Microplastics — the tiny plastic fragments now found from mountaintops to ocean floors — have also been detected in human brains. A recent study suggested their presence has increased over time, but scientists caution the evidence is too limited to know if[...]
News Topic: Personal
Curio |
Why good houseguests don’t actually ‘make themselves at home’
As summer winds down and travel plans take shape, etiquette expert Elaine Swann has some clear advice for being the kind of houseguest who’s always welcome back. It starts with respecting your host’s space, keeping visits short, and communicating your plans ahead[...]
News |
Wildfire smoke is like smoking ‘half a pack a day.’ Here’s how to protect yourself
As wildfire smoke from Canada drifts across the Midwest and Northeast, air quality alerts are becoming more frequent—and more serious. Breathing this smoke can be as harmful as smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, especially for children, older adults, and[...]
News |
How to handle wasp nests safely and smartly
By August, they’re hard to miss—circling picnic tables, landing on lemonade cups, and building nests in the eaves. Yes, it’s wasp season on the prairie. As colonies shift and sugar cravings spike, wasps become more visible—and more likely to crash your barbecue.[...]
Curio |
Prairie Fare: The great mowing workout — Why I’m ditching the riding mower
I perused the garage looking for my heavy-duty clippers. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with my situation, but I had no one to blame but myself. I was mowing with a battery-operated push mower, and the area beneath the pine trees needed attention.[...]
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Curio |
Watch: Why Dungeons and Dragons Is Good for Your Brain
What began as a game for so-called misfits has quietly become a source of healing, connection, and even therapy. Dungeons & Dragons, once misunderstood and mocked, is now filling Madison Square Garden and gaining the attention of mental health researchers. From boosting[...]
News |
Study Reveals The Shocking Amount of Plastic We Breathe in Every Day
We’ve long worried about plastic in our oceans and food, but now it’s the air that’s raising alarms — especially indoors, where most of us spend nearly all our time. A new study reveals we could be inhaling over 70,000 microplastic particles[...]
Curio |
It is becoming easier to create AI avatars of the deceased, but should we?
When grief cuts deep, the promise of one more moment—one more voice, one more glance—can be hard to resist. Technology now offers a version of that promise through AI-generated “grief bots,” but what does it cost us spiritually? In this reflection, a[...]
Curio |
Prairie Fare: Preserving food safely — Blending tradition with science
“I need you to stay out of the kitchen for a while. I am pressure canning green beans,” my mom would say. I’d be stationed at the picnic table on the patio, trimming and slicing green beans. After the beans were cut[...]
News |
The Death of Partying in the U.S.A.—and Why It Matters
The numbers are in, and they confirm what many have quietly felt: America has forgotten how to party. Not just in the champagne-and-confetti sense, but in the deeper, human one—gathering, laughing, sharing time face-to-face. Over the past two decades, our social calendars[...]
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News |
Dogs are helping people regulate stress even more than expected, research shows
Feeling overwhelmed is becoming a daily reality for many Americans—but science is uncovering a surprisingly simple way to help: spend time with your dog. A new study from the University of Denver finds that dogs don’t just soothe us emotionally; they help[...]
Commentary |
Opaque Algorithms Are Setting Prices Just For You
Delta Airlines is about to make shopping for flights even murkier: soon, 20% of its fares will be set by AI-driven “surveillance pricing,” tailoring prices to what you — personally — seem willing to pay. It’s a step beyond dynamic pricing, using[...]
News |
What exactly is “brain rot” — and how to identify and overcome it
“Brain rot” — it’s a phrase that sounds dramatic, but it’s struck a nerve in today’s hyper-scrolling culture. Named Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2024, it captures what happens when we consume too much short-form, low-effort content, leaving us distracted, drained,[...]
Curio |
Even healthy brains decline with age. Here’s what you can do
It’s no secret that as we age, our brains slow down—a forgotten grocery item here, a slower reaction time there. But scientists are learning that some people defy that trend, maintaining sharp memory and quick thinking well into later life. What’s their[...]
News Release |
Mosquito Spraying This Week in Minot
The City of Minot, in conjunction with Minot Air Force Base and the Ohio Air National Guard, has scheduled aerial spraying for mosquito control in the Minot area for an evening between July 14-18, weather permitting. A second spraying has been scheduled[...]
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Curio |
Watch: This ‘Iron Dome’ for mosquitoes shoots down bugs with lasers
Mosquitoes beware — your days might be numbered, and this time it’s not citronella doing the work. A Chinese engineer has unveiled the Photon Matrix, a laser-equipped gadget that tracks and zaps mosquitoes right out of the air, one tiny villain at[...]