How Passover has endured—and adapted

 

GIANT OMELETTE VIEW ONLINE

*NEW* Unlock access to hundreds of articles, photos, and videos...now with no monthly limit! Sign in or create a free account.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT PASSOVER’S PAST Wednesday, April 5, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we turn off the lights, explore this biblical holiday’s history, get rid of our hiccups ... and hop aboard the N.S. Savannah. Plus, an omelette that feeds 2,000?

HERITAGE IMAGES/GETTY The biblical story of an oppressed people fleeing Egypt more than 3,000 years ago has been celebrated since—often by those who have escaped persecution in other lands, too. The Jewish holiday, which three of four Gospels say Jesus was celebrating at his Last Supper, today often includes mentions of other groups—African Americans who fled the bonds of slavery, even modern-day Ukrainians seeking relief from Putin’s bombs and soldiers. How has the holiday endured? What can all people take from it?  Read the full story here. (Pictured, Moses watches the Egyptians get engulfed by the Red Sea.) Please consider getting our full digital report and magazine by subscribing here.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPH BY THREE LIONS, GETTY IMAGES

What science says about stopping your hiccups (above, a woman tries one remedy: drinking water upside down) You know how the ‘Titanic’ sank. But did you know its origin story? Here‘s how England‘s ‘lost king’ ended up beneath a parking lot

Eat these foods to keep your brain strong and healthy The ship that was supposed to usher in an age of nuclear-powered travel, but didn’t

Aboriginal people in Australia are using tourism to tell their stories ​Losing weight leads to better health? Not necessarily Take a bite! This omelette in France feeds 2,000 people She defied powerful popes to defend her lands

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH BY MAIARA BERTOLUCCI Stick to the stuffed animals: Beyond celebrating Easter with egg hunts and chocolate rabbits, parents often “impulse gift” their children chicks, bunnies, and ducklings. But there's a dark side to these cute presents: Months after the springtime holiday, animal rescuers see an uptick in abandoned adult ducks—many starving to death or dying of illness. (Pictured above, Elsa and Olaf, who were found frozen to a pond on Christmas Eve.) SAVE THE DUCKS

THE NIGHT SKIES

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREW FAZEKAS April’s Pink Moon: As the sky darkens tomorrow, look for the bright blue-white star Spica next to the moon. It’s the fifth brightest star in the entire heavens, about 14 times the mass of our own sun. And for an even more eye-catching encounter, watch as the waning gibbous moon pairs up with the bright orange star Antares in the south early Monday morning. It’s the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, even though it’s 600 light years from Earth. — Andrew Fazekas CATCH A GLIMPSE

PHOTO OF THE DAY

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL SARTORE, NAT GEO PHOTO ARK Beetles, butterflies, and bats: The pine rocklands ecosystem in Southern Florida is home to multiple endangered animals and plants—and Nat Geo Explorer George Gann hopes to protect them (pictured above, a Florida bonneted bat). As part of the recently launched Photo Ark Species Impact Initiative, Gann is the first to receive funding to conserve two of these at-risk species through powerful storytelling. “The number of rare species in this ecosystem is staggering,” Gann said. THE IMPACT

LAST GLIMPSE

PHOTOGRAPH BY EDSON VANDEIRA, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Lights out: Light pollution disrupts more than our view of the stars at night—it “seriously impacts” wildlife, too, Nat Geo reports. Birds, insects, and plants rely on natural light cues for when to hunt, forage, and mate. Luckily, there's a simple solution. (Above, the city lights of La Paz, Bolivia.) LEARN MORE

Today's soundtrack: Pink Moon, Nick Drake This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Hannah Farrow, and David Beard. Want to say hello? We'd love to hear from you: hannah.farrow@natgeo.com. Thanks for reading!

SHOP DONATE SUBSCRIBE TRAVEL

Clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and National Geographic Channel links will take you away from our National Geographic Partners site where different terms of use and privacy policy apply. This email was sent to: peter.hovis@gmail.com. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored. This email contains an advertisement from:  National Geographic | 1145 17th Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036 Stop all types of future commercial email from National Geographic regarding its products, services, or experiences. Manage all email preferences with the Walt Disney Family of Companies. © 2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC, All rights reserved.