10/1/26 - Happy October! Plastic Food, Pandamonium, and Nav Friends
Thursday 10/1/26
Happy October!!!
Although October is the 10th month in our modern Gregorian calendar, its name comes from octo, the Latin word for "eight". This is because it was the eighth month in the early Roman calendar before January and February were added.
October 18 is St. Luke’s Little Summer. This is a date steeped in folklore. Traditionally, around Saint Luke’s feast day, there is a brief period of calm, dry weather.
Why do leaves change colors? Did you know that fall’s vivid colors are actually hidden underneath summer’s green? The main reason for the color change is not autumn’s chilly weather, but light—or rather, the lack of it. The green color of leaves disappears when photosynthesis (from sunlight) slows down, and the chlorophyll breaks down. Trees with a lot of direct sunlight will produce red leaves, while other trees may turn yellow, orange, or brown.
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Celebrate:
CD Player Day
Homemade Cookie Day
International Coffee Day
International Day of Older Persons
International Music Day
International Raccoon Appreciation Day
Less Than Perfect Day
Model T Day
National "JIFFY" Mix Day- recognized as the first prepared baking mix sold to the public.
National Black Dog Day
National BOOK IT! Day
National Fire Pup Day
National Green City Day
National Hair Day
National Lace Day
National Pumpkin Spice Day
World Vegetarian Day
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Researchers participating in NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge have successfully engineered a specialized yeast strain capable of breaking down agricultural waste and PET plastic. The system transforms plastic waste into protein-rich, 3D-printed snacks dubbed "µBites". NASA is literally baking plastic waste into cookies for astronauts on long space missions! I wonder if it smells like when you made Shrinky Dinks??
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Time to head to Atlanta to see the new giant Pandas.
Two new pandas arrived in Atlanta on September 27, bringing them back to the zoo after nearly two years away.
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang flew from Chengdu, China, to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on a special FedEx Boeing 777 known as the "Panda Express." FedEx donated the transportation for the trip.
Zoo Atlanta says Ping Ping's name is part of a name he shares with his twin brother and represents a blessing for a smooth, healthy life. Fu Shuang's name comes from "Fu Lu" and means "happiness."
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The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office shared video and a funny post after a tortoise named Lard escaped a yard last month.
According to the sheriff's office, Animal Control Officer McMullen responded to a report of a wandering tortoise in Littleton on Aug. 31.
Lard, a Sulcata tortoise that weighs just under 100 pounds, escaped the fenced in yard "with big travel plans and absolutely no sense of urgency.
The animal control officer and a bystander lifted Lard up and returned Lard home.
"Sometimes helping an animal means lending a hand. This time, it took a few," the post reads.
See the video of the capture here.
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In your friend group, do you have a Nav Friend or Navigation friend.
Think of them as your crew's behind-the-scenes guide. While everyone else is asking, "Where are we going?" "How do we get there?" or "How much longer?", the nav friend is on it. They've pulled up Google Maps, counted the subway stops, watched for the right exit, and have the authority to say, "this way!" as the rest of the bunch follows.
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