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Super rare ultrasound images show babies smiling in the womb as their mothers eat carrots

Kale is a different story.

science

Maybe they'll like kale chips?

Lovers of babies and haters of kale, have we got a fun and fascinating science-based story for you.

A new study posted in Psychological Science shows rare up-close-and-personal photos of babies in the womb making different facial reactions to different food their mothers eat. Previous studies with infants and breastmilk have shown that flavors carry from mother to child through amniotic fluid, but this is the first time unborn babies have been examined.

One hundred pregnant women from the U.K. were given powder with either carrot or kale flavoring or neither flavor. After 20 minutes, 4D ultrasound scans revealed undeniably different—and kind of hilarious—facial reactions. It was very telling which flavor was smile inducing and which one wasn’t.


As the picture below shows, the carrot flavor induced a smiling “laugh face,” as the study called it.

This look of pleasure could be as a result of a preference for sweetness, which newborns are known to gravitate to as a basic biological drive.
breastfeeding

My face when I eat a donut.

APS

As the study suggests, it could be that this natural instinct develops long before infancy. And for some of us (me) that sweet tooth never really goes away.

Meanwhile, babes who experienced the kale flavoring made disgusted grimaces, or “cry faces.”

Kale wasn’t just a hard sell to the fetuses—one of the other reasons why researchers used capsules instead of raw kale or kale juice was because the mothers couldn’t stand the taste, and had such a negative disposition toward it that scientists feared it would influence their babies.

"I had a number of people in the lab, and I tried to give them a kale juice to drink, and you should have seen the expressions," Nadja Reissland, co-author of the study and head of the Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab at Durham University, said according to NBC News.
babies

We feel you, bitter baby face.

APS

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, I’d say this one just says “yuck” over and over and over.

To be fair, those scowls "might be just the muscle movements which are reacting to a bitter flavor," Reissland noted, rather than any real showing of emotion, adding that expressions became more complex over time during gestation.

The major takeaway from this study (other than a wholesome giggle) is seeing how early humans can be influenced by flavors. If they are exposed to certain foods early on during pregnancy, they might embrace them and instill better eating habits once they're born.

"If we can actually get [children] to like green vegetables and to perhaps not like sweets that much, it might help with regard to their weight gain and their weight balance," Reissland said.

Nearly everyone has at least one vegetable that they absolutely love. However those tend to lean toward the sweeter side like carrots and corn. Rarely do kids—or adults for that matter—go ga-ga for bitter-tasting ones. Brussels sprouts alone are the target of much hate.

brussels sprouts

Sprouts get a bad rap.

Giphy

If we could learn to welcome a wider variety of veggies into our palette from an early age (in this case, a very early age), maybe as adults we wouldn’t grimace over greens.

Yes, school lunches CAN be easy, healthy and inexpensive.

Parents, let’s face it: prepping school lunches can feel like trying to solve a complex math equation. It's got to be nutritious, appealing, fast, and let's not forget…within budget. But what if we told you there’s a secret weapon that can make this whole ordeal a breeze? Enter: O Organics from Albertsons.

O Organics offers a wide range of affordable, USDA organic goodies that are perfect for school lunches. From crunchy apple slices to delicious, creamy greek yogurt, they've got you covered. Plus, their prices won’t break the bank, proving that healthy eating doesn’t have to be a luxury.

Now, let’s get down to the good stuff: the food! Here are some simple, kid (and wallet) friendly lunch ideas—made entirely with O Organics ingredients—to help you ditch the processed junk and give your kids the fuel they need to conquer the classroom:

1. Pasta Salad

  • Main: A cold pasta salad made with O Organics whole-grain rotini pasta, O Organics chopped vegetables (like cucumbers, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes), and Italian dressing. Add protein with chickpeas or a three bean blend.
  • Side: O Organics apple slices.
  • Snack: A serving of O Organics Greek yogurt, with some granola for a fun topping.

2. Egg Salad Sandwich

  • Main: A sandwich using whole wheat bread filled with a mixture of O Organics hard boiled eggs, mayo (or Greek yogurt for extra protein), mustard, dill, onion powder, salt and pepper.
  • Side:O Organics tortilla chips and salsa.
  • Snack: A pack of O Organics fruit strips.

3. Peanut Butter Apple Wrap (great for toddlers)

  • Main:O Organics peanut butter spread on a couple of flour soft taco tortillas, topped with thinly sliced apples. Drizzle some O Organics honey, roll it up and voila!
  • Side:O Organics baby-cut carrots with a side of hummus.
  • Snack:O Organics cottage cheese.

4. Quickie Quesadilla

  • Main: A tortilla filled with O Organics Mexican Style Shredded Cheese, black beans, and a sprinkle of chili powder.
  • Side: A couple of hard boiled O Organics eggs.
  • Snack: Ants on a log.

5. A Hot Dog…that stays hot

  • Main: You know the drill. Hot dog (we recommended the O Organics Beef Franks). Mustard. Cheese. Bun.
  • Side: A colorful side salad with spring mix, cherry tomatoes, and vinaigrette dressing.
  • Snack:O Organics banana chips.

But how the heck do you keep the hot dog hot? We’ve got just the tip, courtesy of Allrecipes.com:

Step 1

  • Preheat an insulated beverage container by filling it with boiling water. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Right before leaving, dump out water and replace with more boiling water. The preheating keeps it hot for a longer time. Place the hot dog into the water and close the lid.

Step 2

  • When your child is ready for lunch, they can take the hot dog out of the container and place it on the bun.

Remember: This list is just a starting point. You can totally customize it to your kid’s needs and preferences. You can even involve your kiddos in the lunch-packing process to make it more fun for everyone. Let them help choose the menu, make a shopping list, pack their lunches…even grow their own veggies! If you’re feeling ambitious, that is.

No matter how you choose to give your kids the best possible start to their day, making small changes and taking advantage of resources like O Organics can help make it happen in a sustainable and enjoyable way.

So, what are you waiting for? Shop O Organics now exclusively at Albertsons, Safeway or any sister store. Your kids' bodies (and taste buds) will thank you.

A dad got a sweet note from a fellow father after camping with his kids.

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is never being sure whether you're doing a good job or totally bombing it. If you're conscientious enough to even wonder if you're a good parent, you probably are, but parenting entails a million little choices and interactions, and there's always a lingering voice in your head saying, "What if you're really screwing this whole thing up?"

Reassurance and encouragement are always appreciated by parents, but not always received, which is why a note from one camping dad to another has people celebrating the kindness of anonymous strangers.

"You are killing it as a dad."

Someone on Yosemite Reddit thread shared a photo of a handwritten note with the caption, "To the man who left this thoughtful note on my windshield at Lower Pines Campground this weekend, I extend my heartfelt gratitude; your acknowledgment of my efforts to be a good father means a great deal to me."



The note reads:

"Bro,

I camped in the spot behind you last night. Let me just say, you are killing it as a dad. First off, I watched your wife guide you in as you backed up your trailer and nailed it on the first try without any yelling. Then your kids unloaded from the truck and were mild-mannered and well behaved. You told stories around the campfire and I had the pleasure of listening to the sounds of giggles and laughter.

From one dad to another, you are killing it. Keep it up.

P.S. Whatever you cooked for dinner smelled delicious!"

How often do we share these thoughts with strangers, even if we have them? And who wouldn't love to get a surprise bit of praise with specific examples of things we did right?

Everyone needs to hear a compliment once in a while.

So many people found the note to be a breath of fresh air and a good reminder to compliment people when we feel the urge:

"That would make any daddy's eyes water."

"It’s always nice, as a guy, to get a compliment."

"I complimented a guy's glasses at work (I'm also a guy, and btw they were really cool glasses, I wasn't just being nice) and now he keeps trying to tell me where he got his glasses and how I should get some. But I'm just having to be polite because I already have glasses and I'm not in the market. I finally had to tell him I'm not going to buy them lmao I just like them on him.

Made me feel like that's the first compliment he's had in years because he can't stop talking about it. Also I mainly liked the glasses because I think he's cute but he really thinks it's just the glasses haha jokes on him that cute bastard."

"I was in the store with my wife and one of our 'adopted nephews' yesterday (we’re close friends with his parents and we’ve known him and his brother since they were newborns and 2yo, respectively). A woman came up to me at checkout while my wife was running out to the car and said 'I’m not sure what your family relationship is here, but I just have to tell you how nice and refreshing it is to hear all the laughter and joy from the 3 of you. You both seem like such a good influence on him and it warms my heart.' It’s such a small thing but as a dude, I can’t remember the last time someone gave me a compliment in public and it made my freaking day."

"10/10 letter. The and not yelling part gave me a good chuckle lol."

"We need so much more of men getting such heartfelt and sincere compliments. Thanks for sharing. ❤️"

"I’ve never considered leaving a note, but when I see a harmonious family with good parenting, it’s healing for me. My childhood was awful."

"Such an awesome compliment! Even though I don't have children myself, I like to remind my friends too that they're doing great & it brings them happy tears."

"This made me cry. I love that you are getting your 'flowers.' My dad sucked, I’m so glad you are one of the good ones."

"This made me cry too. It’s so hard to be a human. Let alone a parent. Getting a good job sticker every now and then really means a lot these days."

"I'm a big bearded guy and I would cry if I got this note. More people like this, please."

The best part of this story is that no one knows who the dad who wrote the note is, not even the dad who shared it. It wasn't written for clout or notoriety, it wasn't to get attention or make himself look good. No name or signature, just an anonymous act of kindness to uplift a stranger whether he needed it or not.

We all need to hear or read kind things said about us, and sometimes it means even more coming from an anonymous stranger who has nothing to gain by sharing. A good reminder to share it when you feel it—you never know how many people you may move and inspire.

Photos by Daniela on Unsplash (left) and Rens D on Unsplash (right)

Peeling garlic is notoriously challenging.

If you ever cook with fresh garlic, you know what a challenge it can be to remove the cloves from the skin cleanly, especially if you're starting with a full head.

There are various methods people use to peel garlic, with varying levels of success. Doing it by hand works, but will leave you with garlic-smelling fingertips for the better part of a day. Whacking the head on the counter helps separate the cloves from each other, but doesn't help much with removing the skin.

Some people swear by vigorously shaking the skinned cloves around in a covered bowl or jarred lid, which can be surprisingly effective. Some smash the clove with the flat side of a knife to loosen it and then pull it off. Others utilize a rubber roller to de-skin the cloves.

But none of these methods come close to the satisfaction of watching someone perfectly peeling an entire head of garlic with a pair of tongs.


A video shared by the TikTok channel Learn Green shows what appears to be a woman's hands holding a large head of garlic in one hand and small metal tongs in the other, and within 30 seconds, the skin is separated from the cloves without any damage to the garlic, and it's a thing of beauty.

Just when you think there couldn't possibly be anything new social media can offer humanity, a video comes along that blows your mind and changes your life for the better. Watch:

@learngreen

Garlic Master 💚 #good #garlic

Garlic master, indeed. People in the comments clarified that the tongs appear to be fish bone tweezers, which are a bit like ice tongs, but sturdier. And the reactions to the video were pure internet gold:

"The way I want to go on the ultimate garlic peeling spree now, for absolutely no reason."

"It takes me 2-3 business days to peel fresh garlic."

"My flabbers have been gasted."

"I am telling you I haven't done a damn thing right in my entire life."

"No thx, I'd rather cut each one individually, struggle, throwing half of it away away in the process and getting angry at myself by the end of it."

Several people lamented that they've never known they had this wonder tool at their disposal.

"Are you telling me that I've had a garlic peeler in my drawer all these years and didn't even know what to do with it until just now?"

"I have that set of tong things. I didn't know it was for garlic."

"You finally throw away that 'useless' thing in the kitchen drawer you had for years the day before you find out what it was for."

Others sung the praises of "TikTok University."

"I believe after so many of hours of TikTok we get college credits."

"At the very least a masters degree in life skills."

"I have learned more on TikTok than school."

"I don't know what other people's feeds are like but I'm learning something every 6 minutes."

And in case you're wondering, this person is not the only garlic master with the tongs. There are other videos showing the same thing, and they are all just as mesmerizing.

@c_wondersoffarming

Garlic peeling! #satisfying #decompression #garlic #peeling #lifehack #tool

Seriously, this is what social media should be used for—succinctly sharing useful, helpful skills that actually add to our quality of life.

(Helpful tip for getting the most out of TikTok: Don't scroll past garlic peeling videos if you want your feed to teach you valuable hacks like this. Game that algorithm in your favor.)


This article originally appeared on 2.27.24


Sustainability

Researchers dumped tons of coffee waste into a forest. This is what it looks like now.

30 dump truck loads and two years later, the forest looks totally different.

One of the biggest problems with coffee production is that it generates an incredible amount of waste. Once coffee beans are separated from cherries, about 45% of the entire biomass is discarded.

So for every pound of roasted coffee we enjoy, an equivalent amount of coffee pulp is discarded into massive landfills across the globe. That means that approximately 10 million tons of coffee pulp is discarded into the environment every year.



When disposed of improperly, the waste can cause serious damage soil and water sources.

However, a new study published in the British Ecological Society journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence has found that coffee pulp isn't just a nuisance to be discarded. It can have an incredibly positive impact on regrowing deforested areas of the planet.

via British Ecological Society

In 2018, researchers from ETH-Zurich and the University of Hawaii spread 30 dump trucks worth of coffee pulp over a roughly 100' x 130' area of degraded land in Costa Rica. The experiment took place on a former coffee farm that underwent rapid deforestation in the 1950s.

The coffee pulp was spread three-feet thick over the entire area.

Another plot of land near the coffee pulp dump was left alone to act as a control for the experiment.

"The results were dramatic." Dr. Rebecca Cole, lead author of the study, said. "The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses."

In just two years, the area treated with coffee pulp had an 80% canopy cover, compared to just 20% of the control area. So, the coffee-pulp-treated area grew four times more rapidly. Like a jolt of caffeine, it reinvigorated biological activity in the area.

The canopy was also four times taller than that of the control.

Before and after images of the forest

The forest experienced a radical, positive change

via British Ecological Society

The coffee-treated area also eliminated an invasive species of grass that took over the land and prevented forest succession. Its elimination allowed for other native species to take over and recolonize the area.

"This case study suggests that agricultural by-products can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands. In situations where processing these by-products incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a 'win-win' scenario," Dr. Cole said.

If the results are repeatable it's a win-win for coffee drinkers and the environment.

Researchers believe that coffee treatments can be a cost-effective way to reforest degraded land. They may also work to reverse the effects of climate change by supporting the growth of forests across the globe.

The 2016 Paris Agreement made reforestation an important part of the fight against climate change. The agreement incentivizes developing countries to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, promote forest conservation and sustainable management, and enhance forest carbon stocks in developing countries.

"We hope our study is a jumping off point for other researchers and industries to take a look at how they might make their production more efficient by creating links to the global restoration movement," Dr. Cole said.


This article originally appeared on 03.29.21

https://www.canva.com/photos

Gotta save a few of these.

Ah Gen Z, the age group known for their brutal TikTok roasts (mostly of millennials) and their attitude towards workplace professionalism that’s just a tad, shall we say, more casual than previous generations. While this attitude might be jarring at times, it also can be delightfully refreshing.

Just ask the company Oilshore, which recently shared the hilarious “out of office” messages created by its Gen Z employees.

Whether they chose a clever, tongue-in-cheek approach, like “On vacation. Hoping to win the lottery and never return,” or something more direct and borderline threatening ala “Do not contact me while I’m on leave or I’ll report you to HR,” these Gen Z workers made their message loud and clear.

To no one’s surprise, the responses struck a particularly strong chord with millennials.

“They are so bold, I love it. As a millennial I be scared to be off of work,” one wrote.

Another added, “I wish I had this direct attitude but my millennial self would never be able to do that.”

Yet another praised these workers, saying, “Xennial here thinking Gen Z’s doing all the things I’ve dreamt of doing. Kings and queens changing work culture.”

@oilshore Here at Oilshore we value honesty 🙈 #corporatetiktok #genzworker #workhumour #officelife ♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery - Dante9k Remix - David Snell


Indeed, while Gen Zers might often get labeled as lazy or entitled, they are inspiring some pretty positive disruption. According to a Stanford Report, this generation prioritizes collaboration, mental health and work-life balance, transparency, and social impact and are demanding to see these types of changes in the workforce. That’s more than evident in these “out of office” messages.

Here’s another video with even more fun ones. Feel free to use some of these yourself, if you dare.

@oilshore Replying to @Rik O'Smithwick well at least they are being honest 😳 #workhumour #genzworker #corporatetiktok ♬ Coconut Mall (From "Mario Kart Wii") - Arcade Player

"Enjoying life! Will be back when I run out of money!" might be the truest sentence ever written.

But wait, there’s more where that came from. These Gen Z workers also have some pretty awesome email sign-offs for when they're finally back in the office. I will be stealing “mean regards” immediately.

@oilshore Anything is better than ‘regards’ #genz #genzemployee #workhumour #officehumout #genzoffice ♬ Borderline - Tame Impala

In many ways, Gen Zers’ workplace values don’t differ that much from that of their post-Boomer predecessors. But there are other factors at play, like coming of age in the wake of a historic pandemic and the worldwide threat of climate change, as well as unprecedented digital connectivity that make all these events more visible, which undoubtedly influence their relentlessness in getting these needs met.

And thank goodness for that relentlessness, because it makes work a better place to be—in more ways than one.

Follow @oilshore on TikTok for even more funny workplace-related content.


This article originally appeared on 5.2.24

A gaggle of geese notice their human fall and run to save her

Many people have been conditioned to be afraid of geese. They have a reputation for being aggressive and there are no shortage of stories from people who have been chased and bitten by geese while they were seemingly minding their own business. If you've spent time near a lake, chances are you've had an encounter with a goose that was likely less than ideal.

This level of perceived and actual aggression would lead most people to believe that the fat bottomed waterfowl naturally hates humans. But do they? Recently a woman who runs the account, The Dog Moms on TikTok, uploaded a video of her seeing what would happen if she pretended to faint in front of her gaggle of geese. The geese reacted in a surprising way.


According to Varment Guard Wildlife Services geese will aggressively honk, flap their wings and run after you because they're protective, don't like to share, aren't easily scared and they're used to humans because they see them all the time.

"Male geese (ganders) guard the females and the nests while eggs are incubated. Ganders do not take their protective duties lightly. If anyone gets close to their nests, they are not afraid of getting defensive. Ganders will continue to patrol the area and honk, hiss, or get physically violent until the eggs have hatched," the wildlife service says.

Canada Goose Birds GIF by U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceGiphy

Since people are used to the seemingly aggressive nature of geese, seeing the woman's gaggle go running to her aid is helping people see them in a different light. One goose who looks like he's straight out of the Mother Goose story, ran through a small patch of watermelons, face plants after tripping over one and still makes it to the woman first.

His little fluffy tushy looks like a feather duster, but he was so determined to see if the woman was ok that he didn't seem to care that he tripped. A commenter points out, "of course it was the Toulouse goose first. That's why those are the type of geese in nursery rhymes. Aside from looking like they have a feather duster for a bottom, Toulouse geese are known to be docile and enjoy the company of humans.

@thedogmoms Safe to say if anything actually happened to me Fluffy is definitely coming to my rescue no matter how many watermelon try to stop her 🤣🍉 #mysaviors #petgeese #loyal #geese ♬ I Will Be There - Kchizzy

Chances are this type of goose isn't the one doing the aggressive chasing, flapping and biting out in the wild. But the other geese in the video aren't Toulouse geese. They're the typical geese most people are accustom to seeing around bodies of water yet they all went running to the woman to check on her. It almost looked as if they were attempting to devise a plan to help the woman up but were unsure what to do about their lack of arms.

The geese honked frantically switching between looking and honking at each other to looking and honking at the woman on the ground. After a few seconds of confused geese chaos, the woman could tell they were genuinely worried and decided to show them that she was okay.

birds goose GIFGiphy

Commenters couldn't get enough of the geese frenzied geese running to try to save their owner.

"That first grey goose said "help is on the way dear," someone laughs.

Another person declares, "If you don't go hug the one that looks like a feather duster I'm gonna cry more!"

"The way that baby tripped over a melon for you! That is pure love right there," someone else writes.

Goose Waddle GIF by The Great British Bake OffGiphy

"Never knew geese could be so loyal, look at them running to save you," another says.

"Fluffy loves you the most. Was prepared to break a chicken ankle on a watermelon for you," someone jokes while someone else compared the compassionate goos behavior to their cat's behavior, "for contrast, my cat tripped me on a flight of stairs while I was moving house, and while I was semi knocked out and laying face down the stairwell she hopped up on my back and started making biscuits and purring." Maybe the cat was just assuming the human was hungry so it made biscuits...let's go with that.

Either way, what a sweet gaggle of geese showing the world that geese may not be mean at all, just a little misunderstood.