There’s a switch inside every cell in your body. Flip it on and you’re in growth mode. Your cells start dividing — but in the process, they make a lot of junk like mis-folded proteins, which help create the conditions for our biggest diseases (including cardiovascular, Alzheimer’s and the big C). Flip the switch off, though, and your cells literally take out the trash — leaving them clean, renewed, effectively young.
We know how to flip the switch. The trick is figuring out when. Because leaving your body in cleanup mode for too long can also be extremely bad for your health, in the much shorter term. Doing so has been the cause of anxiety, misery and disorder, for decades. It’s also known as starvation. Read more…
More about Books, Fasting, Science, Health, and Food
Lord of the Rings author J. R. R. Tolkien is credited with describing the phrase “cellar door” as the most beautiful string of words in the English language based purely on pronunciation alone. But I propose a more beautiful pair of words: beef candle.
Did you know McDonald’s sells merch? I, for one, did not. To celebrate nearly 50 years of the iconic grease bomb, McDonald’s announced a line of Quarter Pounder-themed merch. Among engraved lockets and matching couple’s mittens, the fast food chain is also releasing a set of burger scented candles.
The box set includes six candles, labeled Bun, Ketchup, Pickle, Cheese, Onion, and 100 percent Fresh Beef. Read more…
More about Beef, Mcdonalds, Candle, Culture, and Web Culture
Once upon a time, Twitter’s whole thing was that people were supposed to keep their messages short and to the point. The site’s newest update seemingly goes against that philosophy.
On Wednesday, Twitter rolled out a tiny little feature that will make it easier for you to thread your tweets together. Tweet threading is a feature that’s been around for several years, but now you can choose to add a new tweet you’re drafting to an existing thread right from the text box. Twitter posted a helpful GIF to explain how it works.
Now you can add a Tweet to one you already Tweeted, faster! pic.twitter.com/j3ktAN6t5o
— Twitter (@Twitter) February 19, 2020 Read more…
More about Twitter, Social Media, Tweets, Social Media Companies, and Threads
Barbie wants girls everywhere to know that they can be anything they want.
On Thursday, Mattel, the toy’s maker, announced three new dolls in its Inspiring Women Series. They’re likenesses of the former number one tennis player in the world, Billie Jean King, jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, and the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.
The newest dolls are part of Barbie’s attempt at addressing the dream gap, which researchers say limits girls’ thinking about what they’re capable of and starts around five or six years old. To help combat this harmful thinking, Mattel launched its global initiative, the Dream Gap Project, in 2018 to provide girls with resources and support to help them dream big. In addition to raising funds for girls’ empowerment charities, the project includes dolls that are role models who broke historic barriers. Read more…
More about Social Good, Dolls, Barbie, Mattel, and Billie Jean King
Twitter knows it has a disinformation problem. Now, tentatively, it’s mulling a possible solution in the form of community moderators and labeled tweets.
The social media company is no stranger to bot campaigns and bad actors sowing discord. While it’s made efforts to remove troll accounts, Twitter has a much harder time addressing real accounts spreading lies. That’s where the service’s new features come in.
First reported by NBC News, and confirmed by Twitter in a statement to Mashable, the company is playing with varying ways to transparently reign in false statements. In a series of mockups obtained by NBC News, tweets from public figures are tagged with large orange boxes denoting them as “harmfully misleading.” Read more…
More about Twitter, Tech, and Social Media Companies
Purple — Save up to $350 off a mattress and sleep bundle
Nest Bedding — Save up to $300 on select mattresses
Nectar Sleep — Save $100 off every mattress plus two free pillows
Brooklyn Bedding — Save 25% off sitewide
Finding the best mattresses out of all the choices you have available to you is hard. But here’s the thing: Sleep can make or break your day. If you wake up feeling energized and refreshed, concentrating and functioning will be a breeze. On the other hand, if you spend most of your nights tossing and turning, the whole day can feel like a challenge. You’ll be fatigued, irritable, and reaching for the nearest caffeine source. Read more…
More about Home, Sleep, Mattress, Sleep Tech, and Mashable Shopping
IMAGE: Casper
BEST OVERALL
The Essential Mattress by Casper
Comfort, durability, and stress-free setup make The Essential Mattress by Casper a great pick for all of your sleeping needs.
Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$595 from Casper
IMAGE: Purple
BEST FOR ADAPTIVITY
The Purple Mattress
Extremely comfortable and can adapt to almost any body shape, plus the customer support team will always have your back.
Sleep factor: Good for every kind of sleeper
$1,099 from Purple
IMAGE: Purple
BEST MATTRESS FOR COUPLES
Purple Hybrid Premier
The most recent iteration of the Purple mattress is a major improvement over the original model — it’s pricey, but worth it if you can manage the higher price.
Sleep factor: Best for every kind of sleeper, but also for couples with mixed sleeping preferences
$2,199 from Purple
IMAGE: Birch
BEST ECO-FRIENDLY MATTRESS
Birch Natural Mattress
If eco-conscious shopping is important to you, Birch just might be your best bet — all of their materials are ethically sourced, and the mattress itself it extremely comfortable.
Sleep factor:: Good for any sleepers who prefer softness over extreme support
$1,299 from Birch
IMAGE: Avocado
ANOTHER ECO-FRIENDLY OPTION
Avocado Green Mattress
Sustainability and support come together for the Avocado Green mattress, which is made with ethically-sourced materials and has ergonomic coils for spine alignment.
Sleep Factor: Great for back and stomach sleepers
$1,399 from Avocado
IMAGE: Parachute
BEST FOR PRESSURE RELIEF
Parachute Mattress
If firmness and support are high on your list of mattress must-haves, Parachute takes it to new heights with quality reinforcement and pressure relief.
Sleep factor: Good for side, back, and stomach sleepers
$1,899 from Parachute
IMAGE: Tempur-Pedic
BEST COOLING MATTRESS
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Breeze Mattress
Overheating in the middle of the night is a one-way ticket to bad sleep — the Tempur-Breeze mattress will hopefully cure you of your night sweats with its unrivaled cooling layers.
Sleep factor: Good for any sleeper who overheats at night and has some back pain
$3,499 from Tempur-Pedic
IMAGE: Leesa
BEST MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS
Leesa Mattress
Say goodbye to waking up with a sore back thanks to Leesa’s three-layer construction and recovery memory foam.
Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$999 from Leesa
IMAGE: Tuft & Needle
BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
T&N Mattress by Tuft & Needle
Online mattresses don’t come cheap, but the T&N Mattress by Tuft & Needle offers all the comfort and breathability perks at a fraction of the price.
Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$595 from Tuft & Needle
IMAGE: Eight Sleep
BEST FOR TEMPERATURE REGULATION
The Pod by Eight Sleep
This mattress tracks and learns your sleeping habits, then adjusts the bed’s temperature for optimal comfort.
Sleep factor: Good for people who get either too hot or too cold while they sleep
$2,495 from Eight Sleep
IMAGE: Nectar
BEST FOR COMFORT
The Nectar Mattress
You’ll feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud with The Nectar Mattress, because it has three foam layers and a breathable cover for optimal comfort.
Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$699 from Nectar
IMAGE: Saatva
BEST FOR DIFFERENT SLEEP POSITIONS
Saatva Luxury Firm Mattress
Whether you sleep on your back, side, or stomach, Saatva’s Luxury Firm Mattress will help you rest better with its medium-firm feel and coil-to-coil system.
Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
Lyft is following in Uber’s tire tracks, introducing a two-month pilot program charging passengers for the luxury of a highly-rated driver. It’s called “Lyft Preferred,” and will be rolling out in the U.S. over the next few weeks.
Under Lyft Preferred, qualifying drivers can earn an extra fee for shuttling about slightly pickier passengers. Accordingly, riders can pay extra to ensure a more comfortable ride. It’s a potentially useful option for when you’re having A Day and want to give yourself a little extra care.
Largely, Lyft Preferred drivers will simply have to continue operating as they have been. The only difference is that they’ll be notified a ride is Preferred before accepting it, and will be told how much extra they’ve earned at the end of the trip. Read more…
More about Lyft, Ridesharing, Gig Economy, Rideshare, and Lyft Preferred
Read more…
