GoneTrending

Back in the late ’80s, NASA was looking for ways to detoxify the air in its space stations. So it conducted a study to determine the most effective plants for filtering the air of toxic agents and converting carbon dioxide to oxygen.

---

In 1989, their results were published in a clean air study that provided a definitive list of the plants that are most effective at cleaning indoor air. The report also suggested having at least one plant per every hundred square feet of home or office space.

1. Dwarf Date Palm

2. Boston Fern

3. Kimberly Queen Fern

4. Spider Plant

5. Chinese Evergreen

6. Bamboo Palm

7. Weeping Fig

8. Devil’s Ivy

9. Flamingo Lily

10. Lilyturf

11. Broadleaf Lady Palm

12. Barberton Daisy

13. Cornstalk Dracena

14. English Ivy

15. Varigated Snake Plant

16. Red-Edged Dracaena

17. Peace Lily

18. Florist’s Chrysanthemum

What’s in our air?

Trichloroethylene – Found in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, adhesives, and paint removers. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: excitement, dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting followed by drowsiness and coma.

Formaldehyde – Found in paper bags, waxed papers, facial tissues, paper towels, plywood paneling, and synthetic fabrics. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to nose, mouth and throat, and in severe cases, swelling of the larynx and lungs.

Benzene – Used to make plastics, resins, lubricants, detergents, and drugs. Also found in tobacco smoke, glue, and furniture wax. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to eyes, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, increase in heart rate, headaches, confusion and in some cases can result in unconsciousness.

Xylene – Found in rubber, leather, tobacco smoke, and vehicle exhaust. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to mouth and throat, dizziness, headache, confusion, heart problems, liver and kidney damage and coma.

Ammonia – Found in window cleaners, floor waxes, smelling salts, and fertilizers. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: eye irritation, coughing, sore throat.

Please note: Some of these plants may be toxic for your pets, so please do your research to ensure your furry friends stay safe.

This article originally appeared on 08.13.21

Back in the late ’80s, NASA was looking for ways to detoxify the air in its space stations. So it conducted a study to determine the most effective plants for filtering the air of toxic agents and converting carbon dioxide to oxygen.

---

In 1989, their results were published in a clean air study that provided a definitive list of the plants that are most effective at cleaning indoor air. The report also suggested having at least one plant per every hundred square feet of home or office space.

1. Dwarf Date Palm

2. Boston Fern

3. Kimberly Queen Fern

4. Spider Plant

5. Chinese Evergreen

6. Bamboo Palm

7. Weeping Fig

8. Devil’s Ivy

9. Flamingo Lily

10. Lilyturf

11. Broadleaf Lady Palm

12. Barberton Daisy

13. Cornstalk Dracena

14. English Ivy

15. Varigated Snake Plant

16. Red-Edged Dracaena

17. Peace Lily

18. Florist’s Chrysanthemum

What’s in our air?

Trichloroethylene – Found in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, adhesives, and paint removers. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: excitement, dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting followed by drowsiness and coma.

Formaldehyde – Found in paper bags, waxed papers, facial tissues, paper towels, plywood paneling, and synthetic fabrics. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to nose, mouth and throat, and in severe cases, swelling of the larynx and lungs.

Benzene – Used to make plastics, resins, lubricants, detergents, and drugs. Also found in tobacco smoke, glue, and furniture wax. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to eyes, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, increase in heart rate, headaches, confusion and in some cases can result in unconsciousness.

Xylene – Found in rubber, leather, tobacco smoke, and vehicle exhaust. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to mouth and throat, dizziness, headache, confusion, heart problems, liver and kidney damage and coma.

Ammonia – Found in window cleaners, floor waxes, smelling salts, and fertilizers. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: eye irritation, coughing, sore throat.

Please note: Some of these plants may be toxic for your pets, so please do your research to ensure your furry friends stay safe.

This article originally appeared on 08.13.21

The things human beings have figured out how to do boggles the mind sometimes, especially in the realm of medicine.

It wasn’t terribly long ago that people with a severe injury had to liquor up, bite a stick, have a body part sewn up or sawed off and hope for the best. (Sorry for the visual, but it’s true.) The discoveries of antibiotics and anesthesia alone have completely revolutionized human existence, but we’ve gone well beyond that with what our best surgeons can accomplish.

Surgeries can range from fairly simple to incredibly complex, but few surgeries are more complicated than separating conjoined twins with combined major organs. That’s why the recent surgical separation of conjoined twin boys with fused brains in Brazil is so incredible.

---

The twins, Bernardo and Arthur Lima, are almost 4 years old and have never seen one another’s face. They’ve spent their lives conjoined at the top of their heads, facing opposite directions. Born as craniopagus twins (joined at the cranium), their brains were also fused together, making their separation extremely complex. According to the BBC, they’ve been cared for at the Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute) in Rio de Janeiro for the past two and a half years.

Surgeon Noor ul Owase Jeelani is the founder of medical charity Gemini Untwined, which funded the surgery. He helped lead the team of nearly 100 medical workers who worked for months to prepare for the boys’ separation, which was one of the most complicated of its kind.

Jeelani told the BBC that it was the first time surgeons in separate countries practiced by operating in the same “virtual reality room” together, wearing VR headsets.

“It’s just wonderful,” he said. “It’s really great to see the anatomy and do the surgery before you actually put the children at any risk. You can’t imagine how reassuring this is for the surgeons. To do it in virtual reality was just really man-on-Mars stuff.”

Watch Jeelani explain how they prepared for the procedure:

Prior attempts to separate the twins had been unsuccessful, making the surgery even more challenging due to scar tissue. However, after multiple surgeries that took more than 33 hours collectively, the boys were successfully separated in June.

“It was without a doubt the most complex surgery of my career,” said neurosurgeon Gabriel Mufarrej of the Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute, according to EuroNews. “At the beginning, nobody thought they would survive. It is already historic that both of them could be saved.”

Jeelani told the BBC that the boys’ heart rates and blood pressure were “through the roof” for four days after the surgery—until they were reunited and touched hands.

According to Reuters, Bernardo and Arthur are the oldest twins with fused brains to be successfully separated. They will spend the next six months in rehabilitation.

Congratulations to the Lima family and to the global team that combined dedication, perseverance and the miracle of modern technology to create a brighter future for these young boys.

This article originally appeared on 08.04.22

The things human beings have figured out how to do boggles the mind sometimes, especially in the realm of medicine.

It wasn’t terribly long ago that people with a severe injury had to liquor up, bite a stick, have a body part sewn up or sawed off and hope for the best. (Sorry for the visual, but it’s true.) The discoveries of antibiotics and anesthesia alone have completely revolutionized human existence, but we’ve gone well beyond that with what our best surgeons can accomplish.

Surgeries can range from fairly simple to incredibly complex, but few surgeries are more complicated than separating conjoined twins with combined major organs. That’s why the recent surgical separation of conjoined twin boys with fused brains in Brazil is so incredible.

---

The twins, Bernardo and Arthur Lima, are almost 4 years old and have never seen one another’s face. They’ve spent their lives conjoined at the top of their heads, facing opposite directions. Born as craniopagus twins (joined at the cranium), their brains were also fused together, making their separation extremely complex. According to the BBC, they’ve been cared for at the Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute) in Rio de Janeiro for the past two and a half years.

Surgeon Noor ul Owase Jeelani is the founder of medical charity Gemini Untwined, which funded the surgery. He helped lead the team of nearly 100 medical workers who worked for months to prepare for the boys’ separation, which was one of the most complicated of its kind.

Jeelani told the BBC that it was the first time surgeons in separate countries practiced by operating in the same “virtual reality room” together, wearing VR headsets.

“It’s just wonderful,” he said. “It’s really great to see the anatomy and do the surgery before you actually put the children at any risk. You can’t imagine how reassuring this is for the surgeons. To do it in virtual reality was just really man-on-Mars stuff.”

Watch Jeelani explain how they prepared for the procedure:

Prior attempts to separate the twins had been unsuccessful, making the surgery even more challenging due to scar tissue. However, after multiple surgeries that took more than 33 hours collectively, the boys were successfully separated in June.

“It was without a doubt the most complex surgery of my career,” said neurosurgeon Gabriel Mufarrej of the Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute, according to EuroNews. “At the beginning, nobody thought they would survive. It is already historic that both of them could be saved.”

Jeelani told the BBC that the boys’ heart rates and blood pressure were “through the roof” for four days after the surgery—until they were reunited and touched hands.

According to Reuters, Bernardo and Arthur are the oldest twins with fused brains to be successfully separated. They will spend the next six months in rehabilitation.

Congratulations to the Lima family and to the global team that combined dedication, perseverance and the miracle of modern technology to create a brighter future for these young boys.

This article originally appeared on 08.04.22

Teachers are almost always teaching even when it’s not in their lesson plan.

Those that were born to be teachers find teachable moments everywhere and one woman found herself in one of those moments. Though this one was likely just a bit more personal than she probably would’ve liked.

Emily Elizabeth posted a TikTok video about how she found herself in a predicament in front of her classroom full of 10 and 11-year-old kids. The teacher explained that she was noticing a lot of commotion and whispering among the little girls in her class while she was wearing white pants. After reminding the girls to stay on task, the whispering continued, prompting Emily to be more direct.

That’s when one of the girls asked to speak with her privately dropping the bomb that no one that gets periods wants to hear in public.

---

“She goes, ‘I’m sorry Ms. Emily, but I just want to let you know that I think you might have got your period,'” the teacher recalls.

But instead of freaking out or being flustered, Emily decided to swallow her embarrassment and use the moment as a teachable experience. She promptly told the concerned girls that it was fine and that she had a change of clothes that she could wear. Just before excusing herself, the boys noticed something was wrong so they curiously asked. Emily informed them that she had gotten her period and while she was annoyed, she was perfectly fine.

One of the boys even sent her an email double checking that she was okay in a less public way. The sweet reaction from her class warmed her heart and the hearts of viewers.

“That boy who emailed…his parents must be incredible,” one commenter says.

“You set an excellent example! And to not hide it from the boys who asked because that would have spoken SO LOUDLY to the boys and girls about normalizing periods,” another writes.

“The email, you sound like an amazing teacher with an amazing group of kids,” someone says.

You can watch Emily tell the entire story below:

@emilyelizabeth.w

Let’s normalise talking about periods for girls AND boys … trying to find the silver lining 😅 #fyp #melbourneteacher #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife

Teachers are almost always teaching even when it’s not in their lesson plan.

Those that were born to be teachers find teachable moments everywhere and one woman found herself in one of those moments. Though this one was likely just a bit more personal than she probably would’ve liked.

Emily Elizabeth posted a TikTok video about how she found herself in a predicament in front of her classroom full of 10 and 11-year-old kids. The teacher explained that she was noticing a lot of commotion and whispering among the little girls in her class while she was wearing white pants. After reminding the girls to stay on task, the whispering continued, prompting Emily to be more direct.

That’s when one of the girls asked to speak with her privately dropping the bomb that no one that gets periods wants to hear in public.

---

“She goes, ‘I’m sorry Ms. Emily, but I just want to let you know that I think you might have got your period,'” the teacher recalls.

But instead of freaking out or being flustered, Emily decided to swallow her embarrassment and use the moment as a teachable experience. She promptly told the concerned girls that it was fine and that she had a change of clothes that she could wear. Just before excusing herself, the boys noticed something was wrong so they curiously asked. Emily informed them that she had gotten her period and while she was annoyed, she was perfectly fine.

One of the boys even sent her an email double checking that she was okay in a less public way. The sweet reaction from her class warmed her heart and the hearts of viewers.

“That boy who emailed…his parents must be incredible,” one commenter says.

“You set an excellent example! And to not hide it from the boys who asked because that would have spoken SO LOUDLY to the boys and girls about normalizing periods,” another writes.

“The email, you sound like an amazing teacher with an amazing group of kids,” someone says.

You can watch Emily tell the entire story below:

@emilyelizabeth.w

Let’s normalise talking about periods for girls AND boys … trying to find the silver lining 😅 #fyp #melbourneteacher #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife

Sometimes we’re not in the mood to be touched, and the same goes for our pets. While cats are notorious for snubbing humans who dare to touch them without explicit affirmative consent for exactly 3.5 pets, dogs are different. Dogs like to get head scratches, butt pats and for some reason slapped on the ribs somewhat aggressively. I don’t know why dog owners do the last one but I’ve seen it enough to think it’s a thing that dogs enjoy.

The point is dogs generally want you to pet them as often as humanly possible and until it feels like your arms are going to fall off. They try to climb up on your lap because being as close to your cornea as their snouts will allow is comforting to them. But apparently, dogs also get into moods where they don’t want to be touched by their humans.

Weird, right? A chocolate lab on TikTok is simply not in the mood for pets and his reaction to his owner attempting to pet him has commenters in stitches.

---

The dog, Colby, looks as if he’s trying to relax when you see his mom’s hand reach out to pet him. He doesn’t break eye contact with his human, Morgyn Seigfried, as he gently pushes her hand away with his back foot. She tries several times, and each time Colby has the same response.

“Let’s not make this more embarrassing than it has to be,” one commenter wrote.

“He said pet me…WITH YOUR EYES,” another person said.

While some were imagining what the dog was saying internally, others just found it hilarious, especially because he uses his hind leg to reject the affection.

“Such a boss move to use the back leg and not the front paw,” someone wrote, complete with a crying laughing emoji.

“The fact that he used his rear leg makes the exchange even better,” another commenter said.

Colby is clearly over Seigfried’s need to touch him, as you can see for yourself below:

@morgynseigfried

looking me dead in the eye too 🥲 #dogsoftiktok #dogs #dogvideos #labsoftiktok #chocolatelab #labrador #dogsoftiktokviral #doglover #doglovers

This article originally appeared on 5.5.23

The Hollywood Bowl is one of the country’s most iconic venues, so naturally, a ton of great artists are set to perform at the Los Angeles spot this fall: The 1975 (on October 2), The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie (October 13), and Boygenius (October 31) are just a few examples. Once you’ve chosen which shows you want to see and you’ve secured your tickets, the next pressing concern is how you’re gonna get there.

If you opt to drive, the venue has a dedicated webpage for helping to navigate parking. Probably their most important note: “Parking at the Bowl is extremely limited and may sell out in advance! All lots are stack parked and there is no early exit. Lots open three hours before the start of each event. If inventory is still available, cashiers accept cash or credit card.”

The venue has four lots (A, B, C, D), and prices for parking vary by lot and by event. On the Hollywood Bowl parking page, spots are sold per show and there’s a handy interactive map that shows what spots are available and how much they cost. The page also notes, “All parking lots are available for advance purchase until they are sold out.”

Learn more about parking at the Hollywood Bowl here.

Nothing says midsummer like a gooey and delicious peach cobbler. And while it is officially fall, it was still 80-plus degrees and sunny outside when I made this, which is still very much summer vibes even though it was the first day of October. Seasonality aside, being able to make a good cobbler is a must for any home cook’s arsenal. The marriage of soft, spiced, sweet, and fruity pie filling topped with biscuit- or scone-like topping is a delight.

Add a little vanilla ice cream when it’s still warm from the oven … chef’s kiss!

While some of the more tart fruits (green apples and berries) work better with rich crumble toppings, peaches are sweet and bold enough to stand up to the thickness of a good quickbread topping. I’m not saying you can’t make a great peach crumble too. I’m just saying that cobbler is the best way to go for that extra oompf.

Below, I’m going to break down my favorite recipe — swapping a good dose of bourbon in, rather than vanilla. It’s a very old-school way to get deeper flavors into pie fillings that goes back centuries. Keep in mind, real vanilla was a huge luxury until very recently, so vanilla-forward flavoring agents like bourbon were almost always used instead. The bourbon also adds a little extra depth to the mix that takes this recipe from general “pie spices” to something a little more nuanced.

There are other small tricks I’ve picked up through the years too. I tend to actually top my cobblers with cut biscuits/scones instead of a thick layer of topping. I’ve found that the more space you have for steam to escape, the more the pie filling thickens. It also lets the topping stay fluffier and more layered since you aren’t rolling it out as much (to stretch it to the size of a whole baking dish). The “cobbles” on this cobbler are textural masterpieces with crispy and crunchy tops, delightfully layered and buttery middles, and gooey and soft bottoms. They’re also thick without being dense, which is ideal.

The best of all of this is that your kitchen/home is going to smell amazing while this is baking in the oven. Does all of this sound good? Of course, it does! Let’s dive in!

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Filling:

• 8-10 yellow peaches
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup AP flour

A quick note about the peaches. You’ll want to get ripe peaches that still have some heft to them. Do not use mushy peaches. Since you have to skin and slice these, you’ll want them ripe enough to just give a tiny resistance when you squeeze them.

A good vanilla-forward bourbon to use is a standard Buffalo Trace Bourbon. It’s affordable, widely available, and goes deep on the vanilla while adding plenty of barrel spice and a hint of orange.

Topping:

• 2 cups bread flour (sifted)
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1.5 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter (frozen)
• 1 cup fresh buttermilk (whole)
• 1 egg white (lightly beaten)
• Extra granulated sugar

What You’ll Need:

• Large bowls
• Large pot
• Paring knife
• Large baking dish (9 in. x 12 in. x 3 in.)
• Rolling pin
• 3-inch biscuit cutter (or water/pint glass)
• Large spoon
• Fork
• Grater
• Cookie sheet

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Baking time: 45-60 minutes
• Resting time: 1 hour (minimum)

Prep the Peaches:

• Bring a large pot full of tap water just barely to a simmer (do not bring it to a boil).
• Prepare a large bowl with ice water and have another empty large bowl waiting.
• Use a paring knife to score a cross in the bottom of each peach.
• Gently place about three or four peaches in the barely simmering water. Let “simmer” for about 60 seconds or until you see the skin start to pull away from where you scored the cross.
• Fish the peaches out with the spoon one at a time and add to the ice bath.
• Gently pull away the skin from the spot where you scored the peaches — it should slide off very easily. Place the skinned peaches in a waiting bowl.
• Repeat until all peaches are skinned.

Filling:

• Using a paring knife, slice the peaches off the pit, making a wedge shape and working your way around the pit. (Use the same bowl the peaches are already in while you do this to save all the delicious peach juice in one place).
• Once all the peaches are pitted and in medium wedges (closer to the size of a tangerine wedge than an orange one), add in the bourbon, sugars, spices, salt, and flour.
• Use a large spoon and mix until a thick and dark sauce forms around the peaches.
• Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

Topping & Build:

• Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to integrate the dry ingredients.
• Grate the frozen unsalted butter into the bowl.
• Use a fork to gently mix the butter into the flour mixture. (Make sure not to use your hand too much as it’ll warm up the butter).
• Add in the buttermilk one-half cup at a time to hydrate the flour/butter mixture, using the fork to bring things together until you have a very shaggy dough.
• Pour the whole mixture onto a wooden surface and bring it together with your hands until a dough just forms (again, don’t overwork this with your warm hands).
• Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it’s about 1/2-inch thick.
• Use the biscuit cutter to cut out four biscuits. Re-roll out the dough and cut two more.
• Place the biscuits (cobbles) on the peach filling and brush with a whole egg white (make sure to use it all) and then sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Place the dish on a cookie sheet (it will boil over while baking).
• Bake (45-60 min. at 375). Rest. Serve.

Bottom Line on the Bourbon Peach Cobbler:

I wish you could smell this. It’s delightful. The taste is exactly what you’re looking for in that it’s sweet, syrupy, and full of vanilla-laced and fall-spiced goodness.

The cobbles/biscuits add a wonderfully fluffy and crunchy textural variance that just works with the pie filling. Had I made these biscuits on their own, they’d rule. On this cobbler, they’re extraordinary.

Yes, this took a minute to prep and bake, but it wasn’t overly taxing. All told with the peeling, mixing, and prepping, I spent maybe 30 to 40 minutes getting this in the oven. My oven ended up taking 50 minutes to bake. The hardest part was waiting an hour or so to actually dig in. But this was such a crowd-pleaser in my house that I’ve already been ordered to make it again next weekend.

Los Angeles rapper Blueface has reportedly been sentenced to five years in prison for a 2022 strip club shooting in Las Vegas. According to Law & Crime Network, the rapper was handed 24-60 months for shooting and grazing a man’s hand during an argument outside the club last October.

This story is being updated.