Good morning! 🌞 

Today’s all about the ones in the middle.
August 12 marks Middle Child’s Day—a nod to those who grew up sandwiched between an older sibling’s “firsts” and a younger one’s “lasts.” They’re often the quiet glue that holds the family together, the peacekeepers, the adapters, the ones with stories that rarely start with “remember when I got all the attention.” Today, let’s celebrate the middle kids for their resilience, humor, and knack for making their own path.

Innovation

3D-Printed Titanium

Engineers at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have unveiled a 3D-printed titanium alloy that’s about 30% cheaper to produce than the industry standard—potentially transforming aerospace, medical, and automotive manufacturing. The breakthrough, detailed in Nature Communications and now the subject of a provisional patent, replaces costly vanadium with more readily available elements. The result is a material with a uniform microstructure, improved strength, and greater ductility—key traits for high-performance applications.

Lead researcher Ryan Brooke, from RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing, says the field has long been constrained by reliance on legacy alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V, which limit the full potential of 3D printing. “It’s like we’ve created an airplane and are still just driving it around the streets,” he explained. The team’s design framework not only produces better titanium at lower cost but also offers a faster, more economical way to select alloying elements—predicting and controlling grain structure to avoid the column-shaped formations that can weaken 3D-printed metals.

By solving both the cost and structural challenges, Brooke believes the innovation marks a “full leap forward” rather than a minor upgrade. Early conversations with aerospace, automotive, and MedTech leaders suggest strong interest in alloys that are cheaper, stronger, and more adaptable. “We have been able to not only produce titanium alloys with a uniform grain structure, but with reduced costs, while also making it stronger and more ductile,” Brooke said—an achievement that could accelerate the widespread adoption of 3D-printed metals in some of the world’s most demanding industries.

World News

Grandma for Rent…

When Tokyo-based handyman service Client Partners found Japan’s repair market overcrowded, they pivoted to a warmer, more personal niche: “rent-a-grandma.” Launched in 2011 under the name OK! Obaachan (“OK! Grandmother”), the service pairs clients with women over 60 who provide homemaking, cooking, and companionship—roles that tap into traditional community values while addressing modern social needs. “I never get bored,” said 69-year-old Taeko Kaji, one of the program’s grandmothers. “I get to go out and have these experiences and that’s why taking this job was the right decision for me.”

The idea grew partly from Japan’s rising concern over urban loneliness, where the fast pace of city life can leave people without close family ties. “Some people may never have had a mother in the first place,” explained Client Partners CEO Ruri Kanazawa. “Our grandmother staff members, who cook for the guests and act like a mother to them, help provide the motherly warmth they need.” For clients, the service can be as much about emotional connection as it is about practical help. For the women, it offers a rare employment opportunity in a country where jobs for older females are scarce—especially beyond house cleaning.

Japan’s rapidly aging population has left many older women, particularly widows or those who never married, with limited income options. Historically, elders served as community advisers, teachers, and caretakers. Today, OK! Obaachan revives that role, paying around $55 an hour. Many of the grandmothers once left work to raise families and later returned only part-time; now, they’re finding financial stability and renewed purpose by sharing their skills, experience, and warmth with younger households—proving that sometimes, the best solution to a crowded market is adding a human touch.

Entertainment

YouTuber Raises $10M

YouTuber Ryan Trahan has turned a cross-country Airbnb hunt into a record-smashing act of generosity—raising $11.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Over 50 whirlwind days, Trahan and his wife visited one U.S. state per day, reviewing a different Airbnb in each stop. Their stays ranged from the quirky to the jaw-dropping: a castle, a lighthouse, a cave, a missile silo, a potato-shaped home, a private island, and even a giant shoe. In the end, they crowned the Treetopia Treehouse in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, as the best Airbnb in the country.

The marathon journey was documented in expertly produced daily videos, each running 20–40 minutes, packed with adventures, coffee-fueled energy, and new friends made along the way. Every time donations hit another million-dollar milestone, the couple celebrated with cake. The campaign drew contributions from 42,000 donors, with major gifts coming from companies like Airbnb, Shopify, T-Mobile, Kia, Dollar Shave Club, Lectric eBikes, and Hobby Lobby. Notable individuals—including Dr. Peter Attia and fellow YouTuber MrBeast—also chipped in six-figure sums.

While the concept may sound unusual, it underscores the internet’s growing power to mobilize large-scale charitable giving through creative storytelling. By blending entertainment, travel, and philanthropy, Trahan turned an unconventional road trip into a nationwide moment of generosity—proving that even the quirkiest ideas can change lives when a massive online community rallies behind them.

Mind Stretchers

❓️ 

I move with stealth beneath the tide,
No sky above, just sea to hide.
With torpedoes tight and sonar eyes,
I travel deep where silence lies.

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

I thrive where others gasp for air,
Need little love or daily care.
Dressed in spikes instead of lace—
I’m green, I’m tough, I own my space. — a cactus 🌵 James Godfrey got this correct! 🌞 

 

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.