A chess genius, new dictionary words and (more) fat bears!

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A chess genius, new dictionary words and (more) fat bears!

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October 9, 2021

It's been a long time since I've been camping. Too long, probably. The best part of it, to me, is how incredibly, almost unearthly quiet it gets at night. Does it sometimes freak me out? Yes, because I'm a scaredy-cat and have no problem imagining the squirrel rustling around outside the tent is actually a ravenous bear. But it's also a calm like no other; the kind of silence that seems to stretch out for miles and settle comfortably between your ears. It's an experience that's definitely worth a few mosquito bites -- and imaginary bear encounters.

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Two queens
When Nyla Covington was voted homecoming queen at Mississippi's Forrest County Agricultural High School, her thoughts weren't on teen-movie glory or a glittering crown. They were on the fellow nominee standing near her, Brittany Walters. Brittany's mother, A.J., was a well-loved administrator at the school, and had recently passed away from cancer. The teen had come to homecoming with her father to fulfill one of her last promises to her mother. So, moments after Nyla was crowned, she turned right around and placed the crown on Brittany's head instead. "I just felt like it was something that was put on my heart," Covington said. "She'd rather have her mom than a crown... but the point was, I was telling her that she was her mom's queen and I was just letting her know that she was loved by many and especially me."

Remember their faces
A politician, a poet, a cultural leader, an actress and an astronaut: These are the woman who will grace the first edition of the US Mint's "American Women Quarters Program." Two of the women featured, astronaut Sally Ride and writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, were announced earlier this year. Now, they will be joined by Anna May Wong, known as the first Chinese American Hollywood star; Wilma Mankiller, the first woman to serve as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation; and Nina Otero-Warren, a suffragette who became the first Hispanic woman to run for Congress. The US Mint invited the public to submit names of women they view as American icons, and noted that the final choices all highlight legends who broke into fields that were, at the time, highly inaccessible to women or people of color. This program will continue until 2025, honoring five women with five quarters each year.

Running the board
Tanitoluwa "Tani" Adewumi has accomplished a lot in his 11 years. In 2017, he and his family fled their native Nigeria, worried about attacks by extremist group Boko Haram. Not even two years later, Adewumi won the New York State Chess Championship. That victory changed his family's life forever, and since then Adewumi has been on a blitz. He became a national master earlier this year, and is now on a quest to become the game's youngest grandmaster ever. How dedicated is he? He usually practices about seven hours a day, but it isn't unusual for him to be glued to a board for nine or ten hours instead. "Chess is everything to me, it's my life," says Tani. "That's how we came to where we are today." No matter where his chess career takes him, he'll always have his family right behind him, cheering him on. Tani's father described his pride perfectly: "When I'm watching him playing," he says,"it's just like your chest wants to burst out until it can be free."

Raise a glass to...

480 Otis, the winner of the illustrious Fat Bear Week! The roughly 25-year-old, half-ton brown bear beat out 11 other portly contenders at the Katmai National Park & Preserve in Southwest Alaska to claim the crown for the fourth time. (His previous wins were in 2014, 2016 and 2017 -- a true veteran!) "As we celebrate, like a true champ 480 is still chowing down," the park said after the votes were counted. Fun fact: In 2019 and 2020, the bears' bulk was measured using a super fancy laser-type tool that scans their bodies and makes a weight estimation. What? You think they just led them onto a scale or something?

A bright idea

The biggest greenhouse in the US, located in Appalachia, Kentucky, has way more going for it than its size. This high-tech eden, called AppHarvest, uses robotics, artificial intelligence and complex data to grow up to 45 million pounds of tomatoes a year. This means the 60-acre complex can yield 30 times more per acre than open fields while using 90% less water, AppHarvest says. The facility collects data from over 700,000 plants using AI technology, and can monitor even the smallest details about soil, moisture and nutrients. Then, robots can carefully pluck the ripest tomatoes. This kind of absolute stability -- a well-oiled machine, if you will, could help reduce the environmental impact of global food production.

You gotta see this

Incoming! Taima the Hawk, the mascot of the Seattle Seahawks, took a little detour during a recent home game against the Los Angeles Rams. The 16-year-old Augur hawk, who was born at a wild bird sanctuary in 2005, is handled by a master falconer with 30 years of experience. But even the most dignified birds deserve a flight of fancy now and then, right?. Neither Taima nor the completely unprepared fan on which she alighted were injured in the encounter.

Wanna get away?

What makes a "cool" neighborhood? Judging by selections made by global media brand Time Out, it's an ever-changing balance of community spirit, cultural vibrance, social smarts and, of course, really good food. Time Out's latest list of coolest neighborhoods in the world include picturesque beachside towns, climate-friendly urban oases and colorful, inclusive enclaves. The Nørrebro district of Copenhagen, however, took top honors. Time Out said the area has a "dazzling blend of historic landmarks, ultramodern architecture and food and drink joints." There's also strong neighborhood pride here, and lots of community initiatives like car-free Sundays.

Who knew?

From ultra-popular boy band BTS to the Netflix hit "Squid Game," Korea consistently takes the pop culture world by storm. (Any other K-drama fans out there? Let's talk about "Lovers of the Red Sky.") So it's no surprise Korean words are making their way into the English lexicon. The Oxford English Dictionary added more than 20 words of Korean origin in its September update. There's "hallyu," which describes the general "Korean wave" of cultural influence. For the foodies, there's "banchan," a small side dish of vegetables, and "bulgogi," a delicious dish of marinated, thinly sliced beef or pork. History and sageuk enthusaists will recognize "hanbok," which is a traditional style of Korean clothing. "Aegyo" is another new addition, and describes a type of cuteness or charm considered characteristically Korean.

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