Raise your hand if you, too, struggle to part with those adorable Bonne Maman jars after polishing off the last of the jam. Quilter Bonnie Hunter found herself in the position of having a few too many of the glass jars and their gingham lids, so she turned to social media for inspiration on how to repurpose them — and people certainly delivered. See the absolute bevy of ideas she got.
Must Reads
What a photogenic planet: The winners of the Sony World Photography Awards
TED2026 Was “Christmas for the Brain”: Our 5 Favorite Talks From the Conference
Ryan Lash / TED
What will it take to build a better future? According to TED2026, everyone — which is why “All of Us” was this year’s theme. The weeklong conference, held April 13-17 in Vancouver, Canada, assembled some of the world’s most inspiring thought leaders for what TED Fellow Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz described as “Christmas for the brain.”
“TED’s mission is more important today than ever,” donor Ross Rosenberg added in a preview video for the event. “In a world that’s more and more complicated, TED points us to the future and teaches us all to be optimistic.”
We sifted through TED Talks from more than 80 of this year’s speakers to highlight a handful we found particularly thought-provoking, including Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai (pictured), science educator and YouTuber Mark Rober, and disability advocate Jessica Irwin. Scroll through our picks.
Together With Midori Bio
Is the Key to This $600B Market in the Snack Aisle?
That bag of chips doesn’t have to live forever. But in the $600 billion plastic industry, where 36% of production comes from food packaging, it practically does in landfills.
That has regulators forcing brands into expensive process overhauls. But major brands like Planters Peanuts are turning to Midori Bio for a better solution.
Midori’s proprietary manufacturing additive lets plastic decompose 64X faster. Even better, it’s immediately compatible with manufacturers’ current processes.
Currently in talks with four more major brands, there’s a $250 million revenue opportunity in this industry alone. But with over 380 million tons of plastic manufactured across industries yearly, food’s only part of the equation. Global brands like HEAD/Penn Tennis already joined Planters.
More than 150 potential partners are lining up.Become an early-stage Midori investor today.
This is a paid advertisement for Midori Bio’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.midori-bio.com/.
Environment
How Dancing Robot Birds May Help Protect Real Ones in Wyoming
Kerry Hargrove/iStock
Two robot birds are cutting a rug for a cause. Jackson Hole Airport lies within Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, and male greater sage grouses have unfortunately found the end of a dangerous runway a fitting place to perform mating dances. So to lure them to safer grounds, experts are using the mechanical dancing birds to inspire the real avians to take up their courtship displays elsewhere.
Developed with the help of the nonprofit Teton Raptor Center and the Jackson Hole High School RoboBroncs robotics team, the robot grouses were made with materials like custom plastic shells, foam from HelloFresh meal kits, and real feathers. A team installed them in a 100-acre habitat in the park in March, during the start of peak mating season, and the duo now dances for four hours each morning to the sound of recorded bird calls coming from camouflaged speakers.
The mechanical birds are part of a larger effort to preserve the area’s greater sage grouse population, which has struggled in recent years. Bryan Bedrosian, a biologist who worked on the project, told WyoFile that the Jackson Hole grouses hold extra importance because they could help the species survive as a whole amid climate change.
“The genes in the sage grouse population in Jackson may be unique and hold a reservoir for the species in the changing environment we are in,” he said. “We need to make sure we don’t lose the diversity of genetics of any grouse population.”
Humanity
Small Talk May Be More Enjoyable Than Expected, New Study Finds
sorbetto/iStock
Chitchatting with a stranger at a coffee shop about last night’s baseball game or the local weather forecast may not sound like the most riveting of conversations, but recent research found otherwise: These short and sweet interactions were more enjoyable than people often thought they’d be.
In a study published online last week, 1,800 participants rated their interest in a range of topics, including music, movies, sports, and fitness. They were then randomly assigned to engage in five-minute conversations about subjects they rated as either boring or interesting.Before the convos began, the participants learned which topic they’d been assigned and predicted how much they’d enjoy their discussions. After the conversations concluded, they were asked to evaluate their actual experiences.
As it turned out, participants consistently underestimated their enjoyment of small talk about topics they’d rated as dull. “What really drives enjoyment is engagement,” lead author Elizabeth Trinh wrote in an article for the American Psychological Association. “Feeling heard, responding to each other, and discovering unexpected details about someone’s life can make even a mundane topic meaningful.”
The takeaway? Lean into watercooler talk every once in a while. “If we skip talking to a coworker at the coffee machine, a neighbor in the elevator, or a stranger at an event, we may be missing small moments of connection,” said Trinh. “Even a brief conversation about everyday life may be more rewarding than we expect.”
In Other News
NPR just received $113 million in donations, which will help provide stability to the outlet for the next 50 years (read more)
Project Hail Mary set a Guinness World Record for an out-of-this-world stunt: Take a look (read more)
Like Punch, baby monkey Yuji is melting hearts everywhere as he bonds with his favorite plushie (read more)
Researchers created a “self-healing” material that could extend the lifespan of planes and cars by centuries (read more)
An AI-version of Val Kilmer stars in the late actor’s new film, with his family’s blessing — watch the trailer (read more)
Inspiring Story
Power of one
When South Korean pianist Lee Hun suffered a major stroke in 2012, he was left with right-sided paralysis. Though he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to walk again, let alone return to his instrument, he has since built a career as a one-handed performer. Watch him play.
Photo of the Day
Pierre Crom—Getty Images News/Getty Images
No such thing as too many tulips! The quintessential flowers of spring are in full bloom in the Netherlands. Fun fact: The nation’s colorful tulip fields can even be seen from space!
SHiFT®: Nationwide Program Offers Eco-Friendly Auto Recycling
There’s a surprising new front in environmental conservation: the driveway. Recent data shows that recyclinga single high-emission vehicle is a highly impactful choice for the planet. The SHiFT Vehicle Retirement Initiative® is offering nationwide recycling solutions for vehicle owners and businesses at no cost.
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