Good Morning! 🌞 

Yesterday we announced that the winner of May’s Mind Stretcher competition won a $25 gift card. However, the winner asked us to donate the money to a GoFundMe of a 22-year-old mother, Rachael, who has a rare brain tumor.

Rachael is is trying to raise funds to pay for an experimental treatment that could give her a chance of beating what would otherwise be a terminal condition. If you would also like to donate you can do so on her GoFundMe page. If you want to learn more about Rachael’s situation, you can read more about it here.

Science

Dodging Vampires

Spending time outdoors is great, but with that comes the risk of mosquito bites. If you find yourself frequently bitten by mosquitoes, it could be due to your scent or the colors of your clothes, recent research suggests.

“If you think you are a mosquito magnet, it’s probably the case,” said Jeffrey Riffell, a biology professor at the University of Washington who studies mosquito sensory systems, in a video released on the university’s website earlier this month. “Some individuals are bitten way more than others.”

Riffell and his team have been researching how mosquitoes locate their food sources. While male mosquitoes drink nectar from flowers for sugar, female mosquitoes drink blood to aid in egg-laying. “Mosquitoes are remarkably good at trying to locate a person to drink their blood,” Riffell explained. “They are vampires, and they’re very good at what they’re doing. Their eyes, their vision, their nose, everything about them is geared towards finding us and biting us.”

The team discovered that female mosquitoes find humans by following a trail of scent cues, including the chemicals humans emit from their skin and sweat, and the carbon dioxide from exhaling. Mosquitoes are also attracted to certain colors—they prefer red and black, but tend to avoid white and green, Riffell noted. Mosquitoes can also remember and return to people they find attractive after biting them, forming a positive association. However, they can also learn to avoid you if you try to swat them. University of Washington biology PhD student Melissa Leon Norena mentioned that mosquitoes can detect three types of sugar sources, one of which is fruit. Researchers are working on creating a scent that mosquitoes find irresistible. If successful, this scent can be laced with a toxin to kill the insects.

I am not sure I would want to wear a toxic perfume on my body. But maybe on clothes or just near by would work as well. Anything to help keep the little vampires of is good in my opinion.

World News

The 20 Billion Dollar Shipwreck Treasure

Among history’s many shipwrecks, the San José galleon stands out for its treasures, estimated at $20 billion in gold, silver, and emeralds lying at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. Dubbed the “holy grail” of shipwrecks, its riches have led to prolonged ownership disputes.

Recent developments include a pledge by the Colombian government to retrieve parts of the ship and its goods. In 2022, new images from a remotely operated vehicle revealed valuable items like gold ingots, coins, and pottery. Earlier this year, Colombia announced a $4.5 million recovery effort using a robot to salvage artifacts from 2,000 feet below the ocean’s surface.

The San José was a Spanish galleon equipped with 64 guns and three masts, launched in 1698. On June 8, 1708, it encountered a British squadron near Isla de Barú, south of Cartagena. While its sister ship, the San Joaquín, escaped, the San José was attacked and sank after an explosion, taking its treasures with it. Only 11 of its 600 passengers survived.

Today, the San José is at the center of a new battle over its fortune. Claimants include the governments of Colombia, Spain, and Peru, the U.S. company Sea Search Armada (SSA), and the indigenous Qhara Qhara people of Bolivia. The most intense legal friction is between Colombia and SSA, which claims to have found the wreckage in 1981. The Supreme Court of Colombia ruled in 2007 that items of “national cultural patrimony” belong to Colombia, with other items split between the parties. In 2015, Colombia announced it had found the true location of the shipwreck, rejecting SSA’s earlier discovery. SSA maintains that the debris found in 1981 is linked to the 2015 site and is suing Colombia for $10 billion.

While the San José’s treasure garners much attention, protecting cultural items seems to be a priority for the Colombian government and its partners.

Sports

Christiano Ronaldo Makes History

Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to participate in six European Championship tournaments when he captained Portugal in their opening game against the Czech Republic last week. The European Championships only occur every four years, making it 24 years since his first EU Championship game.

The 39-year-old Ronaldo, who debuted at Euro 2004 where Portugal reached the final, already holds the records for most goals (14) and appearances (25) in the tournament. He played a pivotal role in Portugal's victory at Euro 2016.

He prepared for this edition by scoring two goals in Portugal's 3-0 win over Ireland in their final warm-up match.

“Another chapter in our history begins today,” Ronaldo wrote on X. “I fondly remember my first day with the national team, a journey full of challenges and victories. Now I have the honor of being alongside a team of champions, full of talent and determination. With everyone’s strength and support, we’re turning dreams into reality. Together let’s fight for another triumph. United, we’re unstoppable.”

Mind Stretchers

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Yesterday’s Answer:
Your shadow

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