Oh, it's magic

When it comes to supernatural shows, Bewitched was in a class of its own. There was nothing quite like watching Samantha scramble to solve a problem, like a mere mortal, only to get stuck and then with a twitch of the nose, problem solved 😎

Wouldn’t it be great if you could perform magic with a simple gesture? That might become a reality soon…sort of. Facebook parent company Meta is working on a wrist device that will allow you to control a computer with hand gestures.

You could lay your hands on the internet ;)

(Love nostalgia? Play today’s trivia below for a chance to win a $25 eGift Card!)

HEALTH

It doesn’t actually have to be 10,000 steps

According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney, the goal of walking 10,000 steps per day isn’t actually necessary to achieve the health benefits of regular walking.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Melody Ding, and her team analyzed 31 past studies on the health effects of a daily step count, including how they relate to risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depressive symptoms, and early death. They found 7,000 steps a day is a manageable and effective way of mitigating the risk.

Compared to those who walked an average of 2,000 steps per day, those who walked 7,000 had a 47% lower risk of all cause mortality, a 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 38% lower risk of developing dementia.

The researchers posited the notion of needing to walk 10,000 steps per day doesn’t appear to have scientific backing. While there are certainly benefits to walking more each day, Dr. Ding says the meta-analysis found 7,000 to be the sweet spot, and those looking to get their steps in should feel comfortable setting it as the target.

CURIOSITIES

How’d you get so funny?

Did you know there’s a scientific term for being able to make others laugh? It’s called humor production ability (HPA), and a first-of-its-kind study was recently published investigating if this characteristic is learned or ingrained in us.

“People are different in their sense of humour, so not everyone is funny,” said lead author Dr. Gil Greengross of Aberystwyth University. “Some are funnier than others, so an interesting question is what’s the source of these differences.”

Dr. Greengross and his team used the twin study method to analyze the inheritability of humor production, recruiting 1,300 adult twins, some of which were identical, and some fraternal. They asked the participants to produce humorous captions for cartoons that would be passed off to independent judges to evaluate how funny they were.

The hypothesis was that if HPA was more detectable in identical twins than fraternal ones, then the authors would conclude the trait is genetic.

However, that’s not quite what they discovered.

“To our surprise, we found very little to no genetic factor, and all the individual differences could be attributed to two factors: shared and non-shared environment,” Greengross said.

You can read on here for more on what Greengross et al found in their study about the origins of humor production.

MUSIC

Trailer arrives for Spinal Tap sequel

The trailer for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues was delivered to Rob Reiner, and he looked and he saw that it was good!

Spinal Tap II will debut in theaters on Sept. 12, and the first full-length trailer for the long-awaited sequel came out on Friday, giving fans a peek at what to expect from the funniest, best, worst, most ridiculously brilliant band ever in their return to action after 41 years in the wilderness.

David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer) all participate in the band’s reunion, along with a brand new drummer after their last one “sneezed himself into oblivion.”

Here is the full synopsis of the rockumentary:

“Forty-one years after the release of the groundbreaking mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, the now estranged bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) are forced to reunite for one final concert.”

“Spinal Tap II: The End Continues also marks the resurrection of documentarian Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner), who once again tries to capture his favorite metal gods as they contemplate mortality—and the hope that their 12th drummer doesn’t join them in The Great Beyond. Joined by music royalty Paul McCartney and Elton John, Spinal Tap wrestles with their checkered past to put on a concert that they hope will solidify their place in the pantheon of rock ’n' roll.”

RESOURCES

How AI supports caregivers

What’s AI got to do with caregiving? Great question. Our friends at Gray Monster – the newsletter that supports caregivers with heart, soul, and a much needed sense of humour – break it down for us.

In their current issue they cover how AI is being used to help with medications, fall prevention, and emotional support, and share news about the latest eye-watering statistic: 63 million Americans are now providing unpaid family care.

STAKE TRIVIA

Covering the covers

Any time you were checking out of the grocery store back in the ’80s, you probably took a second to check out the cover of People magazine 😏 

Do you remember who graced those covers in 1984? Find out with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 eGift Card ;)

Winner will be notified tomorrow afternoon—keep an eye on your inbox!*

Have a great day ahead Staker!

Today’s issue written by Michael Cowan, Joey Cowan, and Maureen Norman.


*SEE FULL STAKE TRIVIA CONTEST RULES HERE.