London tourist

From an ancient underground temple at London Mithraeum to the poignant Crossbones Graveyard, these eight offbeat sites will take you to parts of London you likely never knew existed London is one of the most touristed cities on the planet: before the pandemic, it welcomed more than 21 million international visitors a year, plus many others from across the UK. The quintessential sights from the Houses of Parliament to Buckingham Palace, the British Museum to Kew Gardens, to name just a few are immediately familiar to people around the world, even those who have never set foot in the city. But if you scratch beneath the surface you'll find the capital is also home to an array of lesser known places that are rather more surprising, offbeat, under appreciated, unlikely and in some cases  downright bizarre. Here, we veer off London's well trodden tourist trail to highlight eight of its most intriguing attractions, from an ancient subterranean temple to an odd curiosity shop to a neon fever dream.

Best for a sensory experience: God's Own Junkyard

Stepping into God's Own Junkyard home to one of the world's biggest collections of neon lights and signs feels like being bounced around a giant pinball machine. Located on an industrial estate in Walthamstow, surrounded by a craft brewery, mechanic and furniture workshop, this sensory overload of an art gallery and shop was founded in the 1980s by the late Chris Bracey, who created pieces for Hollywood films such as Batman and Eyes Wide Shut, as well as the likes of Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed and photographer and director David LaChappelle. The walls are covered with neon signs in vivid pinks, blues, greens, yellows and countless other colours advertising hotels and strip clubs, cocktails and Coca Cola. Some have enigmatic slogans such as "It's always your favourite sins that do you in", while others depict the logos for BBC1 music show Top of the Pops and the London Underground. There are plenty of playful juxtapositions  a Statue of Liberty wields a lightsaber, while a glowing halo adorns the Virgin Mary as well as a cafe bar named The Rolling Scones that serves fry ups and cream teas to a soundtrack of rock and '80s pop.

Best for those with eclectic tastes: Horniman Museum and Gardens

Towering totem poles and colourful cycle-rickshaws, Spanish Inquisition torture chairs and Uzbek wedding dresses, Rio carnival costumes and Yoruba divination rattles, sperm whale teeth and stuffed three toed sloths: the Horniman has perhaps the most eclectic collection of any museum in the capital. Founded in 1890 by Frederick Horniman, a wealthy tea trader, social reformer and Liberal Party MP who gathered countless pieces of art, artefacts and specimens from across the globe, it aimed to "bring the world to [the London district of] Forest Hill". Today, the Horniman has around 350,000 exhibits and, commendably, the curators make efforts to address the colonial connections of many of the items on display. There are internationally important ethnographic, musical instrument and natural history collections. The latter features an array of animal skeletons, replicas and taxidermy, including the museum's most famous resident: the Horniman Walrus, an over-stuffed, unnaturally smooth creature perched on top of a model iceberg in the centre of the gallery.

Best for quiet contemplation: Crossbones Graveyard 

On a quiet side street in the shadow of the Shard, a five minute walk from the tourist throngs in Borough Market, the Crossbones Graveyard sits on the site of a post-medieval burial ground estimated to contain the remains of around 15,000 paupers, many of them sex workers and children. Once surrounded by one of London's most notorious slums, an area know as the Mint, the burial ground was used for centuries before eventually closing in 1853. It was largely forgotten until the 1990, when bones and skulls were discovered by construction workers digging tunnels for the Jubilee line extension of the London Underground. There was subsequently a local campaign that led to the transformation of what had become a derelict industrial site into a peaceful garden of remembrance that aims to both honour the "outcast dead" buried below it and provide a contemplative space for present day visitors. Amid the flower beds, trees and ponds, there is an array of shrines, memorials and tributes to lost loved ones from twists of coloured fabric and fragments of poetry to statues and sculptures. Vigils to "remember the outcast, dead and alive" are also held at 19:00 on the 23rd of each month.

The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History 

The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History is not for everyone. A menagerie of animal heads and skeletons zebras, puffer fish, sabre toothed cats protrude from the walls and dangle from the ceiling as you enter the street-level absinthe bar. You then descend a spiral staircase into a house of horrors or, depending on your sensibilities, wonders. Tight and claustrophobic, the basement is lined with cabinets filled with objects that are by turns gruesome, macabre, baffling and bizarre. Many of them also turn the stomach of all but the hardiest visitor: a wax model of a scabies mite, a botfly larvae inside a horse's stomach preserved in a jar, a one-handed toddler mannequin, long locks of human hair. They sit alongside playful frivolities such as "unicorn's tail" and a "magic teacup". There is also a series of obscure books including The Art of Faking Exhibition Poultry and The History and Social Influence of the Potato, as well as others that are rather more adult in nature.

The open faced sandwich, or smørrebrød, is as Danish as a block of LEGO. It is a mini design marvel in its own way too: a delicately balanced dance of textures, flavours and colours piled in a tower built on a buttered rye bread base. Classic varieties include pickled herring topped with onions and capers; prawn, boiled egg and aioli; chicken salad with mushrooms and bacon; and warm liver paté with beetroot. The dish dates to the 19th Century when agricultural workers would pack rye bread and leftovers from the previous night’s dinner to eat for lunch. In Copenhagen, today’s top restaurants have evolved this hearty worker’s food, keeping the heavy rye bread but adding international ingredients like yuzu and kefir to create a fresh take on an old tradition. These modern iterations takes certainly look as good as they taste, focusing heavily on visuals with perhaps an extravagant cloud of micro herbs, a vermillion-bright accent of beetroot and a perfectly sliced, perfectly positioned pickle. Considered one of Denmark’s national dishes, alongside the hot dog and flæskesteg (roast pork), smørrebrød comes in hundreds of varieties, most with the standard heavy rye bread base. These eight spots bring together the city’s most cutting edge and traditional smørrebrød offerings in one list.

 

How to Develop Fruit Habits In Children

Have you ever experienced shopping with children in a mall or supermarket and noticed that they feel happy to buy all the colorful chocolates and candies? But they do not show interest in buying fruits. We all know that fruits are good for our health and immune system, but we do not have the habit of eating them. Especially in children, it's hard to develop a fruit-eating habit. According to a survey by the American Heart Association, only 27% of children eat fruits, and 91% of children do not eat enough fruits. According to their daily requirement, they like to eat unhealthy fast food. Fruits are a natural source of vitamins, minerals, iron, and fibers that are important for your children's growth and physical health.

Most parents are uneducated. They don't know we develop food eating habits from day one in our children. Children need to learn about the sugar and salt taste we introduced them to. Parents start giving children unhealthy foods early to show their love and affection for children, like adding sugar to milk bottles, licking candies to infants, and introducing ice cream and other junk foods. It is in your hands to introduce them with healthy foods or with unhealthy foods. It's hard to change habits and develop new ones, but it's not impossible; we can change it gradually. We can be role models for our children. We can use fruits in baking, encourage your children to eat healthy foods, give them rewards, and you should avoid buying junk foods. There are many other ways through which we can encourage them to eat healthy foods and fruits. Let's dive deep and find ways to develop fruit habits in our children, so continue reading if you want to disclose this secret.

Benefits Of Fruits And Children Fruits are a natural source of energy. It helps to build muscle, brain, and children's immune systems to fight germs and keep them healthy and active. It is suitable for your children's growth. Fruits not only have fresh and charming colors, but they also have different benefits. Yellow-colored fruits like mangoes and pineapples suit children's bones and muscles. Red-colored fruits like strawberries and pomegranates are suitable for the heart health of children. Purple and blue colored fruits like Blueberries and plums are good for fighting germs. Green colored fruits like grapes and kiwis are good for energy and power to keep your children energetic. All fruits benefit children, so we can not ignore them. Begin Early And Stay Regular To Develop Fruit Habit Children start developing taste at the age of 5-6 months.

They begin to recognize the food. If you start giving them at this age, they can develop this habit faster. But it would be best if you did it regularly. You should start with one or two soft fruits like mangoes and bananas. These fruits are smooth, and babies can eat and digest quickly. Mash these fruits well until they are soft before you give them. This method also helps you to find which fruit is not suitable for your baby. If it causes an allergy or loose motion, then stop giving it and consult with your doctor. The most important thing is to stay persistent even if they don't like it. Keep going by changing your recipes accordingly. Be A Role Model For Your Children Your children notice your actions and habits the whole day and then unintentionally follow them. They learn from you. So you can help them develop fruit habits by enjoying fruits in front of your children to inspire them that you are eating healthy and tasty food.

1 Fruit Tasting Game You can play a game with your children, take a piece of cloth and cover their eyes, cut the different fruits in small sizes, give them a taste, and ask them the name of that fruit. In this way, you will also enjoy playing games with your children. 

2 Creative Fruit Art Children love to play with colors and art. You can make their favorite cartoon character with fruits they will like to eat and enjoy them. Make funny faces and work together with your children to help them choose the colors and shapes that they want. It is fun to take pictures of this art and share them with your children's friends. Here are a few examples of it. Use grapes to make Balloon bouquet ideas on a nice plate. Use some melted chocolate on fruit to shape them like zebra, penguins, lions, etc. Use blackberries and strawberries to draw animal eyes, feet, and noses. Use Fruits In Baking You can use different fruits and dry fruits in baking recipes. Baking with fruits can develop fruit habits in children by enhancing their interest in the recipes they bake.

Psychological Effects Of Habits When we see, read, and listen to the same thing again and again, willingly or unwillingly, it sends a message to our unconscious mind, and we get attracted to that particular thing. That's why all these steps will have psychological effects on your children. Follow any of 4-5 of your favorite steps from above to develop fruit habits in children of any age. You can practice all these steps from time to time as your children like. Ask your children which steps they would like to practice because taking their opinions will also increase their interest. There is no need to follow all these steps at a time because excess of anything also has negative impacts. Conclusion  How To Develop Fruit Habits In Children Fruits are excellent and healthy for your children. As a parent, you must become a role model for your children. Children will adopt the same eating habits which do in front of them. Sit together with your children and eat fruit with fun. Play games and arrange fruit parties to develop fruit-eating habits in your children. When you visit a supermarket to buy fruit, take your children. You can use fruits in baking; children will love it. To get new ideas, keep reading books and articles with videos.

Longevity diet unveiled: Here's what you should be eating, new study says

New diet score reveals foods that help you live longer

Los Angeles: According to new research, eating more foods that are good for the environment may help you live a longer, healthier life. In a study with a follow up of more than 30 years, researchers discovered that those who ate more sustainably were 25 per cent less likely to pass away than those who didn't.The research expands on earlier studies that identified foods that are beneficial to both human health and the environment, such as whole grains, fruit, non starchy vegetables, nuts, and unsaturated oils, as well as foods that may be detrimental to both, such as eggs and red and processed meats. According to the latest research, consuming more healthful meals may lower one's risk of dying from conditions including cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and neurological disorders. 

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“We proposed a new diet score that incorporates the best current scientific evidence of food effects on both health and the environment,” said Linh Bui, MD, a PhD candidate in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “The results confirmed our hypothesis that a higher Planetary Health Diet score was associated with a lower risk of mortality.” Bui will present the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held July 22,25 in Boston.

The Business of Manufacturing Snack Foods Before the “Big Game”

Tailgaters Rejoice! Census Bureau Has Data on Snack Food Manufacturers, Sales of Popular Snacks

When our thoughts turn to the “Big Game” or the championship game of the National Football League, we think food especially of the snack variety. Whether we gather around a big-screen TV at home or enjoy a pre-game tailgate party in the stadium’s parking lot, it’s all about the food: chips, popcorn, pretzels, dip, crackers and the like are “Big Game” staples. How much do we love our snacks around this time of year? The U.S. Census Bureau serves up plenty of data providing a glimpse into our passion for snacks. 

We Love Our Snacks Snack

                     food manufacturing consists of establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: Salting, roasting, drying, cooking or canning nuts. Processing grains or seeds into snacks. Manufacturing peanut butter. Manufacturing potato chips, corn chips, popped popcorn, pretzels (except soft), pork rinds and similar snacks.

How much do we love our snacks around this time of year? The U.S. Census Bureau serves up plenty of data providing a glimpse into our passion for snacks.

 

Opportunities for Marriage, Partnership Shape Women’s Family Incomes

White Women More Likely Than Black Women to Move Up Income Ladder Due to Differences in Partnering, Men’s Incomes

White women were not only more likely than Black women to have a spouse or partner but their spouses and partners tended to earn more, making White women more likely to attain upward mobility through partnerships, according to new U.S. Census Bureau research. White women who grew up in families in the bottom 20% income bracket were more likely than Black women from the same economic background to move out of the bottom bracket up to the top 20% income bracket.

No matter their childhood family income, White and Asian women were more likely than women from other race/ethnic groups to have access to more income as adults because they were more likely to have a partner and that partner was more likely to be affluent.

But this wasn’t because of differences in personal income since Black and White women from similar economic backgrounds had similar personal incomes. It was because White women had access to more income from spouses and unmarried partners, according to the study exploring how marriage and partnerships affect a woman’s chances of being better off economically than their parents. 

Measuring Family Income in Adulthood and Childhood

Researchers analyzed a sample of adults who responded to the American Community Survey (ACS) between 2011 and 2019. The sample included women ages 28 to 32 and men ages 31 to 35 (since women tend to partner with slightly older men). They focused on Black and White women but also examined some outcomes for women and men from other racial and ethnic groups. The study classified people as Black, White, Asian or American Indian/Alaska Native if they identified as that race only and did not identify as Hispanic. It classified people as Hispanic if they identified as Hispanic, regardless of their race. A person’s adulthood family income is their personal income and, if they live with a spouse or unmarried partner, the income of their partner. (Due to data limitations, this analysis was limited to different couples.)

National Marriage and Divorce Rates Declined From 2011 to 2021

Both the marriage and divorce rates of U.S. women age 15 and older declined from 2011 to 2021. In 2021, the U.S. marriage rate was 14.9 marriages in the last year per 1,000 women, down from 16.3 a decade earlier. And the 2021 divorce rate dropped to 6.9 in the last year from 9.7 divorces per 1,000 women in 2011. But the rates varied by state during both time periods. 

Alaska and Utah had among the highest marriage rates, at 23.5 and 22.3, respectively.

Now, an updated U.S. Census Bureau visualization allows you to rank and compare divorce and marriage rates in your state to those in other states and the nation. Using data from the 2011 and 2021 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, it provides a state by state look at marriage and divorce rates per 1,000 women age 15 and older. Please note that not all differences in state marriage and divorce rates are statistically significant. While the U.S. Census Bureau publishes estimates for both men and women, we have restricted this visualization to data for women to provide a digestible look at trends in marriage and divorce. Historically, women’s data have often been presented when a choice needs to be made. Previous research PDF 2.3 MB found that women more often report data for themselves and report their marital history more accurately. According to the data, in 2021.

• Alaska and Utah had among the highest marriage rates, at 23.5 and 22.3, respectively. These rates, however, do not significantly differ from each other. 
• Puerto Rico had among the lowest marriage and divorce rates. Its marriage rate was 4.7 and its divorce rate 3.9. Puerto Rico’s low marriage and divorce rates likely resulted, at least in part from the high outmigration of its young adult population, especially after Hurricane Maria.
• Massachusetts had a marriage rate of 11.8, also among the nation’s lowest. 
• Idaho and Arkansas had among the highest divorce rates, at 11.1 and 11.0, respectively (not a statistically significant difference). 
• New Hampshire had a divorce rate of 4.3, among the lowest in the nation.

 

National Health Center Week

“Health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that provide affordable, accessible, high-quality primary health care services to individuals and families, including people experiencing homelessness, agricultural workers, residents of public housing, and veterans. “Health centers integrate access to pharmacy, mental health, substance use disorder, and oral health services in areas where economic, geographic, or cultural barriers limit access to affordable health care. Health centers reduce health disparities by emphasizing coordinated care management of patients with multiple health care needs and the use of key quality improvement practices, including health information technology.” From The American Presidency Project: Proclamation 10428 National Health Center Week, 2022:

 “Over half a century ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson piloted a program to deliver affordable primary health care to Americans who needed it most. He helped establish community health centers in undeserved areas, making medical services accessible to people irrespective of their age, geography, or economic status. President Johnson's philosophy was simple: in a "Great Society," no one is left behind. Today, that ideal lives on. Health centers provide quality medical, dental, and behavioral health care services to more than 30 million Americans each year, and they remain a cornerstone of our public health system. During National Health Center Week, we celebrate the vital role these health centers play in safeguarding the well-being of Americans and honor the heroic staff who keep these facilities running.”

 

What’s more important as you age — stretching, balance work or strength training?

How to get moving:

                Despite evidence backing the importance of physical activity, 28% of Americans 50 and older are inactive, according to a 2016 CDC study. In addition, inactivity increases with age, with more than 35% of those 75 and older inactive. That’s a problem. Physical activity can improve mental health and stave off dementia and cognitive decline. Couple that with the benefits of strength, balance and flexibility work, and you’ve got a great chance at aging well.

“Think about it like a pyramid,” Higgins said. “Aerobic exercise is the top of the pyramid, with the bricks supporting it being strength, balance and flexibility. Without those basics, the pyramid will crumble. You can’t get by on one of those things alone.” If the thought of incorporating aerobic exercise, strength training, and balance and flexibility work into your weekly routine seems overwhelming, keep in mind you don’t necessarily need a gym membership or personal trainer. This important work can be woven into your life rather seamlessly.
 

New York Asia Store

Asia Store's website is currently offline as we redesign the online shopping experience. We appreciate your patience and look forward to relaunching Asia Store in fall! Catalogues for Asia Society's current exhibitions may be purchased in-store or by calling (212) 327-9217.

Asia Store at Asia Society and Museum is a unique and dynamic retail environment that showcases the modern Asian lifestyle. With a commitment to featuring the renowned brands of Asia and promoting emerging design talent, Asia Store is at the forefront of presenting the best in Asian design and literature. Plan your visit today. Asia Store’s uniqueness is a direct reflection of the featured design talent. At Asia Store, customers find more than just products, they find unique stories. The person behind the product, their background, their process, their design inspiration. Asia Store’s efforts to encourage creative expression by providing a venue for the work of emerging Asian and Asian American artisans and featuring their creative works alongside the renowned brands of Asia has become Asia Store’s merchandising trademark.

 

How Americans Think About the World

As Pew Research Center surveys have documented, the United States’ global reputation has shifted dramatically over the past two decades, often improving or declining depending on who is in the White House and the foreign policies they pursue. At the same time, many other factors have continued to shape how people see the U.S., including its vast cultural reach, its economic model and its divisive politics. A survey of 17 advanced economies highlights the complexity of America’s international image. People in other publics find much to admire about the U.S., but they see many problems as well. Americans, for their part, also see both strengths and weaknesses in their society.

Scholars of social movements offer important advice for those who would attempt to catapult international education onto the nation’s policy agenda: 

“There is no such thing as a social problem, until enough people, with enough power in the society, agree that there is. Social problems are produced by public opinion, not by particular social conditions, undesirable or otherwise.” 

Taken in this light, the fact that student knowledge of the world is demonstrably inadequate or that fewer than 40,000 American students study Chinese is unlikely to result in a widespread call for education reform. And, despite the fact that policy leaders in government and business have publicly expressed their concern about “educational isolationism,” elite opinion in itself is insufficient to propel the changes that are necessary to transform the curriculum. That will depend on the reactions of constituents and of influential individuals who must weigh international education against other priorities. The challenge for those who would advance internationalizing the American curriculum as an important public goal lies in helping opinion leaders engage citizens in the issue in a way that makes vivid the transformative power of the educational changes proposed. At the same time, educators and opinion leaders must anticipate and avoid unproductive habits of thinking that are likely to derail public understanding. 

The public has a lot on its mind just now, from jobs and health care to “failing” schools and terrorist threats. Without a clear and well-stated message about the importance and promise of international education, this issue is unlikely to attach itself to other public goals that Americans are eager to address. The findings reported here come from an admittedly small sample of research projects on international education conducted by the FrameWorks Institute. FrameWorks tested the factual knowledge of 20 average citizens in Colorado and Connecticut and conducted two focus groups in North Carolina. However, this body of work is amplified dramatically by FrameWorks’ multi-year investigation of American attitudes toward international issues in general  funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and others  which consisted of more than a dozen multi-method studies, including two large-scale surveys of public opinion. The following observations are based on work conducted by FrameWorks’ research partners, the think tanks Cultural Logic and Public Knowledge.

 

Stories without borders: Can you think like a journalist?

We teach teens to see the world through a journalistic lens. But what does that mean? 

how can that help to teach global awareness and media literacy?

Journalists look for stories that have universal significance. The theme of our mid year fundraising drive is Stories Without Borders. All kinds of issues have universal significance: The need or lack of housing, health threats, violence and crime, food, the environment, mental health. These are things that pull people together across borders: sports, music and movies, for example. Seeing how people from different nations face similar problems is global awareness. In getting students to research, report and write stories for publication they seek out credible sources of information and in so doing learn how to measure the reliability and accuracy of information and how to account and balance out bias. 

This is the essence of media literacy. Journalists think differently. They are skeptical but not cynical. They give people the benefit of the doubt and try to decipher what people mean when they say something. Journalists stay mentally prepared to be surprised at all times. They think fast and distill complicated, tedious information into the gist of what people need or might want  to know. Ultimately, journalists search for truth and inspiration to make the world a better place, said News Decoder correspondent Katharine Lake Berz. Berz was a management consultant when she took a Fellowship in Global Journalism at the University of Toronto. 

She was a consultant at McKinney & Company for 10 years and has since advised a number of nonprofit organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from Cambridge University. “Journalism has helped me analyse issues from multiple standpoints,” Benz said. “As a management consultant we are hired to come up with the ‘right answer’. As a journalist we learn that that there are no ‘right answers’ but rich and different perspectives.” Every person a journalist meets, every problem they encounter is the beginning of a compelling story worth telling the world through an article, a video, a photo or a podcast.

Is that a fact?

 It can be difficult to tell the difference between fact and opinion. And some things we consider true may not be true to all people.

At News Decoder we are all about fact-based journalism. That means that the information in a news story comes from the authors having actually witnessed something happening, or they obtained the information from a documented or verifiable source. A fact-based story might also include opinions from experts and from people affected by a problem. Those opinions help put facts into context to get at truth. 

Truth isn’t fact. That’s a difficult concept to understand. It is a fact that 2+1 = 3. It is my opinion that if you bring one extra person on a two-person date, three people will feel like a crowd. It seems like a paradox, but truth can be disputed. For some people it is true that three’s a crowd. For others the more, the merrier. But News Decoder also publishes stories that are more opinion-based than fact-based. That’s because sometimes the fact about something is already well-known Russia invaded Ukraine, the climate is changing but all kinds of things can happen in the future and we want to know someone’s thoughts on that. Or an issue, like the benefits vs. dangers of social media, are so complicated, that people disagree about it and it is useful to get the thoughts of someone knowledgeable about the issue. Sometimes we can learn important lessons from other people’s experiences.

The story of Ali: Seeing history from another perspective

Two images of Ali. To the left, he is about 22 when his photo was taken in Singapore in 1862 (Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London). On the right is a depiction by artist Kelly Cleary of an imagined

A life we can only imagine 

Ali (we don’t know his full name) evolved into a reliable camp manager and preparer of bird skins. He was also an expert bird collector and, by some accounts, was responsible for shooting some 5,000 of the 8,050 bird specimens Wallace collected. 

Wallace wrote that Ali was his “head man” and “faithful companion” and we can speculate that Wallace would not have been as successful as he was without Ali’s support. 

And here are the suppositions and mysteries, which fascinate me more than the facts: What did teenage Ali think of this tall, strange European man who swooned over a new beetle, cuddled a baby orangutan he had orphaned and lived rough in the forest? Did Ali giggle each time he heard Wallace speak in strongly accented Malay? If Wallace had asked, would Ali have returned to England with him? What did Wallace teach Ali? What did Ali teach Wallace? Where did Ali go after Wallace left, and what memories stayed with him? Can we find Ali’s descendants to spur a conservation movement? Could I speak with Ali’s spirit through a medium? 

                                    These questions have sparked my interest for some 50 years.

What one correspondent learned by writing an “enhanced biography” of a little-known 19th-century teenager from Borneo.

Consider the lives of great men and women who explored the curious corners of the world, who made momentous discoveries in science and technology, who created important works of art. We can safely say that such exceptional individuals were assisted by people who quietly helped them achieve greatness. 

Now consider your own life. Has there been someone who has quietly aided you along the way but hasn’t received adequate recognition or thanks? For more than 50 years I’ve been following the trail of Alfred Russel Wallace, one of history’s greatest naturalists, thinkers and social commentators. To summarize his eventful and productive life: 

Wallace was born in 1823 in Usk, Wales just across the border from England. He left school at the age of 14, became interested in natural history (and the paranormal) and, in 1844 with his friend Henry Walter Bates, said: Hey, let’s go to the Amazon.

 

Heat continues to blast much of the U.S. as another Phoenix record falls

A Phoenix resident rests under shade while seeking protection from the sun and heat at the Human Services Campus during a record heat wave in Phoenix on Tuesday.

The extreme heat that has broiled large parts of the U.S. for more than a month continued Thursday, with 87 million people from California to Florida under heat alerts and little relief in sight for much of the Southwest. 

The National Weather Service said Thursday that it anticipates triple-digit temperatures to continue through Saturday in the desert Southwest and Texas, while the Gulf Coast and much of the Southeast will see daytime temperatures in the upper 90s through Friday, with high levels of moisture in the air making temperatures feel more like 110-120 F in some spots. 

By Saturday, parts of the Southeast will see some cooler temperatures, while much of the Southwest will continue under hazardous heat conditions. The record-breaking heat is expected to persist into next week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast temperatures up to 70% higher than normal across Texas, Arizona, Florida and parts of the Midwest.

 

Norway dominating New Zealand in early stages of World Cup opener

Norway's Aurora Mikalsen in action during the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on July 20. 

Norway has so far dominated the first 20 minutes of the opening match of the 2023 Women's World Cup, as co-hosts New Zealand, which is appearing in its sixth World Cup, struggle to maintain possession. Previous 

World Cup winners Norway, which lifted the trophy in 1995, entered the match as clear favorites and are expected to make a deep run in the tournament. New Zealand on the other hand, enter with the unenviable record of having never won a match in World Cup competition. 

Norway boasts one of the game's best forward lines, including Ada Hegerberg  the first ever winner, in 2018, of the women’s Ballon d’Or. Hegerberg has so far been heavily involved in the opening 20 minutes, continually threatening the New Zealand defense.

 

Women's World Cup 2023 kicks off

Australia and Republic of Ireland in cagey 0-0 start 

  A quiet enough start inside Stadium Australia with both sides yet to settle into the game. The cohost was expected to win this easily, but Ireland is in no mood to just lie down. Ireland's Katie McCabe and Australia's Hayley Raso exchanged some tasty challenges which have caught the eye of the referee in the opening 20 minutes. Neither side has yet to create a real chance.

New Zealand midfielder Malia Steinmetz hails "unreal" World Cup win over Norway

New Zealand got its World Cup campaign off to a dream start on Thursday, earning a shock win over a heavily fancied Norway side. It was a historic result for the Ferns, who secured a first World Cup win for the country, men's or women's. "It's hard to describe, I think just the fact that we finally got that first ever win which has been so long overdue," midfielder Malia Steinmetz told CNN's Tara Subramaniam. "That was just for all the girls that have made this team the way that the team is  in the past or future.

New Zealand captain Ali Riley pays respects to victims of Auckland shooting

New Zealand’s captain Ali Riley struggled to sum up her emotions when speaking to reporters after her nation’s first ever victory at the Women’s World Cup. The 35-year-old was in tears as she paid tribute to the victims of the shooting which occurred in Auckland, New Zealand, just hours before kickoff.

Australia's opening game against Republic of Ireland has kicked off

We have kickoff inside Stadium Australia in Sydney. Australia in its famous green and gold colours gets the game underway against its opponents in all green. CNN is witness to a lot of fans inside the stadium making plenty of noise, with both anthems sung passionately. A minute's silence was also respected to pay tribute to the victims of the shooting in Auckland earlier on Thursday.

Australia superstar Sam Kerr to miss first two World Cup matches with injury

Australia striker Sam Kerr, who is the face of this Women's World Cup, will miss the opening two matches of the tournament after sustaining a calf injury in training. One of the world's best players, Kerr's absence is a huge blow to the Matildas who face the Republic of Ireland in their opening game of the World Cup on Thursday. “Unfortunately, I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training,” Kerr wrote on Instagram. “I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve.

 

Is this extreme weather the ‘new normal?’ There’s no such thing, some scientists say

Flames engulf a house as a wildfire burns in Saronida, near Athens, Greece, on Monday. 

 CNN ... Summer in the Northern Hemisphere is playing out like an apocalypse movie: a tale of heat, floods and fire. But scientists warn this may only be a preview of the unpredictable chaos to come if the world continues to pump out planet-heating pollution. Just over halfway through July and already a slew of extreme weather records has been broken. A prolonged, unrelenting heat wave has scorched large parts of the South and Southwest United States. Temperatures in Phoenix, Arizona, have hit at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3C) for a record-breaking 19 consecutive days, and emergency departments are flooded with heat-related illness.

               Southern Europe is experiencing one of its most extreme heat waves on record, with wildfires raging in Greece, Spain and Switzerland. And in Asia, temperatures have pushed above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in China, while parts of South Korea, Japan and northern India are experiencing deadly flooding. In a statement on Tuesday, Petteri Taalas, secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization, called this relentless cascade of extreme weather “the new normal.”

Rescue workers near an underpass submerged by a flooded river in Cheongju, South Korea, on Sunday.

“When I hear it, I get a bit crazy because it’s not really the new normal,” said Hannah Cloke, a climate scientist and professor at the University of Reading in the UK. “Until we stop pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere we have no idea what the future looks like.” She is one of many scientists who warn that, while this summer is very bad, it’s only just the beginning. As long as global temperature continues to rise, they said, the world should brace for escalating impacts.

Michael E. Mann, a climate scientist and distinguished professor at the University of Pennsylvania, prefers to describe the weather we are seeing as “the new abnormal.” The new normal “wrongly conveys the idea that we’ve simply arrived in some new climate state and that we simply have to adapt to it,” he told CNN.

“But it’s much worse than that. The impacts become worse and worse as fossil fuel burning and warming continues. It’s a shifting baseline of ever-more devastating impacts as long as the Earth continues to warm.”

        For scientists like Mann and Cloke, this year’s extreme weather has largely not been surprising. The development of El Niño, a natural phenomenon that has a global warming impact, layered on top of longterm, human-caused global warming, was expected to have a big impact.

But regionally, there have been “some remarkable anomalies,” said Mann, who pointed to record-low levels of winter sea ice in Antarctica and “off the charts” heat in the North Atlantic. “They are a reminder that we can not only expect to see records broken, but shattered, if we continue burning fossil fuels.”