Good morning! 🌞 

It’s August 5, also known as Work Like a Dog Day — a little-known nod to people who go above and beyond, even when the heat says “take a break.”

Inspired by the discipline and grit of service dogs, today’s about recognizing that brand of dedication you don’t always see, but definitely feel. Whether you’re someone who quietly gets things done or you’ve got a few of those people in your orbit, it’s a good time to give credit where it’s due.

Here’s to the ones holding it down, even when no one’s watching.

Is there someone in your life whose work ethic always inspires you? Maybe today’s the day to let them know.

History

2,500-year-old Honey

For nearly 70 years, archaeologists have puzzled over the identity of a sticky substance found in a bronze jar at a 6th-century BCE Greek shrine in Paestum, Italy. Discovered in 1954, the thick, waxy residue was originally suspected to be honey, but repeated analyses over the next three decades failed to confirm it. Instead, researchers suggested it might be a mix of animal or plant fats with traces of pollen and insect fragments. The shrine, located south of Naples, held copper jars sealed in an underground chamber dedicated to an unknown deity, and the mysterious paste-like material had a strong wax aroma when first excavated.

Now, researchers at the University of Oxford have reexamined the residue using advanced analytical techniques—and they’ve concluded the substance is most likely degraded honey, over 2,500 years old. When the jars were transferred to Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, a team led by Luciana da Costa Carvalho and James McCullagh launched a new investigation. They compared the ancient residue to fresh and heat-aged honey and honeycomb samples from Greece and Italy. “Ancient residues aren’t just traces of what people ate or offered to the gods — they are complex chemical ecosystems,” said da Costa Carvalho. “Studying them reveals how those substances changed over time, opening the door to future work on ancient microbial activity and its possible applications.”

Chemical analysis showed the residue contained degraded sugars and traces of copper-sugar compounds formed through interaction with the vessel. It also revealed elevated levels of hexose sugars compared to modern beeswax, and—most notably—contained royal jelly proteins secreted by western honeybees, providing strong evidence that the substance was indeed honey. These findings offer rare material proof that honey was used as a ritual offering in ancient Greek religious practices. The full study appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

World News

Telescope Pop-Ups

Imagine heading out for ice cream and ending up with a clear view of Saturn’s rings. That’s what thousands have experienced thanks to #PopScope, a volunteer-led urban astronomy group that just marked its 500th pop-up event. Started in 2014 in Ottawa, Ontario, #PopScope (short for pop-up telescope) brings telescopes to public spaces in cities across Canada, the U.S., and even as far as Ireland, Malawi, and India. The goal is simple: set up a telescope, point it at the sky, and invite people walking by to take a look. So far, the group has introduced over 26,000 people to celestial sights like Jupiter’s moons and the Moon’s craters—all from sidewalks and street corners.

“The project has been a labor of love—and deep friendships have formed among the group’s volunteers,” co-founder Michael O’Shea told GNN. “We’re motivated by the look of awe on a stranger’s face when they see Saturn’s rings for the first time, or hear cries of delight when someone views the Moon’s bumpy craters in vivid detail.” Volunteers say reactions typically go from skepticism to amazement, often sparking spontaneous conversations about astronomy, neighborhood stories, or even someone’s dog. As the group celebrated its milestone, they reflected on memorable moments: “I am 55 years old and I’ve never seen anything like this before. Thank you for coming!” said one visitor. Another shouted, “Saturn rings! They look like an emoji! A Saturn emoji!”

With support from organizations like Celestron, the Awesome Foundation, and the Social Innovation Lab, #PopScope continues to expand its reach—especially in communities often overlooked by formal science institutions. The group now has chapters in Montreal, Baltimore, New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville, Florida. Whether or not these brief glimpses into space launch someone’s future in science, the goal remains the same: spark curiosity, build connection, and encourage everyone to keep looking up. Learn more or volunteer at popscope.org. Photos and videos from their 500 events can be found on Flickr.

Environment

Creating ‘Dream Maps’

At a small stream in Odisha, India, Indigenous villagers fish for eels to prepare a meal for their annual harvest festival—a tradition that marks the start of a new season. But fish and other natural resources are becoming harder to find. “Nowadays, the rains come late, affecting our farming, leading to a decrease in production,” said Sunita Muduli, a Paraja tribeswoman from Putpondi village, standing on freshly tilled land prepared for millet ahead of an increasingly erratic monsoon. Adivasi communities here have long relied on millet and rice farming, along with foraging, but climate change is placing their traditional ways of life under growing pressure.

To fight back, women from 10 villages—working with a local nonprofit—have begun mapping out vanishing natural resources using old government records as a baseline. Their comparison showed that common areas in many villages have shrunk by up to 25%. In response, the women created “dream maps” of their ideal village landscapes—lush and green—and plan to submit them to local authorities to request restoration funding, estimated at $2 million. “We want to make sure these resources are available for our children,” said Muduli. For many of the women, this is their first time leading a community project involving outside engagement, and the process is helping them build confidence and voice. “Our forest contains an abundance of diverse resources. Unfortunately, rainfall has reduced, temperatures have risen and our forest cover has dwindled. However, once we acquire the rights we deserve, our priority will be to revitalize and flourish our forest," said Saita Dhangada Majhi of Pangan Pani village.

Their goal is to gain legal control over shared lands, ensuring future changes require community approval. It’s a grassroots response to a national crisis: between 1993 and 2022, India experienced over 400 extreme weather events resulting in 80,000 deaths and $180 billion in damages, per the 2025 Climate Risk Index. Odisha, one of India’s poorest states, has seen food production fall 40% over five decades. Since most farmers rely on rainfall, unstable monsoons have hit hard—especially for forest-rooted Indigenous communities. “They have not contributed to the problem but are paying the price,” said Bidyut Mohanty of the Society for Promotion of Rural Education and Development. The women’s maps, which reveal the disappearance of once-common fruits and tool-making materials, could shape India’s climate adaptation plans. “They are actually leading from the front,” said Neha Saigal, a gender and climate expert. Whether their efforts shape national policy or not, the message remains unchanged. “Forest is our life,” said Purnima Sisa of Badakichab village. “We have taken birth in this forest, and one day we will die in the forest. It is our life and livelihood.”

Mind Stretchers

❓️ 

I have an eye but cannot see,
A slender spine that pierces me.
I draw no blood but make things tight,
And in skilled hands, I stitch just right.
What am I?

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

I’m round or square, I crumble with grace,
You’ll find me fresh or in a jar's embrace.
With chips or jam, I’m quite the treat—
Soft or crisp, I’m fun to eat.
What am I? — a cookie! Holly Porter 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]

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.