Good Morning! 🌞 

Did you know that beer is one of the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverages in the world? It's been enjoyed for over 7,000 years! 🍺 

Earth Sciences

History-Making Probe

The Parker Solar Probe achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday by completing a record-breaking flyby of the sun, coming within just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of its surface. This marks the closest approach to a star by any spacecraft. Traveling at an unprecedented speed of 430,000 miles per hour (692,000 kilometers per hour), the probe also became the fastest human-made object in history. Launched in 2018 and named after Dr. Eugene Parker, a pioneer in heliophysics, the mission has been pivotal in exploring solar mysteries, including the formation of the solar wind and the enigmatic heat of the sun’s corona.

The probe's current flyby, the first of its final three closest approaches, took place on Christmas Eve, enduring extreme conditions with its carbon foam heat shield capable of withstanding temperatures up to 2,500°F (1,400°C). Remarkably, the spacecraft’s interior remained at room temperature due to a sophisticated cooling system. The probe entered the sun’s corona for the first time in December 2021, sampling particles and magnetic fields, and has since provided valuable insights into coronal mass ejections, which pose risks to Earth’s satellites and power grids. Detailed data from this flyby, expected by mid-January, will further illuminate the sun’s activity during its solar maximum—a peak in its 11-year cycle of heightened activity and frequent solar storms.

The Parker Solar Probe’s groundbreaking findings are shaping our understanding of the sun and its influence on the solar system. Scientists like Dr. C. Alex Young of NASA emphasize the mission’s significance in studying solar behavior as a model for other stars and their planetary interactions. As the probe approaches its final flybys, project scientist Nour Rawafi hopes for heightened solar activity, which could yield even greater insights. These discoveries not only enhance solar storm prediction models but also deepen our comprehension of stellar dynamics, ensuring this mission’s legacy as a cornerstone of heliophysics research.

Sports

Teachers for a Day

Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges may be thriving as an NBA star, but he’s already planning his next chapter: teaching second grade. After a late-night return to Brooklyn following a March 2024 win over the Cavaliers, Bridges was back in action the next morning—not on the court, but in a classroom at PS 134. Despite running on little sleep, he found the students’ energy invigorating. “They got me going so fast. They got me excited,” he told CBS News. Second grade holds a special place in Bridges’ heart, thanks to his teacher, Ms. Porter, who made a lasting impact. “I loved second grade when I was young. It was one of the years I really remember,” he said.

During his visit, Bridges led a PE class, taught math—his favorite subject—and even joined a xylophone lesson. Reflecting on his future, he shared with the students and CBS that teaching is a natural fit for the next stage of his life. “Basketball doesn’t last forever,” he explained. “This is just the first part of my journey. Teaching is next—I’m trying to do both.”

Environment

Drone Whale Imagery

Biologists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology utilized drone imagery to investigate energy use in nursing humpback whale mothers and their calves during their Pacific Ocean migration. The research, driven by concerns over declining reproduction rates and calf survival among North Pacific humpback whales, sought to understand how mother-calf pairs manage energy during this demanding journey. The findings, published in The Journal of Physiology, provide new insights into the physiological challenges faced by these marine mammals.

The study tracked calf growth and maternal body condition shortly after birth in Hawaiʻi and compared these data to those of female humpbacks on Alaskan feeding grounds. Researchers evaluated pregnant, lactating, and females with unknown reproductive status to gain a comprehensive understanding of energy expenditure. The results highlighted the critical role of maternal energy reserves in calf development and survival, as well as the physical toll of migration on lactating mothers.

“We took 2,410 measurements from 1,659 individuals, including 405 repeat measurements from 137 lactating females to track changes in maternal body volume over migration,” explained Martin van Aswegen, a PhD candidate with the Marine Mammal Research Program and the study's lead author. These findings underscore the importance of conservation efforts, as understanding energy dynamics can inform strategies to protect humpback whale populations during their migratory and reproductive cycles.

Support Daily Upsider!

Help our mission to share positive, meaningful news! Your support keeps us going without the need to bombard you with annoying ads!

Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

I sit on tables, holding what's right, from morning till late into the night. I'm flat and round, and often stacked, but when you're done, I’m quickly packed. What am I?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers

I can tune in to voices from far and near, But I’m not a person, and I’m not crystal clear. I bring news and music, with just a twist, Though I’m not seen, my presence can’t be missed. What am I? — a radio! Debbie Ettinger got this correct first!

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] or reply to the email.

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.