Why the Latest Cold Snap Feels Bone-Shattering When It Hasn’t Shattered Any Records

The brutally frigid weather that has gripped most of the country for the past 11 days is not unprecedented — it just feels that way. The first quarter of the 21st century was unusually warm by historical standards, so a prolonged cold spell this winter is unfamiliar to many people, especially younger people. According to weather experts, because bone-shattering cold occurs less frequently, people are experiencing it more intensely now than they did in the past. Nevertheless, the longer the current icy blast lasts and the longer sub-freezing temperatures are forecast to stick around in many places, the easier it should become to tolerate. We adapt and get used to things. That’s why Day 1 of a cold snap is much more of a shock to the system than Day 20 is. Data from more than 240 weather stations found that spells of subfreezing temperatures have become less widespread and haven’t last as long — until this year. Only 33 of these weather stations have recorded enough subzero temperatures since the start of 2026 to be in the top 10% of the coldest first 32 days of any year over the past century. Climate scientists say it’s quite possible that for anybody under the age of 30, this may well be the coldest weather of their life.

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Queen’s Image on New Australian Coins Dubbed “Mrs. Doubtfire”

Australia’s royal mint has defended a widely-lampooned image of the late Queen Elizabeth II on new commemorative coins celebrating her life. The 50 cent and $5 Australian coins were revealed by the mint this week, featuring a front-facing effigy of the queen to celebrate her reign, 100 years after her birth. However, the queen’s image, which the Royal Australian Mint described as a “stunning portrait rendered with warmth and dignity,” evoked widespread memes and comments on social media. “No, stop don’t release it, melt them all and get at proper portrait of the queen, not a screen shot of Mrs. Doubtfire,” said one Facebook user, comparing the portrait to the character played by Robin Williams in the 1993 film. “There’s a reason most portraits are from the side; looks like she just ran into a wall,” said another. Queen Elizabeth, who died in 2022, reigned for more than 70 years and had strong ties with Australia, which has the British monarch as its head of state. The Australian Mint posted an explanation of the coins’ details, including motifs celebrating the late monarch’s love of horses and corgi dogs. “Our coin images don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal,” it conceded.

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How a 1970s TV Show Helped Bring Emergency Medical Services to the Entire U.S.

In the early 1970s, hundreds of thousands of Americans were dying every year due to the lack of paramedic services; then a television show about paramedics came to the country’s rescue. First aired in January 1972, Emergency! brought emergency medical services into the mainstream. The NBC scripted serial drama about John Cage (Randolph Mantooth) and Roy DeSoto (Kevin Tighe), who work as paramedics and firefighters in Los Angeles County, brought the idea of paramedicine into homes throughout the country. Television producers Robert Cinader and Jack Webb were looking for a show about firefighters and met with LA County Fire Capt. James Page, who was one of the pioneers of EMS services in the U.S. When Page suggested that they look at the new paramedic program, Emergency! was born. The actors also underwent paramedic training for the series. The result was a realistic portrayal of the possibilities of what EMS services across the country could do. At a time when most American viewers had access to only three TV stations — ABC, CBS and NBC — each episode of Emergency! garnered around 30 million viewers. In 1974, President Gerald Ford signed the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act into law and provided federal funds for municipalities to establish their own EMS service. By the end of the show’s first three seasons, EMS services had expanded into 46 states, and by 1980 half the country lived within 10 minutes of an ambulance. The fictional adventures of LA County’s Fire Department Squad 51 may not be as popular on streaming services as Grey’s Anatomy or Chicago Med, but the show’s props — including helmets, a Biophone, and a defibrillator — can be found in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

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Hotel Arranges For Dogs to go to the Opera Without Their Owners

A hotel in Austria arranges for dogs to go to the opera without their owners. The cultural nights out for canines are organized by the five-star Park Hyatt Vienna, which allows people to check in with their dog, and aims to be as pet-friendly as possible. If guests want a night out in the Austrian capital without their dog, but don't want the pooch to get lonely, staff can step in. In addition to the more usual requests for dogs to be walked, the hotel can arrange for an employee to take the animal to the theatre. "If the pet wants to go to the opera by himself we will arrange their ticket if the opera allows it," says the hotel's general manager Monique Dekker. The hotel even arranges for an exclusive limo to make the trip. The Park Hyatt Vienna's "Very Important Dog" program costs €45 ($53). Food and other services, such as dog walking or sitting, or a trip to the opera, are extra. Travelers thinking of bringing their pooches on vacation can take a look at www.bringfido.com, a directory that includes over 25,000 hotels that welcome pets in more than 150 countries.

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