Posted: March 24, 2023

This hair is old. It grew on the head of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. He died nearly 200 years ago. Now researchers ask: Can the hair explain what made Beethoven sick during his lifetime?

Many people consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer of all time. He was born in Germany in 1770. When he was around 26 years old, he began losing his hearing. Soon he grew completely deaf. But even that didn’t stop him from composing music. He wrote his magnificent Ninth Symphony without hearing! He couldn’t hear the audience’s applause when they heard the symphony. But he could see them clapping.

Legend says that Beethoven leaned his head against a piano to feel the notes vibrate. Or he may have used a wooden stick between his teeth to feel the vibrations. He knew each note so well that he could tell its sound based on the feel it made, the stories say.

The scientists looked at five locks of Beethoven’s hair. People had saved them as keepsakes. The researchers cleaned the hair one strand at a time. They dissolved the bits of hair into a chemical solution. Next, they fished out chunks of DNA.

The DNA proved that Beethoven had a genetic risk for liver disease. It also showed he was infected with hepatitis B in the last months of his life. Today, a vaccine prevents this illness.

Beethoven was 56 when he died in 1827. The composer himself wrote that he wanted doctors to study his health problems after he died.

But two big unsolved mysteries remain. What made Beethoven deaf? And what gave him so many stomach problems?

For now, we just don’t know. But mystery is part of what makes Beethoven so fascinating.

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! — Psalm 95:1

Posted: March 23, 2023

Look out! Seaweed is coming to the beach.

A 5,000-mile seaweed belt lurks in the Atlantic Ocean. Over the next few months, it will likely wash onto beaches in the Caribbean Sea, South Florida, and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

This bunch of seaweed is big enough to get a name: the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. (Sargassum—pronounced sar-GAS-um—is leafy brown seaweed. It grows and floats on the water’s surface.) The sargassum belt stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico.

The seaweed patch isn’t new. It forms each year. This year, it formed earlier than usual.

Once it washes ashore, sargassum becomes a pain. It carpets beaches. People and animals step in it and get tangled up. Workers have to clear it up around the clock at resorts and hotels. Not to mention, rotting seaweed stinks.

Much sargassum grows in a vast stretch of the Atlantic Ocean called the Sargasso Sea. This sea has no land boundaries. Four ocean currents mark its edges. The matted seaweed stretches for miles across the ocean. It creates breeding ground, food, and habitat for fish, sea turtles, and marine birds. That’s all well and good . . . until it lands on the beach!

When sargassum piles up, it quickly decomposes under hot sun. It lets out gasses that smell like rotten eggs. The gasses can harm people who struggle with breathing problems.

This year, the sargassum patch is extra big. But it’s not the biggest. The ocean had more sargassum in 2018. So far, some sargassum has already reached beaches in Key West, Florida. Most of it will arrive in the summer.

For the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. — Habakkuk 2:14

Posted: March 22, 2023

God’s words are more valuable than gold. (Psalm 19:10) You can buy one of the oldest copies of His words. But you’ll have to shell out at least $30 million!

A Hebrew Bible said to be 1,100 years old goes up for auction this May in New York. The manuscript is called the Codex Sassoon. Someone wrote out this copy of the Old Testament by hand. The leather-bound book is expected to sell for a price between $30 million and $50 million. That’s a huge chunk of change, even for an ancient treasure.

Yosef Ofer is a professor of Bible studies in Israel. “There are three ancient Hebrew Bibles from this period,” he says. One is the Codex Sassoon. The others are the Aleppo Codex from the 10th century and the Leningrad Codex from the early 11th century.

Experts tested the book. They think it was written between the years 880 and 960. The book’s writing style suggests it came from Egypt or a part of the Middle East called the Levant.

Artifacts like the Codex Sassoon are rare. But scholars say it doesn’t match the quality of the Aleppo Codex. The scribes who wrote the Sassoon were sloppier.

 Still, the Sassoon contains around 92% of the Old Testament.

How did the book survive for so many years? A note written inside gives some clues. A man named Khalaf ben Abraham gave it to Isaac ben Ezekiel al-Attar. He gave it to his sons Ezekiel and Maimon. Later, someone took the Bible east to part of Syria.

What happened to the book next? Scholars aren’t sure. But it resurfaced in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1929. Then a legendary collector of Jewish manuscripts bought it. His name: David Solomon Sassoon. That’s why the book is called the Sassoon Codex.

Could the book really sell for $50 million? If it does, it will break a record. It will be the most expensive historical document ever sold at public auction. Right now, that record is held by a 1787 copy of the U.S. Constitution. It sold in 2021 for $43 million.

God preserves His words for His people. Click here to explore where and when each book of the Bible was likely written. Next, create your own piece of biblical art!

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. — John 17:17

Posted: March 21, 2023

A special delivery is here.

It’s not pizza and it’s not a package. It’s bison!

Dozens of bison from Colorado hit the road. They head for the Great Plains. Their new caretakers are Native Americans whose ancestors lived alongside bison for thousands of years.

God made people to steward (care for) the world He made. Now Native Americans will steward bison again. You could say the bison are coming home.

About six of the animals will start a new herd for the Yuchi people south of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two centuries ago, bison were nearly wiped out. The Yuchi were forced from their homeland too.

In Wyoming, 17 bison will go to the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Twelve will make their home with the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

Tens of millions of bison once roamed North America. Settlers, hunters, and U.S. troops nearly wiped them out in the 1880s. That caused major trouble for Native Americans. They needed bison for food, clothing, and shelter.

These beasts have bounced back from near-extinction. But they’re still missing from most of the grasslands where they used to live.

So far, 85 bison have transferred to the tribes. The shipments will continue through 2030.

The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. — Psalm 24:1

Posted: March 20, 2023

It’s the rainy season in Zimbabwe. A bonanza of wild mushrooms sprouts from the ground!

Many families feast on the mushrooms. They sell them to earn money. But the mushrooms can be dangerous. Some are poisonous. Each year, people die from eating the wrong kind of fungi. Only experts should pick wild mushrooms. Experienced pickers pass on their knowledge. New pickers learn which mushrooms are safe. (Learn more about mushrooms here.)

Beauty Waisoni lives near Harare, Zimbabwe. She wakes at dawn and packs plastic buckets, a basket, plates, and a knife. Then she treks to a forest nine miles away. Her 13-year-old daughter, Beverly, comes too. She learns from her mom. In the forest, the two join other pickers. They hunt for fungi under trees and dried leaves.

Ms. Waisoni teaches her daughter how to identify safe mushrooms.

“She will kill people, and the business, if she gets it wrong,” says Ms. Waisoni. She started picking wild mushrooms as a young girl. Soon her baskets and buckets fill with small red and brown buttons covered in dirt.

Mostly women collect and sell mushrooms, says Wonder Ngezimana. He teaches about plants at a nearby university.

The women look to see whether a mushroom is edible or poisonous. They break their finds. What kind of liquid oozes out? They check the color and the top of the mushrooms. They also look for good collection spots such as anthills, areas near certain types of trees, and decomposing baobab trees.

Many of the women who search for wild mushrooms bring their daughters. A few bring their sons.

Many folks in Zimbabwe do not get enough food. And many people are poor. Food is expensive there.

Ms. Waisoni says the money she earns from the wild mushrooms helped send her children to school. It helps her family buy necessities.

The government suggests that people farm mushrooms. That would keep mushroom-eaters safer. And it would help growers make money year-round, instead of just during the rainy season.

But customers say the wild ones taste the best. Even with the danger, the foraged mushrooms are still the most popular.

Posted: March 17, 2023

For the first time in three decades, the United States has a new favorite dog breed.

Drumroll, please . . .

It’s the French bulldog!

Some call this pooch adorable. Some call it deplorable. Either way, the sturdy, push-faced, perky-eared pups have everyone’s attention. People bred more of them last year than any other purebred dog breed. Out of every seven purebreds registered, one was a Frenchie.

That’s right. This means the beloved Labrador retriever must give up the crown . . . which it has held onto for 31 years! In the hearts of Americans, Frenchies are now the reigning kings and queens.

Why?

“They’re comical, friendly, loving little dogs,” says French Bull Dog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa. Frenchies live well in cities. They need some but not too much grooming and exercise. “They offer a lot in a small package,” says Mrs. Sosa.

The Frenchie got famous fast. Twenty-five year ago, it wasn’t even in the top 75 breeds. That worries some Frenchie fans. People steal the dogs. So many people want Frenchies that some breeders will sell unhealthy dogs.

Frenchies are already prone to breathing, spine, and skin illnesses. Frenchies can get really ill, and it can cost a lot to treat them. For these reasons, the British Veterinary Association has urged people not to buy flat-faced breeds, such as Frenchies. In the Netherlands, breeding very short-snouted dogs is against the law. Owning them could soon be banned too.

Critics of Frenchie breeding say the dogs are bred for looks, not for health. They ask: Is that fair to the dogs? But Frenchie lovers say the canines can do very well if cared for properly.

Do you know someone with a French bulldog?

How about an English foxhound? Those hunting dogs are this year’s least-owned purebred.

Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast. — Proverbs 12:10

Posted: March 16, 2023

Well, that storm left with a bang.

The state of California is soaked. Roads flood. Trees topple. Rocks and dirt slide down hills. That’s one way to bust a drought!

Storms started in California in late December. They kept coming. Before they began, the state was terribly dry. Suddenly, it was flooded. During the long drought, some Californians had to follow water-saving rules. They could water outdoor plants just one day per week. Not anymore!

Officials say seven million Californians can stop scrimping on water. That makes sense. Why save every last drop when it’s pouring from the sky and flooding the streets?

This is good news . . . and bad news. Californians finally have water. But weather woes are getting worse. This week, officials told thousands of people to evacuate. Some of these lived in apartment buildings on top of cliffs where land slid away. More than 650 folks waited in emergency shelters. Part of the Pacific Coast Highway closed. Potholes disabled more than 30 cars. More than 100,000 people lost power.

And what’s coming next week? Another big storm.

As the saying goes . . . “When it rains, it pours!”

The sudden storms surprise us. But they don’t surprise God. Pray for the people whose homes or property were damaged by the severe weather. Pray for workers repairing damage too.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved. — Psalm 55:22

Posted: March 15, 2023

It’s a headline that could come straight from the Bible. A house built on the sand has fallen into the sea.

On Monday, a vacation home collapsed in Rodanthe, North Carolina. Local reports say the house was worth $400,000. Officials warn beachgoers to avoid the debris.

This isn’t a new problem. Last year, three other beachside houses were washed to sea. Two collapsed on the same day, just a mile from the Rodanthe home. A viral video showed an entire house drifting into the waves.

But why are these houses collapsing?

Rodanthe is part of the Outer Banks. This thin strip of islands sits on North Carolina’s east coast. In recent years, that strip has grown thinner. Erosion wears away the beaches. The problem is especially bad in Rodanthe.

Erosion happens as the ocean chips away at the coast. Powerful waves take sand and soil from the land. Over time, the coastline gets thinner. And thinner. And thinner. Oceanside houses suddenly become more oceanside than intended. If enough land washes away—crash! Those houses fall into the water.

But erosion isn’t the only problem. In the Outer Banks, people build houses close to the water. Some houses stand on wooden stilts in the sand. Why build rickety homes so close to the sea?

The answer: money.

Home owners rent these houses to vacationers. Tourists pay lots of money to stay near the ocean. They pay even more if the house has an ocean view.

Jesus told a story about a man building a house on the sand. When the rain fell, the flood came, and the wind blew, the house collapsed. Jesus called this man foolish. But a wise man built a house on the rock. When storms came, the house stood strong.

Following Jesus is like building a house on the rock. Whatever happens, He keeps you secure. Ignoring His words is like building your house on the sand. That’s what Jesus’ parable tells us.

But it’s also a bad idea to build an actual house on the sand.

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” — Matthew 7:26

Posted: March 14, 2023

You can see right through this little aquarium fish. Its skin is almost completely transparent! Then the light hits it just right. Its body flickers with shimmering rainbow colors. How?

Scientists have just figured that out.

The ghost catfish comes from Thailand. And its mysterious glow comes from within.

Scientists published their report on the fish Monday. Here’s what they say: Light passes through the fish’s skin. It hits tiny structures in the muscle that turn the light into a colorful spectrum.

The fish has another name: the glass catfish. It measures just a few inches long. People around the world buy the species for aquariums.

The ghost catfish has no scales. It has only see-through skin and tightly packed structures in the muscles that can bend light into rainbow hues. How did researchers find this out? They shined different lights and lasers onto the fish in the lab. As the ghost catfish swam, those muscles relaxed and tightened. This sent off a glinting range of colors.

Other creatures are also iridescent. (That means they show off the same kind of rainbow shimmer while moving.) Usually, they have shiny outer surfaces that reflect the light. Think of a hummingbird’s feathers or a butterfly’s wings. Some species use this flashy skill to attract mates or send warnings. Does the ghost catfish do that too?

Scientists don’t know yet.

Read about another of God’s amazing creatures: the glass frog. It has transparent skin too.

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the Earth is full of your creatures. — Psalm 104:24

Posted: March 13, 2023

In some places in the United States, locals see signs of spring. (Read Cherry Blossoms Bloom Early.) But ski resorts around Lake Tahoe won’t be closing for the summer any time soon.

Lake Tahoe is on the border between California and Nevada. Fifteen ski resorts sit around the lake. Last winter, most of the resorts couldn’t open in November like usual. There wasn’t enough snow. They had to open later. This season, there was sometimes too much of the frosty flakes. Several resorts had to close at times.

Just how much snow did this winter bring? Areas around the lake got more than 50 feet of snow over the past three months.

Even when the resorts were open, there was another problem. The roads were often closed. Tourists couldn’t get to the slopes.

But locals who’ve been skiing at Tahoe for decades are happy. They enjoy the powdery snow. They say the real prize is skiing through the end of May and possibly longer.

“It’s heaven-sent for a skier because I can ski until Memorial Day,” says Dan Lavely. He lives in Reno, California. The 66-year-old has skied for about 40 years. “The conditions have been fantastic.”

Patrick Lacey is a spokesman for Palisades Tahoe. He says that his resort loses some money from storms, but it can stay open longer. That balances the loss out. Palisades Tahoe recently closed during a storm on Friday. One gust of wind reached 139 miles per hour!

The Central Sierra Snow Lab at Donner Pass, north of Lake Tahoe, reported earlier this month it had recorded the snowiest October-February period since 1970. The snowiest winter season recorded was 1951-52, with nearly 68 feet (812 inches) of snow.

Palisades Tahoe counted 350 inches of snow last year. This year, the resort recorded 607 inches—before the latest storm moved in on Friday.

God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things that we cannot comprehend. For to the snow He says, “Fall on the Earth,” likewise to the downpour, His mighty downpour. — Job 37:5-6

Posted: March 10, 2023

Workers stand in the jungle of East Borneo, Indonesia. They dig into the orange-red ground. They will build Indonesia’s new capital city.

It’s a big job. It takes around 7,000 construction workers! They clear, plow, and build. First they constructed worker housing, basic roads, and a helipad (place for helicopters to land). They should be done with the most important buildings by August 2024. One of those buildings will be the presidential palace.

Why does Indonesia need a new capital?

Indonesia’s current capital city is Jakarta. It’s polluted. People and cars cram the streets. Earthquakes shake the city. And it’s sinking! All of that made government officials decide: “We’re out of here!”

Officials promise a “sustainable forest city.” But not everyone thinks the capital move is such a good idea. Critics ask: What happens when you plunk down a huge city on Borneo? Orangutans, leopards, and many other kinds of wildlife live on the island. Some folks worry the new city will just bring the old city’s problems to a beautiful and rare part of nature.

The new city will be called Nusantara.

For now, builders work with cranes and excavators. Visitors can scan a QR code to see 3-D visuals of what the area will look like when finished. Printed signs show what’s to come.

Animals live near the building site. Some say the animals should be moved first. But the Indonesian government hasn’t done that. People live nearby too. One local says, “We do not want to be relocated.”

Did you know Indonesia has “the most” of several things in the world? It has the most islands of any country. It has the most active volcanoes in the world. Indonesia also has the largest Muslim population on Earth. But about 11 percent of Indonesians claim to be Christians too. Learn more about Indonesia here.

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. — Hebrews 13:14

Posted: March 9, 2023

Scandinavian scientists study a gold disc. Eureka! It has a name on it: Odin.

There is only one God. But throughout history, people told stories about made-up (false), “little-g” gods. Odin was one of the Norse gods. People in Scandinavia worshiped the Norse gods hundreds of years ago. The scientists say this new disc has the oldest-known inscription about Odin.

Lisbeth Imer is a runologist with the National Museum in Copenhagen. (A runologist studies an old type of writing called runes.) She says the disc proves that people worshipped Odin as early as the 5th century. That’s at least 150 years earlier than people thought. (Before, the oldest proof people had was a brooch found in southern Germany. It dated to the second half of the 6th century.)

People discovered the disc in Denmark. It was among about two pounds of gold. The loot included large medallions the size of saucers and Roman coins made into jewelry.

Experts think the cache was buried 1,500 years ago. Why? Maybe someone was hiding it from enemies. Or maybe someone buried it as a gift to the little-g gods. Maybe they hoped the treasure would keep the gods from getting angry. Aren’t you glad you don’t have to keep God from getting angry with you? The true God is not like a fallen person. He is full of patience and love. He gave His only son, Jesus, to forgive all our sins.

The thin, gold disc carried the words “He is Odin’s man.” Who was “Odin’s man”? We don’t know for sure. It might refer to a king or overlord.

Norse people thought of Odin as the god of war and poetry. Some Norse people were Vikings. What do you think of when you think of Vikings? Check whether your Viking knowledge is fact or fiction!

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. — 1 Peter 2:24

Posted: March 8, 2023

Need a ride? If you’re in the Philippines, you might hop on a jeepney. For years, these vehicles have carried workers and tourists. They are half bus, half jeep. Now a government program aims to modernize public transportation. Will it drive jeepneys off the streets?

Jeepney drivers believe so. This Monday, they went on strike. In Manila alone (the nation’s capital), 40,000 vans and jeepneys stopped running. Organizers plan for the strike to last a week.

During World War II, Japan attacked the Philippines. The United States sent soldiers to help fight. After a hard defeat, these U.S. soldiers left the Philippines. But they left something behind: tough military jeeps.

Drivers turned these diesel-chugging jeeps into public transportation. Over time, they built new ones. Today, these jeepneys are an icon of Filipino culture. The name is a cross between “jeep” and “jitney,” or “dollar van.” In Manila, jeepneys are called “King of the Road.” They’re not hard to spot. They often sport wild designs and bright colors. You might see a jeepney covered in pictures of Hello Kitty or Spider-Man.

But soon, you might not see them at all.

Many jeepneys don’t have modern safety features, like seatbelts. Their noisy diesel engines release thick black fumes. Manila is famous for air pollution. Many people blame the jeepneys.

In 2017, the Philippine government launched its transport modernization program. Officials want to replace old jeepneys with newer vehicles.

There’s just one problem. How can jeepney drivers afford this change?

“It’s OK to have modernization for those who have money,” says Benito Garcia. “But for us jeepney drivers and operators, we cannot afford.”

The government promises to help pay. But many drivers say they can’t replace their jeepneys even with aid.

Thousands rely on jeepney driving for a living. If they lose their jeepneys, they lose their jobs. But Philippine officials say the country needs safer roads. We can pray that God will give officials wisdom to balance these needs.

Posted: March 7, 2023

Need some cucumbers and tomatoes for your salad? Don’t look in Great Britain!

People in the United Kingdom (UK) had to use vegetables carefully for the past two weeks. Shelves of fresh produce in many stores are bare. Supermarkets set limits on how many salad bags or bell peppers each person could buy.

What’s to blame? Bad weather in Spain and North Africa.

But many people also point this out: Other European countries have plenty of veggies. Some wonder: England isn’t part of the European Union anymore. Is that why it has a shortage?

The European Union (EU) is a group of 27 countries in Europe. These countries work together. In order to belong, governments pay money to the EU. They have to follow certain rules about how business is done and how people cross borders. Britain left the EU at the end of 2020. (That process had a nickname: Brexit. That’s Britain plus exit.)

British officials say Brexit isn’t to blame for the veggie problem. Lately, Spain had unusually cold weather. Morocco had heavy rain and flooding. That weather makes tomatoes grow poorly. Many of the UK’s tomatoes come from these two places.

Many tomatoes come from the Netherlands too. There, electricity is very expensive. The war in Ukraine made prices rise. Many growers couldn’t afford to turn on the LED lights in their greenhouses this winter.

Vegetable growers in the UK say they were also forced to leave their greenhouses empty. Costs were high for them too.

Officials say the shortages could last for up to a month.

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the Earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” — Genesis 1:29

Posted: March 6, 2023

The 3,700 cherry trees in Washington, D.C., are confused. This winter was warmer than usual. Now the trees’ beautiful blossoms are showing up earlier than expected.

Officials announced that the trees would reach peak bloom this year from March 22-25. (Peak bloom is when the majority of the flowers are open at the same time.) That’s several days earlier than people expected.

The district had big weather shifts this winter. In February, temperatures hit 81 degrees one day. Snow came two days later. The shifts plus the warm weather sent confusing signals to the trees.

The early bloom isn’t a huge problem. But what happens if temperatures drop suddenly again? “An early frost would definitely damage the blossoms,” Jeff Reinbold says. He works for the National Park Service (NPS). The agency takes care of the trees.

Diana Mayhew runs the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. She says this year’s bloom is the second earliest she had seen in 23 years. So the festival rescheduled some of its events. The events moved up by a week.

Mrs. Mayhew says she expects a big year for the festival. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 1.5 million visitors came each year to see the blooms. This year, Mayhew hopes to match those numbers. Maybe even more people will enjoy the pink and white flowers.

Washington’s cherry blossoms date back 111 years. The mayor of Tokyo, Japan, gave Washington 3,000 trees in 1912. The Japanese embassy still helps take care of the trees.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. — Isaiah 40:8

Posted: March 3, 2023

Researchers find a head made of stone . . . and it’s bigger than you!

The carved head is a monolith, a large, upright piece of stone. People discovered it in a dry lake on the island of Rapa Nui that belongs to Chile. (The island is also called Easter Island.) Big human figures like this have a name: moai (MO-eye).

Have you seen images of Easter Island’s moais before? The island has about 1,000 more besides this new find. This statue measures 5.2 feet tall. Next to other moais, it’s a little guy. Some are as long as 72 feet.

Might more statues be hidden in the dry lake? Perhaps. The lake sits at the center of a volcanic crater. Some moais are all or partly buried. People left them in place. (Did you know those famous heads have bodies too? They’re buried! Many people don’t realize this.)

Salvador Atan Hito helps manage Rapa Nui’s archaeological treasures. The statue “is in good condition,” he says. “It has wear from time, erosion, water, but its shapes and features are still very noticeable.”

“This discovery is something historic for this new generation,” he adds.

Mr. Atan says the moais face in from the sea because they are supposed to protect the community. Local people may have believed the statues held the spirits of ancestors. We see the statues as pieces of history. We marvel at the work that Rapa Nui people put into the carvings. But Christians know God’s people go to be with Him when they die.

Did you know fires on Easter Island damaged moais last fall? Read about it here.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the Earth is yours. — 1 Chronicles 29:11