Your Weekend Digest: Cosmic Butterflies 🦋 & Quick News To Know
From cosmic butterflies to the Venezuela boat strikes and lightning on Mars, we’ve got you covered on what’s happening. Plus, SmartHER gifts handpicked for everyone on your list this holiday season. 👇🏽
“You may notice, though, that the Butterfly Nebula does not resemble a round planet, but instead a winged creature caught mid-flight.”
NOIRLab, operator of the International Gemini Observatory, on the winning image selected to celebrate the observatory’s 25th anniversary. The image was chosen by students in Chile, and the Butterfly Nebula is formed by a star its center, which is “casting off layers of gas and dust as it nears the end of its life.” (NOIRLab)
🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:
📖10 Notable Books: A list of 2025’s most notable books, including one on the Revolutionary War. Looking for more good reads? Try our list of favorites!
🐊RIP, Claude: This San Francisco legend, a 30-year-old albino alligator, passed away on Tuesday. He was one of fewer than 200 on the planet.
🧸Child’s Play: While the House held a committee hearing on online safety for minors, some toys now come preloaded with AI chatbots.
🧀 Shredded (& Grated): A cheese recall that spans more than 30 states and several big brands. Do you have these in your refrigerator?
❤️Giving Tuesday: Nonprofits received about $4 billion in donations, and research shows that giving and serving benefits the doer as much as the receiver. Even Catherine, Princess of Wales, extolled “simple acts of care.”
📱Trifold Magic: Samsung will sell the first trifold phone in the U.S. market early next year. The price is TBD — would you spring for it?
🥚Egg-citing: As one Fabergé egg sold at auction for a record-breaking $30.2 million, another took a more unusual journey (quite the understatement, you'll see why 👀).
👑Royal Stockings: Handsewn Christmas stockings made from drapes at King Charles III’s Sandringham estate are now up for auction.
🦅Buy American: As Costco joined the ranks of businesses seeking tariff refunds, this article explores the origins and current dynamics of the Made in the USA movement.
Hostess with the Mostest: A few tips for having a “legendary guest room.”
🌍Ukraine Update: As the U.S. and Russia continued talks this week, NATO members met in Brussels Wednesday to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine.
🏠The Holiday Cottage: A home designer re-created the cottage from the movie “The Holiday” as a short-term rental. Yes, please!
🎙️ This Week From Jenna:
Perspective on your top requested story of the week:
“Dark And Difficult Things In The Dead Of Night”:
The U.S., Venezuela & What To Know. Watch or Listen.
🎙️ SCOOP (approx. 58 minutes) Rage Bait, Retail Insights, & The Suspect In The Murder of the United Healthcare CEO Heads Back To Court. Watch or Listen. (SCOOP Insiders can attend this live broadcast once a week and get their news questions answered; they also receive the special video report EXCLUSIVELY delivered to their inbox along with a "cheat sheet" for the week ahead — learn more HERE).
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:
Stuck trying to find *just the right present* for everyone on your list? We curated quick, concise and clutter-free gift guides to help you shop SmartHER this season:
Each item was carefully handpicked by our team. Many are also affiliate links, meaning SmartHER News may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you — if you choose to shop through them. Your support directly supports a free press and ensures we remain independent. Thank you. 💕
Thanks to NASA’s Perseverance rover, scientists heard electric discharges in dust devils that are frequent on Mars. This could lead to a greater understanding of the planet’s atmosphere.
NASA's Perseverance rover in a selfie May 10, 2025. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
