There's a new challenge making the rounds on social media, and just reading about it is sure to make your face pucker up. In honor of Endometriosis Awareness Month, some celebs are participating in the #BiteTheLemonChallenge, which, as you may have guessed, involves chomping into a sour lemon. "Biting into a lemon wedge is uncomfortable. Sharp. Unexpected. It makes your face scrunch, your body react, and your nerves light up instantly. That jolt is intentional," explains the Endometriosis Foundation of America, noting that the discomfort is meant to create "a shared physical moment that helps others feel what's so often ignored." Learn more about the challenge and watch Padma Lakshmi's take, biting into peel and all.
Once-in-a-Decade Wildflower Bloom Brings Life to Death Valley
Will Lester—MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/Getty Images
Spring may still be a few weeks away, meteorologically, but you wouldn't know it looking at Death Valley right now. Wildflowers are popping up in what's likely to be the park's greatest bloom since 2016. And the best may still be yet to come, as many of the higher elevation flowers haven't opened yet, according to the National Park Service. The lush growth at one of the driest places on Earth comes thanks to three conditions aligning: well-spaced rainfall across autumn, winter, and spring; warm temperatures; and favorable wind conditions. The bright yellow desert gold seen in the photo above (aka Geraea canescens) is especially prominent at the moment, but other blooms are expected to join the colorful party later this month, with even more emerging from April through June. "Whether it rises to the status of a superbloom is in the eye of the beholder," botanist Naomi Fraga of California Botanic Garden told SFGATE, noting the bloom appears somewhat localized compared to previous years. Superbloom or not, if you decide to see the scene for yourself, keep four words in mind: Don't doom the bloom. In other words, stay on marked trails and off the flowers! And if you're not local, feast your eyes on more pics here.
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It's been an exceptionally snowy year for the East Coast, with several big storms (and some big snowmen, too). Still, some cities are clearing streets faster than years past, thanks to new technology. Syracuse, New York, widely considered America's snowiest city, has seen complaint calls about snow removal drop by roughly 30% since implementing a system from the tech company Samsara, the Associated Press reports. Gone are the days of calling a hotline to find out whether or not your block has been plowed. Today's snowplows are increasingly equipped with GPS tracking, dashcams with mapping software, and AI, allowing officials to monitor vehicles in real time and giving residents a better way to see which streets have already been cleared. And it's not just happening in Syracuse — tech upgrades are improving snow removal from New Jersey to Michigan. For the first time, Fayetteville, Arkansas, launched a public-facing snow removal map this winter and reported saving on fuel and labor costs despite handling double the snowfall from a year ago. "This is the first year some roads have ever been treated or plowed, and that goes right back to being able to see where we need to go and if we've been there," said Ross Jackson Jr., the city's fleet operations manager.
Health
Common Epilepsy Drug May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Plaques
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
A common epilepsy drug may help prevent Alzheimer's disease progression before symptoms even appear, according to a recent study out of Northwestern. Called levetiracetam, the FDA-approved medication was found to actually block the protein buildup behind Alzheimer's plaques, rather than clearing plaques after they've already formed, as existing treatments do. But for the drug to be effective, high-risk individuals would need to start taking it "very, very early," corresponding author Jeffrey Savas explained in a press release, noting that the ideal time could be up to 20 years before standard tests would even detect elevated levels of the toxic protein fragments. "You couldn't take this when you already have dementia because the brain has already undergone a number of irreversible changes and a lot of cell death," he added. Researchers are focusing on patients with genetic forms of Alzheimer's as the most promising early candidates. That includes those with Down syndrome, more than 95% of whom will develop the disease by around age 40. An analysis of existing clinical data found that Alzheimer's patients who took levetiracetam survived significantly longer after a cognitive decline diagnosis compared to those taking other anti-epileptic drugs or none at all. "Although the magnitude of change was small (on the scale of a few years), this analysis supports the positive effect of levetiracetam to slow the progression of Alzheimer's pathology," Savas said.
In Other News
Pro women's hockey will set an attendance record at its sold-out Madison Square Garden debut next month (read more)
Punch update!The viral monkey is making friends and leaning less on his plushie for comfort (read more)
Minnesota lawmakers advanced a bipartisan bill requiring health insurance to cover infertility treatments (read more)
France opened its first LGBTQ+ senior living residence, featuring rainbow-themed decor and a communal garden (read more)
One step toward lunar farming: Scientists grew and harvested chickpeas in simulated moon soil (read more)
Inspiring Story
A grounding place
Last week, hundreds lined up for the grand opening of Bevel Coffee, one of the first new storefronts to open in Altadena since the Eaton fire devastated the Los Angeles neighborhood in early 2025. Before its brick-and-mortar spot, Bevel operated a thriving pop-up coffee shop for years. "It's a weekend touchpoint for us, and it's been really grounding for this community who's been through a lot," Altadena resident Nancy Stiles said. See a glimpse of the grand opening.
Eyes on Milano Cortina
Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
The U.S. Paralympic sled hockey team has a shot at making history at the Milano Cortina Games. A gold medal would complete the first-ever sweep of the men's, women's, and Paralympic hockey competitions by a single nation. "No country has ever won all three gold medals in hockey before in the Olympics and the Paralympics," Josh Pauls, the team captain, said this week, per NHL. "So I'd say it's a little bit of pressure, but pressure is a privilege, right?" You can watch Team USA play Germany today at 12 p.m. ET.
Vita Coco Coconut Water
Potassium may not be the trendiest nutrient on your feed, but it deserves more attention, especially if you often feel bloated. The essential mineral helps regulate fluid balance and supports digestion by helping muscles contract properly. Vita Coco coconut water contains about 470 milligrams of potassium per eight-ounce serving, making it an easy, convenient, and delicious way to increase electrolyte intake while hydrating.
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Quote of the Day
"Every hardship is an opportunity that you are given, an opportunity to grow."
We Feed Raw was identified as one of 16 pet foods with the lowest overall contaminant levels, making it one of the cleanest-performing pet foods tested in 2026.
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