At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“HOW TO TAKE THE PERFECT NIGHTTIME BATH OR SHOWER THAT WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP” by Danielle Zickl, runnersworld.com

“New research shows the optimal time and temperature in order to wind down for the night.”

“HOW MOSQUITOES HELPED SHAPE THE COURSE OF HUMAN HISTORY” by Emily Toomey, smithsonianmag.com

“Historian and author Timothy Winegard discusses the way mosquitoes have played a major role in battles, genetics and the gin and tonic.”

“MUD MAKER: THE MAN BEHIND MLB’S ESSENTIAL SECRET SAUCE” by Emma Baccellieri, si.com

“A multibillion-dollar business that embraces advanced technology and cherishes precision, Major League Baseball would prefer not to need an oozy substance harvested by one family in a secret location along the Deleware River. But for decades it has, and that won’t change anytime soon.”

“PARENTS, OUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IS ALL WRONG” by Lindsay Powers, washingtonpost.com

“Something funny has happened over the past couple of generations—where we went from defining success as ‘a chicken in every pot’ to a heavy, guilt-inducing load of expectations…”

“THE 19TH-CENTURY MANIA FOR ICE SKATING IN THE SUMMER” by Michael Waters, smithsonianmag.com

“Europeans sought to recreate the luxury of wintering in the Alps with an indoor rink attraction.”

At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“THIS COLLEGE DROPOUT WAS BEDRIDDEN FOR 11 YEARS. THEN HE INVENTED A SURGERY AND CURED HIMSELF” by Ryan Prior, cnn.com

“Lindsay suspected there might be something in his adrenal gland that acted like a tumor, but wasn’t one.”

“THE PIRATE WHO PENNED THE FIRST ENGLISH-LANGUAGE GUACAMOLE RECIPE” by Luke Fater, atlasobscura.com

“Willam Dampier’s food-writing first included the use of the words ‘barbecue’ and ‘chopsticks.'”

“MEET THE MAN WHO WON $24K BETTING ON THE MOON LANDING” by Darren Rovell, actionnetwork.com

“In April 1964, a 21-year-old English man wrote a letter to William Hill asking the sports book what odds it will give him for man to land on the moon.”

“10 BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ THIS AUGUST” by Literary Hub, lithub.com

Recommended reading from Lit Hub staff and contributors

“THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS NEEDS YOUR HELP TRANSCRIBING SUFFRAGIST PAPERS” by Brigit Katz, smithsonianmag.com

“Nearly 16,000 pages of diaries, letters, speeches and other documents are available on the library’s crowdsourcing platform.”

At NPSC we know that one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to learn new things. Unfortunately, with all of the information available to us, it can feel almost impossible to find the time to sift through the web to find the gems.

So, we’ve decided to do it for you! Every Friday, you can find five new articles or videos from the week that will stretch your mind, fuel your spirit, and feed your brain.

“THE ORIGINAL TOUR DE FRANCE YELLOW JERSEY WAS MADE OF WOOL” by Michael Waters, smithsonianmag.com

“100 years ago, in the middle of the race, a rider wore the famed jersey for the first time.”

“WHY ARE THERE 10 HOT DOGS TO A PACK BUT ONLY 8 BUNS?” by Jake Rossen, mentalfloss.com

“What’s behind this strange dog and bun inequality?”

“‘HE PITCHED FOR ME’: HOW THE ANGELS HONORED TYLER SKAGGS IN THE MOST EMOTIONAL NO-HITTER IN MLB HISTORY” by Michael McKnight, si.com

“With an entire roster of No. 45s honoring the late Tyler Skaggs, the Angels no-hit the Mariners in the team’s first home game since his death. This is how it all unfolded, through the eyes of those who were there.”

“96-YEAR-OLD MAN RUNS 42-MINUTE 5K TO BREAK WORLD RECORD FOR HIS AGE GROUP” by Gabrielle Hondorp, runnersworld.com

“Virginia native Roy Englert shaved nearly eight minutes off the previous mark at the USATF Masters Outdoor Championships.”

“YOU’RE PROBABLY COMPLAINING THE WRONG WAY” by Joe Pinsker, theatlantic.com

“The psychologist Guy Winch’s method for getting people to do things differently.”