Popsicles for Everyone!
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July 3rd, 2020
Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.
– Les Brown
Upcycled Solar Water Heater
What were you doing when you were eight-years-old? Xóchitl Guadalupe Cruz, an 8-year-old girl from Mexico, was inventing solar water heaters and winning the Nuclear Science Prize.
How? After some initial sketches in her notebook, Cruz created the solar water heater using discarded objects such as plastic and logs. After seeing that people chopped down wood to keep themselves warm during winter, she decided to create the solar heater so there would be less deforestation in Mexico. She also wanted to create a sustainable alternative, so she was inspired to recycle “wasted” materials. Cruz’s solar heater is composed of a 15-meter black hose, 10 PET bottles that she painted black, plastic cable ties, a wooden base, black nylon and recycled glass to create a greenhouse effect.
Zoom Out: Despite her young age, Cruz has already accomplished some immense goals. Her plans for the future include playing more soccer and getting a Ph.D in mathematics. But first, her more immediate plan is to keep improving the solar heater!
Sign Language = Speech
Scientists have developed a high-tech glove that allows sign language to be translated into speech in real time. This is a significant breakthrough, because the glove can allow deaf people to communicate directly, without the need for a translator.
Technology Overview: The glove has sensors along the fingers and thumb that allow the technology to identify any word, phrase or letter made in American Sign Language. The signals are sent wirelessly to a smartphone app and then translated into spoken words immediately.
Details: Currently, there are between 100,000 and 1 million estimated American Sign Language speakers. The glove can make it easier for sign language speakers to communicate directly with non-signers, while also making it easier for non-signers to learn the language.
We’ll Take All the Popsicles, Please
On Father’s Day, one father got the sweetest surprise from a local family. Rosario del Real, a 70-year-old, was pushing a popsicle cart around his Chicago neighborhood. A couple families were hosting a Father’s Day barbeque, and invited del Real to celebrate with them. Everyone bonded together, and the guests soon decided to buy all of del Real’s popsicles so he could celebrate Father Day’s with his family.
More Sweetness: Someone at the barbeque recorded del Real’s reaction to the news that the family was buying all his popsicles, and the reaction video went viral. The community decided to double down on the positivity, and launched a campaign to raise money for del Real’s retirement. The goal was to raise $10,000, but generous strangers have raised $62,000 so far. Watch his heartwarming reaction to the sweet news here!
You’re a Firework
Happy Fourth of July! We hope you enjoy the weekend, spend time with loved ones and take some time to recover and reflect. And what better way to start off the weekend than with celebratory fireworks, right?
Bronzed Sparklers
Rainbows Everywhere
Tunnel of Gold
Weekend Recs
Listen:“Saturn” by Sleeping at Last. This song is everything: positive, beautiful, uplifting, breathtaking, and inspiring. It’s a little foray into the human condition as well.
See: Have you seen recent photographs of our galaxy, the Milky Way? Capture the Atlas has 25 stunning pictures of the night sky and the Milky Way, all from different parts of the world.
Bake: It may be too hot to bake, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a fun dessert. Try this No Bake Funfetti Cheesecake! It only takes a few ingredients and you can whip it together in under 15 minutes.
Read: How many hotdogs do Americans eat on July 4th? Which state eats salmon as a July 4th tradition? Read on for the answers to those fun Fourth of July questions.
Watch: Ever seen a peacock fly? It’s a little bit magical. Watch here for a slow motion clip of a peacock perching on a branch.
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