The Coldest Place on Earth

Just how cold can it get on the earth’s surface? About minus 144°F, according to satellite measurements. Scientists recorded the extreme temperature in 2018 on the ice sheet deep in the middle of Antarctica during the long, dark polar winter. The measurement smashes the previous record for the coldest known air temperature in the natural world: a frigid minus 128.6°F felt in 1983 at the Russian Vostok Station, not far from the South Pole. Humans can’t inhale air that cold for more than a few breaths because it would cause our lungs to hemorrhage. Scientists going out to check on the weather station would wear masks that warmed the air before they breathed it in. While the East Antarctic ice sheet looks flat at the surface, it actually domes ever so slightly from center to edge like a vast, icy turtle shell. Vostok is perched near the top of the dome, on about 2.2 miles of ice, but it’s not quite at the apex. Scientists suspect it could get even colder at the very highest parts of the ice sheet.

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New Study Finds That Happiness Thrives in the Company of Others

The next time you have to go to the post office or grocery shopping, call a friend and make a date out of it. Why? Because it's good for you. New research links happiness to companionship across dozens of different daily activities. Researchers used a large set of data called the American Time Use Survey — conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau — that covered 41,000 people and examined data from four years during which survey respondents were asked to rate their happiness while undertaking daily activities. The results suggest that whether we're eating, reading, or even cleaning up around the house, happiness thrives in the company of others. It is already well-established that social interaction is a vital component of human happiness in general, and the idea that even mundane chores and traditionally solitary activities could be made more enjoyable by the presence of a friend is even more remarkable. The researchers also noted that even though the actual differences in happiness from socializing are relatively small, because people have countless opportunities to socialize throughout their daily lives, these small effects may accumulate into meaningful differences in overall happiness.

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You’re Probably Not Using Magic Erasers to Their Full Potential

Magic Erasers effectively clean surfaces like stove grease, hard water stains, and scuffed walls, offering a versatile solution for household cleaning tasks. They’re made of a melamine resin foam that can remove a variety of stains and build-up. They can tackle tough stains from hard water, burnt grease, tarnish, and more across a variety of surfaces and materials. Most people, however, are not using Magic Erasers to their full potential. Here are some of the best surfaces in your home that can be tackled using a Magic Eraser.

SNEAKER SOLES: Use a lightly dampened Magic Eraser and work in small sections, using gentle pressure for canvas or leather areas.

HARD WATER STAINS: Hard water stains usually look like chalky blots that can show up on your bathtub or kitchen faucet or your shower door. Simply wet a Magic Eraser and lightly scrub the area.

OVEN DOORS: This hardened residue can be tackled with an eraser, some good elbow grease, and a combination of paste made from baking soda. After scrubbing the door with the Magic Eraser and the paste, let it sit for up to 15 minutes before wiping the paste away with a damp microfiber cloth.

WALLS: If you have painted walls, chances are there are smudges or fingerprints across it. Instead of having to repaint the whole wall, you can simply grab a damp Magic Eraser and spot clean to make the smudge disappear. This method also works well on scuffed baseboards.

CLOTHING STAINS: If you spot any deodorant, makeup, or general grease stains on your clothes, dampen a Magic Eraser and very gently dab or blot at the stain. Once you’re done, wash your garment in the washing machine as you normally would.

RUST: All you need to do is dampen a Magic Eraser and scrub away small rust spots in bathrooms and kitchens, moving the tool in circles.

OUTDOOR FURNITURE: To clean your patio furniture, wet a Magic Eraser with warm water, squeezing out any excess so that it’s only damp— then clean the surface in gentle circular motions.

4 PLACES YOU SHOULD NEVER USE A MAGIC ERASER:

1. Finished wood furniture

2. The exterior of your car

3. High-gloss surfaces like lacquered furniture or countertops

4. Stainless steel cookware and appliances

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Tis the Season for This Crumble — If You Can Find the Plums

When it comes to desserts, nothing is easier than a crumble made with fresh, seasonal fruit. In fall, that means one thing: plump and juicy Italian prune plums. They have a high sugar level that makes the flesh incredibly sweet and jammy when cooked, and this plum crumble is the perfect place to use them.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

FILLING

• 4 cups sliced Italian plums

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 1 cup grated Granny Smith or other tart apple (about 1 apple)

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

TOPPING

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar

• 4 tablespoons salted butter, cubed

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

• Vanilla ice cream for serving, optional

Directions:

• • Prepare the filling by placing sliced plums, brown sugar, grated apple, cornstarch, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a large bowl, using your hands to gently toss to combine.
• • Prepare the topping by combining flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Add cinnamon, if desired.
• • Add butter cubes and mix with your fingers until large clumps form. Do not over-mix — you don’t want this to become like dough.
• • Pour the fillling into a buttered 8- or 9-inch pie pan and scatter the crumble topping over the top.
• • Bake at 375º F until the top is golden brown, 40-50 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent the top with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• • Serve warm, topping with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

 

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