Astronomy
January 7, 2023

50 Years Ago, We Discovered the Earth Through the Iconic ‘Blue Marble’

On December 7, 1972, the Apollo 17 team, made up of Eugene “Gene” Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt launched into space. They took part in the last mission of NASA’s Apollo program and the final manned mission to the Moon. When they were about 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles) away from home—hurtling toward our natural satellite—the team captured something that forever changed the way we understand our planet.

Read Article

Environment
January 6, 2023

Tobacco Companies Must Pay For Cigarette Butt Pollution Clean-Up In Spain

Cigarette butts are everywhere—scattered among shells on the beach, stamped into sidewalk grates, and floating in ocean waters. An estimated 5 billion butts alone clog our planet's oceans. This common litter takes about 10 years to decompose, releasing toxins as it deteriorates. The filters in particular are a problem. Spain has a solution: as part of a large environmental package recently passed, tobacco companies must foot the bill of cleaning up butts around the country.

Read Article

Good News
January 6, 2023

Dolly Parton Is Giving Free Books to Children Under 5 in California in 2023

When describing a modern-day superhero, Dolly Parton fits the bill. From paying for students' band or choir uniforms to offering free college tuition for all Dollywood employees, the iconic musician stays busy with her numerous philanthropic efforts. Now, one of her most well-known projects, the Imagination Libary—which she started in 1995 to increase literacy in Sevier County—is coming to California in mid-2023.

Read Article

Entertainment
January 5, 2023

Actor Edward Norton Discovers That Pocahontas Is His 12th Great Grandmother

Our genealogy can give us many answers about our roots and culture, highlighting aspects of our ancestry that were previously a mystery. In the case of American actor Edward Norton, new insights into his lineage have made old “family lore” a reality. On an episode of the PBS program, Finding Your Roots, the host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed that Norton is a descendant of Powhatan woman Pocahontas.

Read Article

My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.