The elephant next door

Inside: stunning elephant photography; a weird tale about bats; the history of sea cats  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌    ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌&nbsap;‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  

 

52 MILLION YEAR-OLD BATS VIEW ONLINE

52 MILLION YEAR-OLD BATS

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CAN WE LIVE WITH ELEPHANTS—WHILE THERE’S STILL TIME? Thursday, April 13, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we trek along with Asian elephants, gush over kittens in the Navy, discover 52 million year-old bat skeletons ... and marvel at whales (responsibly). Plus, R.I.P. photo pioneer Kwame Brathwaite

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRENT STIRTON Smart, social, adaptable—they stick together, and they grieve dead relatives. We’re still learning about Asian elephants. As their habitat has shrunk to a 20th of its former size, they sniff and explore closer and closer to encroaching humans. For the most part, they can live with us—but can we live with them? Read the full story. Please consider getting our full digital report and magazine by subscribing here.

Stay off the lawn! Villagers in Sri Lanka (above) erect solar-powered electric fencing to protect their yards and gardens from routine elephant incursions. At top, a male elephant steps over an electric fence on a moonlit night. Read more. Related: See "Secret of the Elephants" narrated by Natalie Portman, premiering on National Geographic on April 21—and streaming on Hulu and Disney+ beginning April 22. Here’s the trailer.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Attention! Cats were in the U.S. Navy, too—and sailors have embraced them throughout history (pictured above, a kitten in uniform in 1950) Why did Odysseus wander so long? These spore-sprouting, rainbow-hued marvels are full of fascinating surprises Magnesium is touted as a sleep aid—but its benefit is debatable. Here's what we know. R.I.P. photographer, ‘Black is Beautiful’ chronicler Kwame Brathwaite

Keep your brain strong and healthy by eating these foods Detect dementia early—through your eyes This ancient Dutch goddess was nearly lost to time—and rising seas Europe’s newest nation wants to decide its future—but will history hold it back?

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM 52 million year-old bats? That’s right, two fossils from a new species have been found. Only 25 grams big, the bitty bats (one skeleton above) could fly and may have been able to echolocate. Where were they found? Click here to find out. LONG BEFORE BATMAN

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANS LANTING, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Whale, would you look at that: From California to Antarctica, whale watching has become a seaside vacation highlight (above, tourists view whales in South Georgia Island). But the increase in this tourist attraction can lead to stressed calves and added noise pollution. How can you spot these majestic sea creatures responsibly? WATCHING WHALES

LAST GLIMPSE

PHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN JIN Strut your stuff: With China's birth rate in decline, many older people who chose not to have children are faced with taking care of themselves, Nat Geo reports. And women who had little opportunity to express themselves growing up in previous generations now have new chances to do so—like Wan Liping (pictured above, center), a retired doctor-turned-catwalker. CHINA’S POPULATION SHIFT

Today’s soundtrack: Elephant, Tame Impala We hope this newsletter brightened your Thursday! It was curated and edited by David Beard, Hannah Farrow, and Jen Tse. Have a story idea? Let us know here. Know a friend who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup. See you tomorrow!

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