Must Reads

• A combined 15 U.S. cities and states are raising minimum wages, effective today
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• Think you have the world's cutest rescue dog? Submit your adopted pup to this annual contest​

Environment

Rare Pics Confirm Critically Endangered Leopard Still Exists in Bangladesh

Conservationists are feeling hopeful about the fate of the critically endangered leopard population in Bangladesh thanks to a recent camera trap spotting. The nonprofit Creative Conservation Alliance released two photos of a leopard emerging from a forested area in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, providing "evidence that these elusive big cats still persist in the region."
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"As an extremely rare and secretive species, the latest sighting is very significant," zoologist Monirul Khan told CBS News. "It highlights the importance of the remaining natural forest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts as a reserve of wildlife habitat."
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In a social media post, the alliance wrote that the photos are also an incentive to ramp up the protection of leopards in Bangladesh to secure their longtime survival. The organization added that its working with its partners "to protect these magnificent creatures and ensure a future where leopards and people coexist."

Together With Pacaso

From Rome, Milan, and Florence to a Nasdaq Reservation

How do you follow a record-breaking 2024? By strengthening your position even further. At least that's what Pacaso just did. After setting records in Paris and London in 2024, it grew gross profits 41% YoY last year alone.
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Now, the company is expanding its disruptive model even further. And with Coldwell Banker reporting 40% of wealthy Americans intend to buy a vacation home abroad within the next year, that's a big deal.
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Pacaso has its sights set on adding homes in three new cities; Rome, Milan, and Florence. It even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO. And for just $2.90 per share, you can share in this growth as an investor today.​

This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso's Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving the ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the Nasdaq is subject to approvals.

Tech

A New Innovation in Keeping Buildings Cool: Paint That "Sweats"

In humans, perspiration is a way of preventing the body from overheating during exercise or warm temperatures. But could we replicate that same process for the buildings we occupy? One group of scientists is trying.
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In a study published last month, researchers described the invention of a paint that "sweats" in order to keep buildings temperate. There are already paints out there that help keep interiors cool, but they mainly work in dry, sunny areas — i.e., they wouldn't be effective in a rather humid or cloudy climate, according to Popular Science.
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This paint solves for that by being both absorbent and evaporative, in addition to reflecting light. It's primarily made of calcium silicate hydrate that was engineered to be particularly porous. The researchers tested its efficacy against two other paints, a standard exterior paint and one that uses radiative cooling, and left all three to withstand Singapore's weather for two years. Important note: Singapore is one of the most — if not the most — humid countries in the world.
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In the end, the new paint reflected 88%-92% of sunlight and dispersed 95% of heat. That translates to about 10 times the cooling power of the standard paint. And the "sweating" mechanism was key to the results — the paint retained 30% of its weight in water, which was then able to evaporate (or "sweat") and passively cool the building.

Science

Pioneering Microscope Tech, Including "Optical Tweezers," Is Unlocking Research Breakthroughs

Scientists at the University of Cambridge's Microscopy Bioscience Platform, a hub uniting advanced imaging facilities across seven departments, has unveiled work that's helping revolutionize biological research. Through state-of-the-art microscope technologies, the team is unlocking insight into topics ranging from cancer to coral reefs.
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Helmed by Lisa-Maria Needham (pictured), the platform supports researchers with powerful electron and light microscopes, custom-built tools like "optical tweezers" — which use focused light to manipulate cells — and a dedicated arm for developing new technologies.
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"We're developing microscopes that don't exist anywhere in the world," Needham said in a statement, adding: "The photo-manipulation suite is my favorite microscope, it's a bit like a Swiss Army knife! It can manipulate biological samples in so many precise ways, helping researchers gain deeper insights into biological processes, diseases, and drug pathways."
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Recent breakthroughs include using live 3D time-lapse microscopy to reveal how animal embryos develop, deploying nanorobots to investigate how cells sense their environment and become cancerous, and studying coral-algae relationships to predict coral bleaching. Get a close-up look at the work.​

In Other News

1. Another big food manufacturer is cutting artificial colors from its U.S. products (read more)
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2. Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier will captain this year's WNBA All-Star Game teams (read more)
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3. Nearly 200 countries agreed to raise the U.N.'s climate budget by 10% for the next two years (read more)
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4. Warren Buffett is donating $6 billion worth of his company's stock to five foundations (read more)
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5. Two Los Angeles restaurants earned three Michelin stars — a first for the city (read more)

Inspiring Story

Moving up from juniors to seniors

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For the first time in decades, three British teens qualified for the women's singles draw at Wimbledon, the U.K.-hosted Grand Slam tournament. "I hope — and anticipate — they will have many more Wimbledons," said Iain Bates, the head of women's tennis for the sport's national governing body in Britain.

Photo of the Day

We're sure soccer legend Lionel Messi had countless fans attend Inter Miami's matches in the Club World Cup, but 98-year-old TikTok star Pauline Kana may have been among the most passionate. (A previous sign of hers read, "Messi will you marry me?")

Brad's Deals: Unlock Amazon Prime Perks You Might Not Know About

Free shipping and exclusive shows and movies are enough for most of us to join Amazon Prime. But if these popular perks don't cut it, some of the lesser-known incentives might convince you to sign up. Want to know what they are? The experts at Brad's Deals have uncovered the hidden Prime perks that many members don't know they have access to.

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Odds & Ends

🐕‍🦺 Pups are keeping soccer stadiums safe in style​
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🎤 The actor behind a voice you've probably heard before
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🫐 A fan-fave Oreo flavor is coming back next week
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⚾ This 1-year-old T-ball star is capturing hearts online

Quote of the Day

"A novel worth reading is an education of the heart."

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– SUSAN SONTAG