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A Curious Monday Truth
Here’s something you might not know: statistically, most people don’t crack a smile until 11:16 AM on a Monday. But we think that’s far too late—especially when the world still holds stories of kindness, resilience, and quiet triumph. So whether you’ve already smiled today or need a little nudge, we hope today’s good news brings a lift to your heart and a grin before the hour’s up.

Earth Sciences

An Interstellar Visitor

Astronomers have confirmed only the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system. Named 3I/ATLAS, it’s currently moving between the main asteroid belt and Jupiter at high speed and will soon exit the solar system for good.

Previous interstellar visitors include ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and comet Borisov in 2019. 3I was discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS Project (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), which uses four NASA-funded telescopes in Chile, Hawaii, and South Africa to scan the sky nightly for moving objects. ATLAS is one of the main programs under NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, designed to detect threats like asteroid impacts.

3I/ATLAS is over 150 million miles away and traveling in a near-straight path out of the solar system at 137,000 miles per hour. “If you trace its orbit backward, it seems to be coming from the center of the galaxy, more or less,” said Paul Chodas, director of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. “It definitely came from another solar system. We don’t know which one.” The comet appears surrounded by dust and gas, typical for icy comets, making size estimates difficult—but Smithsonian Magazine puts it at roughly 12 miles across. Its arrival highlights the importance of upcoming tools like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which will regularly scan the sky and alert astronomers to new transient objects in near real-time. As Professor Catherine Heymans told the BBC, this will be a “transformative” resource. The rarity of interstellar objects may reflect more on our detection limits than on how often they actually appear.

History

Lost Mayan Ruler Found

In the dense jungles of Belize, archaeologists have uncovered what may be the royal tomb of Te K’ab Chaak—the earliest known ruler of the ancient Maya city of Caracol. Buried beneath a previously excavated structure, the tomb holds a wealth of ceremonial artifacts and rare grave goods, along with surprising evidence of early ties between the Maya and central Mexico’s Teotihuacan civilization. The discovery, made by longtime Caracol researchers Arlen and Diane Chase from the University of Houston, is reshaping what scholars thought they knew about elite-level connections across Mesoamerica. “We need to sort of rethink how we view the past when we get finds like this,” Arlen said.

The 2024 excavation season began with a return to Caracol’s northeast acropolis, first explored in 1993. While revisiting a known burial chamber, the Chases broke through the floor to reveal a second, older tomb hidden beneath—filled with 11 ceramic vessels, carved bone tools, red pigment, and an astonishing three sets of jade earflares. “This guy is a one-percenter and that’s why he has so many vessels and three sets of jade earflares in that chamber,” said Arlen. “The Early Classic period is the time when the rulers assert the fact that they oversee everything, completely distant from the rest of the population.” The tomb also contained a rare jadeite funerary mask, colored in cinnabar red—a symbol of high status. “You’re dealing with some of the highest royalty when the things get covered in cinnabar, which is red,” Arlen added. “So everything is colored red like the rising sun in the east.”

Te K’ab Chaak, who took the throne in 331 CE, ruled a sprawling metropolis likely larger than modern-day Belize City. His tomb included depictions of the rarely seen Maya god Ek Chuah and artifacts dated to decades before the major 378 CE “entrada” event that once marked the start of Mesoamerican contact. Nearby, two more tombs were discovered. One held cremated remains, green obsidian blades from Pachuca, Teotihuacan-style ceramics, and a carved atlatl point—items that point to foreign rituals and possible diplomatic roles. “Maya carved stone monuments, hieroglyphic dates, iconography, and archaeological data all suggest that widespread pan-Mesoamerican connections occurred after an event in 378 CE referred to as ‘entrada,’” said Diane. “But this tomb, dated decades earlier, points to a different timeline.” These finds suggest Caracol’s royal court was engaged in elite-level exchanges across 600 miles of jungle—well before previously believed—and that those relationships may have helped power the city’s 460-year dynasty.

Environment

Back After 100 Years

Camera trap footage has confirmed what conservationists believe are the first pine marten births in southwest England in over a century. The discovery comes less than a year after 15 pine martens—eight females and seven males—were released at undisclosed locations as part of the Two Moors Pine Marten Project. The footage, captured in Dartmoor National Park this June, shows young kits exploring the woodland.

“When our volunteers discovered the footage of pine marten kits on one of our trail cameras we were ecstatic,” said Tracey Hamston of Devon Wildlife Trust. “This is a historic moment for the return of a native animal and for the future of the southwest’s woodlands.” She added, “To have breeding pine martens back after a century’s absence signals a positive step in nature’s recovery. It’s also testament to the many hours work undertaken by the project partnership and dozens of local volunteers.”

The species, part of the Mustelidae family, was once common in the region but disappeared due to habitat loss and the fur trade. Since the 2024 release, teams have spent hundreds of hours tracking the animals, setting up den boxes, and monitoring camera traps. “Staff and volunteers have been checking camera traps for several months and over the past few weeks have been eagerly anticipating seeing kits,” said Jack Hunt of the Woodland Trust. The project expects the pine marten population to grow slowly, and with their elusive nature, sightings will likely remain rare. A second release of around 20 more animals is scheduled for autumn 2025 on Exmoor. “Exmoor’s woodlands are well-suited to the animals,” Hamston said. “Their arrival in early autumn will coincide with the local natural harvest of wild berries—food which pine martens love.”

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Mind Stretchers

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I wear spots but not a coat,
I have a neck that seems to float.
I nibble leaves from branches high,
And watch the world from way up high.
What am I?

Yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

I have four legs but do not run, I welcome you when the day is done. I hold your dreams and cradle your head, Soft and still—what am I? — a bed, Debbie Ettinger got this correct first! 🌞 

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] or reply to the email.

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