From this year's Grammy Awards has emerged a lesson in not giving up on your dreams. Rapper Doechii, who has captivated the music world with hits like "DENIAL IS A RIVER," won the award for best rap album on Sunday. Her win (and the inspiring acceptance speech that followed) has prompted fans to take a look back on her journey to success and resurface a five-year-old video of her reflecting on getting fired in 2020. "Tomorrow I'm just gonna go to a whole bunch of, like, studios and ask if they have any internships open and also just, like, ask questions," Doechii, now 26, says in the video, adding: "I'll let you know how that goes." Went pretty well, we'd say!
A Classical in-Utero Concerto May Benefit Babies' Heart Rates
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The world might feel increasingly chaotic, but a recent study provides new evidence that a little classical music may go a long way to calm our heart rates — that is, before we're even born. Researchers played two classical music pieces, "The Swan" by Camille Saint-Saëns and "Arpa de Oro" by Abundio Martínez, to36 pregnant women, using external monitors to measure the babies' heart rates. "Overall, we discovered that exposure to music resulted in more stable and predictable fetal heart rate patterns," study author Claudia Lerma said in a statement. "We speculate that this momentary effect could stimulate the development of the fetal autonomic nervous system." Though both songs had a positive impact, the Mexican guitar melody was the more effective of the two, with the researchers citing factors like rhythmic characteristics and melodic structure as potential reasons for the difference. The main takeaway: "Our results suggest that these changes in fetal heart rate dynamics occur instantly in short-term fluctuations, so parents might want to consider exposing their fetuses to quiet music," said fellow author Eric Alonso Abarca-Castro. The added bonus? A soothing soundtrack will likely benefit mom, too.
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"Mona Lisa of Manuscripts" That Inspired a Disney Castle to Go on Display
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Disneyland Paris' Sleeping Beauty Castle may be a gateway into a magical fantasy world, but it has very real origins. A medieval book that hasn't been viewed in over 40 years is set to go on display this summer, and it provides arare in-person glimpse at some of the images that partially inspired "le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant." Coined the "'Mona Lisa' of manuscripts" but officially titled Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry), the illustrated "book of hours" devotional beautifully documents medieval prayers, holidays, and rituals. Extremely fragile, it hasn't been seen by scholars or the public since the '80s — but from June 7 to Oct. 5, the work will be available for viewing at the Musée Condé in Château de Chantilly. Every two weeks, the pages on display will change. The intricate illustrations include 131 complex miniatures (one of which is the historic Louvre Palace) and 300 capital letters on calfskin vellum pages, created with tempera, gold, silver, and ink. "When people think of the Middle Ages, these are the images they see," Mathieu Deldicque, director of the Musée Condé, told The Guardian. See photos of the book.
Science
New Self-Healing Material Could Pave the Way to a World With Fewer Potholes
Mikhail Yakovlev/ iStock
Imagine if roads could heal cracks before potholes develop. That may sound too good to be true (especially during pothole season), but it's exactly the vision behind a self-healing asphalt that can fix road fissures as they form, no human intervention necessary. "When you close the cracks, you prevent potholes forming in the future and extend the lifespan of the road," Jose Norambuena-Contreras, a researcher on the pothole project at a U.K. university, told The Guardian. "We can extend the surface lifespan by 30%." So how does this seemingly magical material work? The petroleum-based substance is fused with "plant spores soaked in recycled oils," per the outlet. The oil then gets released into cracks as cars pass over, which softens the asphalt and allows any fractures to seal. In laboratory tests, small cracks in the road were repaired within an hour. While potholes at their best are pockets of creativity, at worst, they can pose some serious public safety issues as well as a financial burden for local governments and drivers, making this invention a potential game changer. "This research will mean improvements and maintenance will be delivered more quickly with less disruption, and road users will have a far better end-to-end journey experience, with savings on time and the cost of travel," said a spokesperson with the U.K.'s National Highways agency.
In Other News
The FDA greenlit the first-ever trials testing pig kidney transplants in people with kidney failure (read more)
Last weekend's Grammys raised a grand totalof $24 millionfor wildfire relief efforts and other causes (read more)
Barnes & Noble plans to open at least 60 new stores this year, with "BookTok" helping drive the growth (read more)
An elephant named Rose-Tu gave birth to an adorable 200-pound calf at the Oregon Zoo (read more)
Thank a Mail Carrier Day was on Tuesday: Watch a video showing drivers' reactions to gifts left for them (read more)
Something We Love
Zazzle Return Address Stamps Zazzle's return address stamps are so helpful if you're sending out a ton of mailings at once (like wedding invites or holiday cards). And even if you're not, they're an affordable, convenient way to make your envelopes look more polished. The stamps come in a ton of different font and design options, and are something you can likely use for years. – Stephanie Friedman, Staff Writer
As the victims of the D.C. plane crash are identified, stories of kindness are shining through — like that of Christopher Collins, who was a much-loved volunteer at a Connecticut dog shelter. Following the news of his death, volunteers are now signing up to help the rescue in his honor. "He was exactly the kind of volunteer that makes a difficult, challenging, sometimes heartbreaking charity, like rescue, that much brighter," said the organization's founder.
Photo of the Day
Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
Come on down! The Price Is Right taped its 10,000th episode this week, and if that sounds historic to you, that's because it is — the series is the longest running daytime game show in U.S. television history. It first premiered in 1956 but closed up shop less than a decade later. Then, in 1972, ThePrice Is Right as we know it today returned to the small screen with Bob Barker at the helm. When Barker retired in 2007, current host Drew Carey, pictured here at the 10,000th taping, took over.
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