microphone, making phone calls and voice memos more difficult. Sweat can also negatively affect your headphones, as it’s acidic and can damage the internal tech.

How to clean any type of AirPods

When cleaning your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or other earbuds and their case, Apple recommends using cotton swabs and a soft, lint-free cloth. I just used the lens cloth that came with my glasses. You should absolutely avoid using sharp objects to clean the gunk that might have made its way into the mesh on your AirPods or any other tiny crevices. Doing so, can potentially permanently damage the delicate electronic components.

You’ll also want to avoid submerging your buds in water, as they’re water-resistant but not waterproof—that means they can take a couple of drops here and there, but they’ll die on you if you dive into a pool with them on. This is especially important to keep in mind if you have a first or second-generation set of AirPods, as they are neither waterproof nor sweatproof, and the same goes for all the charging casings of Apple’s earpieces. If your AirPods case is really nasty you can dab a small amount of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol onto the soft cloth to wipe germs away.

If you’re dealing with a pair of AirPods Pro, start by removing the silicone bit and using a cotton swab to gently clean the inside and outside. Then, use the soft cloth to wipe down the earbud, and finish by snapping the tips back onto the stem. You can also rinse the silicone bits with water if need be—just make sure to not use any abrasive cleaners. Wipe them dry afterward, and only snap them back on once they’re completely moisture-free. 

If you’ve got stains on your earbuds, Apple says you can slightly dampen a cloth with water, wipe them down, and then dry them with a soft cloth. Again, wait for them to fully dry before using or putting them back into their case.

When cleaning the case, first take a cotton swab and gently dislodge any gunk from the crevices. Then, dab a bit of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol onto a clean cloth and wipe the outside of the case. When cleaning the inside, be sure to not insert anything into the charging ports. If there’s anything in the Lightning connector, Apple recommends removing it with a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush. Once you’re done cleaning the case, wait until it’s completely dry before placing your AirPods back in.

If you happen to overdo it with the isopropyl alcohol, and liquid gets inside the charging case of your AirPods, let it dry upside down with the lid open. Make completely sure the case is free of moisture before charging or placing your earbuds back in.

How to clean your AirPods Max and other over-ear headphones

Cleaning your AirPods Max or other over-ear headphones isn’t an entirely different beast, but you will want to be more delicate with the various parts. Apple recommends starting by removing the cushions from the earcups. Dampen a cloth with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent per cup of water, and gently rub the cushions. Use the same mix to clean the headband, holding your headphones upside down—in case there are any droplets, this will prevent them from flowing into the electric components in the cups. Finish by wiping the headband and cushions with a new cloth dampened with fresh water, and then dry them with a soft cloth. 

You can also use a cloth dampened with 70-percent isopropyl alcohol to wipe the exterior of the cushions, allowing them to dry completely before reattaching to the headphones. Use a cotton swab to dislodge any debris in small crevices, and then dampen a new one with isopropyl alcohol to clean any other small areas. Allow all the parts to dry completely (preferably overnight) before reattaching.

Final thoughts on how to clean AirPods and other audio gear

There’s no getting around it—if you want your earbuds or headphones to last, you need to clean them regularly. Some experts recommend cleaning them after every use, while others recommend doing so about once a week. Regardless of frequency, it’s crucial that you keep your audio gear clean for your own hygiene and for the audio quality. After all, grabbing a pair of headphones you’ve been eyeing for months is useless if you’ll have to eventually toss them out because you didn’t take care of them. 

The post How to clean AirPods and other headphones appeared first on Popular Science.

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There are now two morning after pills you can pick up after a night of intimacy. Everyone’s familiar with the emergency contraceptive Plan B, but doctors are also pushing for a new treatment called Doxy-PEP to stop the spread of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) right after unprotected sex.

“In the old days when you had unprotected sex, most worries were on getting pregnant, so you took the morning after pill. This is kind of like the morning after pill, but to prevent getting specific STDs,” says Adi Davidov, an OBGYN at Staten Island University Hospital at Northwell Health.

The US is long overdue for a new STI-prevention strategy. The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report more than 2.5 million new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 2021. Syphilis, in particular, rose 32 percent from the year prior. 

“The STIs have really been exponentially increasing across the US for the last decade,” says Philip Chan, an infectious disease physician and the medical director for the Rhode Island-based health clinic Open Door Health. Recent studies on Doxy-PEP have shown it prevents certain bacterial infections; Chan is using this data to help the CDC develop guidelines on prescribing the drug and address concerns of antibiotic resistance and superbugs. 

[Related: A guide to preventing, spotting, and managing STIs]

Doxy-PEP is currently available as a prescription medication for anyone in the US. But just like Plan B, it’s only effective if you understand how to use it properly.

What is Doxy-PEP and how does it work?

Doxy-PEP stands for doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis. It’s a one-time pill that contains 200 milligrams of the widely approved antibiotic doxycycline. In general, the drug wipes out bacterial infections by keeping germs from producing the essential proteins they need to survive.

The most ideal time to get treated with Doxy-PEP is within 24 hours of having sex. Jeffrey Klausner, an infectious disease specialist at the Keck School of Medicine of USC who has spearheaded multiple studies on STIs, says the current research estimates a 70 percent reduction in the risk of infection when taking the pill. “The studies went up to 72 hours, so we don’t really know what the long window is [for effectiveness]. The sooner you take it, the better.” 

Experts agree Doxy-Pep should be used as a contingency rather than as an alternative to condoms. Klausner says this is a medium-term solution until vaccines for STIs like gonorrhea and syphilis bring an end to these nuisances.

What are the side effects of Doxy-PEP?

Since 1967, doxycycline has been a popular antibiotic for getting rid of various disease-causing bacteria, from urinary tract infections to gum disease. But it’s not a perfect remedy. For example, the drug causes the user’s skin to become more sensitive, increasing the likelihood of a severe sunburn when outside.

In very rare situations, Klausner warns that Doxy-PEP can get stuck in a person’s food pipe, “particularly if you take it right before you go to bed.” If it does not travel all the way to the stomach, it can irritate the esophagus and potentially cause a hole or ulcer. To minimize this risk, take the pill at least half an hour before bed and with a full glass of water. You’ll also want to avoid alcohol when taking Doxy-PEP as it can lower the effectiveness of the antibiotic.

To be on the safe side, get a prescription if you’re worried about a possible infection after unprotected sex. Just be aware there are some side effects and precautions you need to follow when using the medication.

Who can take Doxy-PEP?

Anyone who’s had unprotected sex, had experiences with STIs in the past, or had multiple partners could benefit from Doxy-PEP. While there are no age restrictions, parental consent might be required for minors, just like with STI testing. The pill may be especially useful for gay and bisexual men: According to the CDC, this population makes up a disproportionate amount of STI cases. 

The treatment can also help give peace of mind to people who are trying to get pregnant and not using condoms, but still worried about STIs, says Davidov. However, he emphasizes it’s better to have sex with a partner who has tested negative for STIs.

Keep in mind Doxy-PEP only works on bacterial infections like gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, not viral ones like herpes or HIV. The pill also does not work on individuals who’ve already tested positive for those conditions.

Where to find Doxy-PEP

Like with any antibiotic, you need a prescription to get Doxy-PEP. But your primary care doctor might not be familiar with it, Chan explains. He recommends visiting a sexual health clinic that may be more well-versed in the latest treatment options. 

Some clinics will give out Doxy-PEP for free; if they don’t, insurance will likely cover the cost of the preventative treatment. Even if there is a co-pay or deductible, Klausner says it should not be financially burdensome as doxycycline is one of the cheapest antibiotics available.

Will Doxy-PEP make antibiotic resistance worse?  

The World Health Organization lists antibiotic resistance as one of the top 10 global health problems. Resistance to doxycycline in particular would be a major blow, in particular, because it might limit the ability to treat other infections like malaria and Lyme disease.

A study published this year in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at Doxy-PEP’s effectiveness and safety among men who had sex with men and transgender women who took the medicine within 72 hours of unprotected sex. While doxycycline reduced the risk of bacterial STIs by two-thirds, the authors did observe a few signs of antibacterial resistance. Notably, they found that some gonorrhea strains survived the antibiotic treatment. Doxy-PEP also cut the number of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium commonly found in the skin, in half. However, the germs that did persist grew to be antibiotic-resistant a year later—a concern given that doxycycline is usually prescribed to treat Staphylococcus aureus skin infections.

“It’s really about weighing the pros and the cons, and with the increasing incidence of STIs over the last decade, it’s clear we need to do something,” Chan explains. 

[Related: Why the FDA finally approved a condom for anal sex]

For now, the research linking antibiotic resistance to Doxy-PEP is still under investigation. But there is one silver lining: Clinical trials and real-life observations on the pill show that it works well and could improve the sexual health of millions. Just be sure to save it for emergencies.

The post This ‘morning after’ pill could prevent STIs from unprotected sex appeared first on Popular Science.

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If you’ve ever stared at a pyramid of watermelons and just grabbed the one on top, keep reading. You and your probably-subpar melon could use a lesson or two in how to pick the ripest fruit at the market.

Produce selection is one of those valuable life lessons most people never get. And honestly, a lot of folks don’t even know what they’re missing. If you didn’t grow up eating summer corn picked that morning, peaches plucked right off the tree, or strawberries you harvested yourself, you probably don’t know how great fruit can taste. Lots of grocery store stock won’t ever compare to the haul you’ll get from a farmer’s market (or, better yet, at the farm itself), but a little know-how can help you find the best of the lot—and understand when to skip out.

What is a ripe fruit, anyway?

This seems like where we should start, but it’s actually one step too far. First, we have to define what a fruit is, that will help you understand why we’re not also going to talk about how to pick out ripe vegetables.

Scientifically and botanically speaking, fruits are reproductive bits—they’re how plants spread their seeds. Vegetables are, basically, everything else. When you chow down on asparagus or some nice, crunchy iceberg lettuce, you’re eating a part of the plant nature didn’t really intend for you to eat.

“Their ultimate goal is to produce a seed, but humans came along and modified it, and said let’s make the leaves lush, soft, and tender,” says Marvin Pritts, a professor of plant science at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “The original species wasn’t that good—it was edible. We’ve made it taste good.”

Because vegetables are somewhat artificially produced for humans, you don’t have to play a guessing game to know when the product will be edible. Once they’re the size you want, you can pick them.

“Farmers don’t harvest vegetables until they’re ready, and then it’s just a race against time,” says Patrick Ahern, a supply chain director for Baldor Specialty Foods, one of the largest fresh produce distributors in the Northeast. “Every minute after that, it gets worse.”

Ahern’s advice for the best veggie is to buy it as close to the source as possible and to eat it right away (or store it properly if you need to save it). It’s a good sign if greenery is still attached to it, since it’s a clue that the produce was harvested within the last few days (Ahern says this is why high-end chefs often only buy carrots with the tops still on). But overall, vegetables will keep a lot longer and better than any fruit.

[Related: 6 ways to magically regrow vegetables in only water]

This brings us back to what the heck happens when a fruit ripens. A plant’s ultimate goal for its fruit is to get you to eat it, because for millions of years “you” were an animal who was going to poop out the seeds, thereby spreading the plant around. We’ve interrupted that chain with our newfangled sewage systems, but plants haven’t figured that out yet. They still produce fruits that are luscious and ready to eat precisely as the seeds become mature. Pitts says up to 10 percent of a plant’s genes are for controlling ripeness, which is a tribute to exactly how complex and important the maturation process is.

As a fruit grows, it accumulates nutrients, water, and, in some cases, starch. But it stays green to blend in with surrounding leaves until the seeds are mature. Once it’s ready to be eaten, the chlorophyll breaks down, revealing the true color underneath. Simultaneously, the starches will change into sugars and the fruit will begin producing aromatic compounds, which give it a characteristic flavor. That’s ripening in a nutshell.

Choose the wrong fruit, and you’re going to be disappointed

A century ago, kids used to get oranges for Christmas. That may sound like a poor gift now, but at the time, it was special—oranges were only available in winter. As time went on, researchers and farmers developed incredibly clever ways to ship produce around the world year-round, giving the developed world access to most fruit whenever we want it. But as we’ve bred plants for storage and appearance, Pritts laments, we’ve lost a lot of flavor.

The American supply of strawberries, for instance, is grown almost exclusively in California. If you picked those berries at optimal ripeness, they’d spoil before they got to the East Coast. So farmers harvest strawberries a little early, when they’re hardy enough to withstand the shipping. Normal, wild strawberries wouldn’t turn red off the vine, so farmers today use varieties bred to blush even after they’re picked.

But here’s the problem: Some fruits can’t really ripen after they’re picked. Strawberries, peaches, and many other fruits don’t store starches, so they have to remain attached to the plant to produce the optimal levels of sugars. If you pick them too early, they’ll contain some sugar, but they won’t develop a richer, sweeter flavor even if you let them sit for a while. That’s why nothing compares to a tree-ripened peach.

Other fruits, like apples and bananas, stockpile starches, and can thus be ripened in storage. Bananas are exclusively picked green, shipped, and then exposed to ethylene gas at their destination to ripen them. Ethylene gas is a kind of chemical trigger for a lot of so-called climacteric fruits—it gets the ripening process rolling. Farmers and distributors can withhold ethylene until exactly the right moment, ensuring consumers get a perfectly ripe product. It also means these fruits will ripen on your kitchen counter, as they produce small amounts of ethylene themselves.

Our actual guide to picking out fruits

Here’s a TL;DR for those of you who scrolled down to get to the goods: Some fruits will ripen nicely in your kitchen, while others won’t. Knowing the difference—and understanding the signs of a ripe fruit—will help you know when the off-season stuff just isn’t worth it. Here’s what Ahern looks for in good produce:

Watermelons

For all melons, you want the one that “feels heavier than it looks,” Ahern says. He admits that may be hard for someone who has little experience weighing produce in their hands, but the idea here is to select the densest melon. Pick a few up and see how they feel. The sweetest one will be particularly heavy for its size, because heft is a sign that the melon contains a lot of water. As they ripen and develop sugars and other aromatics, melons (and a lot of other fruits) accumulate water, so a heavy specimen was likely ripened on the plant, which mean lots of flavor.

You can also rap your knuckles on a watermelon for additional help—a nice hollow sound indicates more water content. Watermelons ripened on the vine will also have a large yellow spot where they were touching the ground. If the spot is white, though, it’s not ripe yet.

Cantaloupe, honeydew, and other melons

The same heft principle applies here, but the yellow spot and knocking tricks don’t. Instead, look for a melon that has a little bit of give on the bottom (opposite to the stem) where the flower was attached. Ideally, it should also be a little bit sticky at that end and have a nice aroma at the stem. Cantaloupes and Galia melons should have defined netting (that rough pattern on their skin), and, in general, the best melons will have the most intense color. Those without a bright hue should simply be less green when ripe.

Oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus

Like a good melon, a nice citrus will feel heavier than it looks. A light piece of fruit either means it was picked before it was ripe, or that it’s been sitting around for a long time and got dehydrated as water evaporated through the skin.

Tomatoes

They say knowledge is understanding that a tomato is a fruit, and wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. We’re here to tell you that true enlightenment is realizing redness is not a sign of a ripe tomato. The best clue here is smell, so bring one up to your sniffer and get a whiff of the stem end. If it doesn’t smell like a tomato, it’s not ripe. If it has a nice aroma, opt for one with a little give to it, but without smush, black specks, or crinkly age lines, as those all indicate an overripe tomato.

Avocados

This trendy fruit actually doesn’t ripen on the tree, making it a boon for both avocado farmers and you. Though they reach peak ripeness for only a brief time, you can tell by brushing the calyx—the bit that looks like a tiny stem. If the calyx comes off easily, the fruit is nice and ripe (though if there’s brown underneath, it’s probably overripe). If the calyx doesn’t come off, it’s still brooding. You can also check out the color of the skin, which should be a deep green, assuming you’re eating a Hass. If you want to squeeze it, you can: A ripe avocado will have a little give to it, but Ahern doesn’t recommend this because it’ll cause bruising when the fruit does ripen.

[Related: How to actually remove pesticides from your fruit]

One solid tip is to look for avocadoes at the bottom of the pile, where ethylene has a better chance of building up (just make sure they haven’t been crushed by those on top). Or once you’re home, toss the hard avocados in a paper bag, maybe even with a banana, to trap the ethylene and prompt ripening.

Pears

Pears are like avocados in that they’re only ready to eat for a very short period of time. Buy them hard and as blemish-free as possible—any spots will turn brown once ripe—and let them sit on your counter until they start to change color (green varieties, unfortunately, don’t change much, so it’ll be harder to tell). Once ripe, they’ll have a little give to them, though Bosc pears will be a bit harder than others. Ahern also says that while he prefers to buy local for almost everything, pears from nearby farms often just get tossed into a box. It’s usually the fruit from pear-producing areas like Washington, which package their produce carefully, that yield the best bruise-free pears.

Apples

Since apples are pretty much picked at peak ripeness and kept in cold, ethylene-controlled storage until they’re ready for the grocery store, you really just want an apple that’s as blemish-free as possible. With non-green varieties, you’re also looking for a bright color.

Strawberries and other berries

Pretty much all berries are picked only when ripe, so for everything except strawberries, you’re basically making sure you don’t have many rotten pieces. Turn the container around in your hands and take a peek at the bottom to make sure you don’t see (or feel) mushy bits. With strawberries, the best indication is a pleasant odor—you can smell the ripe one from a distance.

Mangoes

There are tons of varieties of mangoes, but the ones we get in the US pretty much all start off green and turn yellow or red as they ripen. You’re looking for as much color as possible, a little give when squeezed, and a sweet mango aroma.

Peaches and nectarines

The key here is smell, especially with peaches. Neither fruit ripens well off the tree, so don’t bother buying rock-hard versions; they’ll soften in your kitchen, but they won’t develop any more flavor. If you can find a plump peach, make sure it’s as blemish-free as possible.

Pineapples

Again, smell is key. A good pineapple will smell like one, and the skin should have a more yellow tint rather than pure green. Another good test: Try to pull out the leaves at the top. If they come off easily, that’s a good sign it’s ripe. Fuzziness at the bottom could mean the fruit is past its prime.

Cherries

Cherries are a true summer fruit, filling trays and tables at markets until the end of the season. But the secret to a cherry’s ripeness is in its skin. The sweetest stone fruits will be dark red, shiny, unblemished, and firm to the touch. Straight stems are a good sign, too. Of course, there are sour cherries, which make for great pies and baked goods—those will typically be light red or yellow.

This post has been updated. It was originally published on July 11, 2019.

The post Pick the sweetest, ripest fruit with this science-based guide appeared first on Popular Science.

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Whether you’re dead-set on your decision or still a little unsure, some part of you is urging you to cancel Amazon Prime. You have your reasons. The good news is that getting rid of your subscription is quick and easy… unless Amazon convinces you otherwise along the way.

You can cancel your Prime membership at any time, and don’t worry: you’ll still get to keep your Amazon account. Prime is just the online retailer’s subscription program, so even if you ditch it you’ll still be able to buy stuff on the site—you just won’t have access to Prime deals or expedited free shipping. And while you won’t get a refund for canceling early (before your next billing date), Prime’s benefits won’t disappear until that date arrives.

The only time you won’t have to pay anything is if you’re just testing the program out for 30 days to see how you like it. In that case, you can cancel the Amazon Prime free trial before it ends, and your card will be spared any charges.

How to cancel Amazon Prime 

The cancelation process works exactly the same whether you’re trying to end a monthly, yearly, or free trial subscription. Canceling Prime will also shut off your access to benefits like Prime Video and Amazon Music—you can’t say goodbye to them individually. To start, click Accounts & Lists in the upper right corner of the Amazon website to manage your Prime membership. Once you’re there, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Prime tile—it’s the third one in the first row.

2. Amazon really, really won’t want you to cancel Prime, so it’ll try its best to remind you of all the benefits of having a subscription. Ignore all that and focus on the banner at the top of the screen, where you’ll click on Manage membership, the third option to the right.

3. Go to the bottom of the dropdown menu and click End membership. 

[Related: Canceling Prime just got easier for Amazon customers in the EU]

4. Again, Amazon will remind you of everything you’ll be losing if you leave, but you are stronger, so scroll down and choose Continue to cancel. 

• Note: If you start doubting whether you actually want to cancel Amazon Prime, this page also allows you to change plans (click Prime plan offers) or procrastinate (click Remind me later).

5. The next screen will display a summary of your membership, including what you’re paying, how often, and when your next payment is due. You have two options here: Cancel on renewal and Pause on renewal. The first one is selected by default, so if that’s what you want, confirm it by clicking the yellow button that says End on [your next billing date].

If second thoughts keep haunting you, select Pause on renewal and confirm your choice. Pausing is similar to canceling your Prime membership in that you won’t have to pay anything until you come back, which you can do whenever you want. There are some differences, though. For one, if you cancel, you’ll lose your Prime Video watchlist, as well as any household members you might have added. If you’ve stored any pics on Amazon Photos or created any playlists on Amazon Music, you’ll also lose those. If you pause your membership, however, your personalized settings and content will be waiting there for you when you come back. 

New member? Try a monthly plan first

A 30-day free trial may not be enough to know how much you’ll actually use a Prime membership. It’s fresh and new, so you may be excited about all the benefits, exclusive deals, and fast free shipping, so you’ll likely use it more. 

[Related: Amazon tricked millions into renewing Prime subscriptions, FTC lawsuit claims]

If you’ve never had a Prime membership, start by signing up for a monthly subscription so you can find out if you really get a lot out of it. In the long run, paying month-to-month is slightly less convenient than paying for an entire year upfront, but you can use that time to experiment and see if Prime is just something that’s nice to have, or if it’s something you just cannot live without.

The post How to cancel Amazon Prime in 5 easy steps appeared first on Popular Science.

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MAGIC FIRST TOOK SHAPE from the occult—from unseen forces once more popularly believed to flow from the spirit world to alter the course of mortal events. Throughout history, magicians were seen as aloof figures mysteriously granted secret knowledge to channel numinous power. In some cultures and times, magicians held sway as oracles and shamans; in others, they were shunned as sorcerers and witches—or worse. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that magic made a break from its mostly mystical roots. Interest in magic grew exponentially into the 20th century when it became a popular performing art, sparking decades of fantastic feats of illusion, conjuring, and escapology known as the Golden Age of Magic.

Given magic’s history, it is particularly apt that in 1930, in the midst of magic’s heyday, Popular Science offered readers do-it-yourself instructions for building a “spiritphone”—a gadget capable of making prophecies by dint of its apparent radio connection with “the land of the departed.”   

“The spiritphone,” wrote George S. Greene, “is easy to construct and still easier to operate, and is one of the most effective tricks for the amateur magician.” The trick’s premise is to guess the name of a famous person secretly picked by a member of the audience. 

Slips of blank paper are handed out, and each audience member jots down the name of a “departed hero or famous [person]” of their own choosing. The folded slips are then collected in a hat. A member of the audience is chosen at random to select a folded slip, without peering at the name. The magician hands that volunteer the spiritphone, but not before barely turning a fake screw at its base, which brings the name of a famous person into view on the spiritphone’s dial. The volunteer is then instructed to ask the spiritphone, via a receiver, what name is on the slip of paper. The spiritphone “responds,” and the volunteer announces to the audience what they “hear”—which really means what they see on the spiritphone’s display. To everyone’s delight, the spiritphone’s answer matches what’s written on the folded slip of paper. That’s because when the slips of paper are collected from the audience, with sleight of hand, the magician tucks them into the hat’s interior sweatband and replaces them with slips that all bear the same name, preselected by the magician. The spiritphone has the same name imprinted on the rotating display in its interior mechanism, which Greene’s instructions explain how to build.

Greene was a longtime Popular Science contributor who covered the magic beat, regularly explaining how tricks worked. One such article, written in January 1929, “Famous Magic Tricks Explained,” garnered protest from readers who didn’t want the magazine to reveal what was behind the curtain and spoil the charm of mainstream magic’s spell.

For instance, Greene explained how escapologists, like the legendary Harry Houdini, could vanish from an enclosed tank filled with water. Such tanks, it turns out, had a concealed trap door connected to a man-sized tube that deposited the performer backstage. “To perform the feat,” Greene explained, “one must, of course, have the ability to stay under water for the minute or two required.” Houdini could definitely hold his breath, but did he possess supernatural abilities? According to Greene, the trick is in the prop. Magicians are “specialists in woodcraft and metalworking, electricity, and psychology, and the ideas worked out are, in many cases, equal in cleverness to the products of our modern inventors.” 

In Greene’s time, carnivals were a popular venue for magic, and fortune telling was a cornerstone of traveling performances. Remember the crystal-gazing Omaha magician who becomes the Wizard in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (an American classic with magic and illusion at its core)? The rise of television after World War II offered magicians an opportunity to branch out from their vaudeville roots. Today, David Copperfield is perhaps one of the best-known practicing illusionists. The 2013 blockbuster movie Now You See Me took illusion to a whole new level with the assistance of magic consultant (yes, there is such a profession), David Kwong.

Do-it-yourselfers nostalgic for the simple but clever magical props popular nearly a century ago can still follow Greene’s detailed spiritphone instructions. Some woodworking knowledge is a prerequisite, and a few modernizations might make the trick more relatable for a contemporary audience. For instance, a Bluetooth earbud or headset could replace the tethered receiver. An enterprising DIY magician might even connect it to their smartphone so a prerecorded name could be whispered into the assistant’s ear to match the secret name on the spiritphone’s display. Oh, and you’ll want to bring your own hat. It’s not likely that anyone in a 2020s audience will be able to offer a 1920s-style felt hat equipped with a paper-slip-concealing interior sweatband. 

Read more PopSci+ stories.

The post This gadget from 1930 let people ‘talk’ to the dead—with a magic trick appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best photoelectric		First Alert SA511CN2-3ST		SEE IT	This smoke detector two-pack from First Alert packs a one-two punch.
Best for kitchen		First Alert SCO7CN Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector		SEE IT	First Alert’s SCO7CN detects a threat when its in the smoldering stage; provides LED light, beeping, and voice alarms; but can sense the difference between a dish gone awry and a true emergency.
Best for smoke and carbon monoxide		Kidde Smoke & Carbon Monoxide		SEE IT	Kidde’s combo smoke alarm also protects against carbon monoxide.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, around two-thirds of home fire deaths happen in spaces without a smoke detector. It takes minutes for a fire to fill your home with thick black smoke. The critical warning they provide can mean the difference between life and death. If your detectors are broken or very old, you should take the time to replace them. Luckily, even the best smoke detectors are affordable and easy to install, and we’ve collected options for you to explore.

• Best photoelectric: First Alert SA511 CN2-3ST
• Best for kitchen: First Alert SCO7CN Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Best ionization: First Alert 9120B Smoke Detector
• Best for smoke and carbon monoxide detector: Kidde Smoke & Carbon Monoxide
• Best battery-powered: First Alert PR710 Slim Smoke Alarm
• Best smart: Google Nest Protect
• Best budget: Kidde Smoke Detector (i12060)

How we chose the best smoke detectors

I’ve been renting an apartment with my wife (and dog) for nearly 10 years, and during that time, I replaced our old smoke detector with something new. I regularly test the detector to ensure it’s in working order, and I also monitor the condition of our major appliances, wall heater, and fireplace for potential fire risk. These are just a few small steps necessary in a more comprehensive fire safety plan, including a fire extinguisher and escape route.

When I’m not obsessing over my family’s safety, I’m writing about gadgets and gear for publications like Popular Science, CNN Underscored, and TechnoBuffalo. To make these selections, I consulted fire safety guides from health and safety organizations, including NFPA.org, Ready.gov, and RedCross.org. I also reviewed PopSci’s previous coverage of the best practices for fire safety and consulted expert reviews.

The best smoke detectors: Reviews & Recommendations

Smoke detectors are extremely important for every home. If you haven’t replaced yours in the past decade, it’s time to buy a new set. The best detectors are affordable, reliable, and easy to install. More importantly, these fire alarms will provide you and your family with protection and peace of mind.

Best photoelectric: First Alert SA511CN2-3ST

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The First Alert SA511CN2-3ST packs powerful interconnectivity and voice alerts to let you know when there’s a fire.

Specs

• Type: Battery-powered (AA x 2)
• Sensor: Photoelectronic
• Interconnectivity: Yes

Pros

• Interconnectivity
• Simple setup
• Voice alert

Cons

• Limited number of location presets

The First Alert SA511CN2-3ST hits all the basic marks we look for in a smoke detector. This UL-Listed photoelectric model features interconnectivity so you can connect up to 18 smoke alarms across your home. You can also assign this fire detector with one of 11 pre-set home locations, so its voice alert can tell you where the smoke is coming from.

Since it is designed to work as part of a larger set, we recommend a two-pack of detectors to make it a little more affordable if you decide to replace a full set of smoke detectors. That said, you can always get an individual model as well.

Best for kitchen: First Alert SCO7CN Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This photoelectric smoke detector senses both smoke and carbon monoxide and has a triple alarm system, but can also distinguish between danger and a cooking mishap.

Specs

• Type: Battery-powered (AA x 2)
• Sensor: Photoelectric
• Interconnectivity: No

Pros

• Alerts to both smoke and high levels of carbon monoxide
• Provides multiple alarms: beeping, LED light, and voice
• Distinguishes between threats and overcooked meals

Cons

• Some users say it’s hard to change the batteries 
• Alarm is shrill and difficult to turn off

Home fires are most likely to start in the kitchen, according to the Red Cross. That’s why you might want a dedicated smoke detector in the room. First Alert’s SCO7CN Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector is a good choice. Its photoelectric sensor can detect smoldering fires, alerting you before you smell smoke or see flames. It’s designed with simultaneous alarms to let you know about smoke or high levels of carbon monoxide: a flashing LED light, beeping, and a voice alert. This kitchen smoke detector allows you to pre-program 11 potential threat locations in your home and can also help you pinpoint where the threat is coming from, so you can find the best escape route. That said, the device is also designed to detect between real danger and that concoction you left in the oven a little too long.

Best ionization: Kidde Smoke Detector (i12060)

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Why it made the cut: The Kidde Smoke Detector is simple, affordable, and offers powerful interconnectivity.

Specs

• Type: Hardwired (battery backup; 9-volt)
• Sensor: Ionization
• Interconnectivity: Yes

Pros

• Very affordable
• Interconnectivity
• Easily replaceable backup battery

Cons

• Requires professional installation
• Hardwired might work in all homes

If you’re already planning to get some electrical work done, this Kidde Smoke Detector is a very affordable hardwired smoke detector with a battery backup. It looks simple but can sync with up to 24 safety devices, including up to 18 smoke alarms. In addition to a hush/test button on the front, Kidde’s smoke detector also features a tamper-resistant locking pin, a low battery indicator, and a flashing LED, so you know it’s working. Conveniently, the unit also features a front-facing battery door, so you can easily replace the 9-volt battery. Small features like this can make a big difference, particularly if you’re in a space with multiple alarms.

Best for smoke and carbon monoxide: Kidde Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: If you don’t already own a carbon monoxide detector, Kidde’s combination smoke/CO alarm has you covered.

Specs

• Type: Battery-powered (9-volt)
• Sensor: Photoelectric
• Interconnectivity: No

Pros

• Also offers a carbon monoxide detector
• Voice alerts
• Easy battery replacement

Cons

• No interconnectivity

Kidde’s combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm is an excellent option if you need to install both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The battery-powered combination alarm constantly monitors your home for smoke and gas, providing specific voice alerts if danger exists. (It also calls out “low battery” when it’s time to replace its 9-volt power source.) Kidde’s combination alarm also features a convenient hush/test button and a battery compartment on the front, making it easy to perform an annual battery change. For additional peace of mind at home, check out our guide to home security systems.

Best battery-powered: First Alert PR710 Slim Smoke Alarm

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Why it made the cut: With a slim profile and long-lasting battery, the First Alert PR710 Slim is a great way to protect your home.

Specs

• Type: Battery-powered (lithium-ion)
• Sensor: Photoelectric
• Interconnectivity: No

Pros

• Long-lasting battery
• Very little maintenance
• Slim profile

Cons

• No interconnectivity

If your home is too old for a hardwired smoke alarm, but you don’t want to change a battery ever, the First Alert PR710 Slim is a solid photoelectric smoke detector with a sealed lithium-ion battery guaranteed to last 10 years. Its thin, low-profile design is no-frills—just a single test/mute button, and that’s it. Unlike many of our other picks, it uses a classic siren rather than voice alerts. It also cannot sync with other alarms. All in all, it’s a great option for apartments and other small spaces where you just need one smoke alarm, and you’d prefer to buy a new smoke detector every 10 years than replace a set of batteries every few months.

Best smart: Google Nest Protect

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Why it made the cut: The Nest Protect by Google provides a multitude of smart features in addition to smoke and CO detection.

Specs

• Type: Battery-powered or hardwired
• Sensor: Split-spectrum
• Interconnectivity: Yes

Pros

• Smartphone notifications
• Supports battery-powered and hardwired setups
• Split-spectrum sensor
• Advanced interconnectivity

Cons

• Expensive

The Google Nest Protect offers traditional smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring, with several convenient smart features. Chief among them, you receive a direct alert through the Nest smartphone app (for iOS and Android) when it detects danger. You can also conveniently mute the alarm through that alert. This smart smoke detector features a specialized photoelectric “Split-Spectrum” sensor, which uses two LED lights to detect a wider range of smoke particles. According to Google, the Split-Spectrum Sensor adds all the benefits of Ionization smoke detectors, without drawbacks like false alarms (or buying two types of smoke detectors).

Of course, the downside here is that the Nest Protect costs a lot more than any other smoke detector. In many cases, you can buy three standard photoelectric detectors for the price of one Nest Protect. It may be a convenient upgrade if you already have Nest gear at home, but it’s paying a pretty penny for the privilege. If you want connectivity throughout your home, consider these smart home devices.

Best budget: First Alert 9120B Smoke Detector

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Why it made the cut: The First Alert 9210B Smoke Detector supports interconnectivity, an easily accessible test/mute button, and a 9-volt backup battery system.

Specs

• Type: Hardwired (battery backup; 9-volt)
• Sensor: Ionization
• Interconnectivity: Yes

Pros

• Battery backup
• Interconnectivity
• Easily accessible test/mute button

Cons

• Hardwired means more difficult installation

The First Alert 9120B Smoke Detector is a hardwired ionization unit with a single test/mute button and a 9-volt battery backup system. It can also act as part of an interconnected, multi-unit alarm system of up to 12 First Alert smoke detectors, so you have more comprehensive coverage in your home. The 9120B also features a dust cover to keep particles from getting in, a mounting bracket lock for tamper resistance, and smart technology designed to reduce false and “nuisance” alarms. 

Things to consider when buying the best smoke detectors

A smoke detector, or “smoke alarm,” senses the presence of smoke and blasts a loud alarm in response. While the options we’ve recommended vary in size and shape, home detectors typically feature plastic enclosures and are mounted high on a wall or ceiling.

“Today’s home fires burn faster than ever. In a typical home fire, you may have as little as two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds,” says Susan McKelvey, communications manager at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). “Having working smoke alarms installed in the required locations throughout your home—at least one on every level of the home, in each bedroom, and near all sleeping areas—can make the difference between life and death in a home fire.”

Though modern smoke detectors seem ubiquitous and interchangeable, manufacturers use a couple of different methods to make them:

• Photoelectric smoke detectors trigger an alarm when smoke enters a chamber and reflects light onto a sensor. They protect better against slow, smoldering fires than fast, raging fires. 

• Ionization smoke detectors feature a sensor with a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates. When smoke enters the chamber, the flow of ions becomes disrupted, activating the alarm. Ionization-type detectors are generally better at identifying fast-burning flaming fires.

Both photoelectric- and ionization-style detectors have advantages and disadvantages, so there is no one obvious choice. For comprehensive coverage, NFPA recommends using both kinds in your home. Some devices feature both technologies in a single device.

We recommend placing your smoke detectors based on their expertise. Use photoelectric detectors near stoves and outside of bathrooms, where smoke may accumulate over time from a small fire. Put ionization-style units in areas where fires are less likely to start so that they can catch fast-moving flames.

You shouldn’t have to think too much about your smoke detectors. A great one should be easy to install, take little effort to maintain, and accurately alert you when there’s an emergency. After installing a smoke detector, you shouldn’t even notice it’s there (unless it goes off). We considered dozens of options to find the best smoke detector. These factors separated the good detectors from the bad ones.

UL listing

The first and most important thing to look for in a smoke detector is a certification from Underwriters Laboratories, the safety science company that sets standards for equipment like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. All smoke detector manufacturers must meet the company’s most recent standard for smoke alarms, ANSI/UL 217, to place a UL certification on their products. Essentially, the “UL Listed” seal of approval tells you that a detector has been tested to meet strict requirements and will work as advertised. 

Hardwired vs. battery-powered

In addition to sensor technology, smoke detectors vary based on how they receive power. It’s worth keeping this in mind when you’re considering smoke detector installation. Most detectors rely on disposable batteries but hardwired models that you wire into your home’s power are also an option.

Battery-powered smoke detectors—which usually rely on disposable 9-volt, AA, or lithium cells—offer flexible placement. You can easily install one in any room in your home at any time. They also require slightly more maintenance, as you need to replace their batteries annually to ensure they’re operational. It’s important to note that manufacturers advise against using rechargeable batteries in smoke detectors, as they lose their charge more quickly and have a shorter runtime than standard disposable batteries.

Alternatively, some battery-powered detectors come with sealed-in lithium batteries designed to last 10 years, making it so you never have to worry about replacing a battery. Some states, including California, require you to use this kind of detector to prevent people from taking the batteries out when the alarm goes off. Check your state and city ordinances for the best guidance on what’s required in your area.

Other smoke detectors are designed to get hardwired into your home’s electrical system. This makes it so you’ll never have to replace a battery to keep them operational. That said, installing them is a much more time-intensive process and includes working with electrical wiring. If you purchase a hardwired detector, make sure to buy one that features a backup battery, which will keep your detectors on if your house loses power.

Interconnectivity

If you need to protect a large home with multiple floors, it helps to buy a set of “interconnected” smoke detectors that can sync with each other so that if one detector senses smoke, all of your alarms will go off. In the event of a serious, fast-moving fire, this will ensure that everyone in your home knows to get outside as quickly as possible.

Smart features

Most smoke detectors are relatively basic devices, but there are some newer “smart” models with internet-enabled features. If you’re in the market for wireless smoke detectors, these options will often sync up with a mobile app, allowing you to check their status and mute them from your phone. The app also can give you a warning before the alarm goes off, giving you a small window to silence it if you’re cooking or already know it’s a false alarm. Some even offer voice alerts and can tell you which detector senses smoke.

General best practices

So you’ve set up your new smoke alarm: what now? Steve Kerber, vice president and executive director of UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), says that frequent testing, not disabling smoke alarms (especially when cooking), and making a home fire escape plan is imperative to keeping you and your family safe.

“Your fire escape plan should include a plan A, B, and C,” Kerber says. “In Plan A, you exit through the nearest exit, most likely a door, close the door behind you as you exit, and head to your family’s meeting place to call 911. In Plan B, you exit through an alternate exit, which could be a window or a door located in a different part of the home, and, if you can, close the door or window behind you before going to your family’s meeting place to call 911. In Plan C, if you can’t get out, you get behind a closed door as far away from the fire as possible, turn on the light and do whatever you can to let the fire department know where you are inside the home. Cover the cracks with clothes, towels, drapes, or anything else available.”

McKelvey adds that it’s important also to check if your smoke alarm is still within its life limit, since they need to be replaced every 10 years.

“To do this, check the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm,” McKelvey says. “The smoke alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date or sooner if it begins to show signs of malfunction, such as when the alarm continues to chirp after the alarm is checked for dust or other disruptions and the batteries (if replaceable) are replaced.”

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best smoke detectors

• Best photoelectric: First Alert SA511 CN2-3ST
• Best for kitchen: First Alert SCO7CN Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Best ionization: Kidde Smoke Detector (i12060)
• Best for smoke and carbon monoxide detector: Kidde Smoke & Carbon Monoxide
• Best battery-powered: First Alert PR710 Slim Smoke Alarm
• Best smart: Google Nest Protect
• Best budget: First Alert 9120B Smoke Detector

A house fire can spread quickly, so every second counts. An early warning from a smoke detector can be the difference between life and death. Additionally, some smoke detectors come with a carbon monoxide detector built-in; others have smart capabilities and can send alerts to your phone. If your home isn’t properly outfitted with detectors, you should take the time to install them. It’s a worthy investment—your safety depends on it.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best smoke detectors in 2024, according to experts appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

More than one billion people around the world are trilingual. If you’re interested in joining this rank but love Spanish music just as much as you do French cinema, it can be difficult to pick a language to learn first. Luckily, you don’t necessarily have to.

“It’s definitely possible to learn two languages at once,” says Cindy Blanco, managing editor of learning content at Duolingo. If you put in the hours and effort, these tips will prevent you from getting tongue-tied in a foreign language or two. 

Your brain on language

Humans are wired to learn languages. We adopt our native tongues by absorbing phonetics in the womb, and then by listening and interacting with others once we’re born. Ultimately, this process gives way to associating words with meaning.

No matter your age, learning a language requires your brain to make new connections. Kids’ brains are good at this: thanks to their unparalleled neuroplasticity, they can easily adapt to new experiences. But as we grow older, our noggins become less malleable, making it more difficult to carve out the neural pathways necessary to understand a new lingo.  

“[Learning a new language] is like you’re going through the jungle with a machete and creating a path,” says Elizabeth Zackheim, co-founder of ABC Languages. “That’s the beginning. Then you have a well-trod walking path and maybe a dirt road. And then you pave the road and at some point, fluency is like a super highway.”

[Related: The language you speak changes your perception of time]

When you learn two languages at once, you’re macheting your way through the jungle but instead of creating one path, you’re creating two. That requires twice the discipline, time, and motivation. 

But it is possible. A 2020 study published in the International Journal of Multilingualism found that Chinese students simultaneously learning English and Russian acquired similar proficiency in English compared to a control group that just studied English.

Those who are already bilingual might have it even easier because their brain has already completed this “enormous effort,” says Blanco. A 2017 study published in the journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition suggests that bilinguals can learn new languages faster than monolinguals. 

Make a plan according to your objectives

Blanco says the biggest challenge of learning two languages simultaneously is finding enough time and opportunities to study them. But to know just how much effort and resources to put into it, you’ll need to define what you want to achieve with the lingos you’re planning to adopt. 

“Becoming professor-level fluent in Polish is going to take a really long time, but if you want to be able to have conversations while you’re traveling, that won’t take as much time,” she says. 

[Related: Complex languages might shape bilingual brains differently]

To help you alot your time and energy more efficiently, and get a better idea of what your study plan will look like, it’s important to understand how difficult a particular language is for a native English speaker. While it can take up to 2,200 hours to learn vernaculars like Arabic and Mandarin, if you grew up speaking English the U.S. Foreign Service Institute says it’ll be easier for you to pick up Czech and German, for example. The easiest languages for native English speakers to learn include Spanish, French, and Portuguese, which require between 600 and 750 hours of class and/or immersion to achieve professional proficiency.

You can do this by finding a private tutor or attending weekly classes (in person or online). As a complement to this structured practice, you can study by yourself, fill out language grammar workbooks, and try language-learning apps like Babbel, Mondly, or Duolingo (all of them available for Android, iOS, and on the web). 

If it feels too daunting to go full speed ahead on both languages right away, Zackheim says it might be easier to grasp basic grammar and vocabulary for one lingo before adding another one to the mix. That could look like focusing on building up your Spanish basics for a few months before adding on French. 

Don’t forget cultural immersion

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to grammar workbooks or hours-long language courses. This is why it’s important to mix in different kinds of learning opportunities whenever you can.

“You really need to be doing activities in the language multiple days a week,” Blanco says. “If you’re someone who goes to the gym, make a playlist in the language you’re learning. As long as you’re listening to it and using it in some way, that will help build these language skills.” 

You can also listen to podcasts in your desired languages, watch movies or TV shows with subtitles, read books, or attend language exchanges near you. Cultural immersion has the added benefit of not feeling quite as laborious as study time, she adds.

Learning two languages sounds like a huge challenge to take on, but instead of focusing on its difficulty or how long it takes, it helps to think about how it opens doors to new worlds. 

“It gives you twice as many movies for you to stream, twice as many playlists to build,” Blanco says. “And twice as many communities to connect with.”

The post You should learn two languages at once appeared first on Popular Science.

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As your car sits parked in the shade of a tree, a silent threat lurks above. Drop by drop, tree sap falls from the branches overhead, landing on your vehicle’s formerly sparkling hood. You’ll want to get it off before it’s too late.

At first glance, the sugary liquid seems harmless, but it can seriously ruin your vehicle’s paint job and body over time. First, it’ll bond to the clear coat, then penetrate down to the paint, and ultimately reach the metal underneath, leading to rust. 

Fortunately, if you notice the goo in time and spend a few minutes removing it, you can save your car from corrosion. Follow these easy steps, and you’ll be able to get tree sap off your vehicle in no time. 

How to remove tree sap from your car  

The easiest way to avoid dealing with tree gunk is to not park under a tree. But sometimes that’s not a viable option, and even if it is, wind can blow sap onto your shiny chariot. 

Whether the sap falls on glass or paint poses two wildly different scenarios, explains Larry Kosilla, life-long car detailer and founder of AMMO NYC. If the goop made it onto your windshield, you’re in luck, he says: “You can use a razor blade extension and just kind of shave it off.” 

[Related: The right and wrong ways to clear ice and snow from your car]

But a razor blade is not an excellent option if you’re removing sap from the roof or hood of your vehicle—especially if you’re inexperienced or anything but extremely careful. “If you are not good, then you can cut into the paint,” says Jonathon Klein, the managing editor at The Drive, a car magazine owned by PopSci’s parent company Recurrent Ventures. 

If tree blood is splattered across your car’s body, don’t do anything before you hose it down with water to remove dirt and debris. Afterward, dry your vehicle with a microfiber towel—this type of lightweight cloth is easy to wash, non-abrasive, and won’t leave lint behind like a cotton towel. 

“You don’t want to use any abrasives or anything that has a high grit count,” Klein says. “What you have to be aware of is to be careful throughout the process and not scratch your car’s paint.” 

After your cruiser is clean, you can start exploring your sap-removal options. Some classic household items can easily get tree sap off your car, but be warned—you should only use them sparingly, as they can damage your ride’s finish. 

Be careful, though: This disinfectant can be harsh and damage the clear coat of your car, but you can use it now and then to get rid of tree sap without completely ruining its paint job. 

Make a mix with a 1-to-1 ratio of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and water and pour it into a cotton ball. Use it to cover the sap and let it sit for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can do the same with some alcohol-based hand sanitizer—if it’s thick enough, you can forgo the cotton ball and apply it directly to the sap. Finish by wiping your vehicle clean with a wet cloth. 

White vinegar

If white vinegar is the only ingredient you have on hand to remove stubborn tree sap, you can apply the same process mentioned above. But you should still beware: “Vinegar is on the acidic side and could be causing some damage to your car,” Kosilla says 

Make a 1-to-1 mix of water and white vinegar and spray it on the sap. Let it sit before cleaning everything with a wet microfiber cloth.

Hair dryer or heat gun 

If you’re not willing to risk pouring chemicals onto your car-baby, Klein recommends a heat gun. It’s a safe option used by beginners and experienced detailers alike.

“It is the easiest way that I have found to pull sap off a car,” he says. 

If you don’t have a heat gun at home and don’t want to get one, Klein says you can also use a hair dryer. Keep in mind this hairdressing tool normally doesn’t reach the same temperatures as a heat gun, so you may require a higher heat setting or a longer exposure to get rid of the tree sap sitting on your vehicle. 

Set the heat gun or hairdryer to low or medium and hover it about 6 to 10 inches above the sticky glob. The exact distance will depend on the temperature you’re using—make sure you’re close enough to warm up the sap but not so close that you melt the clear coat. Keep a steady heat flow for one to two minutes or until the sap gets gooey again, then remove it with a microfiber cloth. If it doesn’t come off, repeat the process. 

When using a heat gun, don’t be tempted to save yourself time by using more heat or applying it for longer than the suggested time, as temperatures 300 degrees Fahrenheit and above could damage your cruiser’s clear coat and paint.  

Dedicated sap-removers

Commercial products like Bug Be Gone and WD40 are multi-use cleaners that can remove tree sap, other plant residue, and animal droppings. 

Start by making sure your car is cool to avoid any discoloration. Only then, spray one of these multi-cleaner products on the sap spot and let it sit for about two minutes. After that, you should be able to wipe away the tree gunk with a wet microfiber cloth. 

How does tree sap damage your car? 

Typically, cars have five layers of paint and finish. The first one is an electrocoat, or e-coat that protects the metal against corrosion, and on top of that sit layers of primer, base coat, and the actual paint that gives your ride its color. The entire job is sealed by a transparent coating that shields your vehicle from the elements. If you’re a dedicated car owner, your machine might also be protected by a coat of wax, which provides a glossy, shiny finish. 

[Related: Tree resin could replace fossil fuels in everything from printer ink to shoe polish]

When a droplet of sugary sap plops onto your steel chariot, it will instantly stick to the wax and/or clear coat layers, and the longer it sits there, the harder it’ll be to remove. Car paint is designed to expand and contract in response to heating and cooling. As it does this and the sap hardens, the sticky stuff will become rooted into the paint.

The post How to keep tree sap from ruining your car’s paint appeared first on Popular Science.

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When you need a new piece of furniture, the first instinct may be to go to hit up IKEA. But buying secondhand is a sustainable, affordable, and stylish option. Not only will you keep used furniture from going to a landfill, but you’ll also save the resources and energy required to manufacture a new one. About 12.1 million tons of furniture and furnishings municipal solid waste were generated in 2018. 

Before going ahead with your thrift store or flea market purchase, make sure to scrutinize it for structural damage, repairability, and any future upgrades you may have in mind. After all, you want to go home with a piece of furniture that won’t require immediate replacement.

Check for signs of structural damage

When buying secondhand furniture, the first thing to do is to check for any damages. Ensure that its parts aren’t falling apart, it’s still functional, and can support adequate weight. 

Conducting a thorough check helps ensure that you don’t end up with a good-looking item that doesn’t serve its purpose anymore, says Jerri Hobdy, furniture designer and founder of MENO, a design studio and showroom in Denver. The feeling of being stuck with an item and wanting to get rid of it is “a slippery slope to the piece ending up curbside and eventually in a landfill,” she adds.

[Related: Host a sustainable affair with these environmentally-friendly tips.]

For example, if you’re buying a cabinet or a dresser, check if all the drawers open properly. Test the handles to ensure they’re not falling off. When it comes to arm chairs or couches, make sure there are no missing legs or broken springs, and that the piece can comfortably hold your weight. Try leaning on tables from different sides to see if it’s uneven. In fabric-covered pieces like sofas and chairs, inspect dark corners and run any card through the creases on the surface to check for bed bugs or their eggs.

If you love a piece but find some issues with it, consider whether the repairs required are easy enough and not too costly. Checking for damage seems obvious, but “sometimes the allure of a unique or on-trend find can distract us from how we actually will interact with the piece everyday,” says Hobdy.

Know what the furniture is made of

Proper furniture care prevents materials from weathering prematurely and maintains aesthetic qualities, allowing it to be passed on for decades, says Hodby. If you want your secondhand finds to last, you need to know exactly what it’s made of. Otherwise, you might not know how to take care of it properly, which can affect its lifespan. 

For instance, avoid using harsh chemicals like ammonia-based cleaners on wood veneer furniture because they can damage the finish beyond repair. When cleaning stains in a microfiber upholstery, use rubbing alcohol instead of water to avoid dried watermarks and spots.

Knowing the exact material is one of the challenges in buying furniture because there aren’t always material content tags like those you see on clothing, says Hobdy. “Most consumers don’t have visibility to a true materials breakdown even when purchasing new furniture, so it becomes more difficult to find out material details secondhand,” she adds.

Ask the retailer first if they have an idea about the material of the furniture you’re purchasing. You can also look it up online to try and look for more information about its material makeup. By scrutinizing furniture more closely, you can even set apart real materials from fake ones. Unlike fake and bonded leather, genuine leather has natural hide markings and the surface pattern isn’t completely uniform or repetitive. Meanwhile, solid wood tends to have carved detailing and a varied grain pattern, which you won’t see in laminate wood or wood veneer.

Durable materials that age well, like real wood and leather, are essential if you’re planning on treasuring a piece of furniture for years to come, says Deana McDonagh, empathic design research strategist and professor of industrial design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Assess its repairability

Repairability is an extremely important attribute of furniture, both in old and newly manufactured pieces, says Hobdy. If a piece of furniture is easy to repair, that means you won’t have to throw the entire thing away even if something breaks.

“The greatest opportunity to reduce waste in the furniture industry lies in creating more circular products and life cycles to help keep whole pieces out of landfills,” says Hobdy. “The more accessible a piece is to repair, the more likely that repair will happen, and the less likely an item is to become waste.”

To assess if a piece of furniture is repairable, check its material, finishing, fabrics, and components. The tools, labor, and specialty materials needed to repair furniture are often overlooked, says Hobdy. Solid wood and real leather are usually repairable.

[Related: Bendy, eco-friendly wooden walls were inspired by guitar curves.]

On the other hand, faux leather isn’t very repairable, and fixes to improve peeling and cracking don’t usually last. Broken strands of rattan can be fixed, but it might take some work or a specialist’s expertise. Knobs and handles from old dressers may be tricky to repair or replace, so check them well and see if matching a handle with existing screw holes will be relatively easy. 

Have a clear vision

Aside from checking the quality of materials and manufacture of the secondhand furniture, you should also think about how it will fit into your existing home environment, says McDonagh.

If a piece of furniture catches your eye but you’re not certain how it will fit in your current space or whether it will serve any real purpose, it might be best to hold off from buying. Be intentional with your purchase to ensure that the secondhand furniture—or an existing piece in your home—will not be thrown away needlessly.

McDonagh says you must also consider foreseeable events, like if you’re planning to adopt a pet, have a baby on the way, or are about to move soon. These factors would help you decide if a piece of furniture is a good fit for your lifestyle. If it is, then it would likely be in use for a long time.

“If you look after your furniture, your furniture will look after you,” says McDonagh. “Always treat your furniture as a part of your family. After all, it is looking after you 24 hours a day.”

The post Pro tips for buying high-quality used furniture—and keeping it looking new appeared first on Popular Science.

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When you’re dehydrated, whether as a result of a heavy workout or something else, like eating questionable food or partying a bit too hard, reaching out for a bottle of ice-cold water should help you recover. But depending on how long your body has been losing H2O, that alone may not be enough to replace what you’ve lost—you might also need electrolytes.

Sports drinks may be an option, but if you’re not participating in prolonged exercise, you don’t need all the extra carbs and calories—not to mention that red No. 40 food dye. Fortunately, you can easily craft your own homemade electrolyte drink for a cleaner hydration solution.

Whichever you choose to make, Larson recommends you start by consuming your DIY electrolyte drink only after exercising. This will make sure your body doesn’t have a negative reaction, as you don’t want to suffer from gastrointestinal issues during your run or workout.

Larson’s electrolyte water

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of coconut water
• 8 ounces of a fruit juice of your choice
• About 1/16 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

Shake or stir all the ingredients together to combine. Serve chilled or over ice for the most refreshing quaff.

Kadey’s Maple Orange Hydration Beverage

Ingredients

• 16 ounces of water
• 8 ounces of orange juice
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

Shake and combine all ingredients. You can add ice if you want.

What even are electrolytes?

Maintaining a healthy balance of water in the blood is critical for stabilizing your temperature (thermoregulation), and keeping healthy and efficient cardiovascular and muscle function. 

Electrolytes are a group of micronutrients that includes sodium chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. And while they’re all an important part of a healthy diet, when it comes to staying hydrated and maintaining the right amount of water in your blood, only one ingredient is indispensable for most non-endurance athletes: sodium chloride, also known as salt.

Sodium is the main electrolyte you lose when you sweat, making it the most important micronutrient to replace, Larson explains. And it doesn’t take much of a deficit to see negative effects. A 1994 study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, showed endurance athletes suffering from as little as 2 percent dehydration (meaning they’ve lost an amount of water equivalent to 2 percent of their body weight) may see impaired performance. Severe dehydration for adults begins at 10 percent, but you can start experiencing symptoms like headaches and dizziness at a 5 percent dehydration level.

Chugging copious amounts of water can sound like a solution, but it can also lead to hyponatremia. This condition results from a dangerously low concentration of sodium in the blood, which in extreme cases can cause potentially deadly pulmonary or cerebral edemas.

When to bust out an electrolyte drink

There are several ways to tell if you need electrolytes. If you are experiencing muscle cramps during exercise, don’t reach for a banana, as most bodies maintain a solid store of potassium. Instead, opt for some salt in the form of an electrolyte drink, as Larson explains there’s evidence that cramping may be a signal that you need a sodium boost.

If you’re running low on electrolytes, you may also experience a lack of energy or reduced performance, though not having enough carbohydrates to fuel your body may be a reason as well. This is why many store-bought electrolyte drinks and mixes contain sugar or other simple carbs, explains Kadey.

Finally, if you start feeling disoriented or confused, that could be a sign of dehydration or heat illness, and you should seek medical attention right away.

[Related: The truth about hydration hacks like IV therapies, alkaline water, and more]

If you’re not experiencing any symptoms, whether you need a bottle of water or an electrolyte drink to rehydrate, will depend on a host of factors. The average person sweats out between 17 and 67 ounces of perspiration per hour while physically active, which means you could be losing between 250 and 2,000 milligrams of sodium every 60 minutes. Where you fall within that range will depend on your body type and activity level (bigger and more active bodies need more electrolytes), the weather (higher humidity and temperature will result in more sweat and electrolyte loss), and the effort you’re exerting (more effort equals a higher sodium loss). Even altitude plays a part, and Larson recommends increasing fluid intake by 25 to 50 percent when exercising at altitudes over 10,000 feet.

Salty sweaters may need more sodium than the average athlete. If you regularly find white, chalky sweat rings on your workout clothes after they dry, you might consider pre-loading with an electrolyte beverage before you head outside, especially if you’re planning a long workout or you’ll be dealing with particularly hot weather.

Keep in mind that just because you’re sweaty doesn’t mean you need a sports drink. Your body maintains a reserve of sodium, so most of the time you can get away with staying hydrated with water if you’re exercising for under 90 minutes, or 60 if you tend to sweat profusely or work out in high humidity, says Kadey. Still, though—your homemade electrolyte drink will taste a lot better. 

The post 2 easy homemade electrolyte drinks that actually work appeared first on Popular Science.

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Tick season is not only starting sooner—it’s becoming a year-round event. While April through September are usually the most active months, the pesky eight-legged parasites are biting people and animals much earlier in the year than expected. The increasing tick bites are leading to a rise in a variety of tick-borne diseases, including some that were previously uncommon.

One reason for the hike in tick-transmitted illnesses like alpha-gal, Lyme, and babesiosis is because humans are expanding towns and cities into previously forested areas. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Stony Brook Medicine, says cutting down forests creates an edge habitat—when one habitat type meets another—which presents more opportunity for common tick hosts such as deer and mice to interact with humans. 

[Related: A guide to the tick species every American should know]

Climate change is another culprit. Changes in rain and temperature have morphed regions with low rates of tick-borne diseases into a more palatable place for the parasites to live. What’s more, warmer conditions are getting ticks to wake up earlier from their winter sleep and have more time to bite nearby mammals. “As we see more mild winters, we’re absolutely going to see more tick-borne diseases,” says Handel.

The best thing to do is to stay aware of how ticks are circulating in your area. Even if you don’t live in the Northeast, you may be at risk for other tick-borne diseases. Knowing what to watch out for in spring, summer, and even other seasons can help treat and potentially prevent future tick bites—and the diseases that follow.

Alpha-gal syndrome

A bite from the lone star tick can make you allergic to red meat for life. The unusual condition takes root when someone becomes highly sensitive to a sugar molecule called alpha-gal that’s found in most mammals. People who develop the allergy cannot eat red meat (fish and birds are safe to consume) or mammal-based products like dairy and gelatin. They may also be restricted in using certain medication such as heparin, which uses pig intestines. An allergic reaction can range from hives and nausea to more life-threatening reactions like anaphylactic shock.

Alpha-gal syndrome has been a rare but increasing tick-borne condition. In 2009, there were only 24 alpha-gal cases reported in the US. By 2021, the number was estimated to be around 34,000. And even newer surveys estimate that around 450,000 Americans might be living with the diagnosed or undiagnosed condition.

While saliva from the lone star tick seems to trigger the mammalian allergy, deer tick bites are suspected of also causing it. According to the CDC, lone star ticks have concentrated in large numbers across the country. They are found in the southeastern, eastern, and south-central US states extending from Maine to central Texas and Oklahoma. 

There is no cure for alpha-gal syndrome. Instead, people need to learn to avoid certain foods and mammal-based products. Symptoms are managed using antihistamines and corticosteroids.

Babesiosis

Babesiosis is a parasitic infection transmitted by the bite of deer ticks (also known as black-legged ticks). These ticks are about the size of a poppy seed and found on small mammals like the white-footed mice living in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Minnesota and Wisconsin are two Midwestern states with endemic transmission of babesiosis.

Once the Babesia parasite enters the human body, it targets red blood cells. The parasites infect and destroy red blood cells by forcing their cell membrane to break open. A tremendous loss of red blood cells can, over time, cause hemolytic anemia. “It’s actually the same way that malaria works, and is why it’s called ‘the malaria of the Northeast,’” says Handel.

Babesiosis is treatable. Your doctor would prescribe a seven- to 10-day course of antibiotics if you are severely ill. Some people are at a higher risk of complications from anemia—people who are immunocompromised, those without a spleen, and newborn babies—and may need to get blood transfusions or other supportive care.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is also spread through deer ticks. “These ticks carry and spread multiple diseases,” explains Chad Cross, a researcher at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas who studies parasites and vector-borne diseases. “If you are bitten by one, there’s always the possibility of being infected by more than one disease agent at the same time.”

While the CDC estimate shows 476,000 Lyme disease cases in the US each year, Cross states there are “at least 10 times more cases of Lyme disease than are actually reported” to the department. One reason for the discrepancy is that most cases are asymptomatic. When people do show symptoms, the fatigue and chills they exhibit can be mistaken for another condition. If left untreated, there is a risk of developing neurological problems such as facial paralysis and nerve damage to the limbs. Chronic lyme can lead to a host of persistent issues, too, many of which are still less understood. 

[Related: Biologists successfully hatched gene-edited ticks for the first time]

Most early Lyme disease cases are curable with a two- to four-week regimen of oral antibiotics such as doxycycline and amoxicillin. However, some patients may continue to experience pain, fatigue, and concentration issues six months after treatment. 

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis manifests as a flu-like illness in humans. The bacterium is present in deer ticks in the Northeast and Midwestern US. The Western blacklegged tick, most prevalent around the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, can also spread the pathogen. There has been an upward trend of anaplasmosis cases from 348 cases in 2000 to 5,655 cases in 2019.

Similar to Lyme disease, people who develop anaplasmosis develop nonspecific symptoms such as fever and muscle aches. If left untreated, it may turn fatal with some developing severe bleeding problems and organ failure. Handel says doxycycline is the most effective treatment option.

Powassan virus infection

Three tick species carry the Powassan virus: the groundhog tick, the squirrel tick, and the deer tick. Of those, the deer tick is the one that often bites and infects humans. Nearly all cases of this rare virus have occurred in the Northeast and Great Lakes region.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and fever. By the time a diagnosis is made, Handel says about half of the patients present some type of neurologic deficit. People may also continue to show neurological problems, such as chronic headaches and memory problems after recovery.

Because there are only about 20 to 30 cases a year, Handel says there’s not a lot of medical research on how to treat it. There is no cure or antivirals to treat Powassan virus. Instead, infected individuals are given fluids, over-the-counter medications, and other supportive care to ease symptoms while the immune system fights off the infection.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

There are two main ticks responsible for spreading rocky mountain spotted fever: the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the American dog tick. Cross says the American dog tick is very common out East while the Rocky Mountain wood tick is found in the West. Despite its name, Cross says Rocky Mountain spotted fever is being found more in the East and South than in the actual Rocky Mountain region. The less-common brown dog tick has also caused several cases along the US-Mexico border. The disease is part of a larger class of illnesses that strike thousands of people in the states each year.

The most noticeable sign is a rash that looks like red splotches or pinpoint dots in the first three days after getting bit. If treated with either doxycycline or an antibacterial agent within the first one to four days, the symptoms won’t worsen. Otherwise, the disease can be fatal. After a week, Cross says that people can develop swelling in the brain, life-threatening respiratory problems, and a coma-like state. Those who recover from severe illness may be left with permanent disability, such as paralysis or amputation of limbs.

Reduce your chances of tick infections

These days, ticks are a threat across most of the US and in practically every season. Experts warn that cases will only continue to rise as ticks expand to previously uninhabitable areas. 

[Related: Climate change could introduce humans to thousands of new viruses]

Your best bet at avoiding tick-borne diseases is to keep the pests off your body. Rather than staying indoors for the rest of your life, both experts recommend spraying tick and mosquito repellant. “DEET is what we usually recommend at 20 to 30 percent,” says Handel. If you’re going to be hiking or spending a lot of time outside, learn how to handle an insecticide called permethrin. Handel advises leaving your clothes overnight in the solution to kill any insect on contact. The repellency lasts for up to 10 washes. But make sure to only use it on your clothes or gear—it’s not meant to be sprayed directly on human skin.

Remember, you can pick up ticks even if you’re not an avid hiker or camper. Ticks tend to live on tall grass, meaning they might climb on you at the park or even on your own property. Avoid rubbing up on any tall grass and keep to the middle when walking down a path. Wearing long sleeves and tucking your pants inside your socks further prevents any openings for the pests to crawl into if they latch on your clothes. 

Once you get home, immediately wash your clothes in high heat and perform a tick check for any stragglers. If you take your pet outdoors (even if it’s just the yard), you’ll want to check them daily for ticks as well. There are also topical medications that you or a vet can apply to your pet to control for any external parasites. If you or any members of your household are feeling unwell, always let your doctor know that you’ve been in wooded areas or places with high tick circulation.

“These tick-borne diseases have been around for a long time and they’re going to become more common over time,” says Handel. “But by following these steps you can keep yourself safe and still enjoying the outdoors without having to have too much anxiety about catching one of these infections.”

This post has been updated. It was originally published on March 27, 2023.

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The last full month of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere is not only getting two full moons—this year, August brings two full super moons and a Blue Moon. Also expect the annual Perseids meteor shower as the midsummer night skies heat up. Here are some events to look out for. If you happen to get any stellar sky photos, tag us and include #PopSkyGazers.

[Related: The world needs dark skies more than ever. Here’s why.]

August 1: Full Sturgeon Supermoon

The first full moon of the month is the Surgeon Moon which is set to appear on the afternoon of August 1, reaching peak illumination at 2:32 p.m. EDT. As the sun sets that night, look to the southeast to see the moon rise. 

The Surgeon Moon is the second of four scheduled supermoons this year. A supermoon typically exceeds the disk size of an average-sized moon by up to 8 percent and is about 16 percent brighter than the average moon.  

The name Sturgeon Moon refers to the time of year when the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most frequently caught. Additional names for August’s full moon include the Corn Moon or Skumoone Neepãʔuk in the Mahican Dialect of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Wisconsin, the Ricing Moon or Manoominike-giizis in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), and the Hot Moon or Gëdë́’ökneh in Seneca. 

[Related: Lunar laws could protect the moon from humanity.]

August 12-13: Perseids meteor shower peaks

The annual Perseids meteor shower is predicted to peak around August 13. According to EarthSky, the moon will be about 10 percent illuminated during this year’s peak. Perseids rise to a peak gradually and then fall pretty quickly. They also tend to strengthen in numbers as the night turns into the early hours of the morning. Another bonus is that these meteors are often colorful.

This meteor shower is also often best seen before dawn. With a dark sky with no moon, up to 90 meteors per hour are possibly visible. This year, the light from the waning crescent moon will not interfere with Perseids.

August 24: Moon occults Antares

In this rare event, the moon will pass in front of the star Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation that is expected to be visible in Mexico, the contiguous United States, and Canada. For those in Eastern time, the occultation will begin with the disappearance of Antares (Alpha Scorpii) behind the moon at about 10:52 p.m.

This moon will be 25 days past the new moon and 57 percent illuminated. Antares (Alpha Scorpii) will disappear behind the darkest side of the moon and then reappear from behind the illuminated side.

August 26: Asteroid 8 Flora at opposition

Not to be upstaged by two moons and a beloved meteor shower, Asteroid 8 Flora will be visible in the constellation Aquarius and will be positioned well above the horizon for much of the night on August 26. 

[Related: Smashed asteroid surrounded by a ‘cloud’ of boulders.]

The 91-mile in diameter Asteroid 8 Flora will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight local time wherever you are on Earth. In Eastern time, it will be visible between 10:42 PM and 3:43 AM, according to In the Sky. 

Asteroid 8 Flora is the largest rock in the Flora family of asteroids and is named after the Roman goddess of flowers and gardens. 

August 30: Full Blue Supermoon

The month will end with a Blue Moon, a term usually used for a month that has two full moons like this August. According to NASA, they occur once every two to three years and are not usually blue in color. Moons with a blue hue are “the result of water droplets in the air, certain types of clouds, or particles thrown into the atmosphere by natural catastrophes, such as volcanic ash and smoke,”

The Blue Moon will reach peak illumination at 9:36 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 30. This full moon will also be the closest, biggest, and brightest full supermoon of the year. It will be 222,043 moon miles from Earth, which is fairly close by. A full supermoon won’t be any closer until November 2025.

The same skygazing rules that apply to pretty much all space-watching activities are key this month: Go to a dark spot away from the lights of a city or town and let the eyes adjust to the darkness for about a half an hour. 

The post Two full moons, colorful meteors, and an asteroid will light up August’s sky appeared first on Popular Science.

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Working from home is a blessing and a curse—you get the freedom to work how you want, but the temptation to slack off is strong. It’s easy to stick to your job when your boss is breathing down your neck, but at home, even the best noise-canceling headphones might not keep you from doomscrolling through news 15 times an hour. If you need to buckle down and minimize distractions, you need a digital workspace that’s conducive to focus.

Start fresh with a new browser profile

Our personal computers have more shortcuts and automations than ever. What once took a few clicks and keystrokes now takes a single gesture, making it far too easy to check Facebook or browse YouTube as soon as your attention starts to falter. So if you want to truly block out distractions, start with a clean slate—one that doesn’t have any of your bookmarks, auto-filling passwords, and other automations.

The easiest thing to do is create a new profile in your browser of choice. In Google Chrome, just click your current profile image in the upper right-hand corner, then choose Add. Name your profile “Work” (or something to that effect), and Chrome will present you with a fresh browser window, ripe for customization with only the tools you need for your job. (If there’s a lot of crossover between your work and personal tools, you may want to split those up as well—for example, make a separate LastPass account with only your work-related passwords.)

[Related: You should start using a password manager]

I’d start with the clean browser profile and work with that for a while—it may be all you need. If you do a lot of work outside a browser, you can take the slightly more drastic measure of creating a new user account for your entire computer. On Windows 11, just head to Settings > Accounts > Family and choose Add someone. On Windows 10, go to Settings > Accounts > Family & Other Users > and click Add Someone Else to This PC. If you’re using macOS, navigate to System Settings > Users & Groups, click the “i” icon next to a profile to make changes, and click Add Account to set up a new user profile.

I’ve heard of people going even further by using an entirely separate PC for work—in some cases resorting to an old PC that can’t run modern apps, or a dedicated writing tool like Freewrite. Installing a minimal Linux distribution would work well too, though again: Start small and work your way up if you need it.

Go totally full-screen

Even if you have a desktop dedicated entirely to work, other work apps can still distract you. Plenty of research shows that multitasking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and if you’re constantly switching between writing and email—even if it’s work-related email—you’ll experience diminished cognitive performance. So when you need to plow through something, you need to block everything else out.

We writers tend to be a scatterbrained bunch, which has created a market for full-screen, distraction-free writing tools like Q10 and many others. They fill the entire screen with nothing but a plain text box (often with soothing sound effects or calming backgrounds), so you can focus on the one thing in front of you. You don’t need to be a writer to adopt this sort of workspace, though. Both Windows and macOS have full-screen modes that allow you to cover your entire monitor with a single application. So whether you’re trudging through spreadsheets or binge-writing code, you can cover up your taskbar, other windows, and notifications with an edge-to-edge window.

On Windows, this varies a bit from app to app. Many “Universal Windows Platform” apps that you get from the Microsoft Store will go full-screen when you press Win+Shift+Enter, while other desktop apps might have their own full-screen modes (Chrome can go full-screen with F11, for example). Not every app has this ability, though you can always approximate something similar on Windows 11 by hiding the taskbar (right-click on the taskbar, then hit Taskbar Settings, click Taskbar behaviors, and check the box next to Automatically hide the taskbar) and turning on Focus Assist (Settings > System > Focus) to block notifications.

Apple has built a full-screen mode into macOS as well, and it works with plenty of apps—just click the green full-screen button in the upper left corner of a given window. Some apps may have their own full-screen shortcuts, too.

Tune in to focus-enhancing music

It’s hard to force that “flow state” that gets you into a steady groove at work, but music can help—at least, certain kinds of music. As we’ve discussed in the past, research points to lyric-free, somewhat fast-paced music as ideal for productivity, making video game soundtracks a surprisingly good choice. (I’m listening to the heavy metal grind of Doom’s soundtrack as I write this.) Spotify has a whole set of focus-oriented playlists in different genres as well, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find something that suits your fancy. There are apps and services completely geared around productivity-focused music too, like Brain.fm and Focus@Will, though they come with separate monthly subscription fees.  

Block distracting sites from tempting you away

If you need something system-wide, Freedom is another feature-rich option that can block desktop apps, set the days and times you want those apps blocked, and track your time to see your biggest distractions. You can try Freedom for free, and its developers have created a number of free browser extensions, but the full program costs just under $40 per year, so you may need to pay to get the features you want.

It’s okay to take breaks: just schedule them first

None of these tools are panaceas—they’ll just help you along the way. But if you aren’t committed to trying, you probably won’t get anywhere. You’ll still need to take an active role in focusing on work.

Part of that active role, though, means knowing when to give yourself some leeway. Taking regular breaks can aid in productivity when done properly, not to mention prevent eye strain and other tension in your body. The key is scheduling those breaks ahead of time, rather than continually giving in to distractions whenever you feel the slightest tug. So set a timer and make yourself work for 30 minutes (read up on the Pomodoro Technique for more), or set alarms in an app like Google Calendar to schedule your day. If you can look forward to that break, maybe you can stay focused long enough to finish the task at hand without temptation.

This story has been updated. It was originally published on August 4, 2020.

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Borax is meant to wash clothes, but some people are finding other uses for this powdered cleaner. Back in 2018, teenagers were biting Tide Pods for clout online. This led to hundreds of adolescents getting poisoned and at least 10 deaths from eating these pouches of liquid. Now another laundry-inspired trend is taking shape on TikTok involving Borax to purportedly boost their health—with dangerous consequences.

One increasingly popular example includes adding a pinch of borax to a glass of drinking water. TikToker users claim it helps with managing joint pain and several health conditions, from kidney stones to erectile dysfunction. There is another video from an alleged doctor making the rounds on the social media platform advocating the use of borax for cleaning the vagina (his video has since been taken down). People have also been mixing the mineral compound with bathwater to detox the skin.

“Borax consumption can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, skin rashes, and skin peeling. Long-term consumption can lead to seizures and anemia,” says Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicologist and co-medical director at the National Capital Poison Center. 

No matter what you read or watch on the internet, there is no reason to use borax for anything other than for washing your clothes. In fact, medical experts say many of the health claims may be coming from mix up between borax and the trace element boron.

Borax vs. boron

As an essential element for creating plant cell walls, boron appears in many of the fruits and vegetables we eat daily. According to the National Institute of Health, however, it’s not an essential nutrient because there is no clear understanding of how it helps human health. A few medical studies suggest boron supplements can treat osteoarthritis and reduce the risk for prostate and lung cancer. 

“Boron may impact bone health, hormones, and brain function, but the exact relationship between boron and these health functions has not been fully determined,” Johnson-Arbor explains. 

Boron is generally safe to eat: Some European countries use boron-containing compounds as food preservatives, but Johnson-Arbor says these doses are highly regulated to ensure they do not reach toxic levels. 

[Related: How to make slime]

There is even less data supporting the use of boron-containing products like borax to improve health. “While some social media influencers state that medical professionals don’t recommend borax as a health supplement because of a desire to promote prescription drug products instead, this is not the case,” says Johnson-Arbor. “Rather, doctors don’t promote borax as a health supplement because it has no proven health benefits in humans, and it does have known toxic effects when consumed.”

For this reason, Borax products have a label warning against drug use or human consumption. Though it seems like manufacturers should update the warning to not putting borax inside the body at all.

Why Borax is toxic

Another dangerous use of Borax that’s making the rounds is using it for douching. No one should put Borax inside their vagina, says Jill Purdie, an OB-GYN and medical director at Pediatrix Medical Group in Atlanta. Not only is the powdered detergent toxic, but in general, douching with any product harms the “good” bacteria in the vaginal microbiome. “This actually increases the risk of infection and odor, including sexually transmitted infections if a woman is exposed,” Purdie adds. 

The idea of Borax for douching likely comes from mixing it up with boric acid suppositories. While they sound similar in name, boric acid suppositories have a slightly different chemical formulation that can treat resistant yeast or recurrent bacterial infections in the vagina. “The suppositories are not something that are needed daily to maintain the vagina or ‘clean’ it,” explains Purdie. “They have to be used in a specific way and for a limited amount of time, and should only be used under the direction of a physician.”

[Related: Does ‘vabbing’ work? The truth about vaginal pheromones.]

When applied to the eyes of skin, borax can cause skin rashes, irritation, and peeling. There is also a risk of accidentally drinking the borax-containing water. Even when diluted in bathwater, Johnson-Arbor says the compound can cause pain or discomfort if it makes contact with human skin. There is no scientific evidence to support using Borax laundry products for drawing out toxins, losing weight, or acting as an antiparasitic agent.

If you or someone around you ingests borax, contact Poison Control immediately for expert advice. There are two ways to get local assistance from Poison Control: online at www.poison.org or by phone at 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, confidential, and available 24/7.

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Drowning is the number one cause of accidental deaths in national parks in the U.S., which means that to safely cross a body of water in the wilderness, you should approach every creek, stream, and river crossing with caution and reverence. 

That’s how my husband and I made it across an aggressively running river swollen by three days of rain at Denali National Park. With a few mnemonics and the right technique you, like us, can cross rushing streams unscathed and without soaking all your gear. 

When water wets your way, remember WADE

In the outdoor community, guides, instructors, and trip leaders love a good acronym. And the first one Shannon Rochelle, curriculum director, and field instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School, cites when it comes to water crossings is WADE: Watch, assess, decide, and execute.

Applying WADE in real-life scenarios means taking the time to scan your surroundings, and watch what the water is doing and how it changes. Try to figure out where the body of water is widest and deepest—wide crossings can mean more time in the water while deep water is more difficult to cross safely.

[Related: Some rivers suddenly change course, and we may finally know why]

Then, assess whether a crossing is feasible. You’re looking for water shallow enough to easily wade, slow-moving enough so you won’t fall, and far from dangers like waterfalls. If there are no safe conditions to cross at your location, it’s time to scout upstream or downstream for a better spot. After all, Rochelle says, just because the trail you’re on leads to water doesn’t mean you have to plow ahead in that exact spot. Instead, if the crossing looks sketchy, look for a braided section of the river, as these areas are often shallower and slower-moving. You might also want to wait and see if the flow ebbs, as a swollen river or creek could be the temporary result of recent heavy rain.

Rochelle has done both. She once spent three days and walked for many miles to find a safe place to cross a rushing river in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. On another occasion, she and her students set up camp next to a challenging crossing, placed markers along the bank, and watched for hours to see how the water rose and ebbed throughout the day to ascertain the time of lowest flow, which is often the safest time to cross.

In short, give yourself all the time you need to fully assess the situation and look for the best alternative, which sometimes might be to stay put or turn around. “You don’t have to cross now, you don’t have to cross here—you don’t have to cross at all,” says Rochelle. 

Learn your water-crossing ABC’s

If you thought WADE was the only mnemonic you’d have to memorize to safely cross a body of water in the backcountry, think again. All hikers and backpackers should also know their water-crossing ABC’s: Access, bottom, current, depth and downstream, and exit.

Access

First, consider how you will physically access the creek, river, or other moving body of water. Look for an entry point that offers an easy approach to the water itself so your first step isn’t the one that sends you swimming. Prefer a shallow area without a steep drop-off. A clear path without too much debris will help get your crossing off to a good start.

Wherever you cross, keep your boots on, and don’t get tempted into looking for a log or stones to aid in your quest. Rochelle says you shouldn’t be so dedicated to keeping your feet dry, as trying to balance your way across a slippery log or attempting to hop from rock to rock could result in more injuries than just cold feet. 

Bottom

Next, consider the bottom of the creek bed and what it’s made of. Rochelle explains that big rocks can be slippery and more prone to move and shift under your feet, so they aren’t ideal for safe crossing. A sand or pebble bottom will offer a more stable footing. 

[Related: For a better hike, try swapping clunky boots for barefoot shoes]

If you can’t properly assess the bottom of the body of water from the bank, you or someone in your party should take a closer look in a shallow, slow-moving section of the river or creek. The scout should enter the water without a backpack, wander out and back, and take a closer look to find the safest route across. The rest of the group should help spot from the bank and be ready to assist in case the scout loses their footing.

Current

There’s also the current to consider. “If the water is flowing faster than you can walk, you’d be better off finding a different place [to cross],” Rochelle instructs. To determine speed, toss a stick into the water and walk at your normal speed alongside it on the bank. If the stick outpaces you, the water is moving too fast, which means it’s not safe to cross there. Start searching for a different spot and start from A.

Depth and downstream

As a general rule, you want to find a safe crossing area where the stream only comes up to below your knees. If that’s the case, and A through C all look good, leave your pack straps snug and your waist belt buckled for improved balance. 

On the other hand, water that comes above the knees is much harder to walk through and can easily knock you off balance, especially if there’s a current. In that case, loosening your pack’s straps and unfastening your hip belt can make it easy to escape your pack if you fall into the water.

Unless there’s no current at all, Rochelle advises avoiding crossing areas where the water level is higher than your crotch. If that’s the case and you fall, you’re more likely to be swept downstream.

This is why you should also be aware of what awaits in that direction. If there’s a waterfall nearby, fallen branches or logs, boulders, or any obstacles that could trap you underwater or knock you unconscious, pick a new place to cross.

Exit

Finally, evaluate your exit. “You haven’t really found a good crossing until you’ve found a good spot to get out and actually gotten out on the other side,” Rochelle says. Here, the same rules to find an entry spot apply.

You may not always find the perfect crossing where all conditions are ideal, but with a bit of time and effort, you can hopefully locate an area with a balance you feel comfortable with. If you don’t feel confident you and your whole party can make it across safely, don’t make an attempt.

How did the hiker cross the creek?

Once you’ve found a suitable place to traverse, do so strategically, Rochelle says. Face upstream for the most stable position and use the tripod method to help keep your balance: hold a sturdy stick or trekking pole in both hands and lean onto it so there are three points of solid contact with the river bottom. Move only by moving one point at a time.

If there are others hiking with you, place the sturdiest and most sure-footed hiker in front, and have the others line up behind them facing upstream. Hold on tight to the waistband or backpack of the person in front of you and push down enough to help anchor yourself and them. The hiker in front creates a sort of eddy that enables everyone else to step sideways more easily, which you should do slowly and at the same time.

Remember, you haven’t successfully crossed until everyone in your group has safely arrived at the bank on the other side. And when you’re all finally safely across, congratulate yourself, dump out your boots, and think of the dry pair of socks waiting for you in your pack.

The post How to safely cross a running body of water on foot appeared first on Popular Science.

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Back in the late 19th century, some thrill-seekers got their kicks by riding what was called a haunted swing. This appeared to be a normal room, furnished with a table, chairs, and, in at least one case, a piano, but there was a trick: Suspended from an iron beam across its middle were several seats on a swing, a bit like the pirate-ship-shaped gondolas found at modern carnivals. After making the seats sway to-and-fro as expected, an attendant would stop the swing and spin the entire room around the riders (all the furniture was bolted to the floor). Part of the crowd was delighted; the rest wanted to puke. 

As one visitor to the 1894 Midwinter Fair in San Francisco put it: “Many persons were actually made sick by the illusion. I have met a number of gentlemen who said they could scarcely walk out of the building from dizziness and nausea.” What they were feeling was a form of motion sickness, brought on by the mismatch between the stillness of their seated bodies and the world whirling around them.

Generally speaking, there are two main ideas for how this illness arises: the “postural instability theory” and the “sensory conflict theory.” The first proposes that, as we lose control over our posture, as when at the mercy of a wave-rocked boat, we’ll get sick. The second, more often cited in medical research, explains that we become unwell because of the discrepancies between our sensory systems and our brains’ blueprints for how things ought to be. The haunted swing is a “classic example of sensory conflict,” says John Golding, a professor of applied psychology at the University of Westminster, in London, who has been studying motion sickness since the late 1980s.

As our bodies move through different spaces, our brains save patterns of what that should feel like. When we twist our heads, for instance, our eyes give us visual cues, but there are other systems at work. Our muscles, joints, and vestibular system register the movement, too. That sensory network, which is responsible for maintaining balance and orientation, includes the brainstem and inner ear. 

[Related: How to fight motion sickness while gaming]

This is relevant for one important reason. Our brains are “like an archive,” able to “pick out and compare” what we’re experiencing now to past perceptions, says Behrang Keshavarz, who studies virtual reality and motion sickness as a senior scientist at the University Health Network’s KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute in Canada. If our bodies’ sensations match each other—if the eyes and vestibular system line up—and our minds’ expectations follow along, great. If they’re slightly off, it’s probably fine. But when there are big differences in how they all sync up, the unpleasantries kick in. Surprisingly, the physical intensity of a movement doesn’t seem to influence the onset of this illness. “You don’t get horse-sick,” Golding says, no matter how vigorously the animal hoofs it. “You can get quite sick with more gentle types of motion.”

If we can become queasy so easily, is there an evolutionary explanation? It’s unclear, but some experts have proposed a “toxin theory” where “what we call motion sickness is simply the aberrant elicitation of a very ancient defense reflex,” Golding explains. Put another way, our dizzy brains think we’re being poisoned and force us to puke to expel the offending substance.

Some people are more susceptible to motion sickness than others. Golding’s research has found that those who experience migraines are more likely to experience the illness. There may be clues buried in our genetic material, but that research is in its early stages. One of the few DNA studies, conducted by genomics company 23andMe, identified at least 35 different genetic variants associated with car sickness. Golding likens this finding to the bell curve of height seen across human populations—there’s no one gene responsible for how tall we grow, but thousands of contributors. 

[Related: Does ginger ale work for motion sickness?]

As a more general strategy, it helps to anticipate changes in motion. Being in control of the vehicle reduces the likelihood of motion sickness: Drivers are less likely to get sick than passengers, for example. Or focus on getting your bearings. “On the whole, if you can get a stable horizon view, you’re better off,” Golding says. (Reading a book or scrolling on a phone, on the other hand, can worsen things, because we’re shifting our eyes to stationary objects that don’t indicate we’re in motion.) Finally, some techniques can remove the trigger that is causing the sickness. As a rider of the haunted swing wrote in 1895, “The minute the eyes were shut the sensations vanished instantly.” 

It’s possible to treat symptoms of motion sickness with medications like diphenhydramine (sold under the brand name Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), or scopolamine, but these can also cause unwanted drowsiness. Golding’s behavioral studies have also found that controlled breaths—when “you concentrate on keeping your breathing very, very regular”—can relieve motion sickness; it’s about half as effective as medication, though without any side effects. And while there’s not much evidence that acupressure bands actually prevent nausea, wearing one on the wrist could provide psychological relief, Golding adds. “Placebo effects can be quite strong.”

Keshavarz has studied whether pleasant scents or sounds can reduce VIMS, and has found that listening to a favorite genre of music can be helpful in some circumstances. He’s currently examining whether changes to body temperatures have an effect, based on previous experiments with increased airflow exposure. “My hypothesis is that it cools the body and makes you feel better,” he says, counteracting the sensation of being flushed. But, overall, Keshavarz expects motion sickness to remain a problem as our dependency on technology grows. With driverless cars, self-driving air taxis, and shiny new VR products coming down the pike, it could mean more opportunities to lose our lunches.

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In the series I Made a Big Mistake, PopSci explores mishaps and misunderstandings, in all their shame and glory.

Does someone near you have their head stuck in a fence? If they’re having trouble breathing or are in physical danger, call emergency services. If they’re otherwise fine, or you’d just like to be prepared in case you, your child, or a friend ends up pilloried like an 1800s criminal, there are some relatively simple ways to solve this problem.

If so, you’ll need to do what you can to mitigate the risk and/or help them breathe, while quickly calling emergency services. There are too many potential situations for us to give exact advice, though, so you’ll have to think on your feet. That said, common sense dictates that if something’s pressing against their throat and restricting their airway, you should find a way to stop that from happening without putting yourself or them at greater risk.

Even if the stuck person isn’t in immediate danger, you may find that it’s too difficult or dangerous to free them. If you’re at all concerned that something could go wrong, call for help. Bob Mielke, a captain in the Duluth, Minnesota, Fire Department, says calling 911 is likely the best option for most people and that firefighters are ready to help. “We have a lot of tools we can use to get somebody out of that situation,” he says.

At a certain point, though, this stops being an option. I, for example, am too big to fit through a railing, but I cannot rule out the possibility that I get stuck in a fence one day. The key issue here is the ears: they easily flatten against the head when pushing face-first through a railing, but they double over and get stuck on the bars in the other direction. In the event I do become stuck in a railing, I will simply rotate my body 180 degrees so I’m face-up and can bring my head back toward the rest of my body. It’s a simple technique, and there’s a video by rescue tools manufacturer Holmatro that demonstrates it perfectly. The stuck person may need assistance, though, as they may not have enough leverage to do this themselves.

Make the opening larger

When someone’s head is stuck in a fence, railing, or anything else, you or they may try to bend the bars so they can pull their head out. This comes with some safety risks, though, and Mielke says it’s important for everyone involved to stay calm and not panic. And if the material can bend, make sure it doesn’t pinch the head or neck of the stuck person as it flexes.

“Go very slow, talk to them the entire time, and make sure you’re not actually making the situation worse,” Mielke says.

If you’re not able to make a difference with your own raw strength, you can use a lever or construct a windlass—specifically a Spanish windlass—to amplify your power. All you need is a strong piece of cordage, rope, or tubular webbing, and a strong wooden stick or metal rod to use as a lever. Firefighters will have these tools, but you may too.

To build this type of mechanism, you’ll need to create a loop around an immovable object and the object you want to move, Mielke says. If someone’s stuck in a metal fence, you’d loop the cordage around something like a sturdy post or a tree, and the closest bar that’s against the person’s head. Then put the lever inside the loop.

Before you go any further, Mielke recommends placing a blanket over the cordage. This way, if the loop snaps, the cloth absorbs the impact instead of the person you’re trying to free.

Using a Spanish windlass is simple, and you may have seen the same technique used to tighten a tourniquet: turn the lever so it twists the cordage, shrinks the loop, and starts bending the bars. If you need help visualizing this, Brothers in Battle, a firefighting group, has a video demonstrating the windlass technique on their Facebook page.

Cut them free

As a last resort, you or the emergency personnel you called may have to cut the stuck person free. Hand tools will do the job slowly, and power tools will get it done quickly, but the presence of power tools always raises the risk to everyone nearby. If you don’t feel comfortable handling a saw so close to a person’s body, call in the pros.

If you absolutely have to cut wood or metal close to another person, cover their face so no sawdust, splinters, or sparks get on their face or in their mouth or eyes, Mielke says. You’ll also need to protect them against vibrations—any time you cut something, it vibrates. He says his firefighters carry a kitchen cutting board with them to put between anything they have to cut and the person they’re trying to rescue. Whether you have one or not, you’ll need to put something between the stuck person’s head or neck and whatever you’re cutting. If you don’t, the vibrating wood, metal, or plastic could cut or otherwise injure them.

It really doesn’t matter whether you get the job done, the victim does it themselves, or you call firefighters to assist: as long as there are no more stuck heads and the trapped person is alive, it’s a successful rescue.

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In the series I Made a Big Mistake, PopSci explores mishaps and misunderstandings, in all their shame and glory.

Sooner or later, everybody makes the painful mistake of getting a sunburn. Maybe you thought your dark skin wasn’t sensitive to UV rays, or you forgot to put on sunscreen altogether. It’s OK, these things happen.

Whatever the reason, you need to treat a sunburn quickly, especially if you’re outside—it can go from mildly annoying to painfully severe if you don’t pay attention.

How to treat a sunburn

A sunburn kills your skin cells, so there’s technically no way to heal the damage. All you can do is treat it by preventing further harm and managing symptoms while your skin is busy churning out new, healthy cells.

1. Get out of the sun

If you’re still exposed to the sun, you need to reduce further damage. This means seeking shade, covering your skin with tightly woven clothing, or better yet, going inside. 

2. Soothe the area with cool water and moisturizer

Just like a burn from a hot beverage or plate, one from the sun’s rays traps warmth in the skin. That means a key part of effective sunburn treatment is releasing that heat. Meghan Feely, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, recommends gently applying a cool compress for 15-minute intervals throughout the rest of that day or taking a cool shower or bath. What is cool to you will depend on the burn and how sensitive you are, so make sure to test the water by allowing some of the injured skin to briefly come into contact with it.

[Related: Your summer guide to sunscreen, from SPF to not-so-magic pills]

To make your bath more soothing, you can add some colloidal (or very finely ground) oatmeal. Anne Chapas, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City and director at UnionDerm, says oatmeal’s anti-inflammatory properties have been well-studied. If you don’t have any, cornstarch has similar benefits, and baking soda may help as well.

Although there are no controlled trials around using baking soda on sunburns, Jenni Holman, a board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), says people (dermatologists included) commonly recommend the kitchen staple to soothe inflammation and decrease pain associated with sunburn. This may be because the powder has antimicrobial properties, and its anti-inflammatory benefits might stem from its ability to bring the pH of sunburned skin back closer to baseline, she explains. 

If you want to try, she suggests adding 2 ounces of baking soda to a cool bath.

After showering or bathing, it’s important not to pat your skin completely dry, says Feely. A sunburn can dehydrate your outer layer, and leaving some water in place allows your epidermis to reabsorb some of the H₂O it lost as a result of that burning heat.

While your skin is still damp, apply a moisturizer to further trap that water so your cells can reabsorb it. There are countless products on the market, and some even claim to specifically care for burned skin. Feely says that any moisturizers that contain vitamins C and E will work best. These have antioxidants that help the skin heal, minimizing the amount of flaking that will ensue.

Moisturizers containing aloe vera—or even just a gel form of the plant’s juice—are often touted as the very best thing for a sunburn. Feely says aloe is commonly used to heal and hydrate skin and decrease inflammation, and it contains certain skin-healing proteins that can help prevent infection.

However, the superior sunburn-healing benefit of aloe vera versus other moisturizers isn’t clear. Some studies show that it does provide a statistically significant advantage. But other research doesn’t demonstrate this same boost. Ultimately, very few large-scale studies of sunburn treatments include a comparison between aloe vera and a placebo.

Some moisturizers contain occlusives like petroleum jelly (petrolatum) or ceramides, but their use is a heated subject among skin experts. Chapas recommends these ingredients, as their sole purpose is to trap moisture and keep it close to the skin. On the other hand, Feely says petroleum-based options will trap heat along with moisture, making it far more difficult to release. Holman, meanwhile, recommends these products only in the late stages of a sunburn, when the skin has already started to peel. 

Patch testing is probably the best way to know if you can benefit from a moisturizer with occlusives. Apply the product to a quarter-sized area of burned skin and wait for 10 to 20 minutes. If you get a heightened burning sensation on that spot, wash the product off carefully and use a moisturizer with a lighter gel or water-based formulation.

Finally, for extra soothing power, place your moisturizer in the fridge between uses—not the freezer. And stay away from ice packs, as the extreme change in temperature can result in even more pain. 

3. Fight the pain with over-the-counter medicine

A sunburn on a sensitive patch of skin or an area that’s constantly stretching, like the back of your knees, usually results in a lot of pain. Like, a lot. If the cool showers and moisturizer are not helping as much as you’d like, it’s time to get reinforcements. 

The AAD recommends starting with simple over-the-counter medications, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Take as instructed on the packaging to reduce swelling, redness, and inflammation. You can also try topical creams that contain hydrocortisone, but Feely recommends staying away from any products with benzocaine or active ingredients ending in -caine. These ingredients, which are commonly used to reduce pain and discomfort from bug bites, can be highly irritative.   

4. Drink lots of water

As a response to sunburn, your body will draw fluid to the surface of your skin and away from the rest of your organs, which the AAD says can eventually result in dehydration. Drinking water or replenishing fluids with sports drinks can help prevent that.

5. Leave your blisters alone

If you happen to have a second-degree sunburn, you’re going to get blisters, which you should treat in a similar way as the blisters you get when wearing the wrong shoes: leaving them alone.  

In short, blisters protect damaged skin from infection. When you pop them, you risk bacteria and other pathogens getting on or in the injury. All you can do is keep the blistered area clean with mild soap (fragrance-free and ideally with moisturizing properties) and water in case one of your blisters ruptures. If that happens, you can clean the area with soap and water, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover the wound with a non-adhesive bandage. 

Only drain blisters sparingly, as you don’t want to elevate your risk of infection. If your blisters are particularly big or are in sensitive areas, like on your face, go to a doctor. 

6. Let peeling happen naturally 

A week or so after your sunburn, your skin will start peeling. This means your body has created new tissue and is getting rid of dead cells. This process can be a bit gruesome to the eyes, and it can come with some itching and discomfort. 

And while (for some at least) nothing is more satisfying than gently lifting away a ginormous layer of skin without breaking it, that satisfaction doesn’t outweigh the detriment to the healing process. Do not pull on your peeling skin, as you may damage healthy tissue. 

You can fight discomfort by wearing loose-fitting clothing in the days following a sunburn. This will prevent the fabric from rubbing and irritating the already-sensitive area. Holman says that at this stage you can also make a paste using baking soda and water, which you can apply to the burn. This technique will help alleviate symptoms and act as a mild exfoliant, she explains. 

To reduce the itching, the Mayo Clinic recommends taking oral allergy medication, which you can get over the counter at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Just follow the instructions on the package to find some blissful relief. 

Practicing general sun safety in your day-to-day life can help enormously. Even if you stay indoors, wear sunscreen every day with at least 30 SPF protection on any exposed areas. Make sure to use the correct amount and reapply as instructed on the package. Reapplication is especially important if you’re going in the water, where your coverage can wash away.  

If you plan to stay out in the sun for an extended period of time, Feely recommends that you bolster your sunscreen with good clothing choices. For example, synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon provide far more UV protection than cotton. 

“Linen absorbs ultraviolet light, whereas synthetic fabrics such as rayon reflect it,” she says. 

Covering yourself up with UPF clothing, a hat, and sunglasses with a high UV rating will also help protect your body’s outermost layer. Don’t forget to check your skin for signs of sunburn once in a while, too.

What is a sunburn?

All this protection matters because sunburn happens when the sun’s ultraviolet radiation damages the DNA inside skin cells. As a result, those cells die in a process known as apoptosis. This excessive damage and death prompts the immune system to release a flood of inflammatory proteins and blood to the area. This flush causes the outer skin to become hot, irritated, and red.

In first-degree sunburns, the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, is damaged. These are your run-of-the-mill sunburns, where you’ll experience redness, inflammation, and pain. If you see blisters, you’re dealing with a second-degree sunburn. This is where UV radiation has penetrated the epidermis and killed cells all the way down to the dermis, the second layer of skin. Blisters form when these two layers of tissue separate, and inflammatory fluid rushes to the area to prevent further damage.

[Related: 5 skin cancer-care tools you should look out for]

The length of time it takes for your skin to rebound from a sunburn varies. “Depending on the severity, the redness can persist anywhere from a few days to weeks,” says Feely. 

Even after the sunburn goes away, you might see lasting effects on your skin, such as fine lines, wrinkles, or solar lentigines, colloquially known as sunspots. All these markings more commonly develop after repeated exposure to the sun. If you notice these changes, applying a topical retinoid (a class of chemical compounds derived from vitamin A) like Retin-A could help, Feely says. This type of ointment remodels the skin’s collagen and blocks the production of the skin pigment melanin, which helps make sunspots fade.

Now that you know what to do, you can more safely enjoy the fine weather outside. Before you leave, bookmark this guide so that if you miss a spot, you can quickly soothe your skin and get rid of that sunburn as soon as possible.

The post A sunburn treatment that actually works appeared first on Popular Science.

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Where do flash floods happen?

Flash floods differ from river floods or coastal floods. River flooding occurs when excessive runoff from rain or melting snow causes water to spill over the edges of riverbanks and onto the surrounding floodplains, over the course of many hours or even days. Coastal floods happen when seawater comes up on land, frequently during storms or storm surges. Flash floods, however, aren’t bound to where water already exists. In fact, though storms often precede flash floods, you don’t always have to see rain before flooding—snowmelt or precipitation might occur at a higher elevation and flow downhill. Levees, dams, or ice jams can break and, likewise, send walls of water into typically dry areas. 

Steep, mountainous topographies are particularly prone to flash floods, which happen in all 50 states. Urban areas are especially vulnerable, too. Dense concrete and other impervious surfaces in cities prevent water from sinking into the ground—instead, there’s 2 to 6 times more runoff than what would occur over absorbent dirt or other natural terrain. 

[Related: One of the world’s driest places just saw record flooding]

Excessive runoff in cities, without anywhere to go, often has the heaviest impact on those who can least afford to deal with it. It doesn’t take much rain to damage deteriorating or inadequate infrastructure, especially in places where large volumes of water overwhelm local stormwater drainage. Similarly, low areas like underpasses, garages, and basements can quickly become death traps. 

As climate change warms the atmosphere, extreme rainfall is rising, which increases the risk for flash floods. Heavy precipitation events are projected to increase by 2 to 3 times the historical average—and hurricanes and storm surges will increase other kinds of flooding, too. The Federal Emergency Management Agency expects the nation’s floodplains to expand by 45 percent by the century’s end, as the agency reported in a recent study. A study in early 2021 found that increased precipitation—resulting partially from climate change—costs the US an additional $2.5 billion each year in flood damage. And some studies show that flood frequency is increasing in the Mississippi River valley and across the Midwest in the last century, as well as in the Northeast over the past 50 years.

What’s the best way to prepare for a flood?

There are several steps you can take to prepare for flash floods—and stay safe should they happen in your neighborhood. First, know the level of risk by looking at flood maps. You may be federally required to have flood insurance if you live in a high-risk area.

The US Geological Survey has compiled a list of additional map resources, too, and the nonprofit First Street Foundation created a tool that provides additional context to assess your property risk from environmental threats. 

[Related: Rain, storms, and mudslides batter California]

Pay attention to flash flood watches, which the National Weather Service issues to indicate when conditions could result in flash flooding. If you’re in the affected area, be ready to take action—particularly if the NWS announces a flash flood warning. That’s issued when flash floods are imminent and, at that point, you and everyone else should immediately evacuate the area. 

But be particularly careful when traveling by car. Don’t drive through flooded streets—it’s difficult to gauge the water depth, and roadways hidden below the water can collapse from erosion. 

If flood waters cause your vehicle to stall out, abandon it and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water can sweep the vehicle away. Know your surroundings and head to higher ground, and listen to NOAA radio updates when in a flood. 

It’s also important to develop an emergency preparedness plan with your family or those you live with to have a few days’ worth of resources. The US Department of Homeland Security has a handy guide that will help you create a plan. 

For more tips like these, check out FEMA’s flood information sheet. 

What is a 100-year flood?

To describe the likelihood of weather disasters, meteorologists might use terms such as a “100-year flood” or “100-year storm”—or reference an even longer timescale to indicate a greater rarity. April’s South Florida flooding, for instance, which swamped the region after it received 26 inches of rain in a day, was labeled a “1-in-1,000 year event.”

But those descriptors can be somewhat misleading, as the US Geological Survey explains. Instead, hydrologists prefer to think of these as statistical “recurrence intervals,” in which a “100-year flood” occurs with about 1 percent probability in any given year. (A 50-year storm has a probability of 2 percent, while a 500-year storm translates to odds of 0.2 percent that this much rain would fall.) 

To put it another way: A 100-year flood, while rare, allows for the possibility that multiple such floods could occur within the same rainy season. It doesn’t mean that, if such a flood passes through an area, that spot is safe from a deluge for another 99 years. 

This story has been updated. It was originally published on August 3, 2022.

The post Flash floods are rare, but deadly. Here’s how to be ready for them. appeared first on Popular Science.

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I THINK THE BARBELL SAVED ME. Before that, I was toiling under the bar as a sports-bra-clad 20-something, lifting heavy things off the floor in pursuit of vain aesthetic goals. Then one day, that version of my life evaporated over a small bowl of rolled oats.

That pivotal morning, I felt something novel: earth-shattering pain like I’d never felt before. It crept up and down my back, hammering my vertebrae as if they were piano keys. Over the next few weeks, this percussive melody swelled to a full-body symphony. Agony spread to my limbs and tightened, viselike, around my ribs until I suspected I was having a heart attack. My sleep shattered into tiny, torturous fragments. I was suddenly sensitive to bright lights and loud noises, wading through waves of nausea, and sinking headlong into brain fog.

For a few months, securing a diagnosis became my sole mission. I ignored work to Google symptoms and spent my savings on medical appointments. I ran the gamut: cardiologist to pain specialist, general practitioner to gynecologist—a new diagnostician for each mysterious symptom. No one offered me an answer.

With the battery of tests exhausted, a kind doctor in a Kolkata clinic finally diagnosed me with a condition traditionally defined by exclusion: fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). But there was no pill to take, no detailed road map to follow for the rest of my lifelong journey.

I had no idea that I would come to view my longtime acquaintance—that 45-pound stainless-steel bar and its set of stackable plates—in a completely different light, and that it would help me chart my path.

What makes FMS so hard to diagnose?

Most people with fibromyalgia have had somewhat similar diagnostic experiences. The helpless trudging from specialist to specialist. The constant, confusing pain. The sense of isolation. No one ladled the biryani for me, stirring the individual symptoms into a cohesive diagnosis like cardamom pods, fried onions, and chunks of mutton coalescing atop layers of rice. To be fair, it’s not exactly their fault. The US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases describes FMS as a chronic disorder that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body, fatigue, sleep problems, and heightened sensitivity to pain. But what’s really important to absorb is the institute’s caveat that “scientists do not fully understand what causes it.”

At least some of this uncertainty can be attributed to medicine’s struggle to conceptualize FMS, let alone find a suitable test for it. While key fibromyalgia-like symptoms were identified in the early 1820s, the term wasn’t officially coined until 1976. It took another decade for the American Medical Association to recognize FMS as an official diagnosis. There may be some gender bias involved too: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that women are twice as likely to have FMS as men (though the extent it’s underdiagnosed in men is an active area of research). This is sobering, considering that medicine has historically ignored women’s pain—making them wait longer in emergency rooms, dubbing them “emotional,” and nudging them to just ignore the “little pain, honey.” Even in 2019, I found myself going through the rigmarole of not inconveniencing others, not sounding “too hysterical”—because if it doesn’t show up on medical imaging or in a blood panel, it isn’t real.

With FMS, the diagnosis is hard won, but what follows is harder. You may navigate, alone, the cesspool of a vague and nebulous condition with little medical support, using generalized prescriptions from practitioners. You may get shunted from osteology to neuroscience, rheumatology to pain management. You might find your way to the fibromyalgia subreddit, where fellow chronic pain sufferers can validate your story. What helped me most was forming some semblance of a community. I began to figure out how to move forward.

The relationship between FMS and resistance training

Few blows were harder and more bewildering than being advised by the many specialists I saw to give up weight training. My life was going to be hard with fibromyalgia, they reckoned—wouldn’t I rather try light tai chi or restorative yoga instead? Already frustrated (“chronic pain” meant I’d never be cured, and that was crushing), I found this a bitter pill to swallow. I’d been lifting weights since I was 18, and all those deadlifts, bench presses, and heavy barbell squats had given me a dopamine release that few other things had. Not even India’s inequitable COVID-19 pandemic could keep me away—I had settled into a makeshift home gym, pertinaciously jotting down the day’s reps and sets in a mass of squiggles on my phone. These numbers spoke to me in their own love language, soothing my anxiety. Often, they were the fulcrum that balanced an entire day.

Again, I cannot entirely blame my doctors. Their recommendation stemmed from a lack of new research. Guilherme Torres Vilarino, who has a doctorate in human movement science and works as an assistant professor at Santa Catarina State University in Brazil, explains that studies on resistance training and FMS are still too recent and limited for medical practitioners to incorporate them into treatment plans. One of the earliest studies that investigated the effects of resistance training in patients with FMS—wherein a group of premenopausal women with FMS took part in 21 weeks of progressive strength training—was published in 2021, but resistance training’s effects on people with FMS remained a rare research topic until a few years ago. “Scientific information does not reach the professionals who are working on a daily basis so quickly, so there’s a certain outdatedness,” Vilarino says. “Many professionals still think that exercise with loads will make pain worse.”

This school of thought isn’t unfounded. The Journal of Clinical Investigation points out that people with FMS have such debilitating pain because their sensory neurons “have heightened sensitivity to touch and pressure, as if their neurons are primed or supercharged to transmit pain signals in response to even minimal changes in the environment.” Everyone with FMS has their own triggers, and I’ve been able to zero in on mine over the years. My most common is a night of poor sleep, which invariably elicits shooting pain in the mornings.

The Lancet takes this further to suggest that people with fibromyalgia experience “nociplastic pain,” a relatively newly defined type of pain that’s different from nociceptive pain (caused by inflammation or tissue damage) and neuropathic pain (caused by nerve damage). The Lancet acknowledges that there’s more to learn about nociplastic pain, but that one factor could be altered pain modulation—the process by which the body handles pain signals. The medical journal also says that this kind of pain can be “more widespread or intense, or both, than would be expected given the amount of identifiable tissue or nerve damage.”

It makes sense, then, that many with FMS instinctively recoil from anything that feels out of place and could trigger symptoms. Perhaps resistance training is a fan to the flame for many diagnosed with fibromyalgia. But research now suggests that for some fibromyalgia patients, at least, weights are worth a closer look. 

Why resistance training may be able to help with fibromyalgia 

Since FMS research really began taking off in the past couple of decades, studies have sought to find out what the syndrome actually does to you and how exercise factors in. A 2006 study in Physical Therapy, for example, compared the functional physical performance and strength of women with fibromyalgia, women of similar weights and ages without FMS, and healthy older women. The results were alarming: The young women with FMS and the healthy older women had similar lower-body strength and functionality, which suggests fibromyalgia could increase the risk of premature age-related disability. 

This is concerning for women with FMS, especially those who may avoid physical activity for fear of triggering pain—because they may lose skeletal muscle mass while recovering. Science has established that if you don’t use it, you lose it. The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, for example, found that you can lose significant muscle after only 10 days of “detraining” (i.e., after returning to pre-study levels of activity with no resistance or endurance training), while The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that even rugby and football players began to lose both upper- and lower-body strength after just three weeks of detraining. Athletes and fitness junkies aside, COVID demonstrated that sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) is an unavoidable consequence of lying in bed.

In that context, it’s helpful to look at what resistance training (RET) does to fibromyalgic pain. High-quality studies have linked muscular fitness to lower all-cause mortality over the years in healthy individuals, and the American College of Rheumatology says exercise is the most effective treatment for FMS, but it does not single out RET. Still, recent research has focused specifically on how training for that muscular fitness could affect pain in FMS sufferers. A 2015 study of 130 women with FMS symptoms spanning up to 35 years found that RET led to significant improvement for current pain intensity, pain disability, and pain acceptance. The researchers did, however, stress that each participant needed to be actively involved in planning her own workout, a practice they said would help the women manage their progression around their own health problems. 

In 2022, three Chinese researchers analyzed a number of studies across several databases (including PubMed and the China National Knowledge Internet) and found that a combination of resistance and aerobic training might be the best way to alleviate pain among FMS patients. There’s also a 2013 examination of literature across databases (from the World Health Organization to the Cochrane Library) that suggests moderate-intensity RET reduces tender point sensitivity and pain in people with FMS, but also acknowledges that the evidence is low-quality—a technical term indicating that more studies are required. Then there are the mixed results, like those of a 2022 study of 41 women with FMS. This study found after 24 weeks of gradual and progressive strength training, the participants had reduced pain and improved sleep quality…but not reduced anxiety and fatigue, two other key FMS symptoms.

If you take one thing away from all this, it should be that while RET has been shown, in small, sporadic studies, to support pain reduction, we still lack studies that deeply probe whether patients outside a controlled trial can transfer those habits to their daily lives. The key, then? Start slow, and build slowly. 

After one 12-week strength-training program—in which participants did 11 exercises twice a week, doing each exercise for a set of eight to 12 repetitions at 40 to 60 percent of their one-rep max and eventually progressing to 60 to 80 percent of their one-rep max—women with FMS saw improved strength and daily functionality; however, tender point sensitivity stayed the same. 

Another study published in Arthritis Research and Therapy had women with FMS begin lifting weights that were 40 percent of their one-rep max for a training period of 15 weeks, and that aforementioned 2001 study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases started women with FMS at exercise loads of 40 to 60 percent of their one-rep max for a 21-week program. The results of both studies were promising: The former found significant improvements in current pain intensity, and at a post-trial examination, the latter found significant improvement in neck pain, fatigue, and depression.

Lynn B. Panton, a lead author on the study involving a 12-week strength-training program, suggests cautious progression. Panton, who has a doctorate in exercise physiology and is a professor of exercise science at Florida State University, suggests a multimodal program (one that combines RET, aerobic training, yoga, mental health therapy, and other activities). But even with such variety to choose from, she cautions against overwork. “One of the things we did in our studies was not to allow women, when they felt well, to do too much—because then they would usually overdo it,” Panton says.

Annette Larsson, a physiotherapist with the University of Gothenburg, points out another obstacle to incorporating RET into a multimodal program for FMS patients: “Proximity to training facilities and the cost of gym membership are important factors in whether a person with FMS chooses RET or not.” Plus, there are many, she says, who might believe they have insufficient knowledge of the exercises and don’t want to risk hurting themselves. Given the importance some researchers have placed on FMS patients being actively involved in their own workout planning, a lack of familiarity and confidence is certainly a challenge, but research has already laid the groundwork.

How often you lift, and how much, varies from person to person, but studies have suggested a gradual-loading approach can have both physical and mental benefits. “In the beginning, we start light, 50 to 60 percent [of a one-rep max], two sets, eight to 12 reps. We find it tolerable, manageable, with easy progression,” says J. Derek Kingsley, an associate professor of health sciences at Kent State University and a certified exercise physiologist who has led several studies on resistance training for women with FMS and chronic disease. “It shows the women they are capable, for one, and allows for time to learn the lifting techniques (breathing, for instance).” 

When I was figuring out my own resistance load, months after my diagnosis, I stopped to listen to my body, and to the sage words of weightlifters such as Megan Densmore, who’s had FMS since she was 14. Densmore has said that it took her five years to rebuild her strength and endurance, during which time she would often get a “flare” (an array of FMS symptoms, caused by a trigger) if she did too much. What could “too much” be, then? The Arthritis Foundation has suggested gradually scaling up to just a few exercises per week, but at heavier loads for fewer reps.

This appears to be important, as tempting as it may be to train with lighter loads that you can lift for many, many reps. A 2013 study examined 10 recreational athletes across three different rep ranges (high, low, and medium) and found that the high-rep athletes had the most lactate accumulation in their bodies after they finished their exercises. That’s important because a 2021 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that 10 women with FMS generally viewed heavy-load exercise sessions more positively than light- to moderate-load ones, and Larsson says excess lactic acid accumulation after many light reps could be a reason why. “In [that] study, it was shown that women with fibromyalgia actually preferred to train with heavier weights and fewer repetitions.” Vilarino, however, cautions that few studies specifically compare the effects of high-intensity training with those of low-intensity training for FMS patients. He still recommends starting with lighter loads, only increasing if one feels confident. “This progression should only be made if the patient does not imagine that this could worsen the symptoms.”

My routine, post-diagnosis

There are recommendations galore for incorporating RET into one’s training module, along with aerobic exercise, yoga, tai chi, and more. Aerobic exercise, especially, Kingsley says, can increase heart rate variability, thereby reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, while Larsson suggests that the most important thing is to find a form of training you enjoy and that works with your life. “Get moving, that’s the key,” Kingsley says. 

And there are plenty of ways to move, no matter what your body is capable of. I, for one, have simply found my way back to an old favorite. I’ve settled into resistance training three days a week, supplemented by a day or two of yoga or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). I think of how I’ve naturally gravitated, led by an FMS-fueled brain, toward deadlifting, benching, and squatting, hauling heavy but rarely for too long, always listening, tuned into the sounds of my body. I think, also, of the personal records I continue to track in a set of squiggly lines within an endless phone note, assured that my FMS flares will now be fewer and farther between than they were in 2019 when all this started.

When I asked Larsson about the efficacy of my own training module, she suggested I was on the right track and advised a similar approach: “You should choose to start with low weights and increase the load at a slow pace so you can get used to it. But then don’t be afraid to try to train on heavier loads with few repetitions.”

Beyond physical benefits, there is my mind, soothed, and the self-love welling up when I feel a weight lift off the ground. That self-esteem bump, Panton says, is indeed a prime reason to do all this. The effects of FMS on depression and anxiety, and vice versa, are well documented, with evidence of higher numbers of psychiatric conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, in people with FMS compared to the general population. Using exercise to counter that, even for a short while, can be heartening. “Studies show that RET can help with PTSD, empowering women and improving self-efficacy and self-esteem. All women can get the benefits,” Panton says. Kingsley says the same, although he concedes that I am still part of a “tiny minority”—women who have fibromyalgia and actively veer toward resistance training. If the studies keep coming, and stigma falls away to reveal a deeper understanding of FMS, this minority could grow.

Why, then, does the idea of RET as inherently damaging still permeate popular discourse? My earliest slew of doctors, for example, were not FMS experts and shrank from the idea of me returning to strength training. Panton and Kingsley say it’s likely about perception. RET, Kingsley says, is viewed as higher intensity than many other exercises, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, just 30 to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activities like RET per week is enough to reduce the risk of premature death. Consider starting with a couple of 15-minute sessions a week.

Panton also acknowledges that using a weight room can be seriously intimidating, especially for someone who hasn’t ever set foot in one. That said, once you’re in there, you may see improvements quite quickly, especially if you have the guidance of a kind soul or two with knowledge of your pain—a doctor, a partner, or a specialized trainer.

It’s been four years since my diagnosis, and since then, I’ve moved through tidal waves of emotion—first mourning for a body that once was, then feeling rage, grief, and quietude all at once. The struggle, as the kids say, is real: A bad pain flare will push me, frustrated, away from the squat rack for a day or two, and a bout of nausea can physically stop me from lifting a weight for half a week. In all of this, at least, I’ve earned a more heightened awareness of my body—a silver lining that gives me comfort when I’m low. Science will agree that movement looks different on different days, and research can’t yet confirm exactly what movement means for those of us with FMS. But I’ve come to understand that sometimes standing still, inert, hyperaware in the tsunami that is chronic pain, is movement itself.

Life after an FMS diagnosis isn’t exactly the same, they tell you. But who says it has to be worse?

Read more PopSci+ stories. 

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You’ve probably been told you should up your daily fiber intake by eating hearty foods like wheat bread and black beans. But despite a broad-spectrum recommendation for the roughage, researchers can’t say for certain why it’s so good for our microbiomes, what diseases it actually helps prevent, or how exactly we should consume it. Here’s what we do know.

First, what is fiber and how much of it do we need?

Broadly speaking, fiber is any carbohydrate that our bodies can’t digest. When we eat food, our digestive systems use various enzymes to break down the fat, carbohydrates, and protein therein. The resulting energy keeps our bodies running. Much of what’s left over consists of carbohydrates that we lack the enzymes necessary to digest. We divide that up into soluble and insoluble fibers, depending on which ones are dissolvable in water. Most unprocessed non-meat products like fresh fruits, mixed vegetables, and whole grains contain a combination of both forms.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 22 to 34 grams of fiber per day for adults and 10 to 15 grams for kids, depending on age. This chart for standard portions of fiber will help you figure out what that means for different kinds of foods.

Cool, so what does fiber do for us?

That’s the big question. Why is something that we don’t even digest so important to our health?

[Related: 5 nutrition goals that are better than weight loss]

Some nutritionists used to think fiber was the catch-all good-for-you ingredient in food, but we now understand that it manages blood glucose levels and reduces the risk of heart disease. Most importantly, some studies have shown that it reduces our overall mortality risk. In other words, the people that eat more fiber and make other healthy life choices have a general lower risk of death from all causes.

So scientists are pretty dang confident that fiber is good for you, but aren’t entirely sure why. However, we now understand that the biggest benefit that fiber has for us is indirect: It feeds our microbes, which in turn keep us running smoothly.

We have microbes, and that’s a good thing?

It’s true. Our bodies are teeming with bacteria and other microbes that live mostly on our skin and in our guts. In fact, each person contains trillions of these microorganisms. All together, they make up anywhere between 1 and 3 percent of a human’s body weight. (For an average 175-pound person, that’s as much as 5 pounds of bacteria.)

[Related: Probiotics are more hype than science]

The more fiber we eat, the more food our microbes have, and the more food our microbes have, the more likely they are to thrive and reproduce. That’s why a low-fiber diet—one paltry in apples, citruses, leafy greens, and whole grains, and high in meat, starches, and processed foods—can lead to problems. While we may get the calories we need, our microbes don’t. They start to die off and become less diverse over time.

But how exactly does that translate into good health?

While we still don’t understand all the mechanisms through which our microbes work to prevent disease, a few standout studies are pointing us in the right direction.

First, we know that when our bacteria consume the fiber we eat, they produce nutrients for the body, including short chain fatty acids. Those molecules help our body thrive. In particular, scientists have found that butyrate helps to promote cell differentiation in the colon. This keeps the mucus in our colons healthy, which helps prevent colorectal cancer.

Two studies published in 2017 gave mice an extremely low-fiber diet. Researchers found that after just three days, diversity of the bacteria living in the gut had shrunk by ten-fold. That protective layer of lower-gut mucus had decreased, too. On the other end of the fiber intake spectrum, in a study out in 2017, researchers took poop samples from the Hadza people in Tanzania, who eat an impressive 100 grams of fiber a day. The hunter-gatherer community tends to live long and healthy lives, and many researchers believe their high intake of unprocessed foods, which results in a high intake of fiber, may have something to do with it.

But, let’s face it, eating a completely unprocessed diet isn’t exactly easy, fun, or feasible. So, there are a few tricks of the trade you can use to get more fiber. First, get out of the habit of peeling fruit. If there’s skin on there—apple or pear-type skin, not thick and inedible peels—you want to eat it. That’s where a lot of the fiber is hiding.

[Related: Feed a family for a week with a single bag of beans]

Next, add beans to your diet. Beans have sooooo much fiber. They are also low in fat and high in nutrients. Yes, beans do cause gas. That is very annoying and is, for many, a valid reason to skip the legumes. Unfortunately, it’s the fiber itself that’s partly to blame for all that farting. To alleviate this, try adding beans slowly into your diet, which has been shown to help get your body—and your microbes—used to that delicious increase in fiber.

While it might be hard at first, it won’t take very long to see an effect from these changes. As studies have shown, just three days of more or less fiber can influence the diversity of your gut microbes.

And while there is still more work to be done to understand the relationship and mechanisms through which our microbes work to keep us healthy, it’s clear that they’re important—and that they need our help getting plenty of fiber.

This story has been updated. It was originally published on April 4, 2018.

The post Up your daily fiber intake for a happy microbiome appeared first on Popular Science.

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We’ve all heard the stories: a happy hiker wanders into the woods, feels the call of nature, and having nothing to wipe themselves with, reaches for the nearest leaf. In a day or two, the itchiest rash of their life spreads all over their undercarriage and they’re writhing in pain. Nature’s toilet paper turned out to be poison ivy.

This plant instills fear in many a heart because of the terrifying reactions it’s capable of triggering when it comes in contact with skin. Fortunately, if you know how to identify poison ivy and treat a rash, and when to see a doctor, you may be able to dodge the worst symptoms and prevent your skin from looking and feeling like it was dipped in a vat of acid.

Why is poison ivy so toxic

To avoid the murderously itchy rash caused by poison ivy, it’s important to know what’s actually happening when you come into contact with it. 

Poison ivy leaves are coated with a mixture of natural chemicals called urushiol, a dense oil-based compound that you can also find in the plant’s stems and roots. That means poison ivy can cause reactions year-round, even in winter when the plant appears dead or dormant.

According to Teo Soleymani, a dermatologist and co-founder of California Dermatology and Mohs Surgery Specialists in Pasadena, it is urushiol that causes all the unwelcome symptoms: blisters, rashes, and an unquenchable itch that lasts up to three weeks. And because this chemical is invisible and hydrophobic—meaning it mixes well with your body’s natural oils—not only is it nearly impossible to tell if you’ve had a run-in with it, but it also penetrates the skin with excellent dexterity. Also, much like other oils, urushiol is difficult to wash off with just a shower.

[Related: 10 common plants that can hurt you]

But perhaps the most darkly comical fact is that on its own, urushiol is harmless. The aggressive reaction to this compound is actually caused by your immune system, which mounts an attack when the oil attaches to skin proteins, explains Eric Martz, professor emeritus at the Department of Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. White blood cells vigorously bombard amalgamations they perceive as unfamiliar, causing inflammation and tissue damage—and making it a frontrunner for over-reactor of the year.

That said, not everyone experiences the same reaction post-contact. While there’s no such thing as immunity, Soleymani explains, some people are more sensitive to urushiol than others. Additionally, a reaction may not happen the first or second time you encounter poison ivy, as your immune system has to be sensitized to the plant before it has an allergic reaction. So if you touch the plant once and you find your body’s reaction to be mild, don’t think that means it doesn’t affect you. 

Avoid poison ivy at all costs

The only way to truly elude an aggressive reaction to this formidable plant is to avoid it altogether. But that doesn’t mean you should stop hiking, gardening, or playing outside—being aware of your surroundings and knowing how to identify poison ivy will usually keep you safe from a painful rash.

We’ve all heard the aphorism “leaves of three, let it be,” but let’s be honest: there are lots of plants out there that fit this description. The key to tell poison ivy apart from the rest of the “three leaves to a bunch” plants, is to check the shape of those leaves. On poison ivy, the two leaves on the outside of the trio resemble mittens with the thumbs facing outward. The leaf in the middle is more symmetrical with thumbs on both sides. The plant itself is a bushy vine and the stem will often have a tinge of red in it. 

Treat poison ivy rashes early and vigorously

Even if you only suspect you came into contact with poison ivy, Soleymani says you can prevent a full-blown outbreak by taking action as soon as possible.

Start by preventing a bigger problem. You can easily spread urushiol to other parts of your body and fellow hikers, so don’t touch the affected area and prevent other people from coming into contact with it. 

As soon as you can, and ideally within a few hours after exposure, wash and vigorously scrub the affected area with a strong detergent like dish soap, says Soleymani. Rinse and repeat several times—this will help break up urushiol and wash it away. 

Keep in mind that urushiol is incredibly stable and it can cling to fabrics, so you should definitely throw all your clothing and shoes in the wash. Wearing them again without removing any remnants of the sap could result in a rash the next time you put them on. 

If your pet has been traipsing in the plants, give them a thorough bath with detergent, too. Thick fur easily collects oil, which can stick around for weeks. And while the animal may not be bothered because urushiol may not make it all the way down to their skin, it can transfer to yours when you pet them. That means you could constantly be re-exposing yourself, warns Soleymani.

How to treat a mild case of poison ivy

If the window for early mitigation is past and your skin is already reacting, there are a few things you can do to ease your suffering.

If your rash seems to be irritatingly itchy but mild, and you show no other complications like swelling or difficulty breathing, you may be able to assuage the discomfort at home and skip a visit to your dermatologist or family doctor.

There are two main reasons a reaction might be mild. As we mentioned, you may not be fully sensitized to poison ivy yet, but age might also be playing to your advantage, as younger immune systems tend to react more aggressively. And even if there’s no immunity to poison ivy, a small percentage of people simply have a high tolerance to it.

Whatever the reason, don’t run out and waste your money on topical antihistamines that claim to treat the rash. Soleymani says they don’t work. Instead, apply hydrocortisone cream on the rash to reduce the itch, put ice packs on it to treat swelling, and take ibuprofen to tackle inflammation until the symptoms pass, which usually happens after a couple of weeks.

More good news: once a rash develops, you won’t need to be concerned about spreading the oil to others, as you can’t transfer urushiol at this point.

When to see a doctor for poison ivy exposure

First, and most importantly: if you think you might’ve inhaled aerosolized particles from burning poison ivy, you should seek immediate medical treatment. In such cases, the same well-known symptoms that pop up on your skin can appear in your airways, which can be extremely dangerous and even deadly.

[Related: 13 toxic wild plants that look like food]

Even if your reaction doesn’t seem too bad, you should also see a doctor if the rash appears on sensitive areas, like your face or genitals. Moreover, rashes on other parts of your body can get worse before they get better, says Soleymani. Make sure to seek medical attention if by day three to five you start presenting one or more of the following symptoms:

• Unrelenting itch
• Painful blisters
• Swelling

They will likely prescribe a series of topical and/or oral steroids to fight the reaction. If they do, follow your doctor’s instructions precisely. Even if it seems like symptoms are diminishing, the rash will likely come back if you stop the treatment before completion.

The post How to keep poison ivy from ruining outdoor fun appeared first on Popular Science.

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The Fourth of July holiday might be primetime for eating, drinking, and hanging out, but every summer weekend has the potential to reach legendary levels of chill. All those good vibes can melt away in an instant, though, if the person in charge of food and beverages doesn’t know how to pack a cooler. Don’t let that be you.

As tempting as it may be to just toss your sausages and frosty beverages into an insulated box with some ice, a little planning and the right stacking strategy will help your food and drink stay cold longer. You’ll also stymie bacterial growth, which the Department of Agriculture says occurs rapidly between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to 60 Celsius). And a weekend marked by legendary levels of bacteria is one you’ll remember for all the wrong reasons.

Anyone who’s attended a summertime party knows guests dip into the drink supply far more frequently than they poke around in the refrigerated food. It might only be the cook who touches that. Every time you open a cooler, warm air gets in, so storing sodas with steaks means your meat could go bad a lot faster than it would in a designated portable meat locker. A warm Coke is one thing—uncooked room-temperature chicken is another.

Make sure you have the right cooler

The best cooler (or cooler bag) for your trip is the one you can stuff to its limit, leaving as little empty space as possible. You want as much heat transfer as possible inside your cooler to happen between the ice and your goodies—you don’t want precious ice chilling random air. Your main consideration will be size: use one you can fill to at least two-thirds of its capacity with ice, with the remainder reserved for food or drink.

We say two-third of your cooler’s contents should be ice because many major retailers (like Yeti and Canyon) recommend a 2-to-1 ratio of ice to food or drink. The easiest way to visualize this is to divide your cooler into thirds and ensure your provisions fill one of them. Just don’t pack it like that—we’ll get to the proper packing plan shortly.

Beyond that, you can use whatever cooler you please. Naturally, newer coolers will feature the latest insulation innovations, and our reviews team has weighed in on what they consider to be the best coolers available, if you’re into that. And maybe consider a white one because it’s likely to absorb the least amount of heat. But if you like the one you’ve had for years, who are we to tell you to throw it out? We will note that if you have two coolers with different insulating qualities, use the better one for food and the worse one for drinks—as usual, this choice comes down to food safety.

Freeze your own ice or buy the coldest you can

If you have enough lead time, it’s best to freeze your own ice. As long as you have water, you won’t have to worry about running out, and you can make the cold stuff work for you in ways you might not be able to if you buy a sack of ice from the store.

Understandably, not everybody has the time or desire to start an industrial ice-making operation in their home. Instead, try to find the place near you that sells the coldest ice. Sure, water turns into a solid at 32 degrees (0 Celsius), but ice can get colder than that. A commercial freezer is likely to crank out cubes chillier than anything you can craft in your kitchen. A final note about dry ice: we don’t recommend it because it’s not as easy to come by and can be dangerous. If you do get your hands on some, follow all the proper precautions, the most basic of which include wearing gloves and sticking it at the bottom of the cooler so it’s unlikely to contaminate any food or drink.

On top of this cold foundation, you’ll want an insulator of some kind, at least in your food cooler. While you’re discarding packaging, save some cardboard—it’s lightweight and fairly good at resisting heat. You could even consider a thin piece of wood, which is less likely to get soggy and is a relatively good insulator that’s easy to find. If you have something better that’s food-safe, by all means, use it. For bonus cooling, chill this material with your cooler beforehand. Not only will this unmeltable layer ensure a solid base and an extra barrier for heat to break through, it will keep food from slipping into the icy meltwater depths to be ruined forever.

[Related: The best coolers for camping this year]

From there, think about what food or drinks you’ll want to access last and put them at the bottom. The primary exception to this rule is uncooked meat. You should store it in watertight containers so it can’t leak everywhere, but if you don’t have those, stash it at the bottom so its juices can’t contaminate other food. Another exception is delicate food—even if you’re going to cook the hot dogs last, don’t bury the buns under pounds of ice and other stuff. They’ll be crushed.

As you go, try to pack everything in layers and fill all empty space with ice. Remember what we said above: the less air there is in your cooler, the longer everything will stay cold. And if you want to get really intense about cooler packing, separate everything by category and create a map of what you’ve got going on inside your portable icebox. If it’s clear where everything is, you and your guests won’t have to rootle around with the lid open as much.

Finish with a cold cap

Once your cooler is stuffed to the brim with ice and goodies, fill the last bit of space under the lid with something cold. We think the best choice here is a reusable freezer sheet, because these ice packs are flat and thin, easily serving as a second lid. If you don’t have some of those, reusable ice packs are a good secondary option because they also tend to be uniformly flat and are larger than ice cubes (surface area always matters). Regular ice will do the trick too, but it won’t last as long as our preferred options.

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During all sorts of major celebrations, people around the world often anticipate the bursts of color and sounds of crackling explosions of fireworks displays. But no matter how entertaining they are, their environmental impacts should not be overlooked. Each firework shoots off light, noise, and particulate pollution that may affect wildlife behavior and trigger respiratory problems, allergies, and PTSD in people. To avoid harmful health and environmental effects, it’s important to explore greener, safer alternatives to fireworks.

How fireworks affect the environment

The explosions you see in fireworks are chemical reactions. They contain oxidizers like perchlorates and nitrates that break down chemical bonds in the fuel source, which could be charcoal-based. Metals like copper, strontium, and barium are added to produce color.

When fireworks explode, they release sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and heavy metals into the atmosphere, says Gwen O’Sullivan, an environmental chemist and department chair of earth and environmental science at Mount Royal University in Canada. They can rapidly deteriorate air quality, especially in areas with concentrated displays. Inhaling these pollutants can be particularly harmful to people with respiratory conditions, O’Sullivan adds.

A 2015 study in the journal Atmospheric Environment found that Fourth of July fireworks increase particulate matter concentrations by an average of 42 percent across the US. Although the levels generally diminish the next day, the temporary increase in air pollution can be dangerous.

“These substances can be deposited from the atmosphere into water bodies, causing adverse effects on aquatic life and overall water quality,” says O’Sullivan. Some chemicals, like perchlorate, may leach into water bodies and be absorbed by plants. They can then possibly be consumed by wildlife and enter the food chain.

[Related: How to comfort pets and babies during fireworks]

Aside from releasing chemicals into the environment, fireworks are also a source of short-term sound and light disturbance. Over the years, New Year’s Eve fireworks in Europe have been observed to cause a variety of impacts on bird life, including a sharp and sudden decline in Eurasian magpies’ roost size, a 26 to 35 percent drop overnight in swan, goose, and duck numbers on Lake Zurich, and the evacuation of thousands of birds in the Netherlands. The ecological impacts of firework noise may also influence wildlife breeding outcomes.

“While light and sound can be fleeting, they still have a profound effect on wildlife and [on] us,” says Bill Bateman, associate professor in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences at Curtin University in Australia. “The air [pollution] and subsequent soil and water pollution can be considerable and long lasting.”

Safer firework alternatives for any holiday

With all the emotions and nostalgia surrounding fireworks shows, it can be challenging for people to explore other options, says O’Sullivan. Choreographed light displays, like drone and laser shows, may preserve the visual allure of the celebrations. “Drones are increasingly being used in place of fireworks due to their advantages of producing no harmful smoke or chemicals, being reusable, and their ability to be programmed for intricate aerial formations,” O’Sullivan adds. Places like Salt Lake City, Utah and Boulder, Colorado have replaced traditional fireworks displays with drone shows for the Fourth of July.

In India, some people are switching to “green crackers,” which refers to fireworks or firecrackers made with a smaller shell size and reduced usage of raw material in the overall composition. They may also involve the use of additives like dust suppressants that reduce emissions. These green crackers are estimated to reduce particulate matter pollution by 30 percent. However, manufacturing fireworks with lower levels of heavy metals and no perchlorate tends to be costly.

Additionally, although environmentally friendly fireworks that replace structural parts and chemical ingredients to reduce the release of smoke, metals, and perchlorates do emit fewer pollutants, “their specific impact on air quality has not been thoroughly evaluated,” says O’Sullivan. More research is necessary to look into the benefits of eco-friendly fireworks over conventional ones.

[Related: Host a sustainable affair with these environmentally-friendly tips]

Simple party poppers or confetti cannons filled with biodegradable materials like water-soluble rice paper may be a more accessible, fitting replacement for fireworks. Families might also enjoy bubble guns, which are entertaining and don’t leave any waste behind.

In general, there are plenty of alternatives to fireworks for those who are really eager to avoid their effects on the environment. If you can’t quit fireworks altogether, Bateman says even just having shorter and fewer displays will make a huge difference in making holidays safer and more peaceful for everyone.

The post Celebrate a firework-less Fourth of July with drones, bubble guns, or confetti cannons appeared first on Popular Science.

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Trekking uphill often gets a bad rap for being difficult, exhausting, and capable of turning your legs into metaphorical jelly. But those in the know are aware that heading back down is where the challenge can get brutal. Because when you go downhill, your calves seem to shorten, your toes bruise from jamming into the front of your boots, and your knees ache from repeated relentless impact.

Fortunately, with preparation, the right tools, and the correct technique, you can make it back down after a climb without totally abusing your body.

Outfit your feet properly

If your toes and feet tend to feel brutalized after a long downward scramble, your footwear might be to blame. It’s all about the correct fit: A bigger shoe could result in blisters or feet sliding around, affecting your balance, while small footwear will make your toes pay the price as they ram into the front of your footwear on the way down.

[Related: For a better hike, try swapping clunky boots for barefoot shoes]

Before you go out, check your hiking boots—they should be fully broken in and fit just right, not too tight, not too roomy. Additionally, leave at least a thumb’s worth of space between the tip of your longest toe and the end of the shoe to make room for any swelling you might experience during long hikes.

Lacing techniques can make a difference, too. One way to keep your feet from sliding forward is to unlace your boots to an eyelet or two in front of your ankle and twist the laces around one another two to three times in a surgeon’s knot. Pull tight, repeat once more between the next pair of eyelets, then re-lace to the top and the knot will stay taut, locking your foot in place. Alternatively, you can also cinch your laces tighter before descending.

Find the right route

Route-finding plays a pivotal role in easier descents. So before you head down, Gates Richards, associate director of wilderness medicine at the National Outdoors Leadership School, recommends you scan the terrain ahead for the path of least resistance. Generally, that means picking the trail that’s least steep, doesn’t feature any large step-downs, or consists of wide, curving switchbacks instead of precipitous slopes. Opting for any of these may lengthen your route, but will decrease the angle of the pitch.

If you have the choice between a longer, but more gradual grade, and a shorter route with large rocks to step down, the smooth graded path will probably be less jarring on your body. “I’ll take distance over basically doing squats all the way down,” says Richards.

If there are no switchbacks in sight but the trail is wide enough, you can create your own micro switchbacks by zig-zagging from one side of the trail to the other via a slow and tight declination.

Whatever you do, adhere to Leave No Trace principles by staying on the trail and not cutting switchbacks. 

The biomechanics of hiking downhill

Adopting the right posture is crucial to safe and comfortable downhill hiking, says Richards. This entails positioning your center of gravity and your torso (the bulk of your mass) right above your knees, neither leaning too far back nor too far forward.

Once your posture is ready, focus on keeping those knees slightly bent as you walk. If your legs are fully extended when your heels strike the ground, Richards says your muscles won’t be able to help absorb the impact. That’s essentially having your entire body weight falling down on your bones and knees with every step, which can be jarring and cause lasting aches and pains.

At the same time, bending your knees will naturally force you to take smaller steps, which will help keep you balanced and in control and cut back on the stress the impact is putting on your skeleton. Keeping knees bent may invite more leg muscles to the party, which you will likely feel in full force the day after your hike. But it’ll all be worth it—sore tissue will bounce back much quicker than your pummeled joints and bones.

Master the technique of the downhill hike

Now that you know how to position your body, you’ll need to nail the technique of walking on a decline safely and comfortably. The key, Richards says, is a controlled descent, which essentially means slowing your roll.

“You want to feel like you could stop on a dime. If you don’t think you can, slow down,” Richards advises.

Maintaining control goes hand in hand with making things easy for you—giving into your personal preferences can help. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no one way to plant your feet as you’re going downhill, Richards says, and whether you keep toes pointing straight down or slightly outward, will depend on your own individual walking style. 

If you’re not sure about your own walking style, you can try different approaches and even mix it up every few minutes until you find something that feels comfortable or boosts stabilization. On a steep slope, you may even want to shuffle down sideways or turn to face uphill and carefully descend backward. Planting each foot slightly laterally will also recruit your hips to take some of the pressure off your knees.

If you’re carrying a heavy backpack, Richards also suggests loosening the load lifters—the straps that connect the top of the bag with the top of your shoulders—on the way down. This will allow the backpack to pull you slightly backward, helping you keep yourself centered over your feet.

Trekking poles can also help you stay balanced and upright, as well as take some of the pressure off your knees. Simply extend them until your arms form a 90-degree angle when the poles are planted a foot or so downhill from your feet. With each step, swing the pole in the arm opposite to the foot you’re putting forward and plant it firmly. If you need extra assistance on a large step-down, swing both poles at the same time. Then, with your hands on the tops of the grips, press down with your arms slightly.

Training for future downhill hikes

If the idea of going downhill is preventing you from exploring certain trails, you should prepare your body for them. Because you shouldn’t just train your leg muscles to push you up—they should be strong enough to lower you down, too. So if you still dread the downhill, consider tweaking your exercise routine to build strength and endurance for long descents. 

[Related: What to know before you go on your first multi-day hike]

Lee Welton, thru-hiker, personal trainer, and owner of Trailside Fitness, shares three exercises that bolster muscles to make downhills less painful. Perform three sets of 15 reps of each movement three to four times a week.

1. Forward step downs: Strengthen your quads and calves by standing with your right foot on a 6-inch step. Flex your right toes upward and lower your left heel toward the ground slowly over three seconds. Tap your left heel on the floor, keep your right foot flexed up, and return to standing. “Fast reps won’t do you any good. Slow and controlled is the key here,” Welton says. Use a countertop or wall for support if you need to, keep your hips level, and avoid letting your knee collapse inward as you step down.
   
2. Physioball hamstring curl: This is for the hamstrings, glutes, core, and calves. Lay on your back and place your heels on a large physioball. Keep your arms at your sides, tighten your core, and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Keep them raised and drag your heels slowly toward your behind, then push them back to the starting position and repeat without lowering your hips.
   
3. Elevated toe raises: “The big shin muscle, tibialis anterior, is responsible for pulling the foot up as the leg swings forward, as well as controlling the foot back to the ground after the heel makes contact,” Welton explains. This exercise builds a greater range of motion in your feet so you have better control on varied terrain. Stand on a step six to eight inches tall with your toes and mid-foot hanging off the front. Use your heel as an anchored pivot point and raise and lower your toes as far as possible over three to four seconds. 

Just remember: “If it was difficult going up, it’s going to be difficult coming down,” Richards says, but slow and steady will have you safely to the bottom in no time. 

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“Hey! How are you? It’s been such a long time since we last spoke. What have you been up to?” Many conversations start like this, but once that first sentence is out of your mouth, the rest often doesn’t flow as easily. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking to a stranger or a long-lost friend, the conversation can quickly turn awkward, annoying, boring, embarrassing… or all those things at once. 

Although communication is at the core of the human experience, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and shy away from it, dismissing it as too hard, says Adam Mastroianni, a Columbia Business School researcher who studies how people perceive each other. But learning how to talk to people and having good conversations really isn’t that complicated. There are just a handful of things you’ll want to keep in mind.

“Other primates do this by picking bugs out of their [community members’] hair. We do it using our words,” says Mastroianni. “Someone who doesn’t get that, to me, feels a little suspect. It’s like they want something instrumental out of this conversation, rather than doing it for the sake of drawing closer with someone.” So don’t worry that questions like, “How was your day?” and “How was your meal?” are too basic. Small talk can help you ease into more meaningful conversations with people, gradually increasing reciprocal intimacy.

2. Please, please, put your phone away

Constantly checking your phone while talking with somebody is rude, vexing, and makes you a worse conversation partner no matter how well you think you can multitask. You don’t have to take our word for it, either: research published by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology in 2018 showed that people who used their phones during conversations felt more distracted and experienced less overall enjoyment.

Even if you think you’re exceptionally skilled at using your phone while chatting, you’re probably not. Another study published in the same journal four years later showed that people fail to recognize how negatively their phone use is affecting a social interaction, even though they can easily see how others’ phone use is affecting it. That’s because we all think we’re using our phones for a good reason, while others aren’t.

Stashing your phone also means you’ll be able to meet your conversation partner’s eyes while you chat. This is important because good eye contact can show that you’re paying attention, while a lack of it may cause you to appear uninterested. Most people make eye contact briefly and repeatedly during interpersonal interactions, usually when they’re listening, with glances lasting between 3 and 10 seconds, according to a 1992 article published by the Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. So, seriously, keep your phone out of sight, and both you and the person you’re talking to will enjoy the conversation more.

3. Go with the flow and keep an open mind

Once you’re present and immersed in the conversation you’re having, you should be able to go with the flow. Imagine walking into a room full of mimes and pretending to shoot one of them with a bow and arrow, Mastroianni says. The target will go along with it, agreeing to the reality you’re creating and cooperating with you. “I think that is what a lot of people miss in a conversation,” he says. “Be willing to humor other people and see where it goes.”

4. Stop worrying about how you’re being perceived—they like you more than you think

People consistently underestimate how much other people like them, a phenomenon social psychologists have dubbed “the liking gap.” In short, this is the difference between how much you think someone likes you and how much they actually like you, and it’s a gap that can last months. You’ve been living with it most of your life, too: A study published by Psychological Science in 2021 found that the liking gap tends to appear when we are 5 years old—the age we start worrying about how we’re socially perceived. Similar research shows that we also underestimate how much others think about us after a conversation.

These findings aside, focusing on being liked generally isn’t a helpful way to build genuine relationships. “Many people spend a lot of time evaluating themselves or thinking about what other people will think of them. In general, this interferes with connecting with others,” says Gail Heyman, a University of California, San Diego, professor who specializes in social cognition.

[Related: Humans are so social that we try to fit in with robots]

Plus, don’t take it personally if a conversation doesn’t go as well as you thought it would—most of the time people are projecting. Maybe they’re having a rough day or feeling uneasy about the topic, and that’s why they’re not matching your energy. Keep that in mind and respond accordingly, but empathetically. Many times, what looks like a negative response stems from the person being preoccupied, or from another reason that has little, if anything, to do with you, Heyman says. Try to understand where they’re coming from, instead of raising your defenses.

In practice, you want to ask a good question that’s fairly easy to answer, says Mastroianni. “An example of a bad question is, ‘Do you have any siblings?’ because the answer is yes or no, and it doesn’t allow the person to actually elaborate,” he explains. It’s a conversation-killer. “A better question is, ‘How do you feel about’ something, or ‘What do you think about’ something.”

6. Give the person you’re talking to a path through the conversation

Just because you’ll be listening and asking insightful questions doesn’t mean you’ll never have to talk yourself. In fact, many people assume that talking a lot during a conversation is bad when it’s actually not. Similar to the liking gap, people tend to underestimate how much other people enjoy hearing from them, incorrectly believing they will be more likable if they speak less than half the time in a conversation. That assumption is wrong.

What really matters, Mastroianni says, is how you’re talking about yourself and whether what you’re saying is facilitating a conversation where somebody can say something else next. “I think good conversations have a lot of doorknobs,” he says. A doorknob is, basically, a conversational element that allows your speaking partner to grab onto a topic and keep the discussion moving. Mastroianni refers to them this way because grasping a real-world doorknob helps you move into another space. “These are things that you can latch onto, that we can both take from each other and give to each other,” says Mastroianni. Balancing the give and take is important because if all you do is talk about yourself, you’ll come across as vain. On the other hand, if all you do is ask questions, you’ll end up resentful, he explains.

The liking gap is common in these more intense conversations too, so don’t get discouraged. A study published in 2022 by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology analyzed 1,800 people across 12 different experiments and found that although people enjoy deep conversations, even with strangers, they often underestimate how much others are interested in hearing about their lives. 

[Related: Emotions may be universal, but they aren’t easy to translate]

“I am interested in conversations in which people gain new insights about each other, themselves, or about the world—the kind of conversations college students often have when they are living in the dorms and staying up later than they should,” says Heyman, offering an example of what she’d consider a deep conversation. “After college, I noticed that the people around me rarely had those kinds of conversations, and I missed that.”

Yet Mastroianni notes that conversations barely ever end when we want them to, a fact reinforced by a study he co-authored and published in PNAS. On average, conversations ended at a time that differed from the time participants wanted them to end by about 50 percent of the length of the conversation, says Mastroianni. That’s a big mismatch. Yes, a majority of people wanted to end sooner, but a chunk of people wanted the conversation to continue. And even when both study participants wanted to continue, they didn’t want to keep talking to each other for the same amount of time, says Mastroianni.

These differences are caused by one underlying theme: people don’t often want the same things out of an interaction, Mastroianni says. But remarkably, this lack of coordination doesn’t stop us from enjoying the chat.

Sure, people who say a conversation went on longer than they wanted to do enjoy it a little less, but not that much less, Mastroianni says. It’s not like they thought the conversation was outright terrible. 

So moving forward, try not to focus too much on whether you can be a better conversationalist overall, and think more about what you can bring to each conversation. Truly listen and pay attention to the person you’re talking to. 

“It’s not just like ‘Are you a good conversationalist?’” Mastroianni says. “But ‘Are you a good conversationalist with this person, right now, in this conversation that you’re having?’”

This story has been updated. It was originally published on December 6, 2022.

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