Latest news with #JessicaWilson
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Text message sent by Aussie cult hero before viral, emotional video
Aussie cult hero Archie Wilson's family have shown just how close the family is as they revealed a text message the punter sent before his emotional video spread across the globe. The American football punter, who has been recruited by the University of Nebraska, on Wednesday went viral for showing his emotions in front of cameras in the United States. Wilson, who is celebrating his 19th birthday, was in tears when asked about homesickness living on the other side of the world to his family — dad Lee, mum Jessica and brothers Oscar and Lewis. American fans wrapped their arms around the talented punter with many applauding the teenager for showing his raw emotion. The punter's family on Thursday morning appeared on breakfast TV and showed exactly why homesickness has been such a difficult thing for the talented teenager to deal with. Lee and Jessica told The Today Show they have spoken with their eldest son several times since the video of his press conference melted hearts across the United States. Lee said the family have been assured Archie is happy living abroad and even revealed they received a message from Archie before learning the video of his reply to a reporter was going viral. 'He sent us a message to say he was OK,' Lee said. 'He said to ignore the press conference before we'd actually watched it. So we watched it straight away.' One of his brothers was also seen wiping a tear away during the family's appearance on The Today Show. 'It happened quickly,' Lee said. 'It sort of took us all by surprise when we watch it. The tears started. There was a bit of a family hug and then we sat in quiet and processed it a little bit. 'We miss him a lot, obviously.' Jessica said after his first emotional press conference her son went on to do 'another hour' of speaking to reporters. 'He cleary misses us and the question caught him off guard,' she said. The family will be reunited with Archie in 11 days. It has been 10 weeks since they were last with him — when they toured the facilities at the University in June. Wilson has gambled everything in chasing his dream as a punter in the United States after getting the attention of talent scouts through the Australian-based ProKick academy production line of Aussie punters. The NFL has a long, deep, proud tradition of Aussie punters in the NFL — and Wilson next year hopes he can achieve his dream. For now, though, his dream is to make a strong impression when he suits up for his college football team when their season begins on August 28. Even before making his debut, Wilson is a cult figure with Nebraska 'Cornhuskers' fans. His story has only just begun. Speaking to Sunrise on Thursday morning, Wilson's mum Jessica said Archie was simply missing his family when celebrating his birthday without them for the first time. 'I spoke to him straight away and he was absolutely fine,' she said. 'He got emotional, it was his birthday yesterday/today American time, so I think the emotion of not having us there on his first birthday away just got to him at that one point.' Lee told Channel 7 the family is staying grounded amid the international headlines created by yesterday's presser. 'We're really trying not to get too far ahead of it because there's an enormity of a task at hand he's got to go out and do, and we're trying to just keep the lid on all of it,' Lee said, with their other two sons by their side. 'But it seems to have blown up and got away from everyone. 'It's a bit of a new world for us, we're not those sort of people.' She went on to say the family is 'extremely proud' of their boy. Earlier, Towards the end of his media appearance, Wilson was asked how it felt to be so far away from his family. The question hit the teen as the emotion spilt out in sad scenes. 'That part's hard. I mean … I'm sorry,' Wilson said as the tears began to flow. 'I love them a lot. I got two little brothers, and my mum and dad. That's the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them.' Moving halfway across the world to chase his dream wasn't easy, but he was already looking forward to his family coming over later this month. 'They know this is what's best for me,' he said. 'It's good I can still talk to them plenty over the phone. They're coming here to see the first few games, so I'm looking forward to that.'
National Geographic
31-07-2025
- Health
- National Geographic
These 6 strategies are scientifically proven to boost your memory
If you find yourself forgetting things, here are a few science-backed ways to remember things better. Illustration by Spencer Sutton/Jessica Wilson/Science Photo Library Forget your keys again? Studying for a test? The best method for improving your memory depends on what you're trying to remember. Forgetting is normal, but it can make life difficult. You might forget someone's name seconds after you meet them, blank on where you've put your keys, or miss an important birthday. Memories are fallible for a reason. Without a mechanism for forgetting, you would be unable to filter out unnecessary information when you're trying to remember something. 'You don't want to fill your brain with clutter,' says Charan Ranganath, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Davis. To improve your memory, however, most doctors will recommend a few basic life changes. For one, it's particularly important to get enough sleep, because the brain takes this time to review what you've learned and store it in long-term memory, says Michael Hasselmo, a neuroscientist at Boston University. Things like exercise and healthy eating also help, he says. (Your memory, rewired: Read Nat Geo's exploration into the frontier of memory science.) But if you struggle to remember your grocery list, the good news is that there are several science-backed strategies that can boost your ability to memorize and retain information, experts say. The strategy that's best for you depends on who you are, what you're trying to remember, and why. We spoke to memory experts about the six top strategies for improving your memory—and how to get started. Strategy 1: Make meaningful connections Best for: Remembering any new information—even random, unconnected facts When you're learning something new, the brain links those details to information it has already stored away, Ranganath says. So, the easiest way to remember anything is to make it meaningful, he says. In fact, decades of cognitive science research show that meaningful information is easier to remember than random, unconnected facts. Meaning, in this context, signifies that the information either connects to what you already know, makes sense within context, or has some personal connection to you. For example, studies show that people find it easier to remember new vocabulary if they translate concepts into their own words. Or if you're trying to learn someone's name, linking them in your mind to someone else you know with that name might help. (Are you better than AI at guessing what makes a photo memorable?) But to remember things that don't inherently have meaning—like a list of numbers or dates—creating an artificial meaning can help. This is the idea behind mnemonics—acronyms, rhymes, alliterations, or songs that create associations between new information and existing knowledge or visual imagery, says Daniel Willingham, a psychologist at the University of Virginia. 'Let's say you meet someone named Neil who has a big nose or other defining feature,' Ranganath says. 'You might think to yourself 'Oh Nosy Neil' and it could make that person's name easier to remember. Vivid imagery or interesting narratives can also help make information more meaningful. Trying to memorize the order of all the planets in the solar system? My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles is one narrative that might help. (Or, if you refuse to accept that Pluto is no longer a planet, perhaps your mother actually served nine pizzas.) Strategy 2: Space out your study sessions—and let yourself struggle Best for: Studying for a test, learning a new language, remembering facts in detail If you're cramming for a test, a studies suggest that spacing out those sessions where you're reviewing foreign language vocabulary or memorizing flashcards can help your brain store memories better and more efficiently. This technique, called spaced repetition, involves revisiting information at increasing intervals. Spaced repetition works because when you initially learn something, you store it in short-term memory, Ranganath says. The process of consolidating this information into long-term memory, however, takes time and happens 'offline' during periods of rest, he adds. (The unexpected ways Ozempic-like drugs might fight dementia.) Another advantage of spaced repetition is that it can help you retrieve that memory when you need it later. Because humans are better at recalling things in their original context, we often struggle to remember things when we're no longer in that context—like the coffee shop where you studied for your test with the smell of roasted beans wafting through the air, Ranganath says. 'By spacing out your learning, these memories become unmoored from a particular place and time and more likely to be accessible anytime you need it,' Ranganath says. Another way to successfully commit something to memory is to test yourself and let yourself struggle to remember, Ranganath says. For example, rather than rereading your textbook to study for a test, try to quiz yourself first. This process of trying to remember, called retrieval practice, can help solidify the information in your brain, studies show. Struggling to remember something before you find the answer can give your brain a chance to repair the memory and form the neural connections to make the new information stick, Ranganath says. That's why, if you struggle with names, it might be beneficial to guess someone's name even before you learn it, Ranganath says. 'Then if I take a moment to think about your name and correct myself once you give me the answer, now my brain will be less likely to come up with all these random associations that are not correct.' Strategy 3: Read out loud Best for: Short-term memorization like a grocery list Studies show that reading out loud or even singing words can help you remember information better than just reading it silently, a phenomenon known as the production effect. This might be because speaking out loud activates more senses than silent reading. When you say things out loud, it fires up neurons in the motor and auditory areas in your brain. The more neural connections a memory has to different regions of the brain, the more distinctive and easier it is to recall, Hasselmo says. However, Hasselmo cautions that the production effect may not be as powerful for creating long-term memories as other methods, like mnemonics or active recall. In addition, a study published in January 2024 showed that while reading text aloud does help your memory, it doesn't help comprehension. So, this technique might be better for remembering your grocery list rather than studying for a test, experts say. Strategy 4: Engage your senses Best for: When you want to remember a moment from your own life In addition to reading out loud, engaging your other senses during learning can help you form vivid memories of an experience. Take, for example, misplacing your keys. To find them, your memory must compete with all the other times you've put down your keys, Ranganath says. To combat this, the next time you put down your keys you might 'focus on the unique aspects of this particular moment, like the sights, the sounds, the smells,' Ranganath says. These sensory experiences will create a distinct memory—and help you find your keys later. The key to strengthening memories is to increase the number of associations that they have in the brain, says Hasselmo. Focusing on sensory information can activate more parts of the brain, creating memories that are more distributed. 'A rich visual image with a particular memory increases the number of neurons that are getting activated and number of synapses that are getting modified,' he says, making the memory stronger. It's not as tricky as you might think to train your senses. Discover all the expert tips in our companion story on how to make stronger memories by putting your senses to work. Strategy 5: Navigate the memory palace Best for: Memorizing a long list or material for a speech The memory palace—also known as the method of loci—is an ancient mnemonic technique that studies show can improve retention and recall. This technique is a favorite of memory athletes, some of whom use it to remember tens of thousands of digits of pi. 'If the goal is to memorize a list or material for a speech, the method of loci is probably the easiest way to do it,' Hasselmo says. Start by picturing a familiar space like your home. As you walk through that space, create an association between the information you want to remember and a specific location within that space. The more unusual or bizarre the association the better, Hasselmo says—same for adding sensory information like smells or textures. (Use this ancient technique to remember (almost) anything.) To remember a grocery list consisting of a banana, asparagus, and ice, for example, you might imagine entering your house and smashing a banana into the doorway, then plopping a bunch of asparagus on the stairs, and finally dumping a pile of ice into your bed. Then, to remember the three items, you picture yourself retracing your route to retrieve them. The reason the memory palace works is because it creates relationships between information you want to remember and well-ingrained, existing imagery, Hasselmo explains. Scientists hypothesize that the same brain areas involved in memory, namely the hippocampus, also help you figure out your location in the world—which is why navigating a familiar place is a powerful method of remembering things, he says. However, the effectiveness of the method of loci isn't settled science. Some scientists don't believe it's any more efficient than other mnemonic methods. 'It's just another way to put meaning on something and to really organize information that you need,' Ranganath says. 'It's just giving you a framework,' Willingham agrees. Strategy 6: Make memories intentionally Best for: Moments you know you'll want to vividly remember Ranganath recognizes that for many people, the things they want to remember aren't facts and details, but important times in their lives. To make the most of your memory during a significant event, Ranganath says that you might want to consciously think about what you want to get out of the experience beforehand. That way, you'll be better able to be present and focus on what you're experiencing and the emotions that you're feeling. 'Often you go to a party and you just expect to get memories from that for free. And that's not how things really work,' Ranganath says. 'So that's probably the advice I would give, is think about what you really want to take away from an experience.'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
$6 million project in downtown Puyallup will transform this busy street
Upgrades are coming soon to a street in northwest Puyallup. According to Puyallup's online city newsletter, Fifth Avenue Northwest – between Fourth Street Northwest and Seventh Street Northwest – will undergo a complete restoration, which includes 'new sidewalks, a wider roadway, ADA improvements, improved street lighting and other upgrades.' The project is going to cost about $6.12 million, the newsletter said, with $2.42 million of that funding coming from a grant from the State Department of Ecology. Construction is expected to start in May or June and last about eight months. 'Currently, the street is not up to our current standard, with a narrow street, old sidewalk that is buckling from tree roots, and a failing roadway among other issues,' Jessica Wilson, city project manager, said in the newsletter. 'This is an older neighborhood that was originally built to an older standard, so when we go to replace the stormwater main, we'll upgrade all of this infrastructure.' In the newsletter, the city said these upgrades will happen along Fifth Avenue Northwest, Sixth Street Northwest and Fifth Street Northwest. These upgrades include replacing old asphalt with fresh pavement, installing a new stormwater system, replacing sidewalks, installing ADA-compliant curb ramps and improving street lighting. The city also plans to widen Fifth Street Northwest to 'meet current City standards' and widen Fifth Avenue Northwest to make room for a bike boulevard and on-street parking. 'I think what we heard from residents is that they appreciate the improvements but would like to see more traffic calming implemented in the design,' Hans Hunger, city engineer, said in the newsletter. 'We heard from residents about cars using Fifth Avenue as a bypass if there is too much traffic on Fourth Street Northwest. So they had a lot of concerns about cars speeding down Fifth Avenue, and want to see us implement ways to slow them down.' In the newsletter, Hunger said the city is going to implement curb extensions that are designed to force drivers to slow down. For more information about the project, residents can visit
CBS News
31-01-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
How salt on the sidewalk affects our pets
EDINA, Minn. — Salt may seem harmless and a great way to melt ice, but a new movement is warning of its harmful impacts. Officials in Edina, along with many communities across the country, are taking part in Winter Salt Week to highlight the issues salt creates for our furry friends and waterways. "It can cause skin irritation or tummy issues (if ingested). In extreme cases, you should bring your dog into the vet," said Jessica Wilson, Edina's water resources manager. "You want to make sure you're storing packages properly. Or if it's really slushy snow, and they're eating it or if there are puddles of meltwater and they're drinking that, then that could be harmful." Experts say alternatives like sand or kitty litter for traction are safer options, as well as using good old elbow grease to clear the snow with shovels. But if you have to use salt, a little goes a long way. Using too much can also lead to environmental impacts. "[A small jar] is enough salt to pollute 900 gallons of water permanently. It's creating a saltwater condition in a freshwater landscape, so the aquatic organisms — it impacts their ability to reproduce if the water gets too salty," Wilson said.
