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Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, which means many entrepreneurs minds are turning towards beach getaways, lakeside camping trips, or lazy days at the pool with the kids. These kinds of water-based activities are a great way to relax and stay cool. But according to fascinating research in neuroscience, swimming isnt just a fun vacation activity. It actually has special brain benefits that other forms of exercise just cant match. Not just another form of exercise It will surprise exactly no one that exercise is good for your brain. (If this is news to you, here are some studies for you to get up to speed.) Swimming is, obviously, a form of exercise, so therefore its good for your brain too. And thats the end of it, right? Not exactly. Swimming is a perfectly excellent way to get the generalized benefits of more movement in your life if thats your preferred way to work out. But psychologists and neuroscientists have uncovered a variety of unique benefits that swimming seems to provide. 1. Swimming reduces stress. In fact, the benefits of swimming start before you even stick a toe in the water. Psychologists have discovered that even just looking at a beach seems to help us calm down and let go of stress. Recent experiments show that after just two minutes of viewing water outdoors, blood pressure and heart rate drop. Its more calming to look at a lake, pool, or stream than trees or grass. And wider bodies of water bring more tranquility, explained star psychologist Adam Grant in a recent edition of his newsletter, Granted. Evolutionary psychologists suggest this may be because marine environments offered our hunter gatherer ancestors a rich source of food and a clear view of incoming predators. Whatever the reason though, the effect is clear. The human brain seems wired to love the beach. 2. Swimming makes your brain work better. You might spend time by the pool or lake in order to forget the stresses of your working life. But while youre leaving your stresses behind, youre actually also boosting your memory in general. For one study, neuroscientists forced rats to do daily laps in a mini rat pool and then tested their memories. After just seven days of swim training, researchers saw improvements in both short- and long-term memories, based on a reduction in the errors rats made each day, reports neuroscientist Seena Mathew. And its not just rats. Studies on whether humans see the same cognitive benefits are ongoing but initial results are promising. One showed kids recalled a list of words much more accurately after swimming, compared to when they colored or did CrossFit-like exercise. Another study of older adults concluded that swimmers had improved mental speed and attention compared with non-swimmers, Mathew says. 3. Swimming boosts mental health. If your holiday involves swimming outdoors under the sky, you can expect to see additional benefits. A large recent global survey of wild swimmersi.e., those who take their dips in open air pools or natural environmentsfound that mixing swimming and nature delivered a particularly large boost to peoples well-being. Experiment after experiment shows nature just seems to make humans happier. But the researchers behind the study think something else is driving much of the increase in mental health experienced by wild swimmers. Our study suggests that the key to this effect lies in experiencing feelings of autonomy and competencefreedom and mastery over the swimmers environmenttwo factors that are strongly linked to well-being, explained Lewis Elliot, one of the researchers behind the findings. Swimming outdoors makes us feel free and confident. And freedom and confidence make us happier. Time to hit the beach or pool? All of which adds up to a simple message for entrepreneurs: If youre daydreaming of the beach, pool, or lake this Memorial Day weekend, maybe you should follow your impulse to plan that trip. You already know swimming is a great way to unwind. New neuroscience reveals it is also apparently a form of exercise with special brain benefits. Spending some time in the water this summer is likely to make you calmer, smarter, happier, and more confident. So maybe its time to dig out that bathing suit.
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E-Commerce
European automakers will save around 500-600 million euros ($585-700 million) a month dating back to Aug. 1 after the Trump administration implemented the U.S. end of its trade deal with the European Union, the EU’s top trade negotiator said Thursday. Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said that the deal establishing a 15% tariff on most EU goods took effect with publication in the U.S. Federal Register instructing customs officials what to charge. That would reduce the tariff from a painfully high 27.5% rate set earlier by Trump. The reduction eases a major burden on EU automakers and is a chief selling point for the deal as presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The deal is retroactive to Aug. 1 so “what we expect now is that the tariffs will be returned to the automakers as of the first of August, which is something like 500, 600 million euros per month,” Sefcovic said ahead of a meeting with Southeast Asian trade ministers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 15% tariff is still much higher than tariffs from before Trump took office, which averaged in the single digits, and the trade deal has been criticized by business associations and some members of the European Parliament. Sefcovic said most member states supported the deal and that after detailed exchanges and presentations on the details he expected lawmakers would support it as well. He said it was “the best deal available” after difficult talks with Trump administration officials. “Any other alternative would be much worse,” he said. Trump threatened even higher rates during the talks. Associated Press
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E-Commerce
The Barclays Center is taking its dressing rooms for touring artists to the next level, and they looked to local inspiration to decorate them. The Brooklyn venue, which hosts concerts and is home to the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and WNBA’s New York Liberty, has upgraded six dressing rooms that now resemble Brooklyn brownstone apartments, complete with moody tones, soft-glow lighting, and high-end fixtures and finishes. [Photo: Barclays Center/BSE] The makeover is part of Barclays Center parent company BSE Global’s $100 million, five-year upgrade of the venue that’s still set to include improvements like a new fan zone and a new premium membership club. Laurie Jacoby, BSE Global’s chief entertainment officer, tells Fast Company the plan for the renovations is “to elevate the guest experience at every level, whether you’re a fan attending a concert or game, or an artist bringing your talent to our stage.” It’s especially important for artists, she says. [Photo: Barclays Center/BSE] “For touring artists, a dressing room is often their only connection to the city they’re performing in,” Jacoby says. “That’s why we designed our dressing rooms to capture the essence of a Brooklyn brownstone, featuring paneled walls, herringbone floors, warm lighting, and elegant finishes that create a cozy, residential atmospherea true home away from home right inside the arena.” [Photo: Barclays Center/BSE] BSE Global designed the dressing rooms in partnership with the Brooklyn Home Company, a real estate development and design firm that typically works on condos, townhomes, and vacation homes. [Photo: Barclays Center/BSE] The team designed each room to pay homage different Brooklyn neighborhoods around the stadium. Park Slope was inspired by diners and wine bars, Brooklyn Heights by red brick, Prospect by the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and Boerum Hill by the oxidization of copper. There’s also a classic brownstone-inspired room for Clinton Hill, and a green room with plants to represent Fort Greene. Construction began following the end of the 202425 NBA season, and the dressing rooms can seat up to 56 people. [Photo: Barclays Center/BSE] BSE Global wants the new Barclays Center to do more than impress rock bands, rappers, DJs, and pop stars. The team also hopes the elevated space will lead to elevated performances. [Photo: Barclays Center/BSE] “ur hope is that these new spaces provide comfort and hospitality for artists spending long hours on the road,” Jacoby says. “We know that when performers feel at home and relaxed, they deliver their best performanceswhich is ultimately a benefit to both fans and the overall experience.” Among the first artists who’ll use the new dressing rooms are Reneé Rapp, who’s bringing her Bite Me Tour to Brooklyn next month, and Tame Impala, who’s playing four nights there.
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E-Commerce
The crash of a small plane in southwestern Brazil killed four people including Chinese landscape architect and urban planner Yu Kongjian, Brazilian authorities said Wednesday.The accident happened late Tuesday during a landing attempt at a large farm about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the municipality of Aquidauana in Mato Grosso do Sul state, firefighters said.Yu, who was known for promoting ecologically sound development, was traveling with two Brazilian documentary makers, Luiz Fernando Feres da Cunha Ferraz and Rubens Crispim Jr., who were making a film about the Pantanal wetlands. All three were killed along with pilot Marcelo Pereira de Barros, authorities said.Yu was know for developing the concept of “sponge cities,” with infrastructure that can absorb rainwater to mitigate flood risks and improve the urban climate.“In times of climate change,” Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote on social media, “Yu became a global reference with his sponge cities, which unite quality of life and environmental protection.”Yu argued that by creating large spaces to hold water in city centers, such as parks and ponds, extreme rainfall can be absorbed, helping prevent floods. The idea is widely cited in Chinese urban planning, and in recent years Yu worked on projects in other countries including Saudi Arabia and Thailand.He was known for his “notable contributions to sustainable urbanism, the preservation of biodiversity, and the protection of the planet,” Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said on X, adding that Yu’s legacy will continue to inspire those dedicated to ecological cause.Yu founded the College of Architecture and Landscape at Peking University, one of China’s most prestigious universities. The university did not respond a request for comment.The military fire department in Aquidauana was called at around 8:10 p.m. local time on Tuesday to respond to a plane crash, firefighters said. A search and rescue operation lasted approximately nine hours.Yu and the filmmakers were part of a team producing a documentary about the world’s largest tropical wetlands. The Pantanal, fed by tributaries of the Paraguay River and mostly located in Brazil, is a biodiversity hotspot and a popular destination for tourists to see jaguars, macaws, caimans, capybaras and migratory birds in the wild.In an interview with The Associated Press in 2022, Yu criticized much of Asia’s modern infrastructure for being built on ideas imported from Europe, which he said are ill-fitted to the monsoon climate that prevails over much of the continent. Fu Ting contributed to this report from Washington D.C. and Mauricio Savarese from Sao Paulo. Eléonore Hughes, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Did you buy a new pink dress to watch the Barbie movie, only to never wear it again? An Oura ring because your favorite TikTok influencer had it? A new pair of baggy jeans because ’90s fashion is making a comeback?Niche trends fueled by social media can influence your shopping decisions. Participating often brings some happiness and a sense of community, but the problem comes when you do it so often that you’re not using your money to achieve your financial goals, or worse, you get into debt, said Erika Rasure, chief financial wellness advisor for Beyond Finance, a financial services company.Whether it’s coastal grandma or clean girl aesthetic, microtrends can take a significant toll on already-strained budgets as prices rise and Gen Z struggles to pay off debt.If you find yourself overspending to participate in microtrends, here are some expert recommendations: Pause before purchasing Before you click “buy” on TikTok Shop, it’s best if you take some time to reflect, said Jennifer Seitz, head of education for Greenlight, a financial literacy app for families. Pausing before a purchase can help you discern if the item is something you really want or a fleeting craving.“Think if you want to put it in a schedule pause, whether it’s 24 hours or even a couple of days if it’s a larger expense,” Seitz said.Participating in personal challenges can be a good way to get in the habit of making purchases more deliberate. Back in 2022, Alyssa Barber participated in the no-buy year challenge, where she pledged to stop buying non-essential items for a year.Barber shares sustainable practices with over 370,000 followers on TikTok, where one of her recurrent themes is how to stop impulse buying. Barber said the challenge gave her perspective on how much she was spending on things she didn’t need. Since then, she has changed her spending habits, focusing mainly on experiences. Know your spending values Taking a value-based spending approach can help you decide if you should participate in a trend you see online, Rasure said.If, for example, you want to build an emergency fund, having this goal in mind while shopping can help avoid unnecessary spending.Quynh Van, a 27-year-old UX designer from Minneapolis, was surprised by the number of ads on TikTok when she created an account after a four-year break from social media. And while being influenced by the ads is inevitable, she believes overspending comes in part from users not having defined goals.“When you don’t know who you are or what you like, you’re so driven by over-consumerism and lifestyle creep because you don’t have your values in order,” Van said.Rasure recommends using your financial values as a guiding principle for your spending decisions. If you’re not sure of your values, allocate some time to map them out according to your life goals. Create barriers to spending If a purchase is one click away, it can make it easier to spend large amounts of money. If you consciously make it a little harder to pay for an item, you can spend more mindfully, Seitz said.“Just that action of needing to input your payment information rather than just that simple click can help you give to really stop and think about purchases before moving ahead with them,” she added.To add barriers, you can remove your credit card details from your computer browser or social media and disable Apple Pay on your phone. Think of it as an act of self-care Finances are closely tied to emotions, and often, they evoke negative feelings such as shame or guilt. However, reframing them as an act of self-care can help you spend mindfully, Rasure said.“It can help you create boundaries around what you value spending money on, helps you choose intentionally and it feels more like freedom instead of restriction,” she said.Your spending habits in the present can help your future financial situation. This mindset can inspire you when you’re tempted to overspend on the newest trending electronic or fashion item. Engage with trends with moderation It can be OK to engage with trends if they bring you positive feelings, Rasure said.Van decided to participate in the matcha trend, but with moderation. For Barber, physical media, such as old records, DVDs, and cassettes, is on her list of non-negotiable expenses, as she loves collecting these items.“Trends and engaging them, engaging in them really should spark that happiness or contentment, not the debt that can go with them,” Rasure said. The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. Adriana Morga, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
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