🌿 Paraguay’s greatest gift — or its curse

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
 
 
Inverse Daily
 
Thursday Dec 08 2022
 
 
Paraguay is one of only three countries on Earth where Ilex Paraguariensis grows naturally in abundance. The tree, a kind of holly, is known in the indigenous Guaraní language as ka'a, and its leaves hold power — both cultural and economic. The plant yields the beverage yerba mate, known today in the western world as a health-boosting brew that has ample caffeine and vitamins and minerals. It also holds a ceremonial and social significance for the people who grow the plant and drink its bounty. But despite such power, the plant's increasing popularity could also be a curse, spurred on by the climate crisis. For subsistence farmers in Paraguay, the yerba mate fields are a blessing — and a battle ground.

That's today's top story. Keep scrolling for more incredible tales of growing forests on Mars, a hidden ancient ecosystem, and more.
 
 
 
What's New
 
Feature Culture
 
 
Why yerba mate may be one of Paraguay’s greatest gifts — or its curse
 
To Ireno Vega and his wife, Zulma Chávez Bustamante, the existence and knowledge of how to grow and prepare yerba mate, an ancient Guaraní tea, represents more than a means to make a living.

“It means survival,” says Vega, a 60-year-old subsistence farmer with a wind-whipped face and a Hemingway beard. “And hope.”

Yerba mate is the key to the success of their community, an agricultural cooperative called Oñoirũ made up of some 130 families. Vega and Bustamante helped found the unique community, nestled in a rural part of southeastern Paraguay called “Kilometer 47,” with their four children in the 1970s. The region is part of what is called the Southern Cone — spanning southern Paraguay, northern Argentina, and western Brazil. It’s the only place on Earth — despite failed efforts— where the tree that yerba mate comes from, a kind of holly, is successfully cultivated.
 
Continue reading
 
Sponsored Audi
 
New holiday tradition: plug into a better future
 
Ah, holiday tech traditions: connecting to grandma’s ethernet port, going on an early-morning replacement phone charger run, and helping dad set up the smart TV (again). This time, ring in the new year with technology that brings a sense of optimism. With over 100 years of experience on the cutting edge, Audi has been manufacturing vehicles for premium mobility since day one. Fully electric motors housed in an elegant design rivals any family heirloom: That’s what makes Audi instantly recognizable. 

This year, combine the automotive name you know and trust with the premium features you dream of finding under the tree.
 
Explore Audi today
 
PANDORA'S BOX Entertainment
 
Avatar: The Way of Water producer doesn't care about its "cultural footprint"
 
When Avatar opened in 2009 and became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, it was both the vanguard of cinema’s technological present and a portent of its future. Thirteen years later, producer Jon Landau thinks Avatar: The Way of Water will have a similar effect thanks to the film’s many technological breakthroughs.

“We have a world we can’t possibly build and experience,” Landau tells Inverse. “You don’t want makeup on nine-foot characters. Technology is our only answer. And we set the bar for ourselves higher and higher each time we make a movie.”

Written and directed by James Cameron, the original sci-fi epic Avatar — set in a lush garden world called Pandora, home to wild beasts and towering blue aliens — encompasses complex but universal themes, from the careless greed of imperialism to love transcending cultural barriers. Its technical artistry is equally intricate. For his movie, Cameron strove to inch past the bleeding edge of cinema to bring Pandora to life. In doing so, the director and his army of artists paved the roads other filmmakers traveled for over a decade.
 
Read the full interview
 
WILD WORLD Science
 
Groundbreaking 2-million-year-old DNA discovery could hint at the future of Earth
 
The Ice Age conjures images of vast frozen landscapes, but it wasn’t always this frigid. At some points during this era, warmer ice-free periods allowed life to thrive. 

Now, scientists have discovered two million-year-old DNA from one such period in Greenland, and they believe their ancient findings could serve as a “road map” for our future. It’s the oldest DNA discovered to date, beating the previous record by a million years.

The DNA discovery is sixteen years in the making for the researchers. They published their work Wednesday in the journal Nature.
 
Continue reading
 
Space Science
 
This ecologist has an audacious plan to build forests on Mars
 
A century from now, people on Mars might stroll through forests filled with juniper trees, kudzu vines, and heath shrubs. Maybe. 

Ecologist Paul Smith of the University of Bristol suggests that long-term residents of Mars, whether they’re settlers or astronauts at research outposts, could build small nature preserves, shielded from the harsh Martian environment by clear domes or layers of Martian crust. But they’re not going to look quite like any forest on Earth.
 
Continue reading
 
TGAS 2022 Gaming
 
The Game Awards 2022 are tonight — here’s how to watch
 
Invariably one of the biggest shows in gaming, The Game Awards enjoys a stature previously enjoyed only by E3.

Whether you’re tuning in to see which of 2022’s best games are receiving honors or you just want a peek at the biggest games on the horizon for next year, The Game Awards is a show you won’t want to miss. Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for The Game Awards 2022, including Inverse’s recommendation for the very best place to watch it.
 
Continue reading
 
 
 
 
Meanwhile...
 
Behold! The world's largest radio telescope, in 8 images
This high-tech cow monitor could transform human health care
'Loki' Season 2 could be the most surreal Marvel has ever been
40 years ago, Kirstie Alley saved 'Wrath of Khan' — and changed Star Trek forever
 
 
 
 
About this newsletter: Do you think it can be improved? Have a story idea? Send those thoughts and more to us by emailing newsletter@inverse.com.
 
 
 
share Inverse Daily
 
Do you know someone who would enjoy reading Inverse Daily? Take a few minutes to share it with them.

 
 
You're receiving this email because you signed up to receive communications from BDG Media. If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.

315 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2022 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

View in browser

Older messages

🍿 'Midnight Club' Season 2 sounded great

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Plus: See 9 incredible nature photos from the 2022 Capturing Ecology competition. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🤒 Why is everyone getting sick right now?

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Plus: The Artemis I mission is coming back to planet Earth. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

☄️ Catastrophic Mars meteor impact

Monday, December 5, 2022

Plus: 5 years ago, Netflix gambled on the wildest time-travel show ever — and struck gold. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🧠 Let’s talk about stomach ache

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Sit back, relax, and consider how we're just one speck circling near a disco ball of stars — in a good way! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🎮 'The Callisto Protocol' falls short

Friday, December 2, 2022

Plus: NASA releases stunning Webb images of Saturn's largest moon. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

You Might Also Like

☕ Great chains

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Prologis looks to improve supply chain operations. January 15, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Retail Brew Presented By Bloomreach It's Wednesday, and we've been walking for miles inside the Javits

Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Hegseth's hearing had some fireworks, but he looks headed toward confirmation. Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing. Hegseth's hearing had some fireworks, but he looks headed toward

Honourable Roulette

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

The Honourable Parts // The Story Of Russian Roulette Honourable Roulette By Kaamya Sharma • 15 Jan 2025 View in browser View in browser The Honourable Parts Spencer Wright | Scope Of Work | 6th

📬 No. 62 | What I learned about newsletters in 2024

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

“I love that I get the chance to ask questions and keep learning. Here are a few big takeaways.” ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌

⚡️ ‘Skeleton Crew’ Answers Its Biggest Mystery

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Plus: There's no good way to adapt any more Neil Gaiman stories. Inverse Daily The twist in this Star Wars show was, that there was no twist. Lucasfilm TV Shows 'Skeleton Crew' Finally

I Tried All The New Eye-Shadow Sticks

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

And a couple classics. The Strategist Beauty Brief January 15, 2025 Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission

How To Stop Worrying And Learn To Love Lynn's National IQ Estimates

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

... ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

☕ Olympic recycling

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Reusing wi-fi equipment from the Paris games. January 15, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Tech Brew It's Wednesday. After the medals are awarded and the athletes go home, what happens to all the stuff

Ozempic has entered the chat

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Plus: Hegseth's hearing, a huge religious rite, and confidence. January 15, 2025 View in browser Jolie Myers is the managing editor of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Her work often focuses on

How a major bank cheated its customers out of $2 billion, according to a new federal lawsuit

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

An explosive new lawsuit filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) alleges that Capital One bank cheated its customers out of $2 billion. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏