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Don’t miss the 11 most amazing close-up photos of the year that we linked below! My favorite is the second one. Which one is yours?

Entertainment

Most Amazing Close-Up Photos of the Year

The Close-Up Photographer of the Year contest celebrates the intricacies of nature, highlighting small creatures and fine details that are often overlooked.

In its fifth year, the competition attracted nearly 12,000 entries from 67 countries. A panel of 23 experts spent 20 hours reviewing the submissions to determine the winners.

Here are the incredible 11 winning images of this year:

Environment

Drought Free for First Time in Decade

Heavy rains in Queensland, Australia, have transformed the usually red outback soil into lush green terrain with swollen rivers, ending a decade-long drought.

At its peak, the drought affected 88% of the state. Now, with Diamantina and Bulloo shires no longer under drought status, the entire state is drought-free.

The filled water holes, creeks, and rivers promise a strong 2024 for cattle and tourism, both key to the state's economy.

"It's remarkable how well the land here responds to rain," said Mrs. Monique Betts, a rancher in the southwest, to ABC News Australia. "We can probably count on sufficient water for the next 18 months."

"Our house dam was dry for most of last year," she added, mentioning they were close to hauling water to the farm in tanks.

The cattle are already fatter, providing relief to ranchers who had been selling off their herds to avoid significant losses.

The slow-moving floodwaters of the Channel Country have spread across the flat region, greening it after late summer rains of about 150 to 300 millimeters.

82% of Queensland's land is used for farming or ranching, with the driest areas in the south and west.

Science

Exercising Slows Time

Attempting a brief bike workout may seem easy until you actually start pedaling and the minutes begin to stretch.

This phenomenon has been explored in a recent study by UK and Dutch psychologists, showing that our perception of time can significantly change during exercise. This study, led by Andrew Mark Edwards of Canterbury Christ Church University, involved 33 active adults who estimated 30-second intervals while exercising on stationary bikes, without clocks.

The findings revealed that during rest, time seemed to pass quickly, but this perception shifted during physical activity. Participants estimated that 30 seconds felt about 8% longer while cycling, suggesting that exercise influences our internal sense of time. This could be due to increased physical awareness and discomfort during exercise, which heightens our focus on passing time.

Interestingly, the study also discovered that neither the intensity of exercise nor the presence of competitive elements (like racing against an avatar) affected how slow time felt. This suggests that the act of exercising itself, rather than how hard or competitive it is, may be what alters our time perception.

This area of research, known as chronoception, examines how various factors like age, emotions, drugs, exercise, and body temperature can influence our internal timing mechanisms. While the study was relatively small, it adds to a body of evidence suggesting that our perception of time is not fixed but can be manipulated by our physical and mental states.

Edwards and his team acknowledge the limitations of their small-scale study, with aspects of the study, such as competing against an avatar rather than a real person, could effect results. In light of this, they expect more research to delve deeper into how external stimuli and exercise variables affect time perception during physical activity.

Mind Stretchers

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Yesterday’s Answer:
A “Hole” Jennye Smith got the correct answer first for yesterday’s Mind Stretcher!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.