Condensed Soup

A proposed bill to ban potassium bromate in New York could permanently alter the city's pizza and bagel landscape -- while catching the U.S. up to the rest of the world.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity A proposed additive ban could change New York's pizza and bagels, some say for the better (Jake Offenhartz, AP, May 22, 2026) This Popular Pizza Flour is Getting Banned (Scott Wiener,...

Adventure guides help us see the beauty and majesty of the world, whether it's navigating river rapids or touring the Grand Canyon. It's a demanding life, but the Whale Foundation is helping to support this unique community. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Trip Tracker (You Row Kelsey, accessed 12 Jun 2026) Employment Opportunities (Hatch River Expeditions, accessed 12 Jun 2026) How t...

Kelsey Pfendler is rowing solo from California to Hawaii -- 2400 miles. Hopefully, she has a lot of podcasts to listen to.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Kelsey Pfendler is trying to become the youngest woman to row solo from California to Hawaii (Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 28 May 2026) The first American woman is rowing solo across the Pacific — 2,400 miles, roughly the distan...

Researchers have observed squirrels in California engaging in some very un-squirrel-like behavior -- hunting prey.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Carnivorous Squirrels Documented in California (Kat Kerlin, UC Davis, Dec 18, 2024) Squirrels Are Displaying 'Widespread Carnivorous Behavior' for the First Time in a California Park, New Study Finds (Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, De...

Japan is preparing for another cruelly hot summer by setting energy use guidelines and recommending a lighter work wardrobe. It's leg season! CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Tokyo Gov't Allows Shorts at Work to Beat Heat, Cut Energy Use (The Sankei Shimbun, Japan Forward, May 4, 2026) Tokyo workers encouraged to wear shorts to cut energy costs and keep cool (Justin McCurry, The Guardi...

The US is rushing to compete in women's Olympic handball, so they're building a team -- from scratch.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity These women are training to represent the US in an Olympic sport they'd never heard of (Jaimie Ding, AP, May 16, 2026) Try Out For Team USA (USA Team Handball, accessed Jun 9, 2026) Sports (The Olympics, accessed Jun 9, 2026) Instagram: @condensedsoupp...

The beautiful mountains of Acadia National Park need a little extra love, so hikers are helping out by volunteering to carry soil to the summits.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity The surprising thing visitors are carrying up Acadia's mountains (Eve Chen, USA Today, Jun 8, 2026) The Dirt on Acadia (Nicholas Lund, National Parks Conservation Association, Winter 2025) Instagram: @condens...

No funny news today, friends. A group of leading scientists and doctors were thrown out of a diabetes conference for supporting and distributing a journal editorial criticizing current health policies. Lists are being maintained.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Scientists ejected from diabetes conference for distributing journal reprints (Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, Jun 6, 2026)...

Last month, over twenty boats were lifted out of the Great Salt Lake due to declining water levels. It's a great wake up call to preserve a unique (and economically important) body of water. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Boats pulled from Great Salt Lake marina again (Ben Winslow, Fox 13, May 30, 2026) Great Salt Lake Facts (Utah (dot) com, accessed Jun 5, 2026) The Saltiest Body of...

No matter where you live, you can see the stars! Just send your telescope to one of the telescope ranches popping up in Texas, and access the dark skies from home -- or your phone.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Giant Roofs Open At Night: Inside America's Fastest-Growing Telescope Ranch in Texas (Dallas Express / Yahoo, May 31, 2026) Light pollution is washing out the night sky. A r...

There is drama afoot in the pigeon racing world, with pigeon heists plaguing breeders all over the world. (Next time you see a pigeon on a park bench, tell it we're rooting for them.) CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Fowl play: The criminals stealing elite racing pigeons (Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News / MSN, Apr 26, 2026) Belgium's pastoral pastime of pigeon racing faces high anxiety over c...

If you've been to a play or musical lately, were you able to lose yourself in the story? Some theatre audiences can't seem to leave their devices alone... CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Rosamund Pike Calls Out Audience Member for Texting During West End Performance of 'Inter Alia': 'You Know Who You Are' (Leo Barraclough, Variety, Jun 2, 2026) Andrew Scott Says He Halted 'Hamlet' Per...

As plastic surgery becomes more and more commonplace, how does that affect the way actors can effectively tell a story?  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity 'The face doesn't move': Hollywood's obsession with cosmetic surgeries has led to stiffer looks — and performances (Alaina Demopoulos, The Guardian, Jun 2, 2026) Plastic surgery is ruining Hollywood — and most movie stars aren't willi...

If Serena can do it, you can too. She left tennis 4 years ago, but Serena Williams is back -- at 44.  CONDENSED SOUP: It's cozy! It's curious! It's ten minutes! Serena Williams is returning to pro tennis at age 44 after nearly 4 years away from the sport (Andrew Dampf, AP, Jun 1, 2026) Saying less has meaning for top-10 players in prize money protest at the French Open (Andrew Dampf, AP, May 22, 2...

dd               Alpha-gal allergies are spiking in Martha's Vineyard, and people are turning vegan as a result. Will you have to give up your meat overnight? CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity A national alarm sounds on alpha-gal (Hayley Duffy, MV Times, Nov 14, 2025) Why more people on Martha's Vineyard are turning vegan. Hint: Not because they're 'woke' (Karissa Waddick, Cape Cod Time...

After more dramatic twists and turns than many of the shows that have graced its stages, The Kennedy Center will retain its storied name.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Is Trump done with the Kennedy Center? A dramatic twist in the saga. (Christopher Cann, USA Today, May 30, 2026) Judge says Kennedy Center board broke law putting Trump's name on building and blocks closure (Michael...

The upcoming Olympics are getting a major update from an unexpected source -- the television show Ninja Warrior.  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Ninja Warrior obstacles to feature in LA Olympics modern pentathlon (Rory Carroll, USA Today / Reuters, May 28, 2026) American Ninja Warrior Fans, You'll Love the 2028 Summer Olympics' Newest Sport (Chris Phelan, Yahoo! Sports, May 27, 2026)...

We're expanding on yesterday's episode and exploring how music and live performance can affect humans -- and plants. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Music for plants? An investigation into the impact of exposure to acoustic stimulus in box choy (brassica rapa) plants (Oxford University Research Archive, accessed May 28, 2026) One Singular Sensation: The Design Team of the Original A C...

Nothing can replace live performance, and the science is starting to catch up. A series of studies have found that audiences at live performances often sync up their body processes. After all, art can move you. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Live Music Synchronizes Audience's Heart Rate, Breathing: Study (Aristos Georgiou, Newsweek, Oct 5, 2023) New study finds audience heartbeats an...

It could be a goose on a porch, a flamingo on a lawn, or a gnome in the garden -- sometimes you need a little whimsy at your house. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Porch Goose Club of America (accessed May 26, 2026) A 1980s midwestern trend is back: The porch goose (Kate Morgan, The Spokesman-Review / Washington Post, May 5, 2025) 'I need a porch goose' | From grandma's stoop to Gen Z...

An EasyJet flight from Egypt to the UK was forced to divert overnight after crews found a contraband portable power bank. Should you start leaving your power banks at home? And doesn't that defeat the purpose of a portable power bank?  CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Power bank in passenger's luggage forces easyJet flight to divert (Nathan Diller, USA Today, May 25, 2026) Southwest Ai...

Indian farmer Ukabhai Bhatti has succeeded in growing 14 separate varieties of mangos on a single tree, thrilling fruit enthusiasts and horticulturists alike. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity This farmer grows 14 mango varieties in a single tree; this is how he does it (TOI Lifestyle Desk, Times of India, May 12, 2026) Mango Facts (National Mango Board, accessed May 24, 2026) Instagram...

In 2017, Abraham Poincheval, a French performance artist, launched an attempt to hatch chicken eggs by sitting on them in an art museum. After three weeks, he succeeded. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity French artist turns chicken for three-week egg hatching (BBC / Reuters, Mar 29, 2017) An Artist Incubating Chicken Eggs Is No Joke. But Is It Art? (Scott Simon, Weekend Edition Saturday...

If you're a lucid dreamer, you could already be controlling your dreams. And it turns out you may be able to talk to other lucid dreamers while dreaming. Maybe. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Bay Area startup claims it developed 2-way communication between people via dreams (Zach Fuentes, ABC7, Oct 17, 2024) Can lucid dreaming be harmful? (Jocelyn Timperley, BBC, Apr 25, 2023) conden...

If you find yourself longing for the heady days of band camp (IYKYK), you can recapture them! Adult band camps are a thing. No word on whether you have to buy white sneakers. CONDENSED SOUP: 10 minutes of cozy curiosity Adults relive the musical camaraderie of their youth at band camps reprised for grown-ups (Kathy McCormack, AP, May 12, 2026) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast condensedsoup@proton....