Checking in: Have you made your dinner reservation for Valentine's Day yet? If you prefer to go out on the town for the holiday, which falls on a Friday this year, now is the time to determine where you want to go and book your table. For some inspiration, check out The Infatuation's list of the most romantic restaurants in America right now.
Lights, Cameras, Pandas! Bao Li and Qing Bao Make Public Debut at DC's National Zoo
Roshan Patel / Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
It's go time. Today, two unbearably cute ambassadors — Bao Li and Qing Bao — are making their official public debut at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. And luckily, you don't have to be in the capital city to get in on the pandamonium. Streaming live from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, the Giana Panda Cam will give animal lovers a front row seat to the action. At the zoo itself, visitors can revel in a two-week-long celebration of the debut dubbed the "District of Panda Party." And even the wider city is getting caught up in the occasion — restaurants and bars in D.C. are offering panda-themed treats and drinks. In case you missed it, the bear pair arrived at the zoo in October after traveling 8,000 miles from China. Since then, they've spent time acclimating to their newly renovated home, which is filled with shallow pools, climbing structures, and plenty of bamboo. "Bao Li and Qing Bao have already won the hearts of our staff and volunteers, andwe are excited to welcome panda fans back to the zoo — the only place in the nation where you can see giant pandas for free," director Brandie Smith said in a statement.
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New Study Finds Blood Markers That Could Indicate Higher Risk of SIDS
Ignatiev/ iStock
In the largest study of its kind, scientists set out to better understand and find a way to prevent the devastating mystery of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, the leading cause of death for infants aged 1 month to 1 year. After analyzing 300 infants' blood serum samples and considering factors like age, sex, race, and ethnicity, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine identified specific blood markers that may indicate an elevated risk of SIDS. The hope is that the findings could lead to better screening methods and transform the way health care providers approach the syndrome, with an emphasis on early intervention. "The results of this study are very exciting,"Dr. Fern R. Hauck, a leading expert on SIDS, said in a statement. She added: "Our hope is that this research lays the groundwork to help identify — through simple blood tests — infants who are at higher risk for SIDS and to save these precious lives."
Humanity
Holistic Program Supports Former Foster Youth in and out of the Classroom
nirat/ iStock
Right now, there are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States — and of those children, fewer than 10% go on to obtain a higher education degree, according to the National Foster Youth Institute. A Virginia-based program is on a mission to get that number up. Since 2008, Great Expectations hassupported hundreds of students of all ages who have been in the foster care system by addressing their needs for housing, emotional support, financial aid, career counseling, and more while in school. The goal is simple: help students pursue a community college education and thus be better equipped to navigate life beyond the classroom. "It feels like they saved my life in a way," Alexandria Davis, a former foster child now in her 20s, told NPR of Great Expectations, which partners with 21 community colleges in Virginia. The results speak for themselves, with students in the program graduating at triple the national rate for foster youth, per the organization's website. "Their students are graduating, they're getting degrees, and they're entering the workforce," said Allison Gilbreath from the nonprofit Voices for Virginia's Children. "And they're doing really well."
Global Good
🇪🇸 A Spanish court ruled that single parents should be eligible for the same amount of paid leave as couples (read more)
🇫🇮 Finland is the 53rd nation to join the Artemis Accords, committing to safe, responsible space exploration (read more)
🇹🇭 Nearly 200 marriages were celebrated in Thailand after the country's same-sex marriage law went into effect (read more)
🇦🇺 Australia's Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is eagerly awaiting the rare blooming of its smelly "corpse flower" (read more)
🇵🇪 Paleontologists in Peru found the fossil of a great white shark ancestor that swam 9 million years ago (read more)
Inspiring Story
Silver linings
When Cheryl Heuton spotted an old photo of a couple and their newborn underneath the ash and debris outside her home near the Eaton wildfire, she made it her mission to get the image back to its rightful owners. After sharing the keepsake on social media, she reunited the picture with the photographed couple's daughter and forged a beautiful new bond. Read the heartwarming story.
Photo of the Day
Robert Prange/Getty Images
Madison Keys is headed to the Australian Open finals. The American tennis star, seeded 19th, bested Iga Świątek during yesterday's semifinal and will face No. 1 seed (and defending champion) Aryna Sabalenka at the finals. If Keys is able to pull off another upset in tomorrow's match, it will be her first Grand Slam win. "If she plays like this," friend and competitor Paula Badosa said after the semifinals, "I mean, we can already give her the trophy."
Nautilus Is the Best Kept Secret in Science
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