There is so much beauty to be had in nature. It’s hard to grasp just how many different plants and animals we share this Earth with. Sometimes, we don’t realize when we’re enjoying the outdoors that we might be in someone else’s home. That field that looks like a lot of fun for a softball game is probably home to lots of little creatures. Even though they don’t care if we come to play most of the time, occasionally, they want some privacy. A viral Instagram video shows a bear creeping into a grassy area on Burnaby Mountain in Canada. Most of the people in the crowd scatter, but one couple doesn’t even seem to notice. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The nature aura (@thenature_aura) The Bear Never Got Spooked Although plenty of people got up to run from the bear, it didn’t seem to mind. One couple shared a blanket in the middle of the field, and even as others scrambled to get out of the way, they remained. They appeared to be reading, ever so casually, and blissfully unaware that they could be dinner if they stuck around too much longer. People much further away yell and laugh until they finally get the couple’s attention. Lots of people wondered why no one in proximity tried to help the couple. “So many things about this video made me mad,” a follower wrote. Some pointed out that some people had survival skills, but just not the inclination to help others. “Let’s not saying anything so the bear will get them and not us survival skills 101,” a comment reads. “It took a guy from a 2 parking lot aware to warn those 2 people? No one in that area just shouted ‘bear’ wtf is wrong with those people,” someone agreed. These people are darn lucky they escaped the bear unharmed. That must have been a really good book. This story’s featured image can be found here

Andrew Briedis hated playing baseball as a kid, but his mom loved it. She coached his little league team for years, and week after week, the team won. Andrew readily admits he wasn’t the best player on the team, and was likely the worst, but he stuck it out for one final season in 1993. That year, his mom recruited one heck of a team, and they won the league championship. Andrew’s mom presented her son with the game ball following the final pitch. It’s what she wrote that changed his life. @andrewbriedis Her name was Bonnie. #mothersday ♬ original sound – andrewbriedis Andrew Briedis’ Mom Was There for Her Son Andrew Briedis showed the ball in a recent TikTok and explained that it was his favorite thing on Earth. His mom died when he was 15, but not before gifting him that incredible game’s ball. He admitted he didn’t deserve the game ball for his skills on the field, but it came from his mother’s heart, which touched him. “She wrote on it, ‘June 26, 1993. Game ball for our championship season. First Place presented to Andrew. For without him, I wouldn’t be coach. Congratulations, Mommy,’” Andrew read. “This is the favorite thing that I have.” The story touched so many. “She only loved being a coach because of how much she loved spending time with you. You’re so loved,” a comment reads. “You’re so lucky to have had a strong and beautiful mother who cared so deeply for you. It sounds like you were everything to her. I’m sorry your time together was cut short. Thank you for sharing, I wish you joy until you see her again,” another person added. Andrew Briedis adored his mother because she poured herself into making him happy. When baseball didn’t pan out, she helped him get involved in theatre, where he shone. But in Andrew’s heart, his mother will always be the biggest star. This story’s featured image can be found here

Editor’s note: The following is based on recent research and should not be construed as medical advice. For questions, please contact a healthcare professional. Going back to the first real bumps and bruises we got in preschool, the best remedy was always to put an ice pack on it. In fact, just about any playground injury could be solved in seven to 10 minutes with some combination of a Band-Aid, a sandwich bag full of ice cubes, and a hug from the teacher. However, a new study out of McGill University is challenging one of the core medical assumptions about icing an injury. In a recent study published in the journal Anesthesiology, researchers injected mice with irritants into their paws and leg muscles to simulate injury. (Poor mice!) The mice were divided into groups whose legs were iced in 39°F water and groups whose legs were not. To the average person, the results were probably pretty surprising. A woman icing and elevating her arm. Photo credit: Canva How did the mice that got ice heal compared with those that did not? In the short term, the mice that received ice had less pain and inflammation than those that did not. However, the mice that received ice treatment three times a day for 30 minutes each took 40 days to fully recover. Those that received it just once for 60 minutes a day averaged 25 days. Those that received no ice at all recovered in roughly nine to 20 days. “These results highlight a paradox: treatments that reduce inflammation and relieve pain in the short term may, in some cases, interfere with the biological processes required for full recovery,” lead study author Lucas Lima, a research associate at the Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, said in a statement. A child with an injured knee. Photo credit: Canva Why does icing an injury delay the healing process? The researchers on the “ice on mice” study found in prior studies that neutrophils—white blood cells that rush to the site of an injury—are inhibited when patients take anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen. The researchers speculate that when ice is applied to an injury, the same thing happens. The lack of neutrophils prevents the body from shutting down the pain response after the injury has healed. A woman icing her injured wrist. Photo credit: Canva The results of the study may take some people aback. But McGill University isn’t the only organization questioning whether we should apply ice to injuries. In a study titled “Is it the End of the Ice Age?”, the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy questioned its efficacy. “…the efficacy of using ice as a recovery strategy following injury in humans remains uncertain, and there is a growing trend recommending against icing following injury,” Susan Y. Kwiecien wrote. “Animal models suggest that while ice can help to accelerate the recovery process, extreme muscle cooling might delay repair and increase muscle scarring.” Ultimately, much work remains to be done before we stop using ice to ease pain and inflammation altogether. “Our results suggest we need to better understand when anti-inflammatory strategies are helpful and when they are not,” senior study author Jeffrey Mogil, a James McGill Distinguished Professor and E. P. Taylor Chair in Pain Studies, concluded. The post Hurt your knee? New research says think twice before grabbing an ice pack. appeared first on Upworthy.

A funeral is no one’s idea of a good time, but there’s more to dislike about traditional burial ceremonies than just the grief. There’s the outrageous, almost predatory, expense—with a funeral in many states costing anywhere from $6-12,000. The use of millions of gallons of embalming fluid annually is bad for vegetation, soil, water quality, and critical ecosystems. Not to mention, coffins that never decay permanently occupy a finite amount of land. Cremation is sometimes seen as a better option, but it has its drawbacks. The energy consumption, carbon emissions, and toxic pollutants created during the process are far from environmentally friendly. It’s no wonder that “natural funerals” are rapidly rising in popularity. USA’s largest ‘human composting’ facility opens on the East Coast A company called Earth has been a pioneer in the field of “human composting,” which is exactly what it sounds like. Their facilities turn human remains, through a gentle and natural process, into rich and fertile soil. Families take the soil home and spread it, like ashes, or use it as the foundation of a memorial garden. Previously, Earth has operated two centers on the West Coast: One in Washington, and the other in Nevada. Their popularity meant that families were often forced to fly the remains of loved ones across the country in order to take part in the ritual. The company just opened up a new location in Elkridge, Maryland; its first on the East Coast. The brand new facility is also now the largest of its kind in the country. View this post on Instagram How human composting works Unlike traditional morgue work, composting is gentle and natural. The body is wrapped in a biodegradable shroud and placed in a chamber or vessel. It’s then surrounded by organic materials like mulch, wood chips, plant life, wild flowers, and more. The chamber is kept extremely hot, which helps the process along and kills pathogens, and in around 30 days, all that’s left inside is nutrient-rich soil. Each person transforms into about one cubic yard of soil. The cost, meanwhile, is roughly on par with that of cremation. The end product—something lively, organic, and natural; not a steel urn or an enormous casket—is deeply meaningful to the people left behind. Stephen Spiese of Pennsylvania drove his late wife all the way to Washington to use Earth’s facility there. An emotional Spiese told CBS News, “To be laid in that rich soil, surrounded by wildflowers, I can’t think of a thing she would’ve wanted more than that.” View this post on Instagram Human composting has only recently become legal in several states Processes like the one carried out by Earth have been steadily gaining legal support. Currently, human composting is legal in 14 states including Maryland, Arizona, California, Vermont, and Washington. More are joining the movement every year. However, human composting is not the only form of green funeral or burial that’s growing in popularity. More families than ever are making perhaps the simplest choice possible: burying loved ones in simple, untreated wooden caskets or even just a biodegradable shroud. No toxic embalming chemicals or elaborate coffins involved. It’s another excellent choice for protecting ecosystems and habitats, as well as the cost and environmental footprint of the burial. Some areas even offer “conservation burial grounds,” which are protected nature preserves where natural funerals are allowed. Lakespur, one such green burial site, writes, “With conservation burial, families and friends are encouraged to get close and participate in the rituals of care around the body. There’s no forklifts stacking containers inside a warehouse, and there’s no flip of a switch for a casket to magically disappear into a grave. No. At Lakespur, people are invited to get close and participate in the process. The person’s body is lowered by hand by the people who loved them. They get to fill in the grave by hand with shovels. They do the hard work because saying goodbye is hard work.” View this post on Instagram Fewer and fewer people are choosing traditional funerals with caskets and embalming. It’s projected that by 2040, over 80% of people will choose cremation over a casket burial. But that’s not accounting for the rise of other, more natural choices. A recent survey of American funeral preferences found that about 40% of Americans would consider human composting. That’s about the same number of people who are even aware of the concept, which indicates that many people find it appealing once they learn how it works. With the environment in crisis and green space for permanent graveyards slowly running out, a return to more natural rituals makes sense. But the movement is about much more than that. There’s something undeniably beautiful about our bodies returning to the Earth, in whatever form that takes. It brings comfort and a greater sense of connection to all involved. The post Largest ‘human composting’ facility in the country aims to return our bodies to nature when we die appeared first on Upworthy.

Younger generations swiftly adapt when learning the latest technologies. Whether it’s the latest iPhone, Meta Glasses, or a new app, it’s usually easily mastered in minutes. And, although older generations may not naturally be the most tech-savvy, some are eager to learn and keep up with the times—especially when it involves food delivery. Their success rate all comes down to instruction from a patient teacher. So, when Francesca Rietti’s 102-year-old Grandpa George and 89-year-old Grandma Annie asked her to help them learn how to use Uber Eats, she happily stepped up. Rietti documented the journey in a series of touching videos that have the Internet smiling. “I think people connect with them because they’re genuinely just very positive, curious people who are still excited to learn new things,” Rietti tells Upworthy. @francescarietti found your new biggest fans @Uber Eats ♬ original sound – Francesca Rietti Introduction to Uber Eats Rietti shared the first lesson with her grandparents in a series of TikTok videos. “Welcome to UberEats 101,” she says at the beginning. Rietti sits in front of a desktop computer with her grandparents on either side of her as she takes them to Ubereats.com to get started. “I had to teach them on the desktop computer because their iPhones are too old to support the Uber Eats app. It literally wouldn’t let me download it on their phones, which honestly made the whole thing even funnier,” she tells Upworthy. The camera pans to her Grandma Annie, who has a notebook and pen to take notes. Step by step, Rietti explains the browser and how to find the Uber Eats homepage. Grandma Annie is locked in, asking lots of questions. At one point, Rietti touches the computer screen, not knowing it is a touchscreen—but her grandma is well-aware. “Whoa!” says Rietti. She shares that her grandparents can choose from any kind of food, like pizza or sushi or steak. They settle on testing things out with Morton’s Steakhouse, adding that they can see how long a delivery is estimated to arrive, how to “add to cart,” and more. Her grandpa asks about tipping, and she explains the default setting for it. @francescarietti my phone died but don’t fret, they are about to be @Uber Eats top customer ♬ original sound – Francesca Rietti The grandparents test it out In a second video, Grandma Annie gives it a shot with ordering a steak. However, she wants a different steakhouse. A sweet banter between the couple arises, as they can’t remember the name of the local place they want to order from. “My mind is a sieve. It’s been there a thousand years. They only accept cash. They may not even do Uber,” her grandma dryly quips. @francescarietti “oh, that sounds like fun!” @Uber Eats ♬ Why Can’t I? – Liz Phair Rietti’s videos following her technology lesson on Uber Eats have gone viral, and she shared a third video showing her grandparents’ excitment at the news. “Waking up to call my grandma and let her know the video of me teaching her how to use Uber Eats went viral and that millions of people are loving it!” she wrote in the video’s caption. “She immediately started taking notes on all the stats I was telling her so she could update my grandpa when he wakes up.” She also shared that they plan to place an order together during their next visit. “Now we have a dinner date next week to actually place an order and eat together,” she concluded. @francescarietti lowkey quick learners @Uber Eats ♬ original sound – Francesca Rietti They officially place an order Finally, the three are back together and place an Uber Eats order, this time with Grandpa George leading the helm. “lowkey quick learners,” Rietti captioned the video. Dinner will be steak, and the three sit at the computer as Grandpa George goes to work. “I’m letting George do it!” Annie exclaims as they pick out their steaks, appetizers, and dessert. Grandpa George reads out the final order in the cart before proclaiming 10% is a fair tip for delivery (unlike 20% in a restaurant, Annie says) and placing the order. “This is fantastic! I love Uber Eats!” proclaims Grandma Annie. “Good work, George!” Rietti tells Upworthy that the videos have put her in touch with Uber to help other senior citizens interested in trying Uber Eats. “I’m actually now in conversations with Uber about potentially finding ways to bring this idea to more seniors somehow, whether that’s a class, lunch and learn, or something similar,” she says. “I think there are so many older people who would genuinely benefit from technology like this if someone just took the time to sit with them and make it feel approachable.” Viewers respond Rietti’s grandparents captured the hearts of viewers. “So many comments are from people saying the videos made them call their grandparents or wish they had more time with them, which has been really emotional and meaningful for our family to read,” Rietti tells Upworthy. “What’s been coolest for me is seeing how much joy this has brought them. At their age, to suddenly have millions of strangers cheering them on every day is honestly really special. They’ve even started getting recognized occasionally, which completely blows their minds.” Viewers left many encouraging comments: “Big respect to your grandparents for even trying to learn!!!” “Grandpa knows grandma will be doing it anyways.” “As a UX student, I appreciate seeing these videos because I get a small glimpse of what a new user experiences and their thought processes! ” “I’ve been an Uber driver for 7 years. I wish I could deliver to them ” “She’s taking notes!! So cute ” “Their computer room ” “Showing our parents love and compassion with tech as they age is so important. You got me happy crying over here with your examples of patience and love.” “I admire your grandparents for continuing to learn on how to order for themselves. My parents are in their 70s and are not willing to learn how to navigate Uber eats.” The post Granddaughter teaches 102-year-old grandpa and 89-year-old grandma how to order Uber Eats appeared first on Upworthy.