How Can Parents Create More Biblical Christmas Traditions?

5 Christmas Movies with Christian Messages

Selecting the perfect baby name for your newest arrival can put extra stress on couples‚ especially when they disagree. Whether this will be your firstborn or you are a seasoned veteran parent‚ names are a huge deal. Choosing the right name can make your child’s life a joy or bring about pure misery. When these parents were discussing names for their child‚ it was a little hot but hilarious. I remember going over selected baby names. We did a round of “evil middle-schooler” testing. The goal was to think of every possible nickname we could create from our perfect baby name choice. We’re pretty sure this dad’s reasoning is not as stringent as the “evil middle-schooler” criteria. Image from YouTube. The video opens with the dad asking‚ “You don’t see a problem with those names at all?” The mom reassures him that she likes the names they are discussing. The frustrated dad looks at his wife‚ saying‚ “Our kids are gonna get bullied.” She argues back that their kids aren’t going to get bullied. The dad says‚ “Say it.” When the mom answers‚ we begin to understand the problem. Image from YouTube. The wife’s Boston accent causes her to pronounce “Carter” as “Cahteh.” Then he prompts her to say “Mark.” Her answer‚ “Mahk‚” contains a lilt of the voice‚ sounding like an adolescent boy having voice-change issues. The problem also includes their girl choices. One suggestion was “Piper.” When the husband has her pronounce that‚ it sounds something like “Pipah.” Image from YouTube. We Think You’re Grasping At Straws‚ Dad Dad ends the video almost speechless‚ but he does manage to say‚ “homeschool it is.” The kids will probably be fine if the parents aren’t spelling the name phonetically based on her accented pronunciation. We don’t think this dad’s reasoning for picking the perfect baby name holds wahteh. Watch the entire clip for a good laugh. Share with your friends‚ especially if they are expecting a baby soon! You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Man And Woman Argue Over Baby Names For The Funniest Reason. appeared first on InspireMore.

Set amid the rows of identical block apartments in the background‚ Huizhen High School is a breath of positive air for the students of Ningbo city‚ and it recently won one of architecture’s highest honors. Recently hailed as World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore on Friday‚ it was […] The post Among China’s Amorphous State-Run Schools‚ New Campus Wins World Building of the Year for ‘Blurring inside and outside’ appeared first on Good News Network.

This year‚ even though the news says otherwise‚ everyone I personally know is doing Christmas differently. Folks are cutting back‚ making less expensive meals‚ and buying useful gifts as opposed to spending hundreds on frivolous things. In that spirit‚ here’s a roundup of articles with gift ideas‚ holiday preparedness strategies‚ and frugal food. I hope you find some helpful inspiration within! Gift ideas Prepper Gifts Under $25 Just in Time for Christmas 8 Christmas Gifts Your Favorite Prepper Will Love Stealth Survivalist Christmas Gifts for the Non-Preppers in Your Life Cut Holiday Clutter: Give Preparedness Skills for Christmas Gifts 12 Christmas Gifts for the Healthy Cook’s Kitchen The Most Important Gift You Can Give This Holiday Season Don’t blow your budget wrapping gifts! 20 Free and Festive Ways to Wrap Christmas Gifts Christmas Food Easy‚ Egg-Free Christmas Cookies from the Pantry How to Make a Festive Christmas Dinner from the Pantry How to Prep with Those Christmas Dinner Leftovers Christmas Survival Selco’s Stories from an SHTF Christmas Christmas in Venezuela: What It Was Like After Socialism Destroyed the Country Merry Frugal Christmas: How to Enjoy the Holidays Without Going Broke How NOT to Die on Christmas Vacation Books as gifts Our entire roster of paperback books is available on Amazon for less than $25 apiece. Here are our options: First‚ we have Selco’s three books‚ which are absolutely incredible assets to your preparedness library: The Dark Secrets of SHTF Survival: The Brutal Truth About Violence‚ Death‚ &; Mayhem You Must Know to Survive SHTF Survival Boot Camp: A Course for Urban and Wilderness Survival during Violent‚ Off-Grid‚ &; Worst Case Scenarios SHTF Survival Stories: Memories from the Balkan War Next we have The Organic Prepper Anthologies. We’re working our way through the most useful and popular OP content and publishing it in paperback form. Here are the two that are out so far: How to Feed Your Family No Matter What: An Anthology of Self-Reliant Food Production‚ Acquisition‚ Preservation‚ and Preparation How to Survive During Dangerous Times: A Prepper’s Anthology of Home Security‚ Personal Safety‚ OPSEC‚ and Defensive Mindset And here are my books: The Prepper’s Water Survival Guide: Harvest‚ Treat‚ and Store Your Most Vital Resource The Prepper’s Canning Guide: Affordably Stockpile a Lifesaving Supply of Nutritious‚ Delicious‚ Shelf-Stable Foods Prepper’s Pantry: Build a Nutritious Stockpile to Survive Blizzards‚ Blackouts‚ Hurricanes‚ Pandemics‚ Economic Collapse‚ or Any Other Disasters Be Ready for Anything: How to Survive Tornadoes‚ Earthquakes‚ Pandemics‚ Mass Shootings‚ Nuclear Disasters‚ and Other Life-Threatening Events The Blackout Book: A Quick Start Guide to Handling a Power Outage Like a Boss How to Prep When You’re Broke: A Prepper’s Guide to Survival on a Budget Plus if you have family members you want to break in gently to preparedness‚ I have two books in the frugality niche. The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Living: Save Money‚ Plan Ahead‚ Pay Off Debt &; Live Well  What to Eat When You’re Broke: A Frugal Food Philosophy for Eating WELL on a Tiny Budget Other preparedness and survival titles for book lovers Here are articles with my other book recommendations for the entire family: The 10 Food Preservation Books Every Prepper Needs The Essential Prepper’s Library: 30 Books Every Prepared Family Should Own Our Top 20 Works of Fabulous Fiction to Inspire Self-Reliant‚ Liberty-Loving Children and Teens The Herbalist’s Bookshelf The Reader’s Choice Survival and Preparedness Library The Reader’s Choice Library: Prepper Fiction You’ve Gotta Read I hope these articles and ideas help! I hope that your holiday is winding up to be filled with peace‚ love‚ good food‚ and good people. I hope that some of the ideas here help you to make this a very prepared and pleasant holiday! Please share your own prepper or thrifty Christmas ideas in the comments section! Merry Christmas from all of us here at The Organic Prepper!   The post Everything You Need to Know for a Very Prepper Christmas appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

John Hicks made it home well after midnight on that chilly December night in 1773. Not wanting to wake his wife—and thus incur her wrath—he quietly entered his house in Cambridge‚ Mass.‚ gingerly removed his boots and silently crept up to bed. Recommended for you The next morning‚ Elizabeth came downstairs first. Spotting his out-of-place footwear‚ she quickly surmised that John had sneaked out during the night. When he finally woke up‚ a suspicious Elizabeth began questioning her husband about his nocturnal activities. At first‚ John denied ever leaving the house‚ but his wife continued her harsh interrogation: “Well‚ look at your boots standing here. They weren’t here last night when you wore them up to bed. Of course‚ you were out last night!” With that‚ Elizabeth picked up his boots and spotted something falling from them: tea leaves. John then fessed up—he had left the house to join the Sons of Liberty in neighboring Boston as they protested the hated Tea Act of 1773 and assisted in dumping 342 chests of the British Empire’s favorite beverage into the harbor. Hicks’ involvement in this historical event—marking its 250th anniversary this year—offers intriguing insight into a defining moment that triggered the American Revolution. On Dec. 16‚ 1773‚ more than 100 men—some dressed in American Indian outfits—clambered aboard three merchant vessels docked at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston and set in motion actions that led to the “shot heard round the world” at Lexington and Concord nearly two years later. “The Boston Tea Party was the catalyst that brought about this revolutionary change‚” wrote Benjamin Woods Labaree in his eponymous epic about the incident that upended history‚ first published in 1964. He added‚ “For three years before the Tea Party‚ the 13 American colonies shared no common cause‚ and relations between them and the mother country were relatively calm. Within 18 months after the Tea Party the colonies were united in war against Great Britain.” John Adams believed the tossing of tea was an earthshaking event. A resident of Braintree (now Quincy)‚ the future president learned about what happened the next day. In his diary‚ he wrote‚ “This Destruction of the Tea is so bold‚ so daring‚ so firm‚ intrepid and inflexible‚ and it must have so important Consequences‚ and so lasting‚ that I cant but consider it as an Epocha in History.” Hicks is believed to be one of the men who protested the Tea Act that night 250 years ago—“believed” because no eyewitness accounts exist naming those who boarded the ships: Dartmouth‚ Eleanor‚ and Beaver. The insurgents kept quiet afterward because their defiant act was viewed as treason by the Crown‚ punishable by hanging. Stories about those who tossed the tea began emerging more than a quarter-century later after America had already secured its independence. In fact‚ the protest itself was not referred to as the “Boston Tea Party” in print until 1834‚ according to historian Alfred F. Young‚ author of 1999’s “The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution.” Prior to that‚ it was known simply as the “destruction of the tea” and was rarely mentioned by early chroniclers because it didn’t fit the narrative of liberty-loving Patriots defending themselves against oppressive English aggressors. To date‚ only about 140 people have been identified as participating in the Tea Party. Hicks was one of them—at least according to an article printed in Volume 20 of the “Proceedings of the Cambridge Historical Society” in 1934‚ which described the encounter between him and his wife. Also thought to be there that cold night were William Breck of Boston‚ Joseph Dow of Amesbury‚ Mass.‚ and Michael Jackson of Newton‚ Mass. Jackson (see sidebar) has only recently been identified as involved in the Boston Tea Party. The stories of those four men provide a personal view of what happened that evening in Boston. A new effort helps to highlight their histories through a surprising source: their heirs. Developed by the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum and New England Historic Genealogical Society‚ a descendants program focuses attention on the bravery of these men as only their proud progeny can tell it. “John Hicks was a rabble-rouser‚” said Mary Ellen Rogan‚ a descendant of the tea-tossing rebel. “According to what I’ve learned‚ he was a Patriot while his sons were Loyalists. Neighbors reported hearing loud arguments coming from his home while the family was seated around the dinner table.” Rogan—along with Erica Hahn of California‚ Jonathan Lane and John Rando‚ both of Massachusetts‚ and John Cox of Connecticut—talked about their historical links to men who stood up for liberty. A librarian in New Jersey‚ Rogan discovered her relationship to Hicks some years ago while researching her family’s genealogy. As a child‚ she learned some ancestors were sea captains from Maine. Deeper digging as an adult revealed an even older connection to New England. “I discovered we had people in the Revolution and also on the Mayflower‚” she said. “When I got to Hicks‚ I learned he was a tax collector‚ though not a very good one. I don’t think his heart was in it.” Like many residents of Boston and surrounding communities‚ Hicks would have been aware of the mounting dissent over the tea tax imposed by the British. Several meetings and protests were held following the arrival of the first ship laden with crates of Bohea‚ Congou‚ Singlo and Hyson tea. Citizens were angered by England’s attempt to institute taxes when the colonies had no representation in Parliament—an act they viewed as tyrannical because of rights stipulated in the Magna Carta of 1215. In actuality‚ the Tea Act of 1773 did not include a tax. Parliament tried to sneak through duties from the Townshend Acts of 1766 and 1768‚ which had been vigorously opposed by the colonies‚ culminating in the Boston Massacre of 1770. English legislators backed down and repealed the law‚ only to try to slip it through one more time. Once again‚ the colonists were having none of it. In 1773‚ protests erupted up and down the Atlantic seaboard. Mostly‚ these remonstrations were peaceful. In New York and Philadelphia‚ ships were sent back to England without being allowed to unload their consignments. In Charleston‚ S.C.‚ crates of tea were left to rot on the docks. In Boston‚ however‚ Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson decided to enforce British sovereignty. He refused to let the merchant ships—owned by colonial traders—to leave without payment of the taxes by a deadline of December 16‚ 1773. That evening‚ the Sons of Liberty held a mass meeting at the Old South Meeting House. Up to 7‚000 people gathered outside the Boston church while patriot Samuel Adams attempted to get the governor to rescind his order. When that failed‚ Adams reportedly said‚ “This meeting can do nothing further to save the country.” After the crowd heard that news‚ someone shouted‚ “Boston harbor a teapot tonight‚” according to Young. It may have been a prearranged signal. Soon‚ a small group of men in Mohawk dress—signifying American independence to the colonists—started making its way to the waterfront. They were quickly joined by an angry mob‚ many of whom blackened their faces with soot to avoid being identified. One piece of the evidence that suggests the Boston Tea Party was planned is a notice that posted around town prior to Sons of Liberty meeting on that eventful eventide. Published by the “Chairman of the Committee for Tarring and Feathering‚” the inflammatory message urged Boston citizens to hold accountable “those odious Miscreants and detestable tools” responsible for preventing the tea’s return to England. “Hold yourselves in Readiness‚ on the shortest Notice‚ to give them such a Reception‚ as such vile Ingrates deserve‚” it proclaimed. Hicks was probably a protester that night—and may have taken extraordinary measures to be one. According to another descendant‚ he snuck out of his home—not by the front door‚ but through a second-story window. “Hicks hated the British; he despised them‚” said Erica Hahn‚ who is also related to the Pilgrims and is a board member of the California Mayflower Society. “Two of his sons were deeply Tory and tried to keep their dad from doing anything they didn’t approve of. Hicks made a ladder of sheets and climbed down from the bedroom to get out of the house without being seen. This is included in several family genealogies and I think it has the ring of truth.” On his way to Boston Harbor‚ Hicks might have bumped into Joseph Dow and his wife‚ Judith‚ who were visiting the town on December 16. Dow was a shipbuilder in Amesbury‚ located north of Boston on the New Hampshire border. It appears he was in Boston on business. During the British occupation of the town in 1775–76‚ Dow may have contracted to do work with the English military. “He was kept busy and well paid‚” claimed “The Book of Dow: Genealogical Memoirs‚” written by Robert Piercy Dow in 1929. Dow’s exact participation is unknown. He might have been swept up in the turmoil on the streets and followed the mob to Griffin’s Wharf‚ where he at least witnessed crates being hurled into the salty water. Dow later became a Tory and fled to Maine before moving to Canada‚ where he established a new ship-building business in New Brunswick. “He had come down to Boston on business and got caught up in this event‚” said descendant John Rando‚ who lives in Gloucester‚ Mass. “I suspect it was by happenstance. There’s no proof he was part of the Sons of Liberty‚ who were really the ones stirring the pot.” He added‚ “Joseph Dow was at the right place and the right time. He made a different choice after that‚ but I have relatives who were on the American side. Reuben Dow was a militia captain who fought at Lexington and Concord. He was later wounded at Bunker Hill. I can’t speak for Joseph‚ but Reuben left behind a wife and family to answer the call of duty. That says a lot.” In all likelihood‚ William Breck was an active participant in the Boston Tea Party. The Boston merchant served in the Boston militia‚ and was a member of the Sons of Liberty and a freemason‚ some of whom had an active role in planning the protest. He was also associated with patriot Paul Revere‚ who following the tea toss was dispatched by the Sons of Liberty to New York and Philadelphia to inform them of what happened. Jonathan Lane learned of his ancestral ties to Breck from his grandmother‚ Barbara Lane. She was the keeper of the family history—a job she inherited from her grandfather‚ Charles Edward Benton‚ a Civil War veteran. They were responsible for collecting documents and details about past relations so future generations would know the role they played in history. “Her grandfather told her about our ancestors in the American Revolution and she told me about them‚” recalled Lane‚ who is the Revolution 250 coordinator at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston‚ currently gearing up for America’s semiquincentennial in 2026. “I’m a child of the Bicentennial. I was 10 in 1976 and my grandmother was very keen to make sure I understood about our role in the American Revolution. I have dozens of relatives who fought and supported the war.” So‚ did Breck throw tea off the ships in Boston Harbor? Lane is not sure about that. Breck’s whereabouts that night are unknown‚ but it is thought he attended the gathering at Old South Meeting House and then exercised his right of civil disobedience. “Breck was actively engaged in the Sons of Liberty‚ St. Andrew’s Masonic Lodge and one of the local caucuses‚ which were all involved in protesting the tea tax‚” Lane said. “Because of those associations‚ it is assumed he was there. We know 92‚000 pounds of tea were unloaded into the harbor. That was a lot of work for the 140 or so men said to have been on the ships. There were probably many others that we don’t know about.” One of those who might have been on the ships and possibly wore Native American clothing was Michael Jackson. A forgotten hero of the American Revolution‚ he led a militia unit as English soldiers retreated from Lexington and Concord‚ was wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Jackson nearly lost a leg during an amphibious assault on an island in New York Harbor in 1776 and wintered at Valley Forge in 1778 (his wife is believed to have served as a nurse at that cold encampment). He was one of the few men to serve in the Continental Army from its inception in 1775 to its disbanding in 1783‚ when he held the rank of brevet brigadier general. Thanks to an elderly aunt‚ John Cox had been aware of his blood tie to Jackson since he was a child. Her diligent genealogical research was one of the reasons he joined the Litchfield Patriots‚ a nonprofit organization honoring the residents of his Connecticut town who fought for American independence. “Her mother was a Jackson and she was devoted to the history of the family‚” he recalled. “Over the years‚ she had collected a treasure trove of information on the Jacksons going back to the Revolution and before. When she knew she was fading‚ she started passing along to me her collection‚ which included copies of letters in Boston museums.” His membership in the Litchfield Patriots brought Cox in contact with Kristin Harris‚ research coordinator at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. She was in his town last year as part of a delegation placing a marker at the grave of Elisha Horton in commemoration of his role in the historic tea toss. At that event‚ Cox spoke to Harris about Jackson and described a letter referring to his ancestor’s involvement in the fabled fracas in Boston Harbor. After further research‚ she was able to verify that Jackson was indeed there (see sidebar)‚ making the Revolutionary War veteran the latest Tea Party participant discovered. On December 16‚ 1773‚ Jackson lived in Newton‚ then known as Newtown‚ which was about 10 miles from the scene of the crime. Because of that distance‚ it is surmised that the militia leader was already in Boston‚ probably having learned of the evening’s plans because of his involvement in the Sons of Liberty. The letter in question was penned by Jackson’s son‚ Ebenezer‚ in 1823. The missive to his son Ebenezer Jr.‚ details Michael Jackson’s military service‚ including how he fought in the French and Indian War‚ was a lieutenant in the Massachusetts Provincial Regiment‚ and served in the Continental Army. It also includes this tantalizing sentence: “He was one of those who under a disguise of Indian dress‚ destroyed the tea in Boston at the commencement of the Revolution.” With that verification‚ Cox and his brother were invited to Boston last fall to place a Boston Tea Party marker at Jackson’s grave at Centre Street Cemetery in Newton. “It was exciting to learn that Jackson had a hand in this‚” Cox said. “It’s fun to look back and learn that somebody could go through all that he did.” Understandably‚ the descendants of these four men are proud of their ancestors’ accomplishments in the Boston Tea Party and Revolutionary War. Their involvement is a badge of honor for them and their families—a symbol representing a patriotic zeal to sacrifice all for liberty and human rights. “It’s weird to have this connection to history because of something your ancestor did‚” Lane said. “So many people sacrificed so much for this cause. This is what inspires my work with Revolution 250 and inspires me to learn more about the people who participated in the Tea Party. I think it’s really important for us to continue their legacy.” “I’m thrilled to death to know that my family was there and involved‚” Rogan added. “They did what they believed they had to do. I’m glad to be descended from people like that. John Hicks and my other ancestors were thoughtful people who lived by their own code.” Ironically‚ Hicks did not get the chance to speak his story like other Boston Tea Party participants did years afterward. He was killed in Cambridge following the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19‚ 1775‚ when he and other militiamen made a stand against the Red Coats. Today‚ the Cambridge Martyrs memorial honors Hicks and four others who died for the Patriot cause. His home—the one where he climbed down a ladder of sheets to join the Boston Tea Party—is preserved on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge as the Hicks House Library. “Look at the sheer guts of this guy‚” Hahn said. “John Hicks was 58 years old and he hikes off to do this thing. He was so brave because he took such a risk. It just blows my mind.” Do you think you are descended from a tea-tosser? Learn more about the descendants program at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum (which has an actual crate of tea recovered from Boston Harbor) at https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/boston-tea-party-descendants. historynet magazines Our 9 best-selling history titles feature in-depth storytelling and iconic imagery to engage and inform on the people‚ the wars‚ and the events that shaped America and the world. subscribe today

The results of a small clinical trial of a vaccine for an aggressive form of breast cancer have been presented at a conference‚ and the researchers say there’s cause for optimism. The 16 patients in the trial all received three doses of the vaccine‚ with the majority developing a robust immune response and no major side-effects reported.Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) only represents about 10-15 percent of breast cancer cases overall‚ but these tumors tend to grow faster and there are fewer treatment options available for them. This cancer can also have a high risk of recurrence‚ even after successful treatment.“Triple negative” refers to the fact the cancer cells lack receptors for two hormones‚ progesterone and estrogen‚ and they also don’t overproduce a protein called HER2. This means that many traditional breast cancer drugs‚ which target HER2 or the hormone system‚ do not work.New treatment options for TNBC are therefore sorely needed‚ so the news back in 2021 that a vaccine was entering clinical trials was welcomed. This vaccine targets a protein called α-lactalbumin‚ which is present in a large majority of TNBC tumors.The aim of this early human trial was to determine the maximum dose people could tolerate‚ and to check whether it produced the immune response the researchers were looking for.Sixteen patients who had previously been treated successfully for TNBC were enrolled in the trial. They received three doses of vaccine‚ with two weeks in between each dose. Their immune responses were assessed by measuring two indicators of a T cell immune response (proteins called interferon-γ and interleukin-17)‚ as well as antibodies‚ which are produced by B cells.When given the maximum tolerated dose determined by the study‚ none of the participants reported any significant adverse effects from the vaccine‚ such as flu-like symptoms. The only side-effect was irritation of the skin at the injection site. The vaccine was also successfully able to evoke a T cell immune response in 75 percent of the study volunteers‚ although an antibody response was only observed at higher doses.“The data from our Phase 1 trial to date has exceeded our expectations‚ and we are pleased with our progress‚” said Dr Amit Kumar‚ Chairman and CEO of vaccine developers Anixa Biosciences‚ in a press release. “This vaccine is designed to direct the immune system to destroy TNBC cancer cells through a mechanism that has never previously been utilized for cancer vaccine development.”Anixa‚ in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic‚ is currently recruiting for another trial to test a combination of this vaccine and an immunotherapy drug called pembrolizumab‚ which is already used to treat various types of cancer. They will trial this combination treatment in patients with TNBC who are still showing evidence of disease after surgery and chemotherapy.A second trial is also being planned to test the safety of the vaccine in patients planning preventative mastectomies due to a high genetic risk of developing breast cancer in the future.“Now‚ that's a tough group to study because it's not a large group‚” explained Dr G. Thomas Budd‚ a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic‚ in a conversation with CancerNetwork®. “It's going to take a long time for patients to develop cancer‚ and of course there are surgical options at present. But it would be a very exciting approach‚ and we're really looking forward to trying to get funding to do these additional trials.” Budd continued in the press release‚ “There is a large unmet need for preventing TNBC‚ an aggressive form of breast cancer with few targeted treatment options available. [...] Our hope is that future studies will demonstrate that the antigen-specific T cell responses we observed translate to the prevention of breast cancer recurrence.”The results were presented at the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. 

All things being equal‚ you’d expect there to be about a one in twelve chance of sharing your birthday month with someone else‚ right? Well‚ not quite – at least‚ not if that person is your mom.“Not only did we find that women’s own season of birth influenced the seasonal patterns in the births of their children‚ but we have clarified how this influence works‚” reads a new paper from researchers at Universidad de Alcala and City University of New York. “Women are more likely to have children in the same month as their own birth‚” the team reports. “Moreover‚ the correspondence in month of birth extended to other family members: between fathers and children […] between adjacent siblings […] and between parents.”The project analyzed data from more than ten million births in total. They used official records covering Spain from 1980 to 1983 and 2016 to 2019‚ as well as France from 2000 to 2003 and from 2010 to 2013. Importantly‚ these records didn’t only contain information about the new arrivals’ dates of birth – they also included the same for the parents and closest sibling.The team was fully expecting to find more babies born at certain times of the year than others – this “birth seasonality”‚ as it’s known in academic circles‚ is a well-known phenomenon. For example‚ in English-speaking countries‚ you’re up to 40 percent less likely to be born on Christmas Day than on some random day in September.There are a few suggested reasons for this‚ both biological and behavioral: “Hypotheses include deterioration of sperm quality during summer‚ seasonal differences in anterior pituitary-ovarian function caused by changes in the daylight length‚ and variation in quality of the ovum or endometrial receptivity‚” explains a 2001 paper in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.“Increased sexual activity associated with end-of-year holiday festivities has also been postulated as a possible behavioral explanation for the December peak in conceptions‚” the paper adds‚ although “the exact reasons remain unknown.”But what came as a surprise to the researchers working on this more recent paper was what happened when they split the data up according to mothers’ birth month – when those general birth seasonality trends disappeared. Instead‚ babies whose mothers were born in January‚ say‚ were 4.6 percent more likely than expected to also be born in January; the same was true for babies of February-born mothers; and so on throughout the calendar.The effect was even more pronounced when comparing siblings: the rate of births within the same month as an older sibling was more than 12 percent higher than would be expected. Children were also very slightly more likely to share a birth month with their father – and‚ as logic would dictate given all that‚ there was also a higher chance of parents sharing a birth month.That’s interesting enough‚ but the real question is‚ of course‚ why? The team has their suggestions – and they may not be what you’re expecting.“The potential explanations seem to be both social and biological‚” said Adela Recio Alcaide‚ an epidemiologist at the University of Alcala and lead author of the study‚ in a statement. “The excess of children with a father and mother born in the same month seems to be due to social or behavioral causes prior to conception that relate to the choice of a partner born in the same month‚” she explained. “We have observed this excess with marriage statistics‚ with spouses being more likely to mate with someone from the same month.”So‚ the two-parents-one-month thing checks out. It’s actually not that surprising: “partnerships tend to be formed by people with similar socio-demographic characteristics‚” the paper points out‚ and "evidence has shown on numerous occasions that different socio-demographic groups display different seasonal birth patterns.”But what’s behind the apparent tendency for your mom to get down and dirty approximately three months after her birthday? Well‚ remember all those suggestions as to what’s behind birth seasonality more generally? Those tend to be socially specific‚ the team realized – and so‚ what mom experiences‚ so too will baby.“Biological factors that are known to affect birth seasonality – such as photoperiod exposure‚ temperature‚ humidity‚ and availability of food – also depend on socio-demographic characteristics‚” Luisa Borrell‚ a social epidemiologist at the City University’s Department of Epidemiology &; Biostatistics‚ Graduate School of Public Health &; Health Policy‚ said. “Different social groups are exposed to these biological factors to varying degrees.”The paper is published in the journal Population Studies.

This week a tap dancing spider has been rediscovered in Portugal after 92 years‚ scientific evidence sees a conviction overturned for a mother jailed for killing her four children‚ and mysterious green “ghosts” appearing in Earth’s upper atmosphere have been explained. Finally‚ we investigate the gruesome history of tooth transplants.Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science news delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday and Saturday. Voyager 1 Sends Back Repeating Patterns Of 1s And 0s From Interstellar SpaceVoyager 1 is the second-longest operating spacecraft in human history‚ losing out only to Voyager 2 which launched a few weeks earlier in 1977. The spacecraft has traveled further than any human-made object‚ crossing the heliopause and heading into interstellar space. With such a mission‚ you'd expect the occasional challenge‚ but now there is a new problem‚ and it's a frustrating one. Read the full story hereTap Dancing Spider Lost To Science For 92 Years Rediscovered In PortugalRediscovering previously lost to science species is becoming a bit of a hot topic at the moment and shows no sign of slowing down. After the rediscovery of Attenborough's long-beaked echidna‚ the team at Re:wild’s Search for Lost Species project are at it again‚ and this time they’ve found a tap dancing spider in Portugal. Read the full story hereA Previously Unknown Prehistoric “Lost World" Has Been Hiding Out On EarthMicrobial communities known as stromatolites have been found in previously unstudied lagoons in Patagonia. Fossilized stromatolites represent some of the earliest evidence for life on Earth‚ and while these are not the only survivors today‚ they resemble the fossils in ways no other known examples do. Read the full story hereMother Jailed For Killing Her 4 Children Has Convictions Quashed Thanks To ScienceAfter spending over two decades behind bars‚ Kathleen Folbigg’s convictions for killing her four children have now been quashed thanks to scientific evidence that suggested they died as a result of rare genetic conditions‚ not murder or manslaughter. Read the full story hereMysterious Green Lightning "Ghosts" Of Earth's Upper Atmosphere Have Finally Been ExplainedAmong the menagerie of types of glowing upper atmospheric phenomena‚ one has been named the “green ghost”. The first spectral imaging of one such ghost reveals the presence of iron and nickel in dust falling on the planet at the right time for electrical storms to produce an other-worldly glow. Read the full story hereTWIS is published weekly on our Linkedin page‚ join us there for even more content.Feature of the week: The Horrific History Of Tooth TransplantsTransplants are an amazing feat of medical science – but have you ever wondered why you never really hear about teeth from human donors being transplanted? It turns out the history of this procedure‚ known as a tooth allotransplant‚ is actually pretty gruesome. Read the full story hereMore content:Have you seen our free e-magazine‚ CURIOUS? Issue 17 December 2023 is out now. Check it out for exclusive interviews‚ book excerpts‚ long reads‚ and more.PLUS‚ check out season 3 of IFLScience's The Big Questions Podcast‚ so far we've asked:• Is Jurassic Park Possible?• How Is Climate Change Affecting Polar Bear Populations?• Why Is Space Junk Such A Big Deal?• Can We Save A Species On The Very Brink Of Extinction?• How Does A Quantum Computer Work And How Will They Change The World?• What Is Space Weather And How Does It Affect Us?• What Can Ancient Ice Tell Us About The Future?• Are E-Fuels The Future Of Aviation?• How Are Glaciers Changing In A Warming World?• Are We Ready For The Next Massive Solar Flare?

Is Joe Biden treating the press better than Donald Trump did? It’s a low bar to argue he doesn’t describe the media as “enemies of the people.” Is he really treating them as they view themselves – as representatives of the people? Or is he not interested in addressing the people? Are they all too negative? Ben Smith at Semafor reported on the White House holiday party for journalists‚ described as a chance “to dispel his main problem with the U.S. media right now — the undercurrent of concern that he’s too old for the job. It was an opportunity to say‚ in some sense: Hey‚ you idiots‚ I may be old but I’m fine.” Smith wrote that Biden made brief remarks at the East Wing party‚ “which began with the usual joke — I’m for a free press‚ even when you drive me crazy. But he then strayed into a couple of hazy monologues‚ which ended only when his wife interrupted him to remind him it was a party.” This is why Biden’s aides are always keeping the Hazy Monologues President away from reporters. Smith concluded: “I’d expect that speech to echo quietly in reporters’ minds — and in their coverage — over the coming months.” In mid-December‚ the number of solo presidential press conferences this year is just three. When Biden grants a television interview‚ to Scott Pelley at 60 Minutes or to Nicolle Wallace‚ you can guess that the interviewers have promised Team Biden that Old Joe won’t get any tough questions.  Instead‚ they ask him to explain how the Republicans are a dangerous pile of extremists. Ask something negative‚ and he gets cranky‚ like telling Fox’s Peter Doocy “I knew you’d have a lousy question” (because it was about Hunter).   Alex Thompson at Axios filed a piece quoting White House insiders who say Biden has a “Hunter trigger‚” that only longtime aides feel they can withstand the president’s fury or dejection at the subject. Reporters receive the fury when they ask…so he’s told not to answer questions‚ or announces he has a list‚ authorized by some authority‚ of reporters that he's told to call on. Then consider that as president‚ Biden has never granted an interview to White House reporters for major newspapers like the New York Times and the Washington Post. (AP reporter Josh Boak muddled through a Pelley/Wallace-style interview.)  The White House complains about negative coverage‚ but the Old Media is still overwhelmingly protective. His gaffes are routinely ignored. On December 8‚ the RNC tweeted out video of the president saying "Over a billion three hundred million trillion three hundred million dollars!" ABC‚ CBS‚ and NBC don’t share embarrassing outbursts like those. Even their late-night comedians generally skip those. Donald Trump runs circles around Biden in granting access to TV and print outlets. Nobody in his circle seems to restrict his access or protect him from outbursts and gaffes. The pro-Biden outlets thrive on his comments‚ like the “dictator for a day” joke to Sean Hannity. The media claim they are the guardians of democracy‚ but they’ve shown zero interest in Biden doing a debate with Rep. Dean Phillips or Marianne Williamson. The public tells pollsters they’d like to see Biden debate. But reporters like to pretend that there are no primary elections for Democrats this time. When it comes to taking questions‚ Joe Biden is the Bumper Bowling president. Every bowling ball he throws will score‚ because no one allows a gutterball. This leaves the impression that Joe Biden’s not running the country as much as other people are running Joe Biden.