With the status of SNAP benefits still up in the air due to the ongoing government shutdown, people are stepping up to help lower-income American families stay afloat — from the "governerds" who raised $600,000 for food banks via social media to the Portland coffee shop offering free breakfasts to SNAP recipients. Want to step up as well? Click here to find a food bank near you and consider making a donation. Pro tip: Donating money is often preferred, as food banks typically buy in bulk for cheaper than you can get at your local grocery store, plus they have a pulse on what community members need.
With daylight saving time ending tomorrow, clocks will "fall back" — here's how to prep your body for the change
Health
Inspirational Videos May Help Reduce Stress as Much as Meditation, Study Finds
Studio4/ iStock
When stress creeps in while we're at work, running errands, or waiting for dinner to finish cooking, we may turn to a social media scroll for a quick distraction. While this isn't always the most effective strategy for finding our inner calm, a recent study says that our phones could help lessen our anxiety — because consuming a specific type of content may reduce stress just as effectively as meditation does. Published by the American Psychological Association, the research found that watching short inspirational videos over a five-day period helped lower participants' stress levels for up to 10 days afterward, and those who meditated for the same amount of time felt the same effects. The key to the anxiety reduction? Feeling hopeful. "What we found is that even a few minutes of watching content that makes people feel hopeful can put a dent in that stress," lead author Robin Nabi said in a press release. "It's a short, simple, and even enjoyable break — and it can make a meaningful difference in helping people feel more optimistic and able to handle what's in front of them." See some of the inspirational videos used in the study.
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The Unlimited Cash-Back Match Credit Card Turning Heads
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LA Zoo's Pet Ofrenda Honors Departed Furry Family Members for Día de los Muertos
Los Angeles Zoo
Our pets are part of the family, so when they die, it's only natural that we may feel similar levels of grief to when a human loved one dies. Unlike with people, though, we typically have far fewer (if any) rituals to honor our late furry friends — but an annual tradition in Los Angeles is creating that opportunity. Called the Beloved Pets Ofrenda, the event is held at the LA Zoo and invites participants to create a tribute for their departed pets using photos or drawings. "Ofrendas," meaning "offerings" in Spanish, are an important part of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, an annual Mexican holiday that takes place Nov. 1-2. Traditionally, deceased family members are celebrated during this time, but each year starting in early October, the Pets Ofrenda welcomes visitors who want to pay their respects to the animals they've lost. "No matter your background, grief surrounding the loss of a pet is a universal feeling," Coral Barreiro, community program manager at the LA Zoo, said in a 2024 news release. Speaking to the pet parenting app Kinship, she added: "With Los Angeles having the largest population of Mexicans living outside of Mexico, [the ofrendas are] important not only because of representation, but also because seeing other Angelenos participate, no matter their background, gives a feeling of appreciation and acceptance." See more pics of the pet ofrendas.
Environment
Scientists Discover "Remarkable" Fish Nests During Search for Shackleton's Ship
Flotilla Foundation / Eclipse / Weddell Sea Expedition 2019
In 2019, researchers set out to find the Endurance, the famed ship of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton that sank in 1915. But during their expedition in Antarctica's western Weddell Sea, one of the planet's most remote and least-studied regions, they happened upon something else: more than 1,000 icefish nests arranged in geometric patterns. In a recent study, scientists described how those "remarkable" nests, belonging to the yellowfin notie, provide evidence that the region holds a Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem worth protecting. Though the team didn't find the shipwreck on this expedition, their remotely operated vehicle collected extensive footage of the circular nests at the seafloor. The researchers realized the nests were organized into "distinct" patterns forming a fish "neighborhood," per a press release, with the weakest individuals in the center and the strongest guarding them from the outskirts. The recent research builds on a 2022 study that found icefish in the southern Weddell Sea to be part of one of the world's largest known fish breeding colonies — and now, both studies support the need to formally designate the sea as a Marine Protected Area. According to the release, "These underwater environments are a powerful reminder that even in the planet's most extremes, life finds a way to build complex, resilient communities."
In Other News
Maternal deaths have declined by more than half over a 38-year period, per World Health Organization data (read more)
The world's earliest known mosquito larva was discovered in a 99 million-year-old piece of amber — have a look (read more)
In a national first,New Mexico is set to offer free universal childcare, regardless of families' income (read more)
Art mystery solved: A 19th-century Black soldier whose portrait hangs in a London museum has been identified (read more)
These newborn African lions may be fierce one day, but they're tiny and adorable for now: See cub footage (read more)
Inspiring Story
Can't stop this runner
In 2023, former Yale University freestyle swimmer Ali Truwit lost part of her leg in a shark attack. But she didn't let that moment hold her back from pursuing one of her passions: running. On Sunday, the 25-year-old Paralympian will compete in the New York City Marathon on a prosthetic. "When those training cycles get hard, when things feel frustrating that I'm running on one foot when I used to do it on two, I remind myself of how grateful I am to be doing something that I thought I would never be able to do again," she said. Truwit is also using the opportunity to raise money for prosthetics for young women and girls — here's how to donate.
Photo of the Day
Richard Bord/Getty Images
This pup is so cute, you could just eat her up — and in this case, you technically could. Made by Nicolas Guercio from Paris' Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, LuLu the chocolate puppy is one of many stunning creations on display at the 30th annual Salon du Chocolat, which runs through tomorrow and features tastings along with pastry and musical shows.
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Odds & Ends
🦏 Frosty the snowman, er, 23 million-year-old rhino ☕ How to use that caffeine addiction for good 🖥️ Meet the teen repurposing tech for those in need 🍦 Festive Dairy Queen flavors are coming to town
Quote of the Day
"I am inviting you to step forward, to be seen, and to ask yourself if not me, who, if not now, when."
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