The history of Memorial Day often gets lost amid the mattress sales and barbecue invitations, but we urge you to take a moment to reflect on the holiday's true meaning this morning. With origins going back to the aftermath of the Civil War, Memorial Day is an opportunity to honor U.S. service members who died in the line of duty. Dig more into the history and learn why many commemorate Memorial Day by placing flowers or flags on fallen soldiers' graves.
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Science
NASA Announces Winners of Photographer of the Year Awards
Michael DeMocker/ NASA/ SWNS
The winners of NASA's seventh annual Photographer of the Year awards are in. The out-of-this-world images all offer scenes of the space agency's activities captured by staff photographers on Earth in 2024. Pictures were selected across four categories: Documentation, Portrait, People, and Places. The winner in the Places category is the striking shot above, titled "Blue Supermoon Rises Over the 'Rocket City.'" It was taken by NASA photographer Michael DeMocker in Huntsville, Alabama, which is nicknamed the "Rocket City" as it houses NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The image depicts a moon that's both a supermoon, meaning it's one of the largest and brightest full moons of the year, and a seasonal blue moon, i.e. the third full moon in a season with four. Other highlights include moody portraits of astronauts Nichole "Vapor" Ayers and Zena Cardman and a quirky documentary photograph of a simulated moonwalk in Northern Arizona. And in the spirit of today's holiday, you'll also find a shot of astronaut Andre Douglas raising an American flag during a weeklong field test alongside astronaut Kate Rubins. See more of the award-winning shots.
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Bibliophiles Are Sparking an Indie Bookshop Renaissance
Fernando Rincon/ iStock
Earlier this year, Barnes & Noble announced that it's set to open 60 new stores. But the retail chain isn't the only book business making a comeback — independent bookshops are also gaining steam, thanks to a new wave of literature lovers opening pop-up shops and brick-and-mortar locations in their neighborhoods. "It's incredible, this kind of energy,"Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, told the Associated Press. "I don't think any of us would have predicted this a few years ago." Since 2016, the trade group has grown from 1,244 members at 1,749 locations to 2,863 members at 3,281 locations, with more than 200 additional stores currently in the process of opening their doors. And the bookshop boom can do more than help bibliophiles get their hands on a new read: "In the age of social media, people are craving genuine connection and community," said Amber Salazar, who opened a pop-up bookshop in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "And books often provide a catalyst to that feeling of community."
Environment
New Genome Map of Northern White Rhino Is a "Crucial Step" Toward Saving Species
SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images
In 2018, the animal kingdom experienced a devastating loss: The world's last male northern white rhino died. Today, with only two nonreproductive females remaining, both at a conservancy in Kenya, the ungulates are on the brink of extinction — but scientists just got significantly closer to saving them. An international team from Scripps Research, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, among others, mapped a new, complete genome of a northern white rhino. "We layered together multiple technologies to make the most accurate genomic map possible," study co-author Jeanne Loring said in a press release. "It's like the rhino version of the Human Genome Project." Learn more about the milestone.
In Other News
A historic shipwreck from 100 years ago was discovered in Lake Michigan by a fisherman (read more)
For the first time, travelers can spend the night in a Mars-like Australian national park (read more)
Researchers have identified a "fascinating beast" that swam in the sea tens of millions of years ago (read more)
The world's tallest 3D-printed tower, inspired by a layered cake, was unveiled in a small Swiss village (read more)
Biodiversity treasure hunt: Scientists want to pull DNA out of the air to track the health of global wildlife (read more)
Inspiring Story
Multitasking marathon mom
Moms are known for juggling many things at the same time, but Stephanie Case took that to another level. Earlier this month, the new mom won a 62-mile ultramarathon at only six months postpartum while also taking breastfeeding breaks and starting 30 minutes after her competitors. "Well that was a surprise," Case wrote on Instagram following her victory.
Photo of the Day
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
"Flags In" is an annual tradition in which U.S. soldiers place more than 260,000 flags on headstones at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day. The ceremony, dating back to 1948, is carried out by the Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard. "This is the opportunity for us to come through, reflect, place a flag at each headstone, and show our continued honor," Maj. Wes Strickland, director of communications for the Old Guard, told Stars and Stripes.
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About Art
Courtesy Marian Goodman Gallery
"Vitruvius amazonica" by Gabriel Orozco, 2023 It gets pretty easy to take something, somewhere, or someone for granted, especially when we have repeated interactions or experiences with them or it. And when things become familiar, they often become less attractive. We are drawn to new experiences and are conditioned to disregard what we already know or have. Gratitude, though, can instill those experiences with curiosity, allowing the familiar to remain seductive. And curiosity about what we already know is a key driver of joy. Gabriel Orozco created a series, with works like "Vitruvius amazonica" (2023), that is familiar in some ways and totally different and unexpected in others. His willing vulnerability is a gateway to expressing gratitude. The surprise I felt when I first saw it was palpable — an additionally exciting experience of expecting one thing and getting another. And a reminder that we can, of course, be surprised by what we are already familiar with. Interested in adding a little more art to your day and learning how to live artfully? Sign up for the forthcoming newsletter About Art.
Written by Heidi Zuckerman
Heidi is the CEO and director of the Orange County Museum of Art and author of Why Art Matters: The Bearable Lightness of Being.
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