theSkimm - Good News About Pasta 🍝

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Monday. Skimm HQ is off for Presidents Day, but we’re still here to keep you informed. So here are three things to know to start your week, plus some good news to text your friends about — like the fact that between now and April 1, we’re apparently in a period of “astrological smooth sailing.” Other things I’m celebrating? This group of South Korean grannies turned rappers. These Latina cosplayers giving main character energy. And the friend group of my dreams: The “Sugar Hill Sisterhood,” 16 women who have found a way to meet at least once a year, for 50 years.

Rasheeda Campbell / News Writer / Chevy Chase, Maryland

More than 300 people have been detained at events across Russia, while paying tribute to opposition leader Alexei Navalny. On Friday, Russian officials announced that Navalny — who was serving a 19-year sentence for extremism charges — died at a remote Arctic penal colony.
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley continues to travel across her home state in the hopes of cutting into former President Trump’s lead during South Carolina’s Republican primary on Saturday. But according to recent polls, that’s unlikely.
Last night, “Oppenheimer” won big at the 2024 BAFTA Awards — aka, the British equivalent of the Oscars. It took home seven prizes, including best film, best director, and best actor.

In addition to helping accelerate the global adventure tourism industry, women 65 and over apparently represent the greatest increase in solo travel between 2019 and 2022 — going from 4% to 18%.

...Oh and speaking of women hitting the road, 79-year-old Luisa Yu is now being called “one of the world’s most-traveled people,” after achieving her goal of visiting all 193 countries recognized by the United Nations. Need her packing secrets ASAP.

Look at science confirming what we already knew — which is that eating a big bowl of pasta can make you feel better. That’s according to a study conducted by an Italian university, where lucky participants ate noodles, listened to their favorite songs, and watched a sporting event, while researchers measured their physical and neurological changes. Of the three, eating pasta was best at generating positive emotions, leading one professor to conclude that, “pasta and happiness are one.” Though, this is probably where we should mention the study’s limitations, like its small sample size and the fact it hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. But also, who are we kidding, we’re convinced.

🪙 File this under things that make a lot of cents: Starting this month, five new female faces are coming to US currency, thanks to the US Mint’s American Women Quarters Program. They include Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Zitkala-Ša, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, and Celia Cruz — all of whom played an important, yet often overlooked role in shaping American history.

🏠 Just in case you’re thinking about getting your own Barbie Dreamhouse, you’re in good company. Single women own more homes than single men, and overall homeownership is now majority female.

💰 The pay gap between full-time working women in the US and their male counterparts is now the smallest on record. Which is great. But also, there’s still a pretty big gap…

Last week, Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark said ‘I’m not throwin’ away my shot’ — and became the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball. Slam dunk.

Something worth flipping out over: Later this month, Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas will return to competition for the first time in nearly eight years. It’s the first step in what she hopes will be a path to the Paris Olympics.

Last month, Amber Glenn won her first national title at the US Women’s Figure Skating Championships — becoming the first openly LGBTQIA+ woman to do so. So chill.

Because animal photos are always a good thing, here is the winner of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award: “Ice Bed” by photographer Nima Sarikhani. The annual contest is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London.

Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently.

1. How to convince your friends you’ve always been bilingual.

Try this app. It’s packed with lessons, games, podcasts, and live classes to help you learn real-world phrases — fast. Did we mention they’re having a President’s Day sale? Subscribe now for 60% off.*

Start speaking

2. One editor used the Hatch Rest 2nd Gen to create a better sleep routine for her toddler.

No joke: A few days into using it, her 3 year old actually volunteered to start his bedtime routine after he heard the countdown come on. If you need more convincing, here's her full review.

Find out more

3. A cute beanie that'll elevate your winter outfits.

Add this soft beanie to your jeans-and-a-sweater formula to make it look a little more fashion-y. It's under $25 and will keep you warm through March.

Slip it on

4. Warm coats you won't get sick of wearing.

And here are some coats to carry you through the rest of the season. We love this long, quilted bomber — it can withstand temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit, but it looks sleeker than a puffer.

Bundle up