“Saks Taps into Wellness Economy in Immersive, Experiential Concept Shop” – Luxury Daily, May 15, 2017
In a first move for a department store, NYC’s Saks Fifth Avenue has created The Wellery, a “store-within-a-store” devoted to wellness experiences: everything from hundreds of fitness classes, athleisure, skincare products/treatments, meditation, massage, reiki, a gym equipment showroom…even salt rooms. Open through October, it’s a striking indication that wellness has taken hold of luxury retail and that struggling department stores are looking to wellness for revitalization.
“The Everyday Habits that Reveal our Personalities” – BBC Future, May 18, 2017
From dining on spicy food to singing in the shower, seemingly innocuous behaviors may say a lot about your character. This new research may in turn contribute to better, more targeted health campaigns and interventions.
“Boredom is Good for You” – The Atlantic, June 2017
Boredom isn’t all bad. By encouraging contemplation and daydreaming, it can spur creativity.
“Challenging Mainstream Thought About Beauty’s Big Hand in Evolution” – The New York Times, May 29, 2017
As a response to Yale evolutionary biologist Richard O. Prum’s new book, “The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World — and Us,” this article explores whether aesthetic judgments about mates are tied to traits we see as adaptive (or worth passing on). Or whether beauty “just happens.”
“The Mystery of the Wasting House-Cats” – The New York Times Magazine, May 16, 2017
Forty years ago, feline hyperthyroidism was virtually non-existent. Now it’s an epidemic, and some scientists think a class of everyday household chemicals might be to blame. If they’re wreaking havoc on the hormones of cats, what are they doing to us? It’s important because environmental toxicants are equal-opportunity hazards and sick animals can be sentinels, warning of looming threats to human health.
A Striking Stat:
If global emissions and temperatures continue to rise, people can expect more sleepless nights: by 2050, for every 100 people, an extra 6 nights of sleeplessness will happen each month…doubling to 14 nights by 2099.
Source: Study in Science Advances, May 2017