💡 Why You Can’t Help But Act Your Age

What’s popular and new this week in Nautilus. [View in browser](| [Join Nautilus]( EDITORS' CHOICE Together with Did a friend forward this? [Subscribe here.]( Hello there Nautilus readers, and thanks for joining us. This Sunday, the stars foretell our doom (no, really). Plus, we have the haunted forest of butterflies, and the power of physician empathy. And our popular story this week reveals why you can’t help but act your age. I’m jealous of all the memorable hiking trips many of you have been on—none of mine really stick out. Be sure to check out your question today (on gratification) and today’s free story (on getting your game face on) below. Hope you’re enjoying the weekend! —Brian Gallagher The latest from Nautilus ASTRONOMY The Stars Foretell Our Doom Post-apocalyptic star systems could reveal the fate of our own. BY SEAN RAYMOND We pretty much know how all this ends—“this” being the time that life gets to enjoy existing on Earth. [Continue reading →]( ZOOLOGY The Haunted Forest of Butterflies A winning photograph shows millions of Monarchs dripping from Mexico’s fir trees in winter. BY LIZ LINDQWISTER [Continue reading →]( HEALTH The Power of Physician Empathy A new Rx for chronic pain? BY ELENA RENKEN [Continue reading →]( ADVERTISEMENT The Best Insect Repellent for Nature Lovers Nature gives us plenty of wonderful things. It also gives us mosquitoes. Thankfully, there’s an insect repellent that’s rooted in nature and optimized by science: [STEM For Your Skin Mosquito + Tick Repellent](. [STEM Mosquito + Tick Repellent]( repels biting insects for up to 8 hours with no fragrance or grease. Best of all, its active ingredient is inspired by piperidine, a compound found in plants that produce black pepper—so you can trust it to protect your family. [Pick some up](, and enjoy the great outdoors in peace. [Shop STEM]( Popular This Week HEALTH Why You Can’t Help But Act Your Age The surprising relationship between mindset and getting old. BY ANIL ANANTHASWAMY In 1979, psychologist Ellen Langer and her students carefully refurbished an old monastery in Peterborough, New Hampshire, to resemble a place that would have existed two decades earlier. [Continue reading →]( WE ARE CURIOUS TO KNOW... What’s the most gratifying experience you’ve had with a doctor? Let us know! Reply to this newsletter with your response, briefly explaining your choice, and we’ll reveal the top answers. (This question was inspired by “[The Power of Physician Empathy](.”) Top Answer to Our Previous Question (On a Hiking Experience You’ll Never Forget) • We were caught unprepared by a midsummer rainstorm trying to pitch our tent on Shi Shi beach, on the Olympic peninsula. We quickly packed up and slogged through the woods back to the car and drove ’til we found an open motel in Port Angeles, sometime after midnight, and collapsed into bed. We could hear the grains of sand dropping off the tent where we hung it up. – Bill T. • I got lost in Muir woods, wandering through those majestic redwoods, a unique and deeply spiritual experience. Six hours felt like 30 minutes. – Andy W. • A group of my friends and I hiked Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine using the Appalachian Trail. The view from the summit was surreal. The exciting part was traversing the Knife Edge. It was nearing dark when we arrived at our vehicles. Turns out we were supposed to check in with the rangers. We forgot. Luckily we were “found” in the parking lot and given a bit of a scolding. Oops! – Peter A. • Not that long ago, I walked the three-day Inca trail. When I close my eyes, and take a deep breath, I can be there, walking again. – Marcos P. • Three glorious weeks hiking around the desert in Big Bend National Park changed my perspective on life. The beauty and solitude of the desert environment may not be for everyone but, as a kid from the suburbs of New Jersey, it had a profound impact. – Brad W. Who Needs Paper Straws? With the [OXO 4-Piece Stainless Steel Reusable Straw Set]( you can cut down on waste and never use a paper straw again. [BUY ON AMAZON]( QUOTE OF THE DAY “If humanity is still around, it will be a glorious time.” [Sean Raymond explains why faraway moons in the solar system will become island paradises.]( Your free story this Sunday! PSYCHOLOGY Why the Best Athletes All Have Their Own #PhelpsFace The importance of the right headspace. BY ZACH ST. GEORGE [Continue reading for free→]( Mellow Out with Sharks Donald Nelson, the unflappable biologist, spear fisherman, and shark fanatic who inspired Richard Dreyfuss’ frenetic marine biologist in Jaws, was a lot more mellow than his on-screen counterpart. His friends describe him as completely at home in the ocean, according to Katharine Gammon’s [story]( “The Shark Whisperer.” “Mellow” and “at home in the ocean” also describe the music of the beachy album Floreana One, from the artist Floreana (named by founder Victoria Mordoch after the Galapagos island). That’s why Mordoch was the perfect choice to read Katharine Gammon’s story about Nelson. Sit back, relax, and let Mordoch take you on a journey through the fascinating life of “the shark whisperer” by [watching]( or [listening]( to her narration on [YouTube]( or [Spotify](. [WATCH]( [LISTEN]( P.S. The American swimmer and 23-time Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps was born on this day in 1985. On the second day of the 2016 Rio Olympics, he [revealed what may be the world’s best game face](, scowling like someone trying to lift a double-decker bus with his mind, his jaw twitching. “If you look at a high-level athlete, they are a tremendous study in concentration and focus,” cognitive neuroscientist Bradley Hatfield, a former athlete and coach, told Nautilus. “Their ability to coordinate their movements under intense pressure, it’s almost like a performing a fine art.” Today’s newsletter was written by Brian Gallagher Thanks for reading. [Tell us](mailto:brian.gallagher@nautil.us?subject=&body=) your thoughts on today’s note. Plus, if you find our content valuable, consider [becoming a member]( to support our work, and inspire a friend to sign up for [the Nautilus newsletter](. Copyright © 2024 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from [nautil.us](. Our mailing address is: NautilusNext 360 W 36th Street, 7S, New York, NY 10018 Don't want to hear from us anymore? [Unsubscribe](